live Gun auction I was at yesterday...Prices were crazy

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

this auction was yesterday and is OVER.
http://www.midwestauctions.com/lundeenauction/lundeen_auction_february_25.htm
I attended and kept track of most of the pistol prices.
I guess I am getting old, these prices were crazy.
although this auction was Private and the price bid is the price paid...meaning no registering, no sales tax, no buyers premium (unless you were proxy bidding or biding on-line). I did buy a nice Moose shed for $85. that was a deal :)

$1450. Browning Medalist .22 semi-auto. Beautiful 3 barrel set, Redfield scope, barrel weights & (3) clips. Comes with case. Beautiful gun.

$1100. Remington Rand Colt 1911 45 marked U.S. Army

$850. Luger 1938 S/42 9mm

$700. Colt Trooper MKIII .357 Mag. revolver 7” barrel, this was only fair cond.

$525. Beretta model 102 .22 semi-auto target, missing pin

$375. Beretta model 12-A .22 semi-auto

$650. Smith & Wesson 17-4 .22 revolver - 6” barrel, wood grips

$800. Smith & Wesson 66-2 357 Mag. Stainless, 4” barrel, original box, like NEW

$675. Smith & Wesson 19-3 357 mag, 4” barrel, wood grips

$700. Smith & Wesson 65-2 357 Stainless FRPS 47, kind of tough, Police trade-in

$650 Ruger Blackhawk convertible .357 & 9mm original 3 screw (non-upgraded)

$575 and $650. (2) Ruger single six .22 - .22 mag revolvers, original 3 screw. (one upgraded one NOT.)

$850 for the pair. (2) High Standard Sport King .22 semi-autos

$800 for the set. (2) Colt Derringer 22 short, boxed set

$625. Erma Luger .22 semi-auto - Wood grips and original grips, original box

also, the one rifle I was interested in, I bid til $900...it just kept going...I let it pass
$1375. WINCHESTER Model 43 218 Bee w/peep sight, this was minty !

I just thought I'd share.
Jon

[Charlie Two Tracks]

The auctions of guns around here is pretty bad also. It's kind of like ebay. You can buy a new one for the prices of the used ones.

[376Steyr]

In my limited experience at live auctions, handguns and "antique" firearms prices go crazy, but there are sometimes great bargains to be had. I once picked up an unfired 6mm PPC rifle at less than half price, after the crowd had exhausted itself bidding up a re-blued Colt New Service and a beat up Winchester .22 pump. A nice 1970's Remington 870 came home with me for less than a brand new plastic stocked "Express" one at Wal-mart. What I like about auctions is that I get to decide what the "fair" price is, and the guy who outbids me is just an unfortunate rube.

[Hardcast416taylor]

The thing about live auctions is the phonemon of the bidders getting caught up in the bidding frenzy. Then it becomes a personal thing about making the other bidders drop out through higher bids. Years ago when I attended auctions on a fairly regular basis I discovered a way to eliminate a great deal of the "farmer" bidders as I called the 5 and 10 dollar bidders. I would jump the small bid increases by $50, amazing how many didn`t bid again then.Robert

[Trey45]

That is amazing to me that the bids went that high! $800 for a Smith model 66??? REALLY?? I've heard many times before that all it takes is two people who really want the same item to drive the bids up on it, but still..... Eight hundred for a model 66 is a bit excessive. Must have been something in the water!

[Kraschenbirn]

Those handgun prices are pretty similar to what I've seen around here.

Bauer Auctions in Mattoon, IL (about 50 miles from me) runs large(!) firearms (and related) consignment auctions two or three times a year...their next scheduled sale is Mar. 18th and, so far, they've got 586 pieces listed on their website.

They draw dealers/collectors, literally, from all over the country...New Years Day, a couple years back, they had a collection of high-end european doubles (shotguns) on the bill and I watched two dealers from southern California spend over $125K in about 30 minutes. Due to the quantity of guns they get, the auction house runs two 'rings'...one for the 'quality' pieces and one for the 'clunkers' and 'shooting-related items (reloading supplies/tools, cases, militaria, etc). After attending a half-dozen of these auctions, I have yet to buy my first gun off the 'quality' side. A buddy, who's another regular for auctions/estate sales, did get a really nice Win. 92 in .38-40 last year for what I considered a 'reasonable' price but I'm almost always 'out' by the third or fourth round of bids.

The 'clunker' ring, on the other hand, has been a source of some pretty decent guns for me over the years...an all-matching '09 Argie Cavalry Carbine, a '98 Krag 'sporter' (possibly NRA), an all-matching 91/30 (Tula '39), and - most recently - a Schmidt-Rubin 96/11 with some mismatched #s but good wood and an excellent bore. And, I didn't pay more than $195 for any of them. None were what you'd call 'pretty' when I got them...the auction house doesn't clean 'em up, they just sell 'em 'as received'...but but some Sweet's 7.62, Ed's Red, and a lot of elbow grease (plus, maybe, a few bits & pieces from Numrich) have turned every one into a real shooter. The last sale, my buddy who got the Win. 92, snagged a Sako M39 for $180...he's bringing by next Tuesday so I can de-foul and slug the bore.

Bill

[bob208]

hardcast416taylor you too have know the sceret. i use the same method only some times i jump it $100. that realy shakes out the lookers.

a lot of those prices were not too far out of line. the old ruders have been bringing top money for a longtime

[theperfessor]

The price of the Luger didn't seem to far out of line. The rest...

[Blacksmith]

At an auctionI always figure my top dollar before I start bidding then I will quickly respond to the auctioneer no thinking or heming and hawing up to that ammount. I'll also do bigger jumps than asked if there are nickle and dimers, but when I hit my limit no more bids. Knowing when to bid is less important than knowing when to stop.

[Freischütz]

Shooter grade P.08s go for at least $600. Depending on condition a matching 1938 could be a really good deal at $850.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I don't know my Lugers, but it seemed high for it's condition.

as I did some searching, I guess I should have kept bidding on the Mod 43, 218 Bee
that'll be one of those..."I coulda had one of those back in the day" kinda things in the future.
Jon

[starmac]

You have to figure anything you buy at an auction, you are willing to pay more than everyone else at the auction, to be the high bidder. I have gotten some great deals at auctions, especially at outdoors auctions an rainy days.
I have never been to a firearm auction, but nearly every auction here has some firearms, and they often bring several dollars more than you can get them at any store in town, I tend to believe some will pay more for no paper trail.