What would be a fair offer for...

[smokycity]

One of my best childhood friends father is willing to sell me his "Combat Masterpiece". I remember first seeing the gun at his house when I was a kid in the 70's.

Mr. B as I will call him, was a deputy sheriff and the gun was his issued duty gun in 1960. In the late 1960's the sheriff's office switched to Model-10's and then sometime in the mid to late 70's they switched again to Model-64's.

When they first switched to the Model-10's the Sheriff allowed his deputies to purchase their original issue weapon. In this case a "combat masterpiece" as Mr. B calls it. I believe it is a Model-15 no dash that was issued in nickel.

At some point in the very early 1970's Mr. B had the gun (and a few others he owned) hard chromed with a brushed finish. I've always seen the gun with stag grips, so I don't know if they were original to the gun or if they were added later. It's been at least 25-30 years since I last saw the gun. I always told my friend that if his dad was willing to sell the gun, I would love to be first on the list as a buyer.

Fast forward to today. I got the call that Mr. B was willing to sell the gun, but he has no idea what it is worth or what to ask for it. I want to make a reasonable offer. Would $375 be a decent offer?

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Smokycity:

Valuation is difficult without photos. That being said, assuming it is in good condition - as the collector's value is gone with the change in factory finish, and the lack of factory grips - I think your offer of $375.00 is fine for a "friends price", but a bit light for "fair market value" purposes. Model 15s are becoming hard to find at a decent price - at least in my experience. I've been trying to add one to my collection for the past year or so, and the only ones I've seen are in the $500.00+ range. If it were me, I'd bump that $375.00 offer up by $100.00 bucks and go from there.

Best of luck,

Dave

 

[Bigman]

Double-0-Dave has given you some great information. You could offer the $375, but also if you want this gun, just be prepared to raise your offer. But at the end of the day, you and Mr. B both need to be happy! Good Luck Ray

 

[smokycity]

I have seen Model-15s in my area LGSs range from $399 at the smaller modest shops to $595 at the bigger, tend to be over priced, stores. I'm sure condition has a lot to do with the price range.

I can afford up to $450-$460. $375 was a possible opening bid. I don't want to insult my friend or his dad by low balling the gun. I know the refinish didn't help the collector value and was guessing the gun was possibly a sub $500 gun. I would like to get the gun for somewhere in the $425<$450 range.

Double-O-Dave and Bigman, thanks for the input, I think I'll revise my opening bid to $425 and see what the counter offer is.

 

[fat tom]

Assuming that it still has the stag grips and they are sambar stag,you can figure they are worth at least $150,more if they are really good lookin'.. Might want to figure that in when you get to cipherin'.
f.t.

 

[smokycity]

Assuming that it still has the stag grips and they are sambar stag,you can figure they are worth at least $150,more if they are really good lookin'.. Might want to figure that in when you get to cipherin'.
f.t.

I was not aware of that. I will ask some more questions about the grips to find out if they are real or faux stag.

 

[bamabiker]

It's his gun, I'd want him to come up with his price and go from there. That way if you are willing to pay it everybody is happy.

 

[smokycity]

It's his gun, I'd want him to come up with his price and go from there. That way if you are willing to pay it everybody is happy.

Oh I agree. That way I wouldn't feel like I'm taking advantage.

 

[smokycity]

There's another aspect to this that I've been thinking about. As I said earlier I've known about this particular revolver since I was probably 7 or 8 years old. I've been friends of this family since I was five. My pal is a year or so older than me. My friend and I also became deputy's at the same sheriff's office as his father about a year apart. My friend retired last year after 25 years. I left the agency 12 years ago and went to work for another agency.

I was absolutely giddy yesterday when I got the word Mr. B was willing to sell me the revolver. But then I began to wonder why he wasn't passing the gun along to his son, my friend. It's not like my friend is prohibited from owning it. He is a retired cop, a very stand up guy.

My friends family are great people, but they have never been wealthy (cops in Florida aren't the highest paid). So, I'm beginning to wonder if the decision to sell the gun might be a financial one. My friend has told me his dad has sold off some of his other guns in the past couple years. I have been fortunate to be a little better off in that regard. I don't want to ask that question. But as much as I want this revolver, I'm starting to feel guilty about getting it. The more I think about it, I think the gun should stay in the family. It was after all a first issue duty weapon of a father and son deputy team that worked in the same agency over a 50 year period.

