Where are all the Smith's

[Heavy lead]

Went gun shopping last Sunday with a used XD-40 in hand. Good gun, just never could get the feel for the plastic or the .40. Anyway, wasn't looking for anything in particuliar, had a few rifles in mind, maybe just the right shotgun, 1911's are always on the list, maybe the right caliber Redhawk, and always a Smith. Anyway I found (in three different stores) a grand total of 0- L frames, 2- X frames, 0- K frames, 1- used N frame 27, and no other N frames but a 657-5 7.5" barrel which I bought (on sale no less the owner of the store said he couldn't sell it as it was a .41, no account for poor taste I guess). Only Smiths of any type I could find were a few 1911's and a bunch of J-frames. Is there a problem or is it just this Barronomo madness.
Hardly any Rugers either except for a total of 15 in one store 50th anniversary .44 mags.
Are they all on Gun Broker, is the internet sales changing the dynamics of the gun market that much?

[shotman]

Yes to your last question. the market is better the more buyers so you make more selling nation wide than local. If you look at GB/ AA 75% are gun dealers. More so on GB Why sell a gun in your store that 50 people will pick up and run the cylinder and dry fire then offer half what you need. Put on line and get what you want +. If you look at S&W there is more people that will buy a S&W than any other hand gun. Colt is next. I have never heard of a colt returned to factory for repair. several smiths have and almost every Ruger has to be returned twice or more.

[jameslovesjammie]

My Uncle who works for DHS said that S&W got a contract for 7,500 M&P's going to the Iraqi Security Forces. Current production has shifted away from everything else until the contract is met. He has a M&P on backorder, and they said possibly November.

[leadeye]

Revolvers, single or double, are thin in most local gun stores around here compared to plastic autos. I think dealers are just stocking what moves these days.

[Poygan]

I stopped at the local Gander Mountain recently. Seldom anything of interest there. One of the guys behind the counter decided to show us four pistols kept in the back room. A Browning HP with the ring hammer, a Baby Browning in .25 acp, a 1922 Browning in .32 acp and I don't recall the fourth one. All in 99% condition. All had buyers already! BTW, $495 on the HP. Seems they call folks when good stuff comes in and it never get in the counters. For some reason, I find this rather annoying.

[2shot]

Seems they call folks when good stuff comes in and it never get in the counters. For some reason, I find this rather annoying.


As do I Poygan.

The guys I shoot with are buying up all the pre-lock Smiths they can.
Something about the Hillery Hole that they don't like :roll:

2shot

[Freightman]

Seems they call folks when good stuff comes in and it never get in the counters. For some reason, I find this rather annoying.
That is a sure sale and no labor involved to show everyone who comes by plus no wear and tear on the gun by handling.
Put your name on the list.

[2shot]

That is a sure sale and no labor involved to show everyone who comes by plus no wear and tear on the gun by handling.
Put your name on the list.


I think Poygan was refuring to the calling of friends on a list, not customers. I know that the Gander Mt. in my area wount take names for guns. I was told to check the shelfs and if it's not there try coming in every few days to check. Smart policy knowing that if someone drives for an hour to get to the store that even if they don't have what your looking for you will probably purchase something else from the store. I know I have a hard time not buying something whenever I go to GM or Cabela's, they always get some sort of sale from me. :)


2shot

[pdawg_shooter]

I have never heard of a colt returned to factory for repair. several smiths have and almost every Ruger has to be returned twice or more.

I couldnt agree more. I have divested myself of all Rugers but 1, a MK2, but I had to rebuild the innards to get it to shoot!

[Poygan]

2Shot,

Yes, that is what I suspect...these are friends that are called when there is good stuff to be had. I've been going to this store for almost 20 years and never heard about any "list". I've told them generally what I'm interested in. Plus, the price on that HiPower is a lot lower than I've been seeing them advertised on the net. Their prices tend to be on the high end on everything in the cases and on the racks.

[Navahojoe]

Speaking of "Gander Mountain" and "Smiths", just happens that I was "in " one of those stores about a week ago, and as usual, looking at the used guns. LO, what to my wandering eyes did appear, a Model 19-4, 99% + condition, and I had trouble putting it down. Needless to say, the next day I went back and it followed me home. Just over $400, including tax. I traded a Single Six Ruger in on it and got $100 more on trade in than I paid for it new about 5 years ago. I had been hunting a Model 19 for several years and all I found were in poor condition or toooo high!. Talking about tickled! As a side note. I was paying for the Smith, another customer walked up to the gun counter and told the sales person, " I want to buy that Model 19 that I saw in here yesterday. He was ten minutes too late. Regards, NavahoJoe

[Poygan]

Navahojoe,

One of the two guns I bought at Gander was a Smith 19-3 in about 98%, 6" bbl. One of the very few used Smiths I've seen there. $450 plus 5% plus $8 fee for the call in to the state. No great bargain I realize but they so seldom are there. And I have a great fondness for blue Smiths....

[Navahojoe]

Mine has 6" bbl, stainless. I love it! It is fast becoming my favorite, after the Ruger Single Six, .32 H&R Magnum, and the Ruger .45 convertible. Man, I love those wheel pistolas and I hate picking up brass.
regards,
NavahoJoe

[Kuato]

I have never heard of a colt returned to factory for repair. several smiths have and almost every Ruger has to be returned twice or more.

I couldnt agree more. I have divested myself of all Rugers but 1, a MK2, but I had to rebuild the innards to get it to shoot!


Well here's one for ya. Years ago when I was in the retail business, we had a Colt detective in the shop. I was giving it the once over when I noticed there was NO rifling in the bore. ZIP, ZERO, NADA!

Placed a call to Colt, had the smoothbore 38 sent to them. In about 3 months they sent another one to us. This one had rifling in it. Damage done. NEVER looked at another Colt, especially after their prices went through the roof...

[targetshootr]

One gunstore guy gave the same answer the other day, people want what they see in movies. They had oodles of autos and only a handfull of wheelguns.

[Newtire]

(Well here's one for ya. Years ago when I was in the retail business, we had a Colt detective in the shop. I was giving it the once over when I noticed there was NO rifling in the bore. ZIP, ZERO, NADA!)

You've heard of the Colt Python? That was a Colt "rattler" --one of the scarcest pistolas out there.

[Jack Stanley]

Newtire , that must have been one of those UAW guns . Special built for one of those alphabet soup agencies of the guvmint doncha know .

Jack

[HABCAN]

Newtire, there was one like that in the show I traveled to today: a stainless S&W Mod. 19 2-1/2". Tag read NO RIFLING. (OK, that has a different model number now, but that's what it was when I had a blued one.)

Gem of the show was a 99.9% S&W 36-1, 3", big Pachmayr grips, asking CDN$250.00!! I queried the seller and heard his tale of woe.

In Canada we have 'restricted' firearms which must be registered and paper-trailed. A further classification of 'restricted' is 'prohibited'. All snubbies are 'prohibited' to NEW buyers, but granfathered buyers may purchase. Granfathered as in, you owned snubbies before the legislation was enacted (1968??)

Anyway, the seller had a display case crammed with a few dozen various-condition snubbies and little squirty .32 autos like Mauser HSc and Ortgies, Baby Brownings and Colts for sale with a big sign "Buy one get one free!" Story was he HAD to sell them to legally-papered buyers as he had NO kin to will them to (if even THAT is 'legal'!) and upon his death they would be seized and trashed by the .gov. It is to WEEP!

[lathesmith]

At the local Gun Show here, as well as at other local gun sellers, autos outnumber revolvers probably 10-1 or more. Kinda tough on us wheel gun fans...but, if you keep looking, you can usually find something interesting. But it does take more effort to turn up a good wheelgun than an auto, for sure.
lathesmith

[looseprojectile]

Earlier today I bought a really nice K 38 four inch five screw.
I had seen it in the case at the pawn shop several times. It was competing with several autos. I finally asked to see it and what a jewel.
The FBI says I can pick it up friday. NICS check always puts me on delay. And they always tell the dealer that I can pick it up after three days wating period.
The FBI never calls back with a proceed. Was able to wipe it down with some oil for storage for the next five days. $ 200.00 OTD.
Worth waiting for.

Life is good

[gc45]

Living in the NW I can say SS Smith's, especially anything made before 2002, are scarce as H---. My local gun shop has thousands of guns but few SS Smith's, especially anything bigger than 38 Special. The owner says N frame Smith's just don't get returned like they once did and when he gets one it is often sold the same day. I picked up my 625-7 mountain gun (no lock) recently and for a fair price too plus feeling so-so lucky to have found one after looking so long. The seller said he fired 30 rounds of factory Winchester ammo when new but decided to go back to his 357 with it's lower recoil so the MG just sat. Loading my favorite load, Unique and the rcbs 270 bullet, she shoots better than I could have hoped while hitting point of aim @ 20yds...I plan to tweak it some for POI @ 25 yds as that is my needs here in the NW woods.


GC45

[Murphy]

Perhaps it's just me. But, I think the majority of S&W pre lock blued or stainless revolvers just can't be appreciated by the younger shooters. They've all grown up on semi automatics, be it from movies or joining the armed forces.

