Shorty 40 MK3 price check

[mbliss57]

I found a Shorty Forty (.40 Shorty) at a GS yesterday. IT had MK 3 markings on it. I don't own a .40 but am always on the hunt for low production run semi autos and I know this is one of them. It was in 95% condition with some wear marks. It looks like it would clean up nicely. Case and 3 mags were included. He said everyone looking at it didn't seem to know it was an unusual gun.
He was asking $800 which I thought was a very good price based on general knowledge but I have never studied these specifically.

Any help on price would be appreciated. Also anything I should look for that would be a show stopper other than mechanics.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[ladder13]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/304387-lew-horton-shorty-40-a.html

 

[woreout]

I think the dealer was telling you the truth. The Shorty Forty is probably a scarce gun. I've had mine since they came out and it was a good shooter but haven't seen one for sale in a long time. The asking price doesn't sound too high but you might be able to negotiate a better deal.

 

[Ironbark]

I came across twin shorty 40's at a gun show yesterday, if memory serves they were asking $1200 for the pair. maybe I should have snapped them up.

IB

 

[lhump1961]

I think $800 is an ok price for a 95% Shorty. I see others who post with a bit better price but I would bet most pay more. I paid a bit more for my Mk3. I have since put new factory grips on it and I love it.

 

[mbliss57]

It was marked MK3. What does that mean?
It also had adjustable target sights.

 

[James&theGiant1911]

it is a blue gun correct? all mkIIIs are blue and there is a s model for stainless. I think it might go along with Smith and Wesson numbering on their other guns. They made assault weapons and other firearms in the time frame which carried the MKXX numbering. Like a set of guns matched together. Similar stamping and cosmetically similar.

 

[kcode]

The MK3 designation means is the third variation of the shorty 40. If you are a fan of the .40 S&W cartridge go for it you will not be disappointed. If you look at pricing for LNIB 4013TSW there is not much difference in the asking prices. Just comparing the shorty to 4013's, which I have three of them, the shorty has much more to offer, plus being hand built. The fit and finish is far superior to the 4013. I have not had to oppurtunity to do any comparison shooting between the two yet other than 5 rounds in an almost dark conditions. My pair of shortys have the Magnaporting of the barrels and slides, it gets your attention when its dark outside and flames come out the top of the slide. I paid more than your $800 asking price so it is in line with market pricing of today.

 

[James&theGiant1911]

The price is good since you can not find them out there right now and they only come on the market occasionally. Mine has a night sight on the front to ease with carry use, they are awesome CCWs and the small size helps a lot. Having shot a lot of third gens, there is an accuracy difference in their tactical and performance center models.

 

[mbliss57]

it is a blue gun correct? all mkIIIs are blue and there is a s model for stainless. I think it might go along with Smith and Wesson numbering on their other guns. They made assault weapons and other firearms in the time frame which carried the MKXX numbering. Like a set of guns matched together. Similar stamping and cosmetically similar.

No it was SS. But I looked at pretty quickly. I wasn't going to buy it. It definitely had an MK3 marking or something similar and since it was SS it had to have an S somewhere.

 

[James&theGiant1911]

No it was SS. But I looked at pretty quickly. I wasn't going to buy it. It definitely had an MK3 marking or something similar and since it was SS it had to have an S somewhere.

no like mentioned above the MK is a military coin phrase it signifies the series number like MK1, MK2, MK3 there are also MK22s which is a separate firearm. They signify revisions on the gun not making them an actual military firearm. All shorty 40s have a serial number made in batches mine is KPCXXX they went from 1-500 since that is all they made. If you find them out there then you need to buy them. I got a pretty good deal on mine but was prepared to give a whole lot more money than I did. Most I have seen go in the 1500ish range some for even more.

It is not in the catalog but it would make sense for the blue ones to be labeled MKIII and the MKIIIS being the stainless model. The first shorty 40s were all stainless only the MKIII designated guns carried tweaks to them and came in blue and stainless. I never knew they made stainless until another thread here pointed them out. Then again his guns could have been special performance center one offs that some gun smith at Smith and Wesson made. Without actually seeing them there is no way to be sure and these were Lew Horton distributed guns meaning the only way to get one was through them.

They also come with a performance center documentation where the owner could buy optional performance center work to be done on the firearm.

also to note normal shorty 40s came in a smith and wesson blue box with matching serial numbers on the box not the special box that the two stainless MKIIIs came with that are in the other thread.

 

[lhump1961]

To answer your question about the Mk3 here is a pic...it was in great shape when I purchased it except for the grip as you can see so I replaced it with a new original grip...need a new pic!

The target was only from about 10-15 yards but that is as good as I can shoot. The gun is capable of better I'm sure.

 

[mbliss57]

Thanks all.. It did have a Blue plastic case.. not the new kind you see. The ones from around the 1990's era. If I can connect with this guy a the next gun show I will try to purchase it. I wasn't prepared ($$ in pocket) to buy it yesterday.

 

[James&theGiant1911]

Thanks all.. It did have a Blue plastic case.. not the new kind you see. The ones from around the 1990's era. If I can connect with this guy a the next gun show I will try to purchase it. I wasn't prepared ($$ in pocket) to buy it yesterday.

they are sweet guns, good luck with your purchase.

 

[vigil617]

Bliss, the Shorty Forty MkIII was produced in the blued version in 1995 and the stainless steel version in 1997, according to the Standard Catalog. Suggested retail back then for the stainless model was $1,024.

If you are getting this as a shooter, $800 is a reasonable price, IMHO. I have been watching the Shorty Forty for the past three or four months, and purchased one of the first-run models myself. It's a keeper.

If the Shorty model interests you, you might want to shop around. They do come on the market from time to time, and while a limited-production pistol, there seems to be an active selling market out there. I wouldn't call the pistol "unusual" but by the same token, I also don't think it's fully appreciated for its hand-built pedigree.

If you wanted to try to find one in pristine or near-pristine condition, with multiple mags, box, papers, etc., you're probably in the $900 to $1,200 range (asking prices). I don't think there is much difference now, price-wise, between the Mark III models and the earlier models (production runs of 500 each in 1992, 1993 and 1995, which had an average retail of $850.) Another Shorty Forty iteration (a two-tone model produced for Camfour) came out in 2000, but I have not seen one of these.

All of the Shorty Forty models can use either 9-round or 11-round extended magazines, including the 4013 and 4006 "+2" mags, so you have plenty of flexibility there.