Thursday, May 22, 2014

Future collectibles...

Fearless long-term prediction: 3rd Generation S&W autos will be a hot future collectible market. (Well, all the Smith traditional metal-framed DA autos, really, but the 1st Generation ones already are a little collectible and the 2nd Gen ones probably won't be as hot.)

Here's why:
  1. They're inexpensive. Old cop guns and "Value Series" 910s and 410s are a glut on the market right now. It's a cheap branch of collecting to get into, kind of like S&W revolvers used to be.

  2. There are a bewildering array of variants of varying degrees of scarcity.

  3. There are all manner of police department-marked guns out there, and collectors dig those, because it adds yet another layer of things to collect.

  4. There's room for a lot of original research out there. Twenty years ago, nobody in this country gave a rat's ass about, say, Finnish Mosins; now you can practically get an online degree in the field.

  5. The classic stainless S&W auto appears in lots of '80s/'90s iconic movies and TV shows, and that's the next big wave of retro.

So, back to the prediction: Five or ten years from now, people on gun fora are going to be lamenting the "West Dakota Department of Fish Hatcheries"-marked Model 6904 they passed up at next weekend's gun show for $350.
.

28 comments:

George said...

I've been a fan of the S&W 3rd Gen semi autos since the mid 90s. I'm very much lamenting the decision to discontinue production of the 3914 series magazines by S&W.

Ambulance Driver said...

TOTWTYTR is way ahead of you. He's to S&W third generation semi-autos what you are to S&W revolvers.

SteveG said...

Have a police trade-in 469, where can I find one of these if I can't make the show?

Robert said...

And I've already got a 4516, so I'm part of the way there already! Although I traded a NC highway patrol issued S&W 9 MM for it...

RevolverRob said...

I bought a 3913 Lady Smith late '90s production a few years ago, for what was a fairly heavy price at the time. The fact that it is now worth two and a half times what I paid for it, is making me want to put it in a safety deposit box as opposed to the holster on my hip.

-Rob

Divemedic said...

Plus, they won't have 'smart gun' technology installed, meaning that they will still work.

Anonymous said...

I have been picking them up for the last few years because I like them and they work. I found a site the other day that had a dozen variants, all under 4 bills each. Passed on 3913 and 3914, kicking myself now.

TV Norn said...

I think you have a point - When I first got into this, Lugers were getting hot, P38s(& 1911s) less so, M1 carbines were throwaway plinker toys, and the .32s/.380s? You could barely give them away...

Anonymous said...

Was the period when S&W was the official firearm of the Clinton Administration?

Gerry

Anonymous said...

Ha...while I agree with you, I just got rid of my last 3rd gen Smith. A 3913 with night sights. I'm regretting it, but really, these days it's not getting shot nearly as much as my G19 and I just can't own guns that I can't dedicate time to maintaining proficiency with.

All that being said....damn, but I miss it!

abu fitna said...

I get nostalgic for the 6904 that I ran in the 90's. At the time, though, I do remember that lack of armorer support; inability by policy to carry a backup on duty or a different weapon off duty. The general HK and SIG envy for the other weapons issued by the organizations for which some of my coworkers were employed was also a factor in how I saw the piece at the time.

But nostalgia has its place in the gun safe, especially now that I have other options.

staghounds said...

Still carrying 4516 no dashes. Maybe they will get high enough that I can trade them in on- what, Kahrs?

Geodkyt said...

I don't know exactly what it is, but everytime I fire one of those pistols from the 39/59 family (any generation), I always shoot left of POA.

S&W revolvers don't do that to me, and other brands of semiauto pistols don't do that -- but a 39 or 59 derived DA semi that is nearly perfectly regulated for just about anyone else who tries it shoots to the left for me.

Weird - I figure it's got to be something in how they're shaped that makes it too easy for me to hold it wrong. Which is a shame -- they're actually really neat pistols.

Scott J said...

I'm often tempted to get one for that early 90's retro feel.

I scoffed at them back then when I was a new shooter and dedicated revolver guy. This was before I tried the 1911 which opened the door to the world of autopistols for me.

But where are you seeing them cheap?

The few I've looked at have all knocked on the $400 door.

I define cheap as $250 or less.

Tam said...

$250 for a name brand gat is a few years in the rearview mirror, I'm afraid. :(

rickn8or said...

Nevermind S&W; I'm concerned about when the stuff I'm sitting on is going to be collectable/desireable.

There's gotta be someone out there more gullible than me...

Anonymous said...

I briefly had a CS9 (those are 3rd gen Smith autos right???) that I bought because I thought Illinois was finally on the cusp of concealed carry. I generally like it better than the current crop of slim 9mm's. CCL fell through, and I traded it off for I can't remember what in despair. Of course, King Madigan finally allowed CCL, but the CS9 is long gone.

Rob

Bubblehead Les. said...

I KNEW I never should have sold my 4046! Especially since those .40 S+Ws are bringing a 20% Premium!

: )

But most 3rd.Gen Smiths are starting around $400 up here on the North Coast. And what was once as easy to find as Mud on a Riverbank five years ago is drying up.

Like the $150 30-30 Lever Gun in the 90s, or the $400 Garand pre-"Saving Private Ryan", or...

Anonymous said...

Happy w the 3953 I got for 350 a couple yes ago, then, and the 3914 for less 2 yes before. The 669 I found at Gander for 250 last spring was a freak. I practically ran out the door w it, once the checkout girls had wrapped it like a pork loin from the butchers.

Matt
St Paul

Tom said...

The S&W 411 was the first semiauto pistol I ever owned, back in 1995. Mine still had an 11 round magazine, too. Shot pretty well. After some looking around, I realized what I really wanted was the 4003. Alas, they're not that common and certainly not cheap. A nice one went for $500 not too long ago. I've seen some at 400, and one for 350 (it was snatched up quick) but I just never seem to have the right amount of money at the right time. Sigh....
Don't even get me started on the 1006.

Tom

God, Gals, Guns, Grub said...

Back when I worked in law enforcement... my department switched to S&W 4516 45ACP pistols in the early 90s... I'm not sure what happened to them after they were traded in on the next generation of duty guns... but I'm sure some are putting their heft to good use anchoring lake freighters up on Superior...

Dann in Ohio

Anonymous said...

The only S&W automatic I own is a 639, its pretty 'meh' in accuracy and a bit heavy as well. But it works with nearly all ammunition I shoot in it, not finicky at all and that is a plus.

My TZ-75 kicks its butt in accuracy by a long shot - any collectible future in Italian CZ clones ? There were quite a few back in the day before the original CZ came to America.

rickn8or said...

"Like the $150 30-30 Lever Gun in the 90s, or the $400 Garand pre-"Saving Private Ryan", or...

Or anything ten minutes after I've sold my last one...

mikee said...

This post is only a few steps away from suggesting we grab our single shot Liberator pistols and start "collecting" Homeland Security firearms like the French Resistance collected Mausers.

Dept. of Pre-Collection

Sigman said...

One of my "Ones I let go I wish I hadn't" was an early 80s S&W 439. It became a safe queen when I bought my P226. Sold it to a buddy.

Scott J said...

:)

"$250 for a name brand gat is a few years in the rearview mirror, I'm afraid. :("

So, you're saying I shorted myself when I got that for my SW9VE?

:D

Anonymous said...

Scott, I was going to mention the Sigma, I traded a Jennings J-22 for mine I wish I would have kept the Jennings, it was more fun to shoot.

Joat

Phil Wong said...

FYI: http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/377999-3rd-gen-parts-im-afraid-were-our-own-gents.html