The 20 Handguns That Were Laughed Off the Counter and Now Command Top Dollar

Photo credit: Brownells, Inc./Youtube

Every gun shop has that one dusty corner where “nobody wants that thing.” Ten years later, the same model is getting hunted down at gun shows, the magazines are suddenly “hard to find,” and the price tag makes you blink twice. Some of it is collector fever, sure. But a lot of it is regular folks realizing the plain, unsexy handguns they passed on were actually solid designs, limited runs, or just better than the internet gave them credit for.

Here are 20 handguns that used to get smirked at across the glass and now tend to bring real money—either because they’re discontinued, they developed a cult following, or they simply proved themselves while everything else came and went.

1. Heckler & Koch P7 (PSP/M8)

The P7 was the classic “why would I pay for that?” pistol back when police trade-ins were floating around. It looked odd, the squeeze-cocker confused new shooters, and the manual of arms wasn’t what most folks were used to.

Then people actually shot them. They’re accurate, flat, and built like a German vault. The downside is real: they get hot fast, and parts aren’t exactly sitting on every shelf anymore. Still, when a clean one shows up with the factory box and tools, it doesn’t sit there long.

2. Colt Python (post-war to pre-2020 originals)

There was a stretch where “snake guns” were just expensive .357s with pretty polish, and the guy at the counter would steer you toward a Ruger because it was “more gun for the money.” I get it. The Python is not a hard-use beater revolver.

But the old Pythons have a feel—trigger, lockup, finish—that modern production rarely matches. The new ones are fine shooters, but the originals are what collectors chase, and clean examples are now in the “think about it overnight and it’s gone” category.

3. Smith & Wesson Model 29 (pinned-and-recessed era)

For years, plenty of guys laughed at the idea of buying a .44 Magnum “because a movie made it famous.” And if you’ve ever watched someone touch off full-house loads without a plan, you know how that goes.

But the older Model 29s—especially the earlier, nicer-finished versions—have become a real benchmark revolver. Hunters still carry them, too, usually with sane loads. The collector demand is strong, and the “I should’ve kept that” stories are everywhere.

4. Browning Hi-Power (FN/Browning P-35)

There was a time when the Hi-Power got dismissed as a heavy, outdated 9mm with a tiny safety and that magazine disconnect everybody wanted to gripe about. Striker-fired pistols took over, and the Hi-Power got treated like grandpa’s sidearm.

Then Browning/FN stopped regular production, and the market woke up. A good Hi-Power points naturally, carries flatter than you’d think, and has real history behind it. Original Belgian guns in nice shape bring serious money now, and even used shooters don’t stay cheap for long.

5. SIG Sauer P210 (Swiss/German originals)

The P210 used to be a “cool, but who needs it” target pistol to a lot of folks. It wasn’t a duty gun, it wasn’t a compact carry gun, and it wasn’t priced for the average working guy.

But P210s are on the short list of pistols that can make a decent shooter look better than he is. Fit is tight, accuracy is real, and the old-world machining is what folks are paying for. When you see one with matching numbers and a clean bore, the sticker shock is normal now.

6. Ruger Mark I (and early Mark II variants)

Ruger .22 autos were so common they were easy to overlook. Plenty of them lived in tackle boxes, on trapline rides, or in the back of farm trucks, getting knocked around and still running.

Now, earlier Mark series pistols—especially clean ones with correct parts—are getting more respect. The newer versions are good shooters, but the older ones have that straightforward, no-frills Ruger toughness. And in a world where .22 pistols come and go, these just keep showing up and working.

7. Colt Woodsman

The Woodsman was “just an old .22” for a long time. Guys would trade them off for something with a rail or a threaded barrel and never think twice.

Collectors think about them plenty. The trigger is typically excellent, the lines are classic, and they represent an era when a .22 pistol was built like a real firearm, not a disposable trainer. Condition matters a lot, and that’s why the price spread is wild.

8. Smith & Wesson Model 41

I’ve heard more than one shooter call the Model 41 “too nice to use,” which is a funny thing to say about a gun made to put holes in paper as cleanly as possible. For years it got passed over because it wasn’t tactical and it wasn’t cheap.

But serious rimfire shooters know what it is. The balance is right, the trigger is usually excellent, and they hold value because they’re still relevant. A clean Model 41 with extra mags is not a bargain-bin item anymore.

9. Walther PPK (West German production)

The PPK got laughed at because it bites hands, it’s not the softest shooter, and modern micro-9s outclass it on paper. If you want the easiest carry gun to shoot well, the PPK isn’t the obvious answer.

But the older West German guns have an appeal that doesn’t go away. They’re slim, classy, and tied to a certain era of design. Add in import markings and specific production runs, and now you’re in collector territory whether you meant to be or not.

10. CZ 75 (pre-B / early import models)

Old CZs used to be the “if you know, you know” pick—great shooters that didn’t get the marketing love. Some gun counters treated them like off-brand, even though they were built like tanks and pointed naturally.

