Values in SCSW realistic?

[Trooperdan]

I'm in the market for a pre-war .32 Regulation Police, four inch barrel or greater. I want something in decent condition but one that I don't mind shooting.
The SCSW shows $275 to $335 for good to VG. I've been checking the auction sites, GB, AA and GA and I don't see anything in that range. Oh, I did find one in good condition for $250.. but it had a ringed barrel when it arrived so it didn't stay! One recent ad had one at 70 percent for $450.
Have the values increased that much since SCSW was published? Am I looking in all the wrong places? I don't want to pay more than the market, don't want to be part of the reason to drive prices even higher!

 

[Trooperdan]

I'm in the market for a pre-war .32 Regulation Police, four inch barrel or greater. I want something in decent condition but one that I don't mind shooting.
The SCSW shows $275 to $335 for good to VG. I've been checking the auction sites, GB, AA and GA and I don't see anything in that range. Oh, I did find one in good condition for $250.. but it had a ringed barrel when it arrived so it didn't stay! One recent ad had one at 70 percent for $450.
Have the values increased that much since SCSW was published? Am I looking in all the wrong places? I don't want to pay more than the market, don't want to be part of the reason to drive prices even higher!

 

[g17]

I think the prices must be suggested or maybe a national average? They sure don't add up to what S&W's are going for around here or for what I see on the auctions and that goes for blue book also.

 

[DHENRY]

Just like last year's NADA guides, time passes ANY written value by.
They're a useful measure of COMPARATIVE values among the different models.
Don

 

[jed1177]

I started looking only at auctions that actually had bids registered on them and then averaged those prices. Many auctions with huge prices come and go without ever generating a bid.

 

[Trooperdan]

Good point Jed, I noticed the auctions with high opening amounts that had no bids and didn't stop to think about the implication.

 

[depicts]

I find the prices quoted in SCSW #3 a good goal to try for a purchase.

In private trading, here in Massachusetts, they can be pretty close. When I go on the auction sights, I keep track of what people are paying for the final bid, and try to keep that in mind.

I only bid as much as I'm willing to pay,... almost any gun will come along again some time, and I like the hunt.

Last night I saw what I think is a poor to fair Smith & Wesson Mod 1917 with early grips and 40% finish. The starting bid on the gun was $1700, and this from a well respected member of this forum. It's totally ridiculous. I have an almost Perfect early model that I paid $400 for. So I think the auction prices are all over the place.

You can find bargains, high prices and total rip-offs. You'll also find people who have NO CLUE what their guns are worth, or they live in the future where there are higher prices.

I have a small rule of thumb that I use for my bargain hunting.

M frame Lady Smith. Someday I'll buy a pretty nice one, and expect it will cost me near $1000.

I frames I'll pay as much as $200 for a nice shooter, but not a rare model. LNIB guns double or triple that. I find a LOT of them for $100-$125 and have bought several nice ones at that price range.

J and K frames with model numbers, almost anything I find under $300 goes home with me if it shoots and has no mechanical or gross appearance issues. Pre-model number guns I figure will cost me another $100-$200.

L&M Frame guns I see numbers starting in the High $500 to low $600 range, with collector grade going 50%-100% more. Almost anything less than $400 is probably in the ballpark except for Model 10's.

YMMV

Bill