Is my 1969 Model 60 really "junk" ?

[Green Frog]

A local seller has been trying to sell me a LNIB 60-1 with target sights for the last 2 months.

Is it worth the $900 he's firm on?

I'm familiar with the Model 60-4 w/ adjustable sights and a 3" heavy barrel with lug and round butt. I had to look up your 60-1 and found that they were indeed sold as a special run through Ashland Shooting Supply. My much-more-common version was purchased NIB in a "friends and family" deal about 3 years ago and I gave $600 for it, so while the price you quote is not a steal, it is probably in line with what it will bring. If I were in the market, I might offer $800 or so in cash and see whether he would take it, but that's just me.

Froggie

 

[Jim NNN]

Maybe the dealer was thinking of the "Bungor Punta" ownership period of Smith & Wesson that was "supposedly" lesser quality guns?
Ed

That's what I was thinking, as well...along with the idea that the dealer realized he sold it too cheap. I know the Bangor Punta era included portions the late 1960's and there are people who look down on such things. Just like any other vintage object you can buy, there seem to be people who have it all figured out what the ultimate in desirability is, and everything else is "inferior" or a "beater." Pre-lock, pinned barrels, pre-bangor punta, four screw, five screw...the hierarchy goes on and on. I personally think the OP got about as good a model 60 as it's possible to get.

 

[Buford57]

Is anybody here old enough to remember what a sensation the 60 was when it appeared? EVERYBODY and his grandmother in the late 60s and early to mid 70s wanted one, and in NYC, they were few and far between. Obtaining one fit the definition of "pipe dream." It was the primo gun, in the same ballpark as the 29. It sold for a premium back then, as did other desirable Smiths.

I, too, am stunned at this dealer's conduct. I would never again patronize his shop: he likely has it in for you for refusing to sell it back to him, and your next purchase there would not be to your advantage.

Kaaskop49


Shield #5103

Yup. My partner had one. A Lt. on the department pestered him to sell it for several months. Then one day while picking up pawn tickets the pawn broker offered him about double what he'd paid for it. Deal done. The pawn broker added a nice profit and sold it to the Lt. who had been leaning on the broker to hold the next 60 he got in for him.

OP: You did well. Whether or not you want to use this dealer for transfers going forward is one thing, but my sense is that anything you buy from him for awhile will have a premium price as he tries to recoup his "loss" on this deal.

 

[poordevil]

You cooked his goose

 

[Jaymo]

All of my Bangor Punta era Smiths are great.

 

[Badger1313]

I bought a model 60 many years ago and carried it as a backup/off duty gun for over 10 years before I switched to a Glock 27. Had to qualify with it using +P ammo. Still have it and it is still tight. Great little gun

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[BAM-BAM]

Maybe the dealer was thinking of the "Bangor Punta" ownership period of Smith & Wesson that was "supposedly" lesser quality guns?
Ed

My guess is this^^^^^^^^^^;and, the fact he sold it cheap.


IIRC the stainless 60s were the first stainless Smiths and hit the market mid-60s....... as stated above everybody wanted one..... from the Cops in NYC to the swamps of RVN... and there weren't nearly enough to meet the demand!!!!!!!!!

 

[Arik]

I'm going to agree with the Bangor Punta thing.

Dealers....and buyers....say a lot of nonsense that they heard from a friend of a friend of a cousin's father who heard it once from his great uncle in Moose fart Minnesota in 1931.

I was once told by a dealer that I don't want an AK because the round was not powerful enough! To this day I haven't figured out what it's not powerful enough for!?! Does it just fall out of the barrel? Do they bounce off squirrels? Can it stop a speeding locomotive? ....I guess never mind those pesky details!

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[daddy bear]

Good gun, better deal! I have three 60 no dash. One over thirty years, the other two picked up along as spares or stashed in different places. You will love it.

Jack

 

[NCBeagle]

This 1976 works just fine. It's in the carry rotation.

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[montezumaz]

Let's face it fellers, Jim purchased his 60 from a "Trading Post." Not a Gun Store or a Pawn Shop.
The owner just didn't know what he was selling. Personally, I'd be going back to that trading post on a weekly basis to pick up as many S&W bargains he wants to sell.
Lucky for Jim the owner didn't have a copy of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson available.
You done good, Jim!

 

[hardknocks]

I would call him.

anytime he wants to sell a quality piece at half price i may be interested.
He wants the gun back I bet.

 

[Squarebutt]

Next time you're in his shop tell him thanks for the warning about the junk gun and you turned it in at the buyback and got a Walmart gift card.

 

[oysterer]

This is a carry cherry....

some of my bangor punta junk say hello, I stand corrected, the last one down is post bangor 1994, maybe even more junk?

 

[Mistered]

Reading all these prices makes me much more secure with the $1150 I paid for the unfired Mod 66-0 and Mod 60-0 I bought earlier this year!

 

[haywood]

You did good. He is full of.