Prices of guns when they were new.

[Farmer17]

In about 1980 I was in college and bought my first centerfire handgun and it was a brand new Smith M39 9m/m at the Tulsa Gunshow for $279. A few years later I bought my first Smith revolver at an OKC gunshow and it was a brand new Nickle Chief Special 2" .38 for $186. The blue gun was $173 and I was planning on buying it but that nickle was so pretty I HAD to pony up the extra money for it.

 

[rockquarry]

In about 1980 I was in college and bought my first centerfire handgun and it was a brand new Smith M39 9m/m at the Tulsa Gunshow for $279. A few years later I bought my first Smith revolver at an OKC gunshow and it was a brand new Nickle Chief Special 2" .38 for $186. The blue gun was $173 and I was planning on buying it but that nickle was so pretty I HAD to pony up the extra money for it.

I usually preferred nickel over blue; sometimes the prices were the same for either finish, but often the nickel was $10 -$15 more.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Got my Blue 19 in Guam.
It was a special order and the buyer was expecting it to be $95.
When it came in at $105 he went to rant city.
I stepped up and told the Lady behind the counter that I would go $105.

 

[George4]

Bought my 6" Highway Patrolman, new 1960 with a discount for huge sum of $65.00. Still have her. My black, basket weave border patrol style holster went missing some time back and have made it a hobby trying to locate an affordable used one.

 

[Billylee]

Bought my first 870, 12 gauge Express model at local K mart during a blue light special. $177.99 out the door with a box of #6 game loads.

 

[starlord]

I saw a used Savage 12FV for $650. You know, the Cabelas special for $289 NEW.

 

[SF VET]

in about '59, when I was mowing yards for 75 cents, I was saving my money for bicycle trips to a nearby five and dime where I was buying surplus Enfields and Mausers for ten bucks each. Still have and shoot them, recently had my MKIII in 303 rebarrelled. For $250 with trigger and bolt work. in '69, Bought my 9mm HP for $66 at the the Schweinfurt Rod and Gun Club, and paid about the same for my 870. Was making $330 a month as a young 2nd LT.

I don't need or really intend to buy any more guns, I am set with my collection. But when I think back, I wish I had bought more M1 carbines, as I really like them. Or a few issue 1911 pistols.

But what I really miss is not quite being able to afford a 289 or 427 Cobra when they were just used cars in the late '60's, you could pick one up for as little as $4K. I eventually did get a Superformance version.

When I came back from a year in the Bush in Vietnam, in '72, I had about $6 K saved up, and looked at Corvettes, but knew I needed that money for my next career, Medical School and more.

In the end, it all worked out quite well for me. SF VET

 

[BigBelle]

I know its not Smith and Wesson related but I purchased my first HK P7 for $850, Now they are sold for $3k and even more on GB.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Got my 3" 66-4s in 1988 for $270 out the door with the actions polished.
They'd been sitting on a local distributors shelves for about a year..... age of the "Wonder nine"

 

[RM Vivas]

Shouldn't this survey include what one's wages were when they bought their SMITH and WESSON??

I'm working on that.

I'm trying to find what the median family income was for 19xx and then compare it to the cost of a Model 10 for the same year.

The result would say that the gun would cost %xx.xx of the median family income.

Thus if a family made $4,500 per year (1946) and a M&P cost $42, the cost of the gun was %0.9333 of the annual income.

Fast forward to 1985. Median income was $38,000 (I'm guessing here) and a comparable M10 cost $226, the cost of the gun was %0.594736 of the annual income.

The dollar numbers are bigger in 1975 but in terms of purchasing power, the gun costs less in 1975 than in 1946.

Thats teh theory anyway. I'm still working on gathering the info.

 

[chtx]

I paid $195 for my 19-4 new in box in 1978.

 

[vinn]

good show on "older new price" ! i get a gun show flyer from the W.W.C. gun show !

 

[raljr1]

Model 19-3 I was making $7 per hour as a machinist.







Model 63, I was making the equivalent of $12 per hour as a salaried supervisor...the gun was purchased with part of a year end bonus. The serial number on the receipt was changed because I had to return the first gun because the barrel lug was out of location and the cylinder would not lock up properly. They swapped it for another on the spot.

 

[raljr1]

I'm working on that.

I'm trying to find what the median family income was for 19xx and then compare it to the cost of a Model 10 for the same year.

The result would say that the gun would cost %xx.xx of the median family income.

Thus if a family made $4,500 per year (1946) and a M&P cost $42, the cost of the gun was %0.9333 of the annual income.

Fast forward to 1985. Median income was $38,000 (I'm guessing here) and a comparable M10 cost $226, the cost of the gun was %0.594736 of the annual income.

The dollar numbers are bigger in 1975 but in terms of purchasing power, the gun costs less in 1975 than in 1946.

Thats teh theory anyway. I'm still working on gathering the info.

I would suggest using an hourly or weekly median income......easier to relate, IMHO

 

[cmansguns]

some "old" retail prices

I have a few real old (1951, 52, 53, 54) gun mags that have a few select prices (retail) listed. The prices are always noted "about" simply because different states and localities had different tax rates so I'm guessing the gun mag didn't want complaints like "Hey you stated $71, but I got charged $73.95".

Anyway...if you can blow up and see the pics, some relative pricing to 1950/51....may help RMVivas with his project.

Examples 22/32 kit gun $66.00, Combat Masterpiece $71.00, 357 Magnum $110.00, 38 Chiefs Special $60, 1950 Army (45 acp) $ 71.00

Of course $71.00 of "1950 purchasing power" would be heck of a lot more inflated dollars in 2022!

Can't help much with annual family income but my first annual salary was $4,500 in 1964 and by 1974 it was $ 11,600.. the Army years in between don't count cause my new wife got most of it in the monthly allotment check and all I remember was it was just enough to keep her in rent and groceries while I was overseas, but there for sure wasn't any left over for guns (or any other "necessities").

 

[Capt. F.]

In 1974 during the height of the Dirty Harry .44 Magnum frenzy my name finely rose to the top of the waiting list to buy an 8 3/8" Model 29-2 at full retail. MSRP was $242, with tax $252.

Excellent condition Model 29s were selling briskly in the Little Nickel Want ads and the Seattle Times classified ads for $450. An older man in a business suit stood beside me drooling while I filled out the paper work. As the clerk handed me the receipt he shoved 5 one hundred dollar bills under my nose. I had been on the list 2 years and 9 months. I declined his offer and kept the .44 for a long time.



At the time in order for a store to be a S&W stocking dealer they had to agree to not charge over MSRP. I also had to wait for my name to come to the top of the list to buy a 6" Model 17-3. There was a list for Model 57s and Model 25-2s were harder to get at MSRP than Model 29-2s.

For a more practical buyer the pawn shop next door had buckets of good to very good condition standard barrel 4" Model 10s for $75 + tax.

If I knew what price is on S&W's invoice for my first Model 29-2 posting that wholesale price would not tell much of the story.

Bought a 6 1/2" in 1972 for the same price you paid - $252.
Still in its presentation case, unfired in the safe.