I am considering still buying the gun, but now for a different reason. I am now thinking about buying the gun at what ever price they ask for it, even if its a little more than I can afford right now, I can come up with a few extra bucks. My friend turns 50 next year and I think I want to give the gun back to him as a birthday gift. If I get the gun, I would have a year to enjoy it in my collection as I look around for a presentation box/frame. I could go back to the Sheriff's office and see if I could get some other paraphernalia ( shoulder patch, maybe a copy of his dad's ID card from the personnel records, etc.) and add that to the shadow box.

 

[Rufus]

I wish I had friends like you!

 

[Riccur]

There's another aspect to this that I've been thinking about. As I said earlier I've known about this particular revolver since I was probably 7 or 8 years old. I've been friends of this family since I was five. My pal is a year or so older than me. My friend and I also became deputy's at the same sheriff's office as his father about a year apart. My friend retired last year after 25 years. I left the agency 12 years ago and went to work for another agency.

I was absolutely giddy yesterday when I got the word Mr. B was willing to sell me the revolver. But then I began to wonder why he wasn't passing the gun along to his son, my friend. It's not like my friend is prohibited from owning it. He is a retired cop, a very stand up guy.

My friends family are great people, but they have never been wealthy (cops in Florida aren't the highest paid). So, I'm beginning to wonder if the decision to sell the gun might be a financial one. My friend has told me his dad has sold off some of his other guns in the past couple years. I have been fortunate to be a little better off in that regard. I don't want to ask that question. But as much as I want this revolver, I'm starting to feel guilty about getting it. The more I think about it, I think the gun should stay in the family. It was after all a first issue duty weapon of a father and son deputy team that worked in the same agency over a 50 year period.

I am considering still buying the gun, but now for a different reason. I am now thinking about buying the gun at what ever price they ask for it, even if its a little more than I can afford right now, I can come up with a few extra bucks. My friend turns 50 next year and I think I want to give the gun back to him as a birthday gift. If I get the gun, I would have a year to enjoy it in my collection as I look around for a presentation box/frame. I could go back to the Sheriff's office and see if I could get some other paraphernalia ( shoulder patch, maybe a copy of his dad's ID card from the personnel records, etc.) and add that to the shadow box.

And that right there is the right thing to do. And if he asks to low you can bump it and you will all be happy and even better friends. Sometimes this way of thinking with life long friends is best for all. I commend you for your fine attitude.

 

[forindooruseonly]

And that right there is the right thing to do. And if he asks to low you can bump it and you will all be happy and even better friends.

Absolutely. Being a friend means it isn't about the money and getting a good deal, but getting a gun that you know the history of and admired as a kid.

 

[old bear]

Smokecity, what you are planning on doing is stand up thing to do. Friends like you are few and far between. If you believe that your pal's dad needs cash and you can swing it. I would offer $450.00 on the low end and $500.00 tops. Don't be to generous or your real reasons for buying the revolver may be figured out, and that could embarrass your friends.

 

[Riccur]

Another route is to buy the gun but let the old fella know how much that gun means to you and how much it probably means to him. Let him know if he ever decides he made a mistake selling it, it is available.

Try to avoid over analyzing the situation as well, maybe he just wants to sell it to you because somehow he knows it is special to you and he wants you to have a memory from him. You never really know what the motive is.

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

That's fair, especially for the sentimental value

 

[smokycity]

Quick update. I got the Model-15 back about 8 weeks ago. It's not in as good of shape as I remembered it, but my friend said it probably hadn't seen the light of day for he past 15-20 years. It has some rust and pitting under the grips. The action "sticks" a bit, and feels like the lubrication in the gun has thickened or gummed up. I hope to give the gun a good cleaning and remove as much of the rust as I can, getting it back into a condition that I would feel confident carrying it as a service weapon, if I were a street deputy.

As I said earlier, I have decided to give it back to my friend next July for his 50th birthday. Until then, I will have fun cleaning it up and having it in my collection.

 

[Peak53]

Sounds perfect!

 

[Murdock]

Nice tale. Thanks.

 

[JP@AK]

As I said earlier, I have decided to give it back to my friend next July for his 50th birthday. Until then, I will have fun cleaning it up and having it in my collection.

You are the man! I somehow missed this thread when it was still live a few months ago. I'm glad I've seen it now.
It is people like you who make being a S&W collector very worthwhile!
Jack