Yer never too smart, and yer never too old to get smarter. Gun show today, and I walk up on an S&W 2nd Model *target* in unmolested 90%+ condition. Price: $2500. Now I know it's rare, no question, but is it $2500 plus profit rare? I know the rules, hesitation is loss. So I throw in the towel, just too skittish with that kind of money. So I go fetch a good buddy, and fellow smiff nut, and play bird-dog. He looks at it for maybe 30 seconds, asks the best price, which is $2400, and comes away with it like it's Christmas morning, birthday, and anniversary all rolled into one. Bottom line, value? An *easy* $3000, a realistic $3500, and a blue-sky $4000 and up. I just never studied up enough on 2nd models for some wierd reason. See the title of this thread.

PS: I *do* know 3rd models, however, and picked up a nice old 1926 Wolf & Klar .44spl, 4", bumper-chrome lawman's gun for a *good* price! win some, lose some! it's called the gun biddness...

JLF