I seriously can't take anymore of the 3rd gen prices

For years I felt like I over paid for my brand new 1006 back in '93. It was $535 OTD. I don't feel that way any more.
 
I have paid $800+ for the last 5-8 3rd gennies I have purchased. Granted I am a stickler for condition, but I have said many times before they were on the way up.

My latest acquisition is the most I have ever paid for a handgun......$1600 for a NIB pristine WVSP 4566TSW. I can't even begin to describe how awesome that pistol is.

I own 18 3rd gennies. Every single one of them in almost NIB condition when purchased. Some were 95%+ when purchased.

None are for sale.

Always buying.
 
Interesting the author should reference 15 year old Camaros. When in fact, most 3rd gen S&Ws are now approaching 20 years old. There is actually a fascinating "trend in collectable value". That indicates that items, popular when new, tend to increase in collectable value as they approach 25 years in age. This is often, because these items have been discontinued from heavy use and been available in large volume until at some point the used volume dries up and quality pieces are less available.

It's interesting the author of those post chose to use cars as an example. It may not seem like it, but today a 1993 Ford Mustang in good, clean, 1-3 owner shape, is worth a premium compared to what it was 5 years ago and especially ten years ago. At this point most of those cars have been beaten on hard and put away wet, creating a "bull market" for clean vehicles. If you happen to be shopping for the rarer 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra for instance, you would pay today, for a clean example, approximately what it cost new (or ~18-20k). Which by the way, is nearly 100% more than you would pay for a 1994 or 1995 Mustang Cobra (which are starting to increase in value now as well).

The good news is bull markets do not usually last forever. But you rarely see a bear market drive the value of something all the way back to historic lows. So, yes the days of cheap 3rd gen guns are probably over, but that's because there isn't the availability of 3rd gen guns on the market that there once was.

-Rob
 
Your Mustang analogy is way off, for 18-20 grand I am getting an 02-03 Cobra with the supercharger. Someone would be out of their mind to pay 18-20 grand for a 93 Cobra unless it was the R.

Yes, 3rd gens are getting harder and harder to find especially in good condition. They will continue to rise, until they level off but that has not been for a while now. A primo example 3rd gen regardless of the caliber are bringing premiums cause people are adding them to their collections and not getting rid of them. This causes the market to adjust up as fewer and fewer pristine examples hit the market.
 
Everything in Outrider's last two posts is about as contrary to common sense when using a firearm as possible.

"Thumb cocking" a firearm is not only a fine motor skill but one with "a little practice and dexterity" you are sure to forget in a highly stressful self defense situation.

The idea that while taking fire or presented with a life and death situation that you will have the presence of mind to cock the hammer back is more than a little bit suspect. I have never seen anyone advocate cocking the hammer before shooting on a DA/SA gun. This, to me, is like carrying without one in the pipe because it "just takes a second" to rack the slide and load a round in the chamber. That second may be the last you have and I certainly don't want to spend it wishing that I had a round already loaded.

In addition, the heavier trigger pull (what S&W has a 12 pound DA trigger pull?) of about 8-10 pounds is NOT a substitute for good firearms safety. You cannot and SHOULD NOT rest your finger on the trigger if the hammer is down. Keep your finger indexed and off the trigger until ready to fire. Advocating using a longer/heavier trigger pull to prevent a negligent discharge is just asking to shoot yourself, shoot someone else or pop off a round when you pick-up something that doesn't have that trigger pull.

If the shooter is so concerned about a consistent trigger pull then there are a myriad of platforms that offer just that, be it an M&P, Glock, XD, H&K, Walther PPQ, Sig DAK (as they advertise without using the first reset) or Smith 3rd Gen DAOs. I'm sure that I have forgotten some in my list.

Adding additional steps to the manual of arms of a self-defense weapon is just something else that can go wrong when you are fighting for your life or someone else's life. Put the front sight on the target, maintain good sight picture and a steady press to the rear.

/end rant
 
I had been eyeing an early 5906 and 6906 at a local gun store for the last couple months. They were both priced at $499, and both were in very good shape with minor wear. I was concerned about the prices, but after reading this thread I decided to pull the trigger on them this week. I ended up getting them for $450.00 each, a spare 14 round mag for the 5906 for $20, and a spare 12 round mag for the 6906 for free. I do not feel I overpaid for them at all. They go great with my early 4506 that I have had for over 10 years. Whomever had them before me took good care of them. I can say this, I have not see that many Gen. 3 Smith autos lately. I am also having a hard time finding spare mags for them too. I am glad I bought them now while I have the chance.
 
Buzzard hooie!

raidersrule said:
Everything in Outrider's last two posts is about as contrary to common sense when using a firearm as possible.

"Thumb cocking" a firearm is not only a fine motor skill but one with "a little practice and dexterity" you are sure to forget in a highly stressful self defense situation.

The idea that while taking fire or presented with a life and death situation that you will have the presence of mind to cock the hammer back is more than a little bit suspect. I have never seen anyone advocate cocking the hammer before shooting on a DA/SA gun. This, to me, is like carrying without one in the pipe because it "just takes a second" to rack the slide and load a round in the chamber. That second may be the last you have and I certainly don't want to spend it wishing that I had a round already loaded.

