Spoon valuation and listing advice

[Steve Carlton]

My brother is trying to sell his S&W K38 Masterpiece 14-2 and getting no offers. Is there something wrong with either of these listings with the price or description?

https://www.armslist.com/posts/15128305/san-francisco-california-handguns-for-sale--s-w-k-38-masterpiece--model-14-2

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1060590972

[Jeff Higgins]

He's asking at least double, if not triple what it is worth. Of course he's not getting any offers.

[Steve Carlton]

He doesn't know what it's worth, and he's suspecting his price is too high. He checked with a guy who he thought knew. Is there anything else you need to know to estimate the market value? I'm pretty sure he said it was made in 1966. Are they all worth about the same of similar vintage and condition, or are there features that make a big difference?

Appreciate the advice!

[id10t]

Meeting my buddy who collects s&ws to shoot his new machine gun in a few hours, I'll ask about value


But off hand...

Can't see much on armslist, but for the gunbroker ad -

The good - decent pictures. Didn't click but assume very hi res versions available

The bad - Expensive item, a NR seller.... just these 2 alone could be scaring off potential buyers

[Steve Carlton]

NR meaning non-retail?

[A930Rocket]

NR = no reserve?

[ckcarr]

Well, Steve... I'm not into the gun thing anymore, although 25 years or longer ago I was. And I would hit all the Colorado gun shows picking up all kinds of Brownings, Colts, Winchesters and a few S&W firearms from older men funding their retirements.

I always start with getting a current Blue Book of Gun Values, by S.P. Fjestad. It gives a general market survey of prices. I may not be perfect, or even close but if you have something that has skyrocketed in value you'll notice it (like my Colt Kodiak & Grizzly set). You can buy on Amazon. There are so many S&W Combat Masterpieces out there. I even have that same gun a woman gave me 20 years ago. But anyway, looking at my 37th edition which was 2017 it show a value range of $650 - $195, depending on grading. His ad says "Factory New", which it isn't. New means absolutely perfect. In the pictures I see surface rust, handle dings, box beat up, just stuff that shows normal use. I'd say, just looking it's probably 70-80% which puts it at around $200-$300.

Probably a waste of money trying to sell on-line. And for what it's really worth, I'd just keep.

He can take into a Cabela's and they might give him wholesale for it.. Probably $150....

[craigster59]

I've sold some spoons with these guys in Simi Valley. Easy transactions, they know value and they move a lot of spoons. They take great Hi Res photos, put it on Gunbroker and send a check after the sale and handle all FFL and shipping:

https://lsbauctions.com

[craigster59]

Here's a link to their GB auctions:

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?IncludeSellers=6089078

[Rick Lee]

I would use that for a partial trade. That's how you'd get the most out of it.

[Jeff Higgins]

Here is a good site that shows recent sales, providing current "real world" values.

https://truegunvalue.com/pistol/smith-wesson-model-14-k-38-masterpiece/price-historical-value/used/1#usedItems

Your brother has a very cool revolver, that's the good part. The "bad" part is that S&W made (and continues to make) so darn many of them. The early ones like your brother's are desirable, in that the fit and finish surpasses what they are making today by a noticeable degree. That, and it is what we call "pinned and recessed", meaning that there is a little pin keeping the barrel from unscrewing (look at the top of the frame where the barrel screws in, it goes crosswise), and the case rims go all the way in flush with the back of the cylinder into counterbored recesses. S&W quit doing both sometime in the '70's? (where's Tabby when we need him?) as a cost cutting measure.

For as little as it is worth, to me it would be worth keeping. The family history would be enough for me. Even if neither of you want it, nor any of your kids, who knows - maybe some as yet unborn grandkid or great grandkid. These guns are certainly of "heirloom quality", where the new ones may or may not be.

[craigster59]

And to me "no paper" makes it worth keeping.

[KFC911]

My first handspoon purchase was in '79 a M27 ... still p&r then ... at least on that model.

It ain't worth $quat .... (I have no idea )

You should just keep it

[varmint]

NR not rated. A new seller with no history.

[Por_sha911]

1) "Factory New" condition with flaws showing in the photos is a deal breaker.
The seller is uneducated, unrealistic, or both.
2) Not rated and a new seller - strike 2
3) Way overpriced - strike three. Run away.

Find a local gun shop and sell on consignment or, have a reputitable dealer post it on GB with realisting condition and price.

[Steve Carlton]

I told him about the ad saying "Factory New" condition and he didn't remember checking that box. He also didn't update it.

He got advice from a gunsmith that he likes that fixed his H&K feeding problem even after H&K looked at it and found nothing wrong. The guy gave him a big range and suggest listing it for $1,450 and going to $1,200 if nothing happens, etc. Jeff's list of actual sales tells me it's probably worth $500-700, and even then it might take a reputable seller to get that.

One of those two sites showed 57 views, so that says a lot. I've had a lot of luck with Armslist and have no reputation there. I was more realistic, and selling more recent pistols. I've told him the problems mentioned here, so I'm done helping.

[id10t]

Remember the buyer is looking at shipping, possibly sales tax (what does GB do about that these days?), plus transfer fees on their end. Also, many folks stay away/filter out the auctions w/ reserves and fixed price listings.

But... you have a fine old S&W revolver. There is a market for them. And sellers who have a transaction history have always done surprisingly well with lots of well taken high res pictures a penny or $1 start, and no reserve. Only other trick is to set things so the auction runs for 10 days and closes at 9 or 10pm Sunday night on California time

[matthewb0051]

^^^^

I may have purchased a new gun last week. Then again it may be in the river by now. They price matched and ordered what I wanted that was online. Saved me the transfer fees.

My local shop now charges $60 in FFL fees on transfers. I about fell down when the guy told me the newly increased fee.

[Rick Lee]

My FFL is a sheriff's deputy and kitchen table FFL, charges $15 per transfer.

[The Synergizer]

I only buy guns out of the trunk of a car, when I used to buy them.
Which I don't anymore.
One gun aficionado to another.