The early versions, especially pre-B guns, are getting chased harder now. They have a smoothness that later production sometimes lacks, and the history is real. It’s also one of those pistols where a guy buys one, shoots it, and suddenly wants three more.

11. Beretta 92FS (Italian-made, early runs)

The Beretta 92 had its moment, then got labeled big and outdated when polymer pistols took over. Folks would call it a “movie gun” or complain about the slide-mounted safety and move on.

But the 92 is still one of the more reliable service pistols ever made, and the older Italian guns in excellent condition are climbing. They shoot smooth, they’re easy to keep running, and the “boring but dependable” reputation is finally paying off in resale.

12. Smith & Wesson Model 5906

Third-gen S&W autos were once the definition of trade-in cheap. Heavy stainless, double-action first shot, and not much glamour. They sat in display cases while everybody asked about the newest striker-fired thing.

Now the 5906 is getting a second life. It’s durable, magazines are still around, and it feels like a real duty pistol because it was. Prices aren’t insane across the board, but clean ones are no longer the $299 afterthought they used to be.

13. Ruger Security-Six

The Security-Six family got overshadowed by the GP100, and for a long time they were “good used revolvers” that people didn’t brag about. They’re not flashy, and they don’t have the collector aura of older Colts.

But they’re strong, handy, and sized right for a working .357. A lot of outdoorsmen like them because they carry better than the bigger frames. As clean examples dry up, the prices keep creeping, especially for certain barrel lengths and configurations.

14. Dan Wesson Model 15 (.357 with interchangeable barrels)

Dan Wesson revolvers used to be the oddballs with that barrel nut system. Some folks thought it looked clunky, and plenty of gun shop talk treated them as “off-brand.”

Then people noticed how well they shoot and how consistent the lockup can be. Complete kits with multiple barrels are the big-ticket items now, and they’re not getting easier to find. If you stumble on one with the full setup and clean threads, don’t expect it to be cheap.

15. Colt Detective Special (early, high-condition examples)

For years, snub-nose revolvers were treated like yesterday’s news. Lightweight .38s came along, then micro-9s, and the old steel Detective Special seemed like something you carried because you didn’t know better.

But that little Colt has real charm and real utility. Six shots in a small frame still matters, and the older fit and finish is what collectors chase. A clean one with tight timing is not an impulse buy anymore.

16. Smith & Wesson Model 19 (Combat Magnum)

The Model 19 got a reputation for being “not as strong” as heavier .357s, and guys who wanted to shoot nothing but hot loads would talk down on them. If you treat one like a steady diet of max-pressure punishment, you can wear it out.

Use it like a smart outdoorsman—mostly .38s and reasonable .357s—and it’s one of the best-handling revolvers ever made. The balance is right, the size is right, and the demand has been climbing for years. Nice blued examples don’t hang around long.

17. Glock 17 (early Gen 1/Gen 2 “pencil barrel” era)

Old Glocks used to be the opposite of collectible. They were everywhere, they were “ugly but works,” and nobody talked about early production like it mattered.

Now, early Gen 1 and clean Gen 2 guns have their own following, especially with correct parts and matching boxes. It’s not because they’re better shooters than current production. It’s because they mark the start of a pistol era that changed everything, and collectors are finally acting like it.

18. Heckler & Koch USP (especially early imports and uncommon variants)

The USP got called bulky and overpriced for a long time, and honestly, it is bulky. It carries like a brick compared to newer pistols. But it also runs and runs, and the controls make sense once you spend time with it.

As certain variants and calibers got harder to find, prices rose. The USP is one of those pistols that feels overbuilt in your hands, and that’s exactly what some buyers want. The clean, less-common configurations are where you really see the “top dollar” effect.

19. Smith & Wesson Model 10 (pre-model and early heavy barrel guns)

The Model 10 was so common it was practically invisible. Police trade-ins were everywhere, and it was easy to think you could always grab another one later.

That assumption is getting expensive. The nicest older examples—good bluing, sharp markings, proper grips—are being picked up by folks who appreciate a simple revolver done right. It’s not rare like some safe queens, but clean ones are definitely not bargain-basement anymore.

20. Colt Single Action Army (older production and certain chamberings)

The old single-action got laughed off as “cowboy stuff” more times than I can count. And if all you do is punch paper at seven yards, you can talk yourself into thinking it’s just nostalgia.

Then you handle a real one, not a modern budget clone, and you feel the difference. Original Colts carry history, and that history costs money. They’re not for everybody, and they’re not the handgun I’d pick for daily chores, but there’s a reason they keep climbing.

If you’ve got one of these sitting in the safe, don’t panic and turn it into a “collector investment.” Most of them are still guns first, and they’re meant to be used carefully and stored right. But the bigger lesson is simple: the gun counter laughs don’t mean much. Sometimes the oddball, the heavy stainless workhorse, or the “outdated” classic ends up being the one you wish you hadn’t traded away.