Mod 66-2, 2 1/2” $700 cash rejected

[John Fugate]

Last two 2.5 inch 66-2s I bought were $500 and $450 OTD although a couple year's ago. Prices are generally softer now than they were then, where I shop anyway, more to be had for $600 or less.
Jeff
SWCA #1457

I would love buy all the clean original unboxed 2.5 66's I could for 650.00 each pinned or not. I don't much believe the prices are softer now than then anywhere. I travel from the US looking for this stuff, Most used 66 2.5 inch guns these days you find are priced 850-1000 ,, That is if they are cleans and right and not police trade in's. I have sold several 2.5 inch NIB 66 no dash and dash-1's for 1350-1500 I am getting 575-600.00 out of clean used 60's, Not trying to play up the market but its 2018 and the less than 600.00 dollar 2.5 inch 66's are no more. Let a good clean one for $650.00 hit the classifieds on a major site and see how many are standing in line. A bunch I am here to tell you, because I call in the first 5 minutes and I am usually 3rd in line.

 

[Ashlander]

The next day, I got $700 with the plan of making him a cash offer. The gun was in good shape, with the only fault was that the barrel was very very slightly not perfectly indexed.

Since nothing is ever "perfect" I read that to mean the barrel was indexed just fine (certainly within spec) and that he was trying find something, anything, wrong with the gun to use as leverage.

 

[Capn]

I remember most gun prices took a nosedive and stayed down for several years after the last financial mess in 2008. And I keep reading it's not going to be a pretty picture starting around late 2019/early 2020.
Nothing at all wrong with hoarding cash and being patient. There will be better deals soon enough.

That same gun during the next recession might go for $500, maybe even less. After you already own 1 or 2 guns, the hobby is all about want vs need anyway.

 

[22hipower]

I would love buy all the clean original unboxed 2.5 66's I could for 650.00 each pinned or not. I don't much believe the prices are softer now than then anywhere. I travel from the US looking for this stuff, Most used 66 2.5 inch guns these days you find are priced 850-1000 ,, That is if they are cleans and right and not police trade in's. I have sold several 2.5 inch NIB 66 no dash and dash-1's for 1350-1500 I am getting 575-600.00 out of clean used 60's, Not trying to play up the market but its 2018 and the less than 600.00 dollar 2.5 inch 66's are no more. Let a good clean one for $650.00 hit the classifieds on a major site and see how many are standing in line. A bunch I am here to tell you, because I call in the first 5 minutes and I am usually 3rd in line.

Maybe the difference is you're in the business and don't care what you pay as long as you can flip it for more. I'm not a dealer and buy for my collecting and shooting enjoyment. Consequently I walk from the high prices and don't get in to bidding wars with folks who just have to have it. I look a lot and buy occasionally; only nice items at good prices. As someone said above, another one will be along shortly if the price isn't right on this one. Good luck in the business and I understand why you're pumping up high prices. Many of the LGSs I visit these days are really quiet and have laid off staff; just not many folks buying.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[pittpa]

So he lost a sale for $56?



Your thoughts?

Pretty much just like you walked away over $56.

 

[ken158]

Wow, 85 posts for a gun deal that never happened. We must be bored...

 

[Beachcomber]

Wow, 85 posts for a gun deal that never happened. We must be bored...

I'd like to think of this as being a post about a very popular revolver that some have... and many wish they (still) did.

I'm happy to say that I'm a proud owner of a 2-1/2" Model 66-1 in immaculate condition... that I had to pay "today's price" to get.

 

[5Wire]

$700 would seem to be approaching a bargain. Here's my track on the model:

Smith & Wesson 66 2-1/2 inch barrel. Revolver in .357 Mag. Blue Book of Gun Values (39th Edition) indicates between $578 in 95% condition and $ in 100% condition for this gun. I have 112 recorded prices for this model gun from $423 to $1095 over a period of 6 Yrs 7 Mos ending June 27, 2018. The average price as of that date was $711. No refurbs, no refinishes, regular sights. All represented as 95% or better. No distinction for import location or engineering revision, if any, no special editions, no distinctions for box, papers, tools. Current or last MSRP is $614. The last 10 prices I have for this model since 4/29/2017 range from $575 to $925 averaging $780.

 

[jughed440]

Can't tell anyone what to do with their money.
Two examples of nearly walking a way from a deal...
I about passed on the 66-2 (left) because the $350 asking price was on the high end at that time.
Same goes for the 66-1. They wanted $600 + tax, plus i already had the -2. But the dealer said that it came from the local Sheriff's Office (a letter confirmed that).

 

[bananaman]

I have a 66-2, 2.5" that I bought at the local gun show about a year & half ago. It was calling out to me when I saw it sitting there. The price tag had $795 on it. That was not going to happen! Offered the seller $725 OTD. He accepted. More than I wished to spend, but had money in my pocket burning a hole. No box or extras. Bob

 

[5Wire]

I owned this for a while, unboxed. Sold it two years ago.

 

[G-Mac]

I have a 66-2, 2.5" that I bought at the local gun show about a year & half ago.

bananaman, what are those wooden grips on your 66? They look good on there.

 

[pittpa]

Despite my best efforts, one family I offered $150K to, hired an attorney. Months later, after some negotiation,we finally paid the $150k, which left the family with ~ $100k after their attorney received his 30% (or more) cut.

