Observed Gunshow Asking Prices 8/12/23

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Just got back from the local show, thought some of you would be interested in some of the asking prices-

)Savage M24 combo gun, wood stocks, VG- $600
)M1903A3 Remington, good metal, refinished stock missing top wood- $500
)SA 1903, 1904 production, arsenal refinished, period incorrect stocks and fittings, good overall- $1700
)Vintage King Cobra, 4" stainless VG- $3400
)Vintage Python, blue. 6", Exc- $2500
)SA Garand, VG, new repro wood.- $1500
)S&W M17-3, 8", VG- $1200
)Minty Swede M1896, with sling and sight cover- $750
)Lithgow SMLE, Good.- $1200
)Savage M23, poor, missing magazine- $100
)Radom P35, early wartime. good, original finish- $1100
)Radom P35, late war, good, refinished new grips- $750
)Luger, unknown manuf., VG but bright chromed- $1200
)Beretta M51, steel frame, good- $325
)Beretta Tomcat, Exc- $600
)Star Firestar, 9mm, Nickel, LNIB, - $375
)S&W M&P Mod.1905, 4th Change, 4", .32-20, good- $1100
)Colt New Frontier, 6", both .22cylinders, VG- $700
)Norwegian Kongsberg M1914 (1911), Fair- $IfYouHaveToAskYouCantAffordIt

Show was fairly busy, also lots of ARs and plastic guns but I wasn't looking closely at them. Didn't see a single SA35, so still haven't seen one yet.....
Didn't end up buying anything, but the kids had a good time.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Just got back from the local show, thought some of you would be interested in some of the asking prices-

Savage M24 combo gun, wood stocks, VG- $600
M1903A3 Remington, good metal, refinished stock missing top wood- $500
Vintage King Cobra, 4" stainless VG- $3400
Vintage Python, blue. 6", Exc- $2500
SA Garand, VG, new repro wood.- $1500
M17-3, 8", VG- $1200
Minty Swede M38, with sling and sight cover- $750
Lithgow SMLE, Good.- $1200
Savage M34, poor, missing magazine- $100
Radom P35, early wartime. good, original finish- $1100
Radom P35, late war, good, parkerized, new grips- $750
Luger, unknown manuf., VG but bright chromed- $1200
Beretta M51, steel frame, good- $325
Beretta Tomcat, Exc- $600
Star Firestar, 9mm, Nickel, LNIB, - $375
S&W M&P Mod.1905, 4th Change, 4", .32-20- $1100 scrutiny
Colt New Frontier, 6", both .22cylinders, VG- $700

Show was fairly busy, also lots of ARs and plastic guns but I wasn't looking closely at them. Didn't see a single SA35, so still haven't seen one yet.....
Didn't end up buying anything, but the kids had a good time.

I have seen exactly two SA35s... One at a gun shop here in OKC for a dumb price and a used one at a gun show in Elk City for a slightly less dumb price. Still have yet to see any at our distributor accounts...

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Weirdly even though locally we always suck hind teat when it comes to guns and prices and are the last to get anything, both Scheels and my LGS have SA-35s at $700.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Weirdly even though locally we always suck hind teat when it comes to guns and prices and are the last to get anything, both Scheels and my LGS have SA-35s at $700.

I'm super jealous of anyone who lives within driving distance of a Scheels... Supposedly they are building one in Tulsa but that's still almost 2 hours away. And then you have to deal with Tulsa, gross lol.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I'm super jealous of anyone who lives within driving distance of a Scheels... Supposedly they are building one in Tulsa but that's till almost 2 hours away. And then you have to deal with Tulsa, gross lol.

Oh yeah, I was in hog heaven when they built it here. I'm such a Midwesterner at heart. I've always more or less liked my city, but in the span of five years we got Chick-fil-A and Scheels, and I had everything I needed. I've a strong attachment to our local grocery store (Hy-Vee) and gas station (Kwik Trip) chains, and I just don't need much else.

 

[jmr40]

I consider gun shows as "Shows" where I go to look at guns. It's a chance to see a lot of stuff in one place that I wouldn't normally see in local gun shops. Often, I will be interested in something that I see online or have read about but have never seen or handled in person. Gun shows allow me to do that.

If I see something that I like and can get it at a price I like then all the better. I always bring cash and often something to sell or use as trade bait. But I no longer go expecting to come home with anything.

 

[12Bravo20]

$1200 for a Lithgow SMLE????? It better be in excellent shape (as in unissued condition) for that price.

I wonder what my sporterized 1941 Lithgow SMLE is worth then. Even though the fore stock has been cut down, the action and barrel are in excellent shape and all number matching.

Overall prices are high, which is normal for gun shows.

One pistol that I know about that is priced about right is the Star Firestar M43 since it has the Starvel finish. The blued Firestar M43 and M40 pistols have been averaging between $300 and $350 over the last year or so. The Starvel finish does increase the value some.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

$1200 for a Lithgow SMLE????? It better be in excellent shape (as in unissued condition) for that price.

I wonder what my sporterized 1941 Lithgow SMLE is worth then. Even though the fore stock has been cut down, the action and barrel are in excellent shape and all number matching.

Overall prices are high, which is normal for gun shows.

One pistol that I know about that is priced about right is the Star Firestar M43 since it has the Starvel finish. The blued Firestar M43 and M40 pistols have been averaging between $300 and $350 over the last year or so. The Starvel finish does increase the value some.

Haha, ya, it was in only average condition too. He had a Drill Purpose rifle too, but it was really rough and I didn't bother turning the tag to read the asking price after seeing what he wanted for the Lithgow.

I paid $900 for my BSA .22, and its kinda ragged around the edges, but the rimfire Enfields always command a premium. I recently passed on a clean .303 Faz. for $450- probably shoulda bought it. The fella I got my super clean RFI musket from offered me $200 over what I paid to buy it back, but I politely declined- those aren't a dime a dozen in the back of Shotgun News anymore!

Some things were reasonably priced, but nothing I HAD to have. The 03A3 woulda made an easy project gun for $500, but Ive already got a bunch of Springfields and dont need any more fixer-uppers right now.

I might have grabbed the $100 Savage 23 too, but the magazines alone go for more and the ejection port on those is too small to easily use it as a single shot

 

[12Bravo20]

I know how that goes when dealing with old guns that are missing parts.

I felt like I struck gold when I was able to get a Marlin Model 99M1for $60 AND it still had the rear sight on it. The rear sight goes for almost as much as the entire rifle is worth if you can even find the sight.

 

[Old Dog]

)Vintage King Cobra, 4" stainless VG- $3400
)Vintage Python, blue. 6", Exc- $2500

Yeah, these stood out to me -- an original KC for 3400, but the Python for 2500?

And a Beretta Tomcat (a nice little .32, but can be fragile) for $600???

I still love gun shows, but sometimes ya gotta wonder what some of the table-holders are smoking.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Yeah, these stood out to me -- an original KC for 3400, but the Python for 2500?

And a Beretta Tomcat (a nice little .32, but can be fragile) for $600???

I still love gun shows, but sometimes ya gotta wonder what some of the table-holders are smoking.

Vintage KCs are actually much rarer than Pythons as they were only in production for about 10 years, on and off.

 

[Old Dog]

Vintage KCs are actually much rarer than Pythons as they were only in production for about 10 years, on and off.

Yeah, but for those of us who actually purchased one of the original KCs, it's not about the rarity.

 

[Riomouse911]

The Firestar I would take a long look at.

The other stuff I think I would walk past.

As for the SA-35, I got mine off GB last November for juuust under msrp. Seeing as I was on a wait list for one for nearly a year at a LGS before I got this one, I think I did ok.



They do shoot very well.

Stay safe.

 

[12Bravo20]

The Star Firestar's are underrated and overlooked by most. I enjoy shooting my Firestar M43 and M40. And they are in between a micro 9mm like the Colt/Kimber/Sig pistols and a compact 1911 as far as size goes. Now if I could find a Firestar M45 locally at a decent price to round out the collection.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

The Star Firestar's are underrated and overlooked by most. I enjoy shooting my Firestar M43 and M40. And they are in between a micro 9mm like the Colt/Kimber/Sig pistols and a compact 1911 as far as size goes. Now if I could find a Firestar M45 locally at a decent price to round out the collection.

I had the .45. It was reliable and soft shooting (thanks to the weight), but not accurate much beyond punching range. It was my nightstand gun until I got married as the wife couldn't operate it- the recoil spring was very heavy and the slide serrations didn't provide much grip.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Around here, the M96 Swede at $750 is a decent deal. I've been seeing them at 800+. I sold a (very accurate) numbers matching 1900 Oberndorf, with almost no bluing, for $800 and 6 pounds of 2400 powder.
I included dies, and I think 100 pieces of Hornady Match 140gr bullets.

At $375 I would have owned the Starvel Firestar in 9mm. I've been keeping an eye out for one these last 20 years.

 

[lightman]

The last show that I attended was back in the Spring. Powder was 55-60$ a pound, no one had any primers, a nice S&W Model 27 was $1700, a fair to good browning Hipower was $2000. Me and my buddy came home $10 lighter!

 

[GBExpat]

$1200 for a Lithgow SMLE????? It better be in excellent shape (as in unissued condition) for that price.

And ... it had better not be one of the many re-marked JJCO (Jovino) parts rifles!

 

[Mark_Mark]

Vintage KCs are actually much rarer than Pythons as they were only in production for about 10 years, on and off.

I like the term “Vintage” when referring to the Old Colt Snake Guns

there’s nothing Colt left in the New Colt

 

[bannockburn]

The Star Firestar would have been very tempting as it was very decently priced.

I would have passed on most of the other's that you listed.

 

[Poper]

there’s nothing Colt left in the New Colt

Except for the design.
Don't fool yourself.
A few years before the new snake guns started to reappear, I sold all of my Pythons to finance a non-firearms project. Now I own 1 each of the new King Cobra, Python and Anaconda. The Python and King Cobra are (with the exception of the stainless steel) very true in design and feel to the original. The only thing I miss about the original Pythons is that beautiful, deep Colt Blue.
The new Anaconda is (in my experience) head and shoulders above the original in fit and finish, feel, handling and accuracy. (Mine is a 6" and I am coveting a 4".)
They may be a bit on the pricey side, but lay one along side a similar budget gun and you will easily see which one is a quality firearm. It may not be on par with a Korth, but then neither is its price.

At my age, tho, I should quit buying guns. My kids aren't interested in them and they will never get the true value of them if/when they sell 'em. Oh, well. I'm gonna enjoy them while I'm here anyway.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Except for the design.
Don't fool yourself.
A few years before the new snake guns started to reappear, I sold all of my Pythons to finance a non-firearms project. Now I own 1 each of the new King Cobra, Python and Anaconda. The Python and King Cobra are (with the exception of the stainless steel) very true in design and feel to the original. The only thing I miss about the original Pythons is that beautiful, deep Colt Blue.
The new Anaconda is (in my experience) head and shoulders above the original in fit and finish, feel, handling and accuracy. (Mine is a 6" and I am coveting a 4".)
They may be a bit on the pricey side, but lay one along side a similar budget gun and you will easily see which one is a quality firearm. It may not be on par with a Korth, but then neither is its price.

At my age, tho, I should quit buying guns. My kids aren't interested in them and they will never get the true value of them if when they sell 'em. Oh, well. I'm gonna enjoy them while I'm here anyway.

I recently stop thinking about value over usage. just enjoying collecting and shooting vintage and reloading for 100 yo guns

as for the NeW Colt Python, probably get a 3” soon, would be a cool carry piece! and as you mentioned … when is Colt bringing back Blue???

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I recently stop thinking about value over usage. just enjoying collecting and shooting vintage and reloading for 100 yo guns

as for the NeW Colt Python, probably get a 3” soon, would be a cool carry piece! and as you mentioned … when is Colt bringing back Blue???

Buds Gun Shop.com has had 3" Python blems on sale for a while now. Hard to say what the blem will be, though.

Colt Royal Blue is never coming back between the skilled labor involved and EPA regs on bluing chemicals. I do wish they would offer a black DLC finish from the factory- there was a custom one doing the rounds on the interwebs that looked fantastic.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Buds Gun Shop.com has had 3" Python blems on sale for a while now. Hard to say what the blem will be, though.

Colt Royal Blue is never coming back between the skilled labor involved and EPA regs on bluing chemicals. I do wish they would offer a black DLC finish from the factory- there was a custom one doing the rounds on the interwebs that looked fantastic.

regular S&W blue would be cool! maybe Colt can ask Smith for a collaboration!

 

[Pat Riot]

Thanks for the report @NIGHTLORD40K