XavierBreath,
I'm just wondering if it has the staying power in the marketplace at these prices.
Good question, no one can probably predict the future on these N frame Smiths, or the P+R revos of any flavor IMO.
What I can surmise is that it is very likely they'll rise further over time. They are not making them anymore [ some haven't been made for some time already ], the new smiths are over priced and no one really wants the PC locking models, there is a "culture" of Smith collectors out there putting everything they can find away, and they can't all be wrong betting on the future of these revos where skyward prices are going to go.
They've increased in value considerbly in just two years, and certain models are commanding some serious attention at the moment, like the 3.5" 27's. Some have climbed more than others, but no 90+ or better original vintage Smith has gone down in the last 5 years.
People are figuring out that they are getting scarcer to find all the time as people stick them away in the safes. It's supply and demand, and the supply is nowhere near what the demand is at the moment.
They bottom could fall out on these in a few years, but if the current smiths continue to command the pirce they do and go higher, I don't think the old world smiths will decline at the same time.
I don't think you would buy and hold for 3 years, but if you buy and hold for 5-7 years, or even 10 years, I think you stand a very good chance of making some serious profit on them, and they are paid for in cash and sold for cash, so it's net profit up front, unlike other investment vehicles.
10 years ago, you could pick up the N frames for a pittance, less than 200.00, very few wanted or were buying them. Thats not the case today obviously.
It could drop out, they could just cool off for a time, but the older smiths are getting serious attention, and it doesn't seem to be abating anytime soon. The babyboomers have money to burn, and are very nostalgic for what was created at the time they were born in the early to late 50's.
We might have 10 years of growth on these, until the boomers are retired, want to sell for the profit, and/or die off and they all start hitting the market within a few years.
I'm holding some to give to nephews, others to sell outright 10 years from now or thereabouts. I've not seen guns go down for a long time. Even if you make 10% a year average, in 10 years, you've made 150% on your money. The stock market has done 10% a year since the crash of 29, but as I get to retirement age, some of my investments are safe from major downturns. Just sorta diversifying the portfolio as it were. The guns are a hedge of sorts against the stockmarket.
Brownie