They signed a contingency agreement for money already on the table? Yikes.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Tonight on the S&W site a 4 inch blue 19 is $826. Which would you rather have. Even at $756?

 

[John Fugate]

Mom and Pop VS Amazon

Good luck in the business and I understand why you're pumping up high prices. Many of the LGSs I visit these days are really quiet and have laid off staff; just not many folks buying.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

I am not pumping up prices , I am just stating what the U.S. market is actually supporting. It wouldn't be in my best interested to pump up high prices, for every gun I sell I have to buy that same gun somewhere. The fact that many of your local gun shops are quiet and have laid off staff is not because people are " not buying" as you stated. Its because these shops don't have the merchandise " actually the right kind of merchandise" to support a staff much less a gun shop.


Do the math and be conservative, it just doesn't work. You or I or anyone else can't sell enough new Glocks and AR's in a local market to make rent, much less pay a staff. Exception to that rule is when Obama was in office, everyone became an overnight Firearms Specialist/Expert. That perfect storm turned thousands of Wanna be gun dealers into Wanna be gun dealers with FFL's. That show has been cancelled.

The bottom line is and this is a fact, people are standing in line for the right kind of guns and paying up for them. This modern market is coast to coast and its robust. Mayberry has been out run, or run over. However you want to look at it. Sad but true. But not that sad if you live outside of Mayberry and have a cable modem.


J.F.

 

[John Fugate]

Since nothing is ever "perfect" I read that to mean the barrel was indexed just fine (certainly within spec) and that he was trying find something, anything, wrong with the gun to use as leverage.

Leverage or just a nervous novice eye ? Whatever the case may be.

It cracks me up, people expect these mass produced Smiths they are paying a couple thousand dollars for to be on the same quality level as a 100K Purdy shotgun or a 30K Rolex watch. When somebody receives their new purchase and tells me,

" I just got this 1975 NIB Smith 27-2 in today and if I hold it at just the right angle in just the right light I can see machine marks on the face of the recoil shield thingy and I am not very happy about this. I paid good money for this gun and its not perfect and you said it was perfect. This is my very first Smith and Wesson and you promised me a prefect one,, Besides that the little pin that goes in the barrel is proud, and not flush. Someone amateur must have worked on this gun. This has been just a complete train wreck all the way around for me. " Nothing you can say or do is going to make me happy right now.

" Now hang on just a minute Mr Smith just take a deep breath. What exactly are your seeing ?? Trust me, I think this is going to work out for both of us.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

This thread isn't about a snub nosed 66 and the poster's decision not to buy. It's pretty much a primer about human nature, free market economics and deciding what to do with one's money.
I bought a gun from Mr. Fugate years back, a BSS. Probably-no, I did-pay top dollar(REALLY TOO MUCH BUT I HAD THE MONEY AND I WANTED IT) for it but it was what I wanted, I had just settled a case, and the condition was perfect-if it had been fired you couldn't tell it. (however if you held it just right you could see a tiny bit of overrun on a part of the checkering and one of the points in the checkering appeared to have a tiny bit of flattening ).

Point I'm trying to make is that the poster would never have been happy with the gun as he would always feel that he overpaid. I always live by the rule that "if it happens it was meant to be-if it doesn't happen there will always be a better deal (or more importantly one that I will feel better about) somewhere along the line. If you're happy about the outcome-it was a good outcome-period.

 

[Sevens]

Wow, 85 posts for a gun deal that never happened. We must be bored...

In the Lounge area of the site we complain about movies and actors, we post about today's lost youth and we tell each other what we had for breakfast (while we snark on the people who use Facebook...)

I don't see much of a hassle of 85-100 posts on a Smith & Wesson revolver opportunity had, passed, and gone, especially as the OP detailed the scenario and specifically asked for thoughts.

Sometimes we have to take a break from posting about cars we used to own and actually talk about a gun here or there!

 

[John Fugate]

In the Lounge area of the site we complain about movies and actors, we post about today's lost youth and we tell each other what we had for breakfast (while we snark on the people who use Facebook...)

I don't see much of a hassle of 85-100 posts on a Smith & Wesson revolver opportunity had, passed, and gone, especially as the OP detailed the scenario and specifically asked for thoughts.

Sometimes we have to take a break from posting about cars we used to own and actually talk about a gun here or there!

So now that we are officially off the rails. Anybody want to post a pic their Hod Rod or Lunker Large mouth bass. We have all but forgot about that model 66 with the canted barrel that has been bona fide a solid 56.00 dollars too high. Lets see some Muscle cars. The OP left us a long time ago, he was satisfied at exit,. So technically this thread cannot be labeled as Hi Jacked,,, it just a little diverted, brought back to life, reformatted. REVIVED. Were going in a whole new direction,,,, just as any good CEO would put it.

Fish and Cars,,, only. No guns. Thank You

And to think this all started by the OP asking for our thoughts,,, he opened a can of worms there.

Onward to lounge, said the man in the Stetson Hat.

 

[John Fugate]

In all fairness we have another option. We can reel all this nonsense back in, refocus and get back on this 66 snub with both feet ? If that is the path we take, honestly I don't know if I have it in me, I may have to punt. I'm still liking the car thing.