First of all, and as much as it pains me to have to say it, for a no-dash 5" you got a fairly good deal for 2016. Though not quite hen's-teeth yet, they happen not only to be my one true love (I sold a 5" and a 4" in the early '00s at a loss even then, and replacing them has been a sad journey through adulthood and inflation) but also nastily-'collectible' in the modern market. Why?
The way I read it, the legend goes that initially it was the fawning-over by pro and pro-am comp shooters —who not only could punch well over their weight using ultra-light loads with a hammer-firing-pin, '90s-N-Frame-strong platform— and meagre production-numbers (I can't find the corrected figure, but the S&W Big Books seem to have it wrong, don't quote me) that drove the no-dash 610s, 5"s in particular, to near-cult-status, but as anyone who's shot one knows,¹ there's something truly magical about these firearms; enough to launch a lifelong fascination with both the calibre and the platform, in my case. Rarity aside, and heated contests of opinion about the parts-quality of the newer models likewise, you have to remember that to begin with you're dealing with a niche audience. For some fuckin' reason, the 10×25mm hasn't yet charmed the entire world, and it's expensive to shoot. Further, dealing in moon-clips is something the average wheelgunner anymore is at best a bit at odds with. I know, I know; once you've graduated to reloading from anything but the box or a Zip-Loc the 'issue' evaporates, but this is still what I hear.
ANYHOW: Having rambled enough, two things. First: make goddamned sure you have a will, and that in it your no-dash 5" is specifically resigned to someone with unique knowledge of what it is, what it's worth, why, and to whom. Actually, never mind that, if you're dead who cares, just have someone give me a ring and I'll take it off the estate's hands and eliminate all the revaluation. I can wait. Second: Most importantly, don't be concerned with what it's worth, and shoot the goddamned thing as often as you can possibly afford to. Take it in for a makeover-refinish and maybe even a tune-up from a renouned wheelgunsmith, not that it'll likely need much. Pose for pictures with it. Get on the horn to Karl Nill Maßgriffe and have some custom stocks designed for your hands and grip-proclivities. Offer to let hardworking handloaders borrow it for a week in exchange for four or five hundred rounds. Start shopping engravers; make a list of the things most important to you in the world that are not your S&W no-dash 5" 610; as they'll need something to go on. Have Milt Sparks or Lou Alessi or Bob Mernickle or EPS or Taurisano or Bullard or whomever cook you up a nice holster/rig. Don't eat an egg. Uh...
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1 – Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating, but all N-frames feel best at 5", and perform admirably even with meeker loads. They balance better, point better, sight quicker and more positively, and flip
The way I read it, the legend goes that initially it was the fawning-over by pro and pro-am comp shooters —who not only could punch well over their weight using ultra-light loads with a hammer-firing-pin, '90s-N-Frame-strong platform— and meagre production-numbers (I can't find the corrected figure, but the S&W Big Books seem to have it wrong, don't quote me) that drove the no-dash 610s, 5"s in particular, to near-cult-status, but as anyone who's shot one knows,¹ there's something truly magical about these firearms; enough to launch a lifelong fascination with both the calibre and the platform, in my case. Rarity aside, and heated contests of opinion about the parts-quality of the newer models likewise, you have to remember that to begin with you're dealing with a niche audience. For some fuckin' reason, the 10×25mm hasn't yet charmed the entire world, and it's expensive to shoot. Further, dealing in moon-clips is something the average wheelgunner anymore is at best a bit at odds with. I know, I know; once you've graduated to reloading from anything but the box or a Zip-Loc the 'issue' evaporates, but this is still what I hear.
ANYHOW: Having rambled enough, two things. First: make goddamned sure you have a will, and that in it your no-dash 5" is specifically resigned to someone with unique knowledge of what it is, what it's worth, why, and to whom. Actually, never mind that, if you're dead who cares, just have someone give me a ring and I'll take it off the estate's hands and eliminate all the revaluation. I can wait. Second: Most importantly, don't be concerned with what it's worth, and shoot the goddamned thing as often as you can possibly afford to. Take it in for a makeover-refinish and maybe even a tune-up from a renouned wheelgunsmith, not that it'll likely need much. Pose for pictures with it. Get on the horn to Karl Nill Maßgriffe and have some custom stocks designed for your hands and grip-proclivities. Offer to let hardworking handloaders borrow it for a week in exchange for four or five hundred rounds. Start shopping engravers; make a list of the things most important to you in the world that are not your S&W no-dash 5" 610; as they'll need something to go on. Have Milt Sparks or Lou Alessi or Bob Mernickle or EPS or Taurisano or Bullard or whomever cook you up a nice holster/rig. Don't eat an egg. Uh...
___________________________
1 – Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating, but all N-frames feel best at 5", and perform admirably even with meeker loads. They balance better, point better, sight quicker and more positively, and flip