I have owned and used a 686 SSR and N-Frame SS 8-Shot for Steel matches and enjoyed them immensely.

But ... I love blued steel and walnut.


Accumulating them all would be so awesome, but I don't think I could not take any I bought to to the range or use them for daily carry.

What's your opinion?

Please: I understand if you hate the lock and/or detest S&W's current manufacturing practices. That'd be fodder for another thread.

If you're willing to spend the money just to put it in the safe, then by all means do. Personally, I'd rather put some (or, better yet, a lot) of honest wear on them.

It's been said a hundred times here that buying new guns for investment is a lousy investment, and I tend to agree. Buying guns in the age of the internet has generally been a lousy investment, because anyone who knows what they have can pretty quickly get a ballpark value for it, and so real deals (outside of private sales where one party doesn't know what they are doing) are pretty rare.

But back to the modern classics: They are nice guns. I am guessing that they are made to the most recent pattern of the gun; for example, I think that the Model 29 classic is a Model 29-10. That would mean that it has all of the modifications that S&W has made to the Model 29 line throughout its lifespan. It won't have a pinned barrel, it won't have recessed chambers, it will have a frame mounted firing pin, MIM trigger and hammer, and an internal lock.

What all of that means is, that from a collector's standpoint, these guns won't have any increase in value for a very long time, so keeping them pristine will just take up space in your safe and tie up cash. As long as S&W offers the classic series, I would not expect them to appreciate at all.

For example, I just picked up a 4" 629-6 for $650, which is pretty cheap for a .44 mag stainless S&W. It was relatively inexpensive because it is the most recent version of the gun with the ugly cylinder stop, MIM parts and hillary hole. It has no collector value and is still being made. It's just a used .44 mag revolver. I love it and will shoot the shit out of it, but I will not hold on to it for appreciation in value.

On the other hand, I have an original production Model 19-6. It's not the most unique, coming as it does after pinned and recessed had been abandoned, but it is factory nickel, has case hardened target trigger and hammer, and original walnut factory target stocks. This is a modestly collectible gun, and the 19 isn't part of the classic line, which makes it even a bit more attractive. I do shoot it, but it doesn't get used hard.

I think that if you want to own nice blued steel revolvers to carry and shoot, go for it. The trigger on my late model 629 is really impressive, and the manufacturing quality is nice. Buy 'em and use 'em. I wouldn't hold them for value.

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If you're willing to spend the money just to put it in the safe, then by all means do.

This comment is keeping me from buying more guns.

I love the looks and feel of the modern 586 but that would be another $700 sitting in the safe barely getting touched. Someday I may breakdown and pull the trigger, just not right now.

At age 60, I'm pretty sure I don't have enough time left to wait for currently made keyhole S&W revolvers to become collectible. I view them as shooters only. The very damn few that I have.

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Originally posted by ugeesta:

quote:

If you're willing to spend the money just to put it in the safe, then by all means do.

This comment is keeping me from buying more guns.

I love the looks and feel of the modern 586 but that would be another $700 sitting in the safe barely getting touched. Someday I may breakdown and pull the trigger, just not right now.

ArtieS post is excellent and a correct take on the matter, IMO. And to the fact that a 586 is now $700.00, they can keep the damn things. I havn't bought a revolver in years. I think my last was a 6" 586 with round butt. And, when the OP asks about collecting S&Ws, it seems to only apply to their wheel guns. There's not 1 automatic in their current line that will ever be collectable. What a shame and waste of talent.

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Originally posted by David Lee:

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:

quote:

If you're willing to spend the money just to put it in the safe, then by all means do.

This comment is keeping me from buying more guns.

I love the looks and feel of the modern 586 but that would be another $700 sitting in the safe barely getting touched. Someday I may breakdown and pull the trigger, just not right now.

ArtieS post is excellent and a correct take on the matter, IMO. And to the fact that a 586 is now $700.00, they can keep the damn things. I havn't bought a revolver in years. I think my last was a 6" 586 with round butt. And, when the OP asks about collecting S&Ws, it seems to only apply to their wheel guns. There's not 1 automatic in their current line that will ever be collectable. What a shame and waste of talent.

Disagree.

I learned how to shoot wheelguns on my dad's factory nickel 586 and it spoiled the shit out of me.

When I assumed command of my company, my father bought me a Classic Line 586, in blue, because he knows I love my blued guns.

That thing is awesome and never, ever fails to generate smiles at the range. It is the only one of my non-carry, non-tactical guns that regularly finds its way into my range bag.

If you want it, buy it, and to hell with the stupid lock. Until I open one of these threads I completely forget my gun has one. The trigger and lockwork is every bit as good as my dad's with the bonus of the transfer bar for safety's sake.

Buy it and shoot it. I have hit the age to start getting rid of my inventory. The value is up, but I wish I would have shot them all more.

I do not consider any NEW S&W a safe queen or investment gun. Now if want a safe queen and are willing to spend the same amount of money a new S&W cost and a little time to find and buy a older S&W then yes.

Why would you have a gun you don't shoot? I don't have that kind of willpower.

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Originally posted by RichardC:Accumulating them all would be so awesome, but I don't think I could not take any I bought to to the range or use them for daily carry.

Truly classic S&W revolvers with blued finishes have been trusted firearms for decades. With proper care, there is no need to fret about the finish.

That being said, I have no idea how the current models withstand use. They may have lowered the performance of the process while they were cutting price corners elsewhere.

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Originally posted by arfmel:
At age 60, I'm pretty sure I don't have enough time left to wait for currently made keyhole S&W revolvers to become collectible.

Quite frankly, I don't think this will ever come to pass.

Shoot them because there's nothing classic about a revolver with an integral lock. The same goes for their semi-autos. 1911s have been done to death and their M&P plastics ain't gonna be classics.

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Originally posted by rbmcmjr:

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
At age 60, I'm pretty sure I don't have enough time left to wait for currently made keyhole S&W revolvers to become collectible.

Quite frankly, I don't think this will ever come to pass.

In 1970, nobody ever thought a set of original N frame target grips would ever be worth $250+ either. But here we are in 2018 and guess what........

You just never know what people will be willing to pay for some day in the near or far future. One day the Democrats might get their wet dream of all guns mandated with a biometric lock. Then a 29-10 Classic will be pretty valuable.

I miss my heavy barrel Model 10. Prices for used ones are all over the place. As are the condition of the used guns.
One of my next purchases will be the current production Model 10.
And I am going to revisit my youth by shooting it!

Not very recently, but I saw a bunch of 10s and 64s (probably more 64s), old cop guns, at a gun show in the mid-$200s.

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Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I miss my heavy barrel Model 10. Prices for used ones are all over the place. As are the condition of the used guns.
One of my next purchases will be the current production Model 10.
And I am going to revisit my youth by shooting it!

I would also like the new model 10. Nothing sentimental, I just really like how the heavy barrel guns look. One of a few I've missed at my local shop that I still regret occasionally.

I have some guns I don't shoot incredibly often, but I'm just not the sort of person that will ever own something that I plan on not using. They're pretty, but part of the art of those is the craftsmanship and you can only experience that by shooting them.

I'd rather put the money to buying the real classics than the new classics.

JMO.

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Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
I'd rather put the money to buying the real classics than the new classics.

JMO.

This. I scored a 19-2 and a 27-2 for cheap because the used market is all plastic and 1911. Unless a dealer is willing to cull their used inventory it's just a used wheel gun to most people.