Trade S&W 642 for gen 3 G19?

General Firearms Handguns - Semi Auto
1

I know this topic is on the fence between the semi-auto and revolver sub-sections, so if it needs moved feel free to do so.

A new gun shop opened up in my town so I popped in there today to check it out. The guys in there were nice enough but weren’t the sharpest tools in the shed by any means. They had a grand opening sale going on on all their Glock models for $499 new. I was checking out the Glock cabinet and spotted an ugly duckling in the back. It was a gen 3 Glock 19 with some shitty paint job done to the frame (frame only, not slide) and they had $450 on the price tag. I asked to look at it and one of the guys pulled it out for me. Then the guy who supposedly owns the place rushed over (almost like he wanted to get rid of this particular gun really bad) and I asked what the lowest he would take for it. He said $425 and that it was “Duracoat”. I have never handled a gun with Duracoat, but I’m pretty sure this wasn’t. It was poop brown, there was paint all inside/behind the trigger, the paint was chipping off at the accessory rail and at the top of the frame where it meets the slide, and whoever painted it couldn’t paint for shit because it was caked on and there were runs in it and everything. I asked to field strip the weapon, and they said OK. The bore looked good, there wasn’t excessive wear on the barrel hood or the end of the barrel and it looked pretty good. While I had the slide off, I took my fingernail and ran it along a tiny spot on top of the frame where the paint was and it scraped off without much effort.

Then I asked, just for the hell of it, what they would do on a trade for my S&W 642. It is the model with the lock, bone stock and it has a few dings on it from normal carry. The spot on the gun forward of the cylinder is also discolored from being wet with sweat for 8+ hours. I was kind of disappointed in the finish of this gun when that happened. Anyways, I bought that gun for a steal about a month ago for $280. I shoot it pretty well, but considering that 9mm has the edge in terminal ballistics, and the G19 has 3x the capacity, it made me wonder if I should pursue a smaller 9mm (Relative to the M&P9 FS, which is what I have now).

They asked me what I would be willing to do on a trade, and I thought for a minute and mentioned trading my revolver +$90 for it. That would mean I would have $370 in the pistol (before tax), plus whatever time it takes me to remove that shitty paint. The owner was eager to accept my offer. Would you do it or keep the J-Frame?

2

I’m heavy into Glock 9mm’s but I dunno about that one.

He probably didn’t pay but $200 for that painted G19. It’s a tough call to be down to zero j frames because unless you are dedicated to carrying the 19 all the time, you won’t have the j frame as an option. And if you haven’t done it, you may not realize the work to ALWAYS dress around a G19 - not impossible just harder than it might look if you’ve never done it.

Consider forgetting the trade and just offer him $275 cash. He may need $300. You’ll likely want another j frame one day and you’ll not likely find another for $280 easily.

3

I say yes, but really it depends on how confident you are that you can get the shitty paint off.

4

$370 for a shitty painted Glock? No thanks.

5

OH wait, I thought that it was a straight trade…

Offer him a straight trade across, don’t include any cash in that. And I only said yes because it’s a lock-J frame

6

I would say yes if he will do a strait trade. It’s just paint who gives a $h¡t. As long as it is reliable nothing else matters. And if its an erly gen three It’s even better. You can pick up those little “lock” jay’s all the time around my area for about $200-$250 what you can’t get is a glock for for less then $425. Even if you have to trade the j and $50 it would be worth it. But like JHC said you have to be willing to dress around the gun(witch I do every day without changing my dress style at all) if you can’t do that then you should probably stick with the j-frame.