In addition, the heavier trigger pull (what S&W has a 12 pound DA trigger pull?) of about 8-10 pounds is NOT a substitute for good firearms safety. You cannot and SHOULD NOT rest your finger on the trigger if the hammer is down. Keep your finger indexed and off the trigger until ready to fire. Advocating using a longer/heavier trigger pull to prevent a negligent discharge is just asking to shoot yourself, shoot someone else or pop off a round when you pick-up something that doesn't have that trigger pull.

If the shooter is so concerned about a consistent trigger pull then there are a myriad of platforms that offer just that, be it an M&P, Glock, XD, H&K, Walther PPQ, Sig DAK (as they advertise without using the first reset) or Smith 3rd Gen DAOs. I'm sure that I have forgotten some in my list.

Adding additional steps to the manual of arms of a self-defense weapon is just something else that can go wrong when you are fighting for your life or someone else's life. Put the front sight on the target, maintain good sight picture and a steady press to the rear.

/end rant
Click to expand...

You misread EVERYTHING I said...so much so that I'm embarrassed for you...
 
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I am embarrassed for myself having wasted 10 minutes reading this, I was expecting something about 3rd gen prices not lecturing on DA vs SA triggers.

In other news, it is a bull market. Buy as much as you can as often as you can cause you might not get another chance to get that rare 3rd gen your after.
 
lhump1961 said:
Your post is well written and reads like a text book...but most of us will never have the level of training or experience required to perform predictably in an emergency, just isn't realistic. We are mostly enthusiasts whose chosen hobby has a self defense benefit. I have a lifetime of firearm use as well as some military training but would never kid myself into thinking I am qualified to be in a firefight...I would do the best I could without having ever done it before. Most LEO's have little or no experience in a live situation and they look for trouble for a living!

My point is that I didn't read Outrider's post in the light you obviously did. I'm not going to take it point by point but I see some "common sense" realities in it that while they may not be "textbook" correct they recognize tendencies and probabilities. Your post is fine but I would be careful about insulting someone's "common sense" as you put it...no need to get personal. ;)

Now don't get defensive on me as it's JMHO and I'm welcome to it! :)
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Valid point and I really wasn't trying to insult his common sense (which means putting that in there is probably counter-productive to what I was trying to say).

And I am really not trying to be defensive or degrading in the least.

I suppose I should have just said that I wanted to present a different point of view as opposed to what he said.

You are right that our chosen hobby does lend itself to self-defense and defense of loved ones.

I personally just find it easier to practice the same way, every time. That way I'm not creating negative muscle memory or relying on a skill that I don't practice very often in a bad situation.

You are under-selling yourself if you think practice and the willingness to defend yourself puts you behind the eight ball in a self-defense situation. Be confident in your skills and you're extremely likely to come out on top if, God forbid, something like that should every happen to you.

Thanks for the insightful response.
 
I'd prefer to see this thread stay on topic regard third gen prices.

But we "citizens" shouldn't denigrate ourselves either. If you shoot your pistol weekly; if you shoot competitive events at all especially 3 gun or do competitive pistol shooting; and if you hunt regularly; you are going to be much more proficient in "handling a firearm in stressful situations" than many of the average LEO's.

That's not to put LEO's down per say. But as I've mentioned before on here, the biggest complaints that several of my LEO friends make is that others in their departments will only shoot when they are required to- which for some is twice a year.
 
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Congratulations, you all have affectingly turned this thread into a train wreck of epic proportions. Epic Train Wreck Third gen prices thread for the win.


how bout those Cardinals,

they might read this thread and be buying up all the 3rd gens, no wonder they have all gone through the roof.
 
I know of a LNIB 4586, four mags that just sold for $700+ -- WITH NO MAGAZINE DISCONNECTOR -- and "Caution: Pistol fires without magazine inserted" laser-engraved on the side...

Constant trigger pull, snag-proof -- and no need to thumbcock...without worries about a magazine disconnector.
 
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I assume the technique referenced is to stage the trigger with a magazine present enough to engage the trigger with the action and then drop the empty magazine while maintaining that trigger pressure. If that is done, the magazine disconnect is effectively bypassed unless the trigger is released or the gun is fired. Another magazine can be locked into place without disengaging the disconnect.

The issue is that the trigger is being staged, which can lead to a negligent discharge.

Outrider said:
[snip]
Special considerations apply to Smith 3rd Gens. Whether you're aware of it or not, S&W reps trained LEOs worried about Smith's magazine disconnector under "stress reloads" in a method where an officer -- in an emergency -- can override the disconnect.

I promised I'd never reveal the technique, but it involves a method Smith considers safe on their 3rd Gen pistols with disconnectors, but one which would probably flip you out -- if I disclosed it and if you don't know it already.

It's scary, actually -- but Smith still to this day considers it safe.
[snip]
Click to expand...
 
THERE WAS NEVER AN OFFICIAL BROCCOLI THREAD!!! I REPEAT THERE WAS NEVER AN OFFICIAL BROCCOLI THREAD!!!
 
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