MODEL 19-3 VALUE

[butchkent]

I have bought a number of 19's over the years including my first nib in 1972. Most are 19-3's and are among finest revolvers ever made. Today 95% guns often sell for $700+. NIB quality is seen rarely and would bring a premium. It would seam very reasonable to me to pay $900 for a 19-3 in new condition when you realize that if they could make one of equal quality it would probably cost at least $1500 as a standard production item. Even more if from custom shop.
You get what you pay for.
IMHO

 

[G-Mac]

Would $925 be out of the ball park for a pristine 6" Model 19-3?

To me, yes.

If it were half that amount, I'd be interested....if it had a shorter barrel.

 

[Andyd]

For a collector the condition and factory original accessories make all the difference, a closed plastic bag for the cleaning kit makes a difference, unwrinkled wrapping paper, warranty card, etc.

Prices on these older blued guns have risen constantly in the past decade and like all processes, it is accelerating.

I see inflation bringin g new gun prices up as well, particularly when it is a labour intensive process to produce such a gun.

I had paid $361 for my new 686 at the Indy gunshow just a few years ago, or so it seems.

 

[beagleye]

That doesn't sound high to me. ANIB seems to be the ultimate aphrodisiac for collectors. It's like a steep exponential curve as you go up the condition scale. I would guess that price would be within a few bucks of the final gunbroker price for the gun you described.

 

[KF57]

Model 19-3 question

I have an S&W, Model 19-3, serial #5K42365, that I inherited from my father when he passed away 8 years ago. I have no interest in guns and would like to sell it. Would anyone be able to get me an approximate value on this revolver? It has a 2 1/2 inch barrel and is in very good condition. Doesn't look like it's even been fired much.

 

[jjbrewst1]

600 Bucks....Give or take 50

 

[KF57]

Is $550 to $600 what I could expect from a pawn shop or something less?

 

[Hapworth]

I have an S&W, Model 19-3, serial #5K42365, that I inherited from my father when he passed away 8 years ago. I have no interest in guns and would like to sell it. Would anyone be able to get me an approximate value on this revolver? It has a 2 1/2 inch barrel and is in very good condition. Doesn't look like it's even been fired much.

Might to start a new thread so as not to hijack this one...but in the meantime, I can't resist a request for price quote.

However, we need a few more details, like when you say "very good" condition, do you mean in general, or per specific firearm appraisal criteria, like the NRA's?

Do you have any knowledge of its history, use, etc., besides not appearing to have been fired much?

Of perhaps best assistance, can you post quality pictures (covering the serial number)?

The Model 19 is a desirable revolver, and the short barrel especially so. Consider looking in the classifieds section here, and on Gunbroker, Gunsamerica and Gunsinternational for a rough idea of various conditions and asking prices.

If you sell to a pawn shop, you'll likely get much less than at auction or private sale.

 

[bigl1911]

I'm one of those guys that pays above what others will for the right gun. Let's assume the gun is worth $750 and the seller wants $925 Are you really going to let a complete LNIB revolver go over $175? Here is another question: How long will it take you to find another in the same condition forgetting the asking price in the future and how hard are you going to kick yourself for letting this one go? Take the gun son and be happy!!

 

[RubEric]

The more you pay for it, the better you'll like it!!!

 

[TEXVET]

Guys, I really appreciate all of the insight you have offered here. I have only been in the S&W club for a short time. I bought my first one about 6 weeks ago. I have since bought 4 more. The first one was a "NIB" Model 15-4 (original box and all paperwork). As far as I can tell it was never shot prior to me taking it home. I was enthralled by the current increase in S&W revolver prices and the potential to make some money on them later on. I paid $475 for the revolver.
I have since bought a Model 19-4, a Model 29-2, and 2 Model 66-0 revolvers. They have all gone to the range with me over the past few weeks. The more I shoot them, the more I realize just how much fun they are to shoot. Cabela's called this morning and told me the 19-3 was in and I could come get it. I have decide to pass on this revolver. I am one of those old farts that believes, if you got it, you need to enjoy it. I have decided I do not want a "safe queen", I want a reliable "shooter".
Besides, one of the Model 66s I mentioned earlier was bought at Cabela's last Friday. I had it shipped in from Arizona. The fellow at the Arizona store told me the gun was in great shape. When it got here it had changed condition along the way. It looked like the previous owner may have been a mechanic. All of the nooks in the gun had dirty black gunk caked in them. The cylinder face was solid black. The grip panels were stained black from use. It took me a couple of hours to get it apart and cleaned up. Afterwards it looked very nice.
Long story short, I have changed my objective from potential investment to just plain fun. I assume the upward trend in values will continue to push prices up on older S&W revolvers whether they be "NIB" or previously owned. I am not going to let a few hundred dollars deter me from enjoying the revolvers I currently own.
I relate this to an incident that happened to me back in the 70s. I got married in 1974 and moved to Dallas, Texas from Lubbock, Texas. My wife and I would travel back to Lubbock about every three months to visit my Mom. We had scheduled a trip up a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving in 1977. Mom said for us not to come because she wanted to come visit us for Thanksgiving. She died of a heart attack the day before she was to come down.
These old guns were made to be used, and taken care of. That is what I intend to do with mine from now on.
Sorry for the length of this post. I got carried away

 

[Retired W4]

Guys, I really appreciate all of the insight you have offered here. I have only been in the S&W club for a short time. I bought my first one about 6 weeks ago. I have since bought 4 more. The first one was a "NIB" Model 15-4 (original box and all paperwork). As far as I can tell it was never shot prior to me taking it home. I was enthralled by the current increase in S&W revolver prices and the potential to make some money on them later on. I paid $475 for the revolver.
I have since bought a Model 19-4, a Model 29-2, and 2 Model 66-0 revolvers. They have all gone to the range with me over the past few weeks. The more I shoot them, the more I realize just how much fun they are to shoot. Cabela's called this morning and told me the 19-3 was in and I could come get it. I have decide to pass on this revolver. I am one of those old farts that believes, if you got it, you need to enjoy it. I have decided I do not want a "safe queen", I want a reliable "shooter".
Besides, one of the Model 66s I mentioned earlier was bought at Cabela's last Friday. I had it shipped in from Arizona. The fellow at the Arizona store told me the gun was in great shape. When it got here it had changed condition along the way. It looked like the previous owner may have been a mechanic. All of the nooks in the gun had dirty black gunk caked in them. The cylinder face was solid black. The grip panels were stained black from use. It took me a couple of hours to get it apart and cleaned up. Afterwards it looked very nice.
Long story short, I have changed my objective from potential investment to just plain fun. I assume the upward trend in values will continue to push prices up on older S&W revolvers whether they be "NIB" or previously owned. I am not going to let a few hundred dollars deter me from enjoying the revolvers I currently own.
I relate this to an incident that happened to me back in the 70s. I got married in 1974 and moved to Dallas, Texas from Lubbock, Texas. My wife and I would travel back to Lubbock about every three months to visit my Mom. We had scheduled a trip up a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving in 1977. Mom said for us not to come because she wanted to come visit us for Thanksgiving. She died of a heart attack the day before she was to come down.
These old guns were made to be used, and taken care of. That is what I intend to do with mine from now on.
Sorry for the length of this post. I got carried away

"Just plain fun" is probably the way to go. I have a few safe queens, but mainly because there are plenty of other shooters to keep me busy. Just for the heck of it I've attached a picture of my one and only 19-3. Sorry about the poor photo quality.

 

[TEXVET]

They look good to me. The K frame guns are really fun to shoot.
I think I am becoming a stainless guy. Much easier to see the gunk when you are cleaning a stainless gun.
But on the other hand the deep gloss of a blued gun is soooo pretty. Hell, I like all of them.