I live in a very rural area and the closest big city is 165 miles in either direction in other states. Recently I was in the largest city in my state (Oklahoma City) and visited a couple of the larger gun stores. It appeared to me that 98% of the handguns were all semi automatics.

And yes, the internet has changed the way people buy and sell their firearms. Gun shows, are for all intent and purpose are a joke compared to what most of us grew up seeing. Once in a rare while I stumble across a good to (I stole that sucker!) deal locally. Sadly, those rarities are getting farer and fewer inbetween.

Most of us in our 60's and on up, will more than likely hang onto our beloved Smith & Wesson revolvers. Let's face it, they ain't making them like they used to. If you own a few good or 'rare' S&W's they grow in value with each passing year. While I don't have a large collection, what I do own would all sell in a 7 day auction on GB or AA. I have one close cousin who is assigned to dispose of all of my firearms if I leave this world before he does, and vice versa. It's the only way our wives will ever get the true worth out of them.

Pawn & gun shops (and outright gun shops as well) along with the Gander Mountains & such. I have a pretty good feeling that a lot of the owners of those stores, have been scooping up those finer old S&W's and are saving them for retirement one day. They know their value and when they take in a fine old Model 19, 27 or a five screw as $200 in trade value for a Glock, etc...they hide their smile.

Good luck and keep your eyes peeled. Now and then....even a blind squirrel finds a nut.

Murphy

[TXGunNut]

Mine are mostly doing safe duty. Pretty boring but they can do it. One is on duty in CA, another is waiting to show unbelievers what a stock revolver can do and another stands ready to show what a PPC gun is all about. The rest are snubbies or 22's and both are up to the tasks assigned,

[Anschutz]

Perhaps it's just me. But, I think the majority of S&W pre lock blued or stainless revolvers just can't be appreciated by the younger shooters. They've all grown up on semi automatics, be it from movies or joining the armed forces.
Murphy

That seems to put me in the minority then. I'm 23 and have a ruger SBH, marlin guide gun, and bolt 243. I do have a Glock and an AR but one is for uspsa and in the home and the other is speed to hit the x ring every time when I do my part. On my lookout list right now is a smith or ruger 38/357, ruger#1 in something big and slow, and contender barrels.

[Walkingwolf]

Revolvers, single or double, are thin in most local gun stores around here compared to plastic autos. I think dealers are just stocking what moves these days.

Same here, and prices, though premium, are still less than GB. Hell prices on Bud's on new guns are less than GB. I would not buy a wheelgun from a dealer I was not aquinted with gun sight unseen. I check the BC on every revolver I look at. My LGS/pawn shop has a few revolvers I am interested in, I just have not got him to come down on price yet. One is a Colt trooper in excellent mechanical shape, some very light pitting, and 50% blue, plus those ugly rubber grips. I can't get him to budge from $550, the blue is no big deal as I have rust blued several guns. But those ugly rubber grips keep me from giving over five hundred for it.

I had another pawn shop offer to sell me a new Taurus seven shot model 66 for $400, that is 3 dollars below Bud's, and I would not have to pay transfer fee. I will go back in a couple weeks and offer him the $400 out the door with two speed loaders included. I have also passed by on several Colt Official Police, and am reconsidering that model. They are usually in the $300 range, and Colt in the 1930's rated them for 38/44, so they can handle Kieth loads.

[Walkingwolf]

I have never heard of a colt returned to factory for repair. several smiths have and almost every Ruger has to be returned twice or more.

I couldnt agree more. I have divested myself of all Rugers but 1, a MK2, but I had to rebuild the innards to get it to shoot!

That is not my experience, Ruger makes some of the most tough, reliable, respected revolvers on the market. I hear of far more of the semi auto brands being returned. As far as Colt present day, they do not make DA revolvers, and have not for many years. The current production of Smiths, IMO, the quality is not even close to what it used to be. And yes most new ones I have looked at do not meet my standards, if you had stated Smiths, I might agree.

[contender1]

As a longtime gun tinkerer,,, who currently owns a fair number,,, I can attest to the fact that no company makes perfect guns all the time. Not Ruger, not Colt, not S&W, not anybody.
I do know that when production numbers increase,,, so do any issues, or the potential for an occasional "bad" one.
I have quite a few Rugers that have never had any issues, and will outshoot many others. I also own several S&W revolvers, (all a bit older) and none of them have had issues. The Colts I used to own were sold for a bit more than I paid to fund other guns.
I guess my Rugers are defective in that none of them have had to go back to the factory for anything.