Value of guns for sale... insane!

[dutcher987]

Just over the last couple of months (or longer) I have seen a gradual increase in the value of most revolvers.

Most model 27's on GB are over $800 and as high as $1500 or higher...

I saw a NEW model 27 in Cabella's yesterday. It was the new classic model that was brought back. It had the external lock on it. It did look nice, but they wanted $1300 for it. Are you kidding me! I know what this gun costs to most dealers and if Cabella's actually sells this gun to some unknowing customer, they are making a lot of money. And that customer has a severely overpriced gun.

Now, I understand that we want to buy low and sell high... I mean why not? And there is this issue of supply and demand for certain models. However, I don't see a lot of people forking over their hard earned cash for a new model 27 or 29. Not unless, it just happens to be a one of a kind or hard to find model with original box and papers.

According to my standard S&W catalog, most of the guns that I have seen on GB, Auction Arms, and at the local gun shows are just way over priced. If the seller can get those prices, then all the power to them. But give me a break. Granted most of those guns are not selling.

Do you guys feel the same way that I do? It is getting a lot harder to find a reasonably priced gun. I would like to find another model 27-2 or a 29-2, but I am not going to pay $800 or more unless it is new or I have a ton of money burning a hole in my wallet.

What do you guys think? Do you have the same feelings on this topic?

 

[dutcher987]

Just over the last couple of months (or longer) I have seen a gradual increase in the value of most revolvers.

Most model 27's on GB are over $800 and as high as $1500 or higher...

I saw a NEW model 27 in Cabella's yesterday. It was the new classic model that was brought back. It had the external lock on it. It did look nice, but they wanted $1300 for it. Are you kidding me! I know what this gun costs to most dealers and if Cabella's actually sells this gun to some unknowing customer, they are making a lot of money. And that customer has a severely overpriced gun.

Now, I understand that we want to buy low and sell high... I mean why not? And there is this issue of supply and demand for certain models. However, I don't see a lot of people forking over their hard earned cash for a new model 27 or 29. Not unless, it just happens to be a one of a kind or hard to find model with original box and papers.

According to my standard S&W catalog, most of the guns that I have seen on GB, Auction Arms, and at the local gun shows are just way over priced. If the seller can get those prices, then all the power to them. But give me a break. Granted most of those guns are not selling.

Do you guys feel the same way that I do? It is getting a lot harder to find a reasonably priced gun. I would like to find another model 27-2 or a 29-2, but I am not going to pay $800 or more unless it is new or I have a ton of money burning a hole in my wallet.

What do you guys think? Do you have the same feelings on this topic?

 

[pred]

I personally have found that the used revolvers HAVE gone up, But that price for a new 27 is insane!
I have also gotten some sweet deals in the past year on Smith revolvers as well, I guess the economy and the political influence is an odd one to mix.
But dare I say, You can still get a Glock cheap...
I'll stick with the wheel guns though!
Peter.

 

[Notime2]

I've been watching revolvers relisted because they aren't bringing in the money the seller wants. However desirable / rare still bring good money. Now with more unemployment, some sellers have to lower their prices to compete with fewer clients and factor in the aging gun owners reducing their collections, this could be a good time to be a buyer. Be patient or flash cash.
Younger buyers are spending money on hi-cap black guns and ammo, they aren't competeing for your M-27. Merry Christmas! Notime2

 

[bnewc75]

I feel that here in Oregon revolver prices have held steady or have dropped a bit the past few months as self-loading or semi-autos have been in vogue because of the fear that the newly elected president will push to outlaw them

 

[Ron H.]

Sir, yes, prices are high, but maybe not as high as it seems. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Gunbroker is just high generally. That's why many of the same guns stay up there for months on end.

2. Asking price, selling price, and value are all three different things and rarely coincide with each other.

3. Any price guide, not just the SCSW, is obsolete as soon as it's printed, if not before. Such things only provide a "snapshot in time" of what the prevailing prices were when the list was compiled.

4. Prices are regional. California's a prime example, but there are other, less extreme, differences from one area to the next.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[toroflow1]

It is amusing to look at Gunbroker and see the dreamers and their prices. A few infamous sellers come to mind.

I am fortunate that I do not require 99%+ S&Ws for my use. It is unbelieveable the price difference between a 99-100% S&W and a 85-90% one...we're talking HALF!

 

[armybass]

Originally posted by Notime2:
Younger buyers are spending money on hi-cap black guns and ammo, they aren't competing for your M-27. Notime2

I beg your pardon.....LOL. I am all of 38 and I am all over that M27 you are hunting. LOL.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by dutcher987:
Just over the last couple of months (or longer) I have seen a gradual increase in the value of most revolvers.

Most model 27's on GB are over $800 and as high as $1500 or higher...

I saw a NEW model 27 in Cabella's yesterday. It was the new classic model that was brought back. It had the external lock on it. It did look nice, but they wanted $1300 for it. Are you kidding me! I know what this gun costs to most dealers and if Cabella's actually sells this gun to some unknowing customer, they are making a lot of money. And that customer has a severely overpriced gun.

Now, I understand that we want to buy low and sell high... I mean why not? And there is this issue of supply and demand for certain models. However, I don't see a lot of people forking over their hard earned cash for a new model 27 or 29. Not unless, it just happens to be a one of a kind or hard to find model with original box and papers.

According to my standard S&W catalog, most of the guns that I have seen on GB, Auction Arms, and at the local gun shows are just way over priced. If the seller can get those prices, then all the power to them. But give me a break. Granted most of those guns are not selling.

Do you guys feel the same way that I do? It is getting a lot harder to find a reasonably priced gun. I would like to find another model 27-2 or a 29-2, but I am not going to pay $800 or more unless it is new or I have a ton of money burning a hole in my wallet.

What do you guys think? Do you have the same feelings on this topic?

There are always sellers who will gouge any fool they can. There is a place named Kerley's near me with prices so high you will get a nosebleed....

BTW, out here in California the price of nice used 27's is well over $1000.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by toroflow1:
It is amusing to look at Gunbroker and see the dreamers and their prices. A few infamous sellers come to mind.

I often wonder whatever happened to Anthony Ring.......

The man who put the hoot in "chutzpah".....

 

[Beaver]

I agree with Ron H. In Central Oregon, my favorite gun pusher just sold a very nice Model 66 4" for $399. He has a Model 32, Terrier, for $499. He also has a VERY nice Model 57 6", for $699. He has very good prices usually, and cash counts. beaver.

 

[pownal55]

i get "gundigest" bi-monthly, formerly known as gunlist. watch their s&w classified section, you still see some desirable models at a fair price. some sellers will negotiate a bit more.

 

[Revolver King]

As far as Gunbroker prices go, I have been watching a lot of different models over the past few months. and some of those that I have been watching I said there is no way they will sell that for that price, but sooner or later someone comes along and buys it. I have not seen any price guide yet that even comes close to what revolvers are selling for. Auction arms is a little better, but even it is starting to get high.

 

[Old Navy]

I tried to buy a Dan Wesson 6" SS 357 this weekend but the damn gin went for $600 and I had to pass. I wanted a matching SS 357 to go with my SS Dan Wesson 22 6" and didn't want to pay as much or more then a new S&W would cost me. Besides I have a very nice blued DW 357 anyway.

Same thing with a 610-2 with 4" barrel and non-fluted cylinder the guy wanted $785 for the gun and would not drop the price. When I asked how he could ask more for the gun then a new 610-3 is out the door he said I must not want his gun. I had started to ask if he would take $700 but his flip me off answer made me say screw it.

I may just go to my friends gun & pawn shop and get the new 610 4" and be done with the gun buying for a while, if not forever. He does have the S&W 1911 45 ACP in polished SS or nickel and black grips for $900 that sure is pretty. But the SA 1911 with all the bells and whistles and in 9mm that has caught my eye also for the $750 on that bad boy. what to do, what to do???

 

[rburg]

I love watching prices and where they go. Remember, any old fool can ask any price he or she wants. Sometimes I just think they do it to impress themselves.

About 15 years ago, when money had more value, my oldest son wanted to go to a gun show. We were walking along and I spotted a great display of S&Ws. The guy did have nice guns, but he was asking double what nearly identical guns were being offered at nearby tables. I had some interest in a M52 and M53 he had sitting side by side. The vendor walked over and asked if I had any questions. All I could get out was "Why so high?" His kind of crummy response was "because they're my guns and I can ask anything I want." Yes, he was right. I noticed that he wasn't selling any guns, either.

 

[s&wchad]

Originally posted by rburg:
Remember, any old fool can ask any price he or she wants. Sometimes I just think they do it to impress themselves.

That reminds me of one of my favorite gun show stories. My ex-table partner and I (he passed away a few years ago) were approached by an scruffy old guy carrying a gun case with a Winchester crescent butt sticking out of it. His clothes were tattered and filthy, he looked like a bum and his fly was open. I'm sure he smelled too, but we didn't get that close. He handed us one of the worst Model 1894 takedown rifles I'd ever seen. It was a .30 caliber round barrel, brown with no finish, cracked wood, the metal looked like someone used it as an anvil, the takedown joint was loose and every screw on it was buggered. His firm asking price was $5000.

We laughed about that for years. I miss my friend.

 

[walnutred]

S&WChad,

I have a friend with whom I have been doing flea markets and gun shows off and on since High School. Which for us means since the early 70's. One of our favorite stories involves a small flea market we did when I was 16 or so. It was a miserable day. Unseasonable cold, overcast with a constant threat of drizzle. My stock was low and of poor quality since I had not had time to restock from the previous flea market.

We got to joking that business was so bad we could not sell a $1 for fifty cents. eventually we decided to actually put a crisp $1 bill on the table with a fifty cent price sticker on it.

People would pick it up, turn it over and look at us suspiciously. Is it real?, they would ask. We would shrug and say, That's for the buyer to decide for themselves. At the end of the day there were no buyers for our dollar bill.

So whenever we are having a slow day one of us will eventually comment: Well, at least this show is not as bad as the day we could not sell a dollar bill for fifty cents.

 

[pred]

Originally posted by armybass:

Originally posted by Notime2:
Younger buyers are spending money on hi-cap black guns and ammo, they aren't competing for your M-27. Notime2

I beg your pardon.....LOL. I am all of 38 and I am all over that M27 you are hunting. LOL.

You are 38?
I work with a bunch of younger guys, 20 somethings, and they have all bought over the past year.
S&W m&p 40s
Taurus 9mms
Bersa 9mms
On average they are spending less than 400 for a gun, And one time they asked what I had, Well that is a big Q, I only answered with "I prefer a revolver and that is what I carry"
I just dont like plastic!
One of the guys bought his wife a Skyy 9mm.
Noone seems to want to shell out 500+ for a new puney 5 shot S&W revolver when they can get a semi with 82 rounds to blast away.
To each his own.
If you were 22, You might own 3 Glocks.
Peter.

 

[sash]

Prices do seem pretty high. However, there are some pretty nice guns for sale now, too. Every now and then, I'll buy one on Gunbroker -- usually paying too much, just because it's a gun I've been hunting for a while. There are still deals to be had at a couple of my local spots, though. I don't have too much competition for all the Model 10s I find locally. Guess they aren't cool enough for these boys!! Oh well. My kids and I love them.

 

[colt_saa]

Originally posted by dutcher987:
I saw a NEW model 27 in Cabella's yesterday. It was the new classic model that was brought back. It had the external lock on it. It did look nice, but they wanted $1300 for it. Are you kidding me! I know what this gun costs to most dealers and if Cabella's actually sells this gun to some unknowing customer, they are making a lot of money. And that customer has a severely overpriced gun.

If you are shopping at a store that asks $300 over MSRP then I think that you need to find a new place to shop.

On the other hand are you certain that you were looking at one of the Classic Model 27s and not at one of the current production Registerd Magnums? MSRP on the RMs is $1699