I went to a gun auction this weekend.....

[Harry O]

There are 3 or 4 good ones each year nearby. I have noticed in the last 5 years or so that there are no bargains at sales anymore. They have started having simultaneous local and online auctions. That has put a floor on sales. At least half of the guns in the auction went to the internet this time. The sales prices were not overpriced, but were pretty much what it was fully worth. Good for the seller. Not so good for the buyer.

I also have noticed that most of the auctions have a number of well used (but well cared for) guns for sale. They are older ones. Newer guns (even if they are 20 or 30 years old) are little used. There are also a relatively large number of guns that have never been removed from their box. They still have tags and stickers all over them. It looks to me that by the time they got the money to buy whatever it is they wanted, they did not have enough life left to use them. That is sad.

I have started looking at new guns with the idea, "am I going to have much time to shoot it?" I already have more guns than I have time to shoot. I need to shoot more.

[Gray Fox]

Boy do I resemble that remark. The closest public range is almost an hour and a half away and it rains every afternoon. When I do get a chance to go shoot it looks like I'm packing up for an expedition to the Congo because I've go so many guns and loads I want to try. GF

[John McCorkle]

Several odd impacts on gun markets right now....1) technology...used to you found good deals in your secret "honey hole" like a fishing spot...now the internet has shown everyone where the deals are. 2) economy is doing pretty well so more expendable income to purchase 3) favorable administration...no panic or high demand items.

New guns are cheap cheap cheap right now ..and older ones are bringing more depending on what they are...(ie older revolver or etc) it's a weird time but come summer of 2020 all that will change...prices will shoot up and it'll be mayhem again

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

[NyFirefighter357]

Boy do I resemble that remark. The closest public range is almost an hour and a half away and it rains every afternoon. When I do get a chance to go shoot it looks like I'm packing up for an expedition to the Congo because I've go so many guns and loads I want to try. GF

I don't like public ranges and my hunting property is 1hr north of me. We lost all the woods here that we used to shoot in. I usually bring 2 guns up to shoot by myself, maybe 3 if I have others with me. I wouldn't want to get pulled over in this state with a truck load of guns. It might cause an major indecent here.

[Huskerguy]

Well, I had a totally different experience this summer. The local auction house has several auctions a year and in the past they have always sold for more than I thought they were worth so I haven't gone for the last 13 years. Saw some things on the sale bill that interested me and I had a Saturday to spare so I went. I was surprised at the total number of deals there. I kept track of every gun and what it sold for and afterwards I kicked myself for not buying more but I already spent more than I planned. I was after some older 22's and picked up two, could have picked up several more but I "accidentally" bought a NIB CZ 10 C Black for $300. Some older Winchesters brought some serious coin but I don't know them very well.

A friend who owns a pawn shop said he told the auctioneer not to have that auction in the summer with the gun market down. Sure enough, deals were to be had. I picked up a box of Hornady 55 grain V-Max for $5.00. Lots of powder for dollars per lb., unopened.

[country gent]

Another factor is the mindset of the buyers in todays auction market. It used to be the people at an auction had an idea of what an item sold for or was worth, and what it should bring. Todays the auction becomes a contest and the people wont get beaten out of an item. Ive seen guns go for 3 times what they were actually worth on the market, and the buyer is a grins that he WON the item. They get caught up in the moment.

Most of the auctions here you can bid by silent bid, give the auctioneer your top dollar bid and see. Normally if you do this it is announced at the start x number of silent bids are in already. You can bid by phone calling in and hoping the item hasn't been on the block yet. In person at the auction. Some auction houses may have a buy price but once the item is listed on an auction bill it goes to auction.

[Eddie2002]

I haven't done any auctions yet, my weak spot is pawn shops and I have learned to stay out of them because I'm always going back just to see if that rifle is still there and how low will they go. Kind of like a reverse auction with the guy behind the counter.

[tazman]

I don't like public ranges and my hunting property is 1hr north of me. We lost all the woods here that we used to shoot in. I usually bring 2 guns up to shoot by myself, maybe 3 if I have others with me. I wouldn't want to get pulled over in this state with a truck load of guns. It might cause an major indecent here.

They would have freaked out about me then. I had 5 pistols and about 600 rounds of ammo with me on my trip to the range today.

[Jack Stanley]

The last time I went to an auction for anything , even the trash was selling for stupid money .

I guess enough of that and I quit auctions for good .

Jack

[Walter Laich]

I'm finding all my shooting is now cowboy action. Let's me shoot rifle, pistol (revolver) and shotgun with some big bore thrown in.
Can shoot 3 matches per month with a practice day on top of that. 300-400 rounds plus 2-3 boxes of shotgun per month and that's not counting practice day

My Dillons have paid for themselves several times over.

[three50seven]

I've completely given up on buying guns at auctions. Like others have said, there are rarely deals to be had anymore. Or, I find myself buying something I have no use for, just because it was cheap. What really gets on my nerves is the fact that usually there isn't an FFL on-site, and you have to go to their place of business the next day that they're open to do the transfer, which of course they charge for...

[country gent]

One thing that lowered prices at the auctions here on guns is for liability reasons the auction houses and auctioneers now require the instant check and 4473 be filled out before sale is final. Most have a person set up just for this to call in and handle forms. Before this a few years ago firearms purchased at an auction were private sales and no paper work or checks. This was a big thing to a few people.

[Reverend Al]

On the flip side of the coin, I just bought two guns through an out of Province online auction this past weekend and even with the buyer's premium and shipping costs they will be far cheaper than I could have bought them here at home, and they were both guns that I'd never see here at home in 20 years of searching. Sometimes technology can be a good thing. I'm watching 2 more out of Province auctions that will be held this coming weekend and I will bid online again if the prices stay at all reasonable on the guns and accessories that I'm keeping track of.

[merlin101]

[QUOTE=NyFirefighter357;4438217 I wouldn't want to get pulled over in this state with a truck load of guns. It might cause an major indecent here.[/QUOTE]

Nah, I've been stopped by NYS trooper and when asked why all the guns (back seat was full and so was the floor) I told her we're going to the range for the day "have a nice time" was the response. BTW I didn't even get a ticket for one brake light out. It's all in how you present yourself.

[fredj338]

I used to go twice a year to a local place, some great deals were to be had. Then they went online bidding & it went to hell. The online guys think it is like ebay, max bid but at an auction, the max bid is the bid. Some great deals in the not so distant past though:
Gen2 G26, $250
Ser70 Colt lt wt Comm, $300
M29-2 4" