Bryco pistol, what would it be worth?

[thewillweeks]

Hey there ladies and gents,
I have a friend, well that might be stretching the term friend, but I know someone who has a Bryco/Jennings 9mm. He wants to get rid of it, but doesn't feel like he ethically can for fear it blows up on the next owner. I'm tempted to buy it as a paper weight, and to help him get a pistol he can actually use. What would be a fair offer for a paper weight like that?
I thought $50 seemed fair, but I don't know.
Supposedly, it's fully functional, so I could duct tape it to a post and hide behind a tree and pop a few rounds with a string to the trigger before I paper weighted it. Any thoughts?

Thanks guys 'n gals!

 

[USAF_Vet]

I'd spend $50 on a Jennings/ Bryco 9mm. Kind of an expensive paperweight, but possible "buy back" fodder. Other than their poor reputation, does he have any other reason to fear it failing? How many rounds has he put through it? Inspect it for cracks and such. But yeah, I'd probably buy it for $50.

 

[Swing]

I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole. Back in the 90s I shot a Jennings .22LR that literally went to pieces in my hands. Worthless? No, worse than worthless. The gun was destroyed, but at least no one was hurt.

Is the Bryco 9mm any better? Maybe, maybe not, but I wouldn't shoot one. I sure wouldn't spend a perfectly good $50 to find out.

 

[CWL]

Do you have gun buy-backs where you live?

A Bryco might be worthwhile to dump thjs way and make a profit on it.

 

[Thermactor]

A Bryco could be useful for the military to seed to the enemy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Eldest_Son

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmqsu0wrFTg (bryco 9mm after action report, catastrophic failure)

 

[rcmodel]

Buy it for $50.

Then strip it and sell everything part by part, except the serial numbered frame on eBay for probably $300 before you get done selling parts.

Always somebody needing parts for them!!!

rc

 

[bannockburn]

I think $50 would be a fair offer then part it out like rc suggested. Could probably get that much for someone looking for another slide assembly.

 

[jhb]

guy here at work has one he's used for years flawlessly...we went to the range and somehow the firing pin was able to jump forward and not catch on the sear piece...that holds it....and ignite the primer while the round wasn't in battery. blew a very small chunk of his finger off and imbedded some brass and gun powder into his hand. needless to say that was the last time he said he was ever going to shoot it.

so if you are going to use it as a paperweight have at it, but don't try to shoot it...it's not worth the risk when you can buy a functional gun for a couple hundred bucks.

 

[Midwest]

Do you have gun buy-backs where you live?

A Bryco might be worthwhile to dump thjs way and make a profit on it.

Yep, buy it for $50 and get rid of it in an $100 in a gun buyback later on. In the meantime hold on to it and put it in the tool box in the car or truck for a just in case emergency. If it gets stolen, then it's no great loss.
.

 

[MICHAEL T]

First the one I shot You would never wear out . After every shot clearing some sort of jam. If a good friend $25 if just a so so friend $5

 

[TarDevil]

A friend gave me a model 48 with a broken firing pin. Per a suggestion here, I bought and installed one from Jimenez. I'm surprised at how accurate it is (from SD distances), and the only issue has been with the extractor pin backing out after a box of ammo.

I don't have a LOT of rounds through it, but enough to be surprised after hearing so many bad things about it.

 

[Fishbed77]

I'd spend no more money on a Bryco than I would spend on one of these:

 

[thewillweeks]

No gun buy backs, but parting it out might be promising. Heck, that'd be a good way for him to start his real pistol fund, I'll tell him to try that, it'd likely make him feel better about getting rid of it as parts rather than as a whole gun.

He bought it rashly in college 10 or so years ago because he just "had to have a gun", and he's afraid someone as foolish as he would buy it and actually shoot it (something he thankfully never did much of). Thanks ladies and gents, and thanks rc for the always helpful advice.