Model 43 Price Question

[442js]

What do you guys think is a fair price for a 38 year old model 43 that is new in the box with the tools, and all the paperwork?

Thank you.

 

[chief38]

Fair or not it will probably bring WELL OVER $675.00. I have seen them listed at over $900.00 but do not know if they have actually sold at that price. Great little gun! I've got it's sister, the model 63 in stainless.

Chief38

 

[442js]

Fair or not it will probably bring WELL OVER $675.00. I have seen them listed at over $900.00 but do not know if they have actually sold at that price. Great little gun! I've got it's sister, the model 63 in stainless.

Chief38

The seller wants over $700 for it which I think is nuts. It is NIB with all the items that originally came with the gun, but that price sounds really high. I have a model 63 which I got for much less in addition to a 22/32 Kit Gun (Model of 1953) which is also much less.

 

[M29since14]

I don't think you will see many of those LNIB, so maybe the $700 figure is justified... ? As with any purchase like that, bottom line is, "How bad do you want it?" (if the seller won't blink)

If you really want the prissy gun, you probably will pay for it wherever you find one. If you would take a gun with some muzzle wear, maybe one without box, a little more looking might turn one up for fewer bucks.

 

[442js]

I don't think you will see many of those LNIB, so maybe the $700 figure is justified... ? As with any purchase like that, bottom line is, "How bad do you want it?" (if the seller won't blink)

If you really want the prissy gun, you probably will pay for it wherever you find one. If you would take a gun with some muzzle wear, maybe one without box, a little more looking might turn one up for fewer bucks.

That's true. It usually does come down to how badly someone wants it. I don't see too many model 43s out there in any shape. I wonder if that is because there are issues with that model and not popular or that they are good and people don't want to sell them.

 

[sqhead]

I kinda collect smith 22's,and i have the 43 lnib,diamond grips,flat latch,ser. num 721xx,I would'nt let it go for less than 7-800 bucks,they are a pretty rare bird in mint cond.I bought it from a life long friend who got it from inlaws,he was treating it like it was a hat you just toss around,after smacking him ,i bought it,rescued it.For the record,i'll never sell it,because I associate it w/ my friend,he got over the smacking.

 

[442js]

I kinda collect smith 22's,and i have the 43 lnib,diamond grips,flat latch,ser. num 721xx,I would'nt let it go for less than 7-800 bucks,they are a pretty rare bird in mint cond.I bought it from a life long friend who got it from inlaws,he was treating it like it was a hat you just toss around,after smacking him ,i bought it,rescued it.For the record,i'll never sell it,because I associate it w/ my friend,he got over the smacking.

This is serial number M638XX, and from 1973 which I believe is the second to last year of production. The guy now wants over $850 for it. I guess he is reading up on that gun, and thinks someone will buy it at that price. So far no luck so I might just wait until the price comes down. If someone else buys it, I can live with that.

 

[murphydog]

Wait a while, it'll be a $1000 gun .

Seriously, even if you want one really badly, I'd wait for one that is more reasonable. They are often seen in the $500-600 range online in a condition in which you wouldn't feel guilty about shooting it.

 

[442js]

Wait a while, it'll be a $1000 gun .

Seriously, even if you want one really badly, I'd wait for one that is more reasonable. They are often seen in the $500-600 range online in a condition in which you wouldn't feel guilty about shooting it.

That is what I am thinking. It looks like it was sitting in the box for the past 39 years so I probably would hate to shoot it. Plus, the price is too high. If it was in the $500 range, I would probably jump on it.

 

[Frostback]

Mine has "character". Pronounced turn line and other wear marks. I picked it up about four years ago for $250CDN.

Frosty

 

[akviper]

FWIW, I owned three Model 43s over the years and still have two in my collection. None of the three will reliably fire double action. They go boom most of the time in single action but will misfire once or twice per cylinder when firing double action. Yes the guns were meticulously cleaned, different ammo was tried, etc. The first 43 had a great gunsmith accept the challenge to make it work but no matter how many springs we changed or what we polished, the gun would not fire double action all the time. One gun is early 60s manufacture, one is late 60s and the last is early 70s.

The current two I have are like new guns that reside in the safe as paperweights. Beautiful light little guns but not reliable.

My non expert theory is that there is too much "give" in the lightweight cylinder to fire the rimfire round every time. My all steel 63s shoot double action all day long without misfire. The stainless steel cylinder takes a lot more energy at the rimfire case before it starts to move forward and allows the extra energy to fire the primer.

That said, I have an early two inch 317 with target sights that shoots every time all the time with any ammo you stuff in it. Maybe there is something different with the eight shot cylinder in that gun.