S&W revolvers at gun shows?
- Thread starter Model29-26.5
- Start date
Grayfox
US Veteran
I go to every gun show I can within reasonable distance. Truthfully, about all I ever buy is a Dr. Pepper. 
But every now and then, you just might stumble onto a real gem. Hope spring eternal.
But every now and then, you just might stumble onto a real gem. Hope spring eternal.
Aussie Collector
Member
charlie sherrill
Member
I learned this many years ago when I was looking at a S&W (don't remember what is was now) and a guy walked up and asked to look at it while I was holding it. He immediately announced "I'll take it!" It's never happened again. I will hold it until I decide if I want it now. I was at a show in Mobile when I had told us on line he had a couple of carbines for sale. I told him to meet us at the show. When I found him I took him over to a table where my son was looking at some stuff. The guy behind the table asked him what he wanted for the carbines and the seller told him. Again "I'll take it!" Luckily both of them were messed with and the table guy payed way more than what they were worth. I got into it with the table guy, whom I knew from previous transactions. I don't deal with him or the seller anymore. I did get the satisfaction of telling the table guy how much money he was going to lose.
Capt. F.
Member
Good advice. I had a 3 1/2" Registered magnum in my hand at a gun shop about 40 years ago. Unbelievably low price. Handed it back to the clerk and told him "give me a couple of minutes to think about it". Wrong move. Guy next to me grabbed it without hesitation.
Still kicking myself.
VaTom
Member
Haven't been to a gun show since Covid. O
Have only bought two firearms at gun shows and passed on two I regretted.
My advice. Offer 3/4 of asking price. I bought a nickel Model 10 4" for $300 when vendor had it listed for $400. Don't pass on something that you really want. When 15-22s first came out they were hard to get. A local dealer had 3 on the table and I was specifically looking for one. MSRP at the time, owner said you better get as all three would be gone by the afternoon. He was right. I did buy it.
I passed on two instances that I regret. First was a Model 18 with box at $750. The other was about 6 "red box" Sig Sauer pistols from a dealer priced at $550. Red box are factory reconditioned. These were LE trade ins. When I decided I wanted one when back to the vendor table and they were all gone!
Have only bought two firearms at gun shows and passed on two I regretted.
My advice. Offer 3/4 of asking price. I bought a nickel Model 10 4" for $300 when vendor had it listed for $400. Don't pass on something that you really want. When 15-22s first came out they were hard to get. A local dealer had 3 on the table and I was specifically looking for one. MSRP at the time, owner said you better get as all three would be gone by the afternoon. He was right. I did buy it.
I passed on two instances that I regret. First was a Model 18 with box at $750. The other was about 6 "red box" Sig Sauer pistols from a dealer priced at $550. Red box are factory reconditioned. These were LE trade ins. When I decided I wanted one when back to the vendor table and they were all gone!
Also, If your S&W interests are the "older" S&W's, a C&R, (03 FFL) can sometimes make your acquisitions much quicker and easier. Older means any firearm 50 or more years old. It pays to study all the books that identify the guns you are interested in so you can identify the C&R guns.
Guys that don't have their guns priced I don't waste time on. My biggest pet peeve at shows is when you are setting up, before show is open is the dealers that run up like urchins on a 3rd world garbage truck. Trying to buy stuff you haven't even got out yet. I've got into some heated conversations with this type. This is what happens when promoters sell tables to the Flea
Market crowd.
Market crowd.
The best time to negotiate a deal is three hours before closing time on the last day of the show. The dealer knows that if this item is not sold it's one more thing he has to pack up and take home.
The serious collectors with money know all the dealers attending the show. The dealers know what the serious collectors are looking for. They are both there making deals Friday night before the show opens.
The serious collectors with money know all the dealers attending the show. The dealers know what the serious collectors are looking for. They are both there making deals Friday night before the show opens.
Probably at the Expo Center. I may go myself.
OP
Murfreesboro
FWIW, I attended last week's show in Chattanooga, which was well attended. They had quite a few interesting Smiths, at least models that I want. Prices ranged from reasonable to ridiculous. One table had a 3" CS-1 $2250, 3,5" 27-2 $2250, 2.5" 686-3 $1850, 2.5" 66-2 $1550, and a several others similarly priced. For me, finding these gems is half the fun, negotiating is the other half. When haggling, use common sense and good manners.
OP
GB is a good resource, including for most sellers, who use the Blue Book of Gun Values when buying and GB when selling.
OP
Since you mentioned it....
Since you had mentioned wanting to add a .45 acp to your collection at some point.... I suggest you take look at the S&W 3rd Gen 4506-1.
Sharing attributes with the revolvers that you are smitten with such as functional reliability, fine craftsmanship and a certain aesthetic that others fall short of...believe you may find a whole new affliction.
Happy hunting and best regards.
Since you had mentioned wanting to add a .45 acp to your collection at some point.... I suggest you take look at the S&W 3rd Gen 4506-1.
Sharing attributes with the revolvers that you are smitten with such as functional reliability, fine craftsmanship and a certain aesthetic that others fall short of...believe you may find a whole new affliction.
Happy hunting and best regards.
OP
I got the 25-2 6.5 a while back. Yet to be shipped as I don't get back to TN until early July.
I have a bunch coming.
Also bought a 25-5 4" from a guy on here.
Looking forward to a good half day of OCD safe organization.
Oh.. I'd better get a safe first.
Looking at those Union reasonably priced ones.
dsf
Member
No one here can really help you.
You will spend too much money too soon.
You will find your favorite gun just after you emptied your wallet buying what was up until then your favorite gun. Repeat as necessary.
They have ATMs at the show, but it makes no difference. You are doomed.
I hope you know how to lie to your wife.
You will spend too much money too soon.
You will find your favorite gun just after you emptied your wallet buying what was up until then your favorite gun. Repeat as necessary.
They have ATMs at the show, but it makes no difference. You are doomed.
I hope you know how to lie to your wife.
OP
No one here can really help you.
You will spend too much money too soon.
You will find your favorite gun just after you emptied your wallet buying what was up until then your favorite gun. Repeat as necessary.
They have ATMs at the show, but it makes no difference. You are doomed.
I hope you know how to lie to your wife.
I have 3 winning bids out there. I'll lose, but maybe I won't.
Nah, I'll lose. They are so nice, but I hope I lose.. but maybe I'll just up the bid a little.. I can swing that I think. I'll probably lose but I'd love to have that one. I shouldn't be spending that much $$ so I hope I lose.. dammit I won. Another $1400 gone but it's so nice. Hope I lose this next one! Phew! I lost .
It's just money, it's not like it was something good to eat...
...Ben
You have received outstanding advice from all the responders. Depends on how large the show is. I may have missed this but if you see a gun of interest and decide to look farther make a note of where it is. I have reached the end of the show and decided to look for the early gun again and could not remember where it was.
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That's not a terrible strategy but you will miss out on any good deals that might have been there early on day one.
I usually start by walking the whole show to scope out what's available and where any decent deals are located.
I find the best deals and guns are within the first hour of the show
When I found this gun at a show it was maybe 15 minutes in. I heard about the gun from another table holder in the room.
I bee lined to that table, made the deal and I bought it on the spot, cash. He told me two other table holders were thinking about buying it and while talking one walked up and got the bad news while I was standing there holding my new Super target..
Later in the day I ran into a few fellow SWCA members walking the show and they asked how did I managed to find it and so fast. Some times minutes mean everything at a show.
This is one of my favorite guns
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