I was at the local gun store today. The guys there know I like older metal framed pistols, and they told me they had just received an interesting one for sale that they didn't even have a price on yet. The employee brought out a worn 659. The gun wasn't in horrible shape but it looked like an ex-LE gun or something that had been carried a lot. Obviously without pictures it's difficult for me to ask what it's worth here, but would $3-400 be decent assuming it's free from rust and the bore is clean? Also is there anything I should specifically look at when examining the gun? I'm familiar with Gen3 S&W pistols but not so much the Gen2s.
Used 659 - what should I look for?
- Thread starter MattB
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Check the big gun auction site for "completed" sales for the gun. I believe the price could be low to fair depending on the gun's condition. I checked a while ago and $550+ seems to stick in my mind as the average price (without shipping, FFL fees, and tax where applicable.) I'd check out price of mags as well if it only comes with one.
Good point. I'll check GB and other sites. Mags thankfully aren't hard to come by since Mec-Gar makes compatible mags.
If it was an LEO pistol, then it was likely carried a lot and shot very, very little. I would want to field strip it, check the barrel cams for burs/wear, check the bore for worn rifling and damage to the crown. Check the receiver locking blocks for wear or indications of cracks. Function test to make sure both DA and SA work correctly and that the sear holds the hammer when the slide goes forward.
The 659 is an all-stainless pistol and they were built to last nearly forever. The knock against the x59 pistols, just like the original Model 59, is the poor ergonomics of the grip. I think this keeps the 59/x59 pistols from being more popular. If it is in good shape and mechanically sound, a few years ago $350 would have been top dollar value, but these days we are still in a panic, so expect $400-$500.
The 659 is an all-stainless pistol and they were built to last nearly forever. The knock against the x59 pistols, just like the original Model 59, is the poor ergonomics of the grip. I think this keeps the 59/x59 pistols from being more popular. If it is in good shape and mechanically sound, a few years ago $350 would have been top dollar value, but these days we are still in a panic, so expect $400-$500.
I have a new in box with all papers and accessories 659 and was told that I was asking way too much for it when I said I wanted $375 for it! Considering it was $375 when I bought it new in 1983, I just put t back in the safe.
You will get double that amount these days. Put on an online auction site and you might get even more.
Yes indeed! I bought my pair of 645's in 2019, $412 for one and $450 for the other one. The one I got for $450 was actually a former LEO weapon and shows scratches, dings, and a safety that had been modified so it would permanently be left side only. That one was also from a store that has become very upscale and expensive. I have been told that I did well in getting them to come down $100 off the price tag.
The one I got for $412 was a fluke. Stopped by a small shop that I occasionally do business with about 6 months after buying the $450 pistol. Looked at a well worn 469, then spotted an excellent condition 645. It had Pachmayr grips, no box, but appeared to have been used very little and very well maintained, hardly a mark on it. Price tag was $390 and the counter guy, who I know and have done business with before, said whoever priced it got it wrong by $100. He sold it to me anyway. Sometimes ya just get lucky.
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Green Frog
Member
I wanted a Gen 2 gun to replace and preserve my Model 39. I wanted something I could modify, play with, and not have to worry about, so I settled on the 639 to preserve the more narrow feel from the Mod 39 grip. I was delighted to find that at the time (approx 2 years ago) the Gen 2 guns were getting virtually no love from collectors... everybody seemed to want Gen 1 to collect and Gen 3 to shoot. Lucky for the OP and for me. I don't think I made a mistake at all! MattB you absolutely will not regret buying a Model 659 if you want it to shoot, and if I am reading my admittedly cloudy crystal ball right, the collectors of our number will catch up with us.
Froggie
Froggie
sigp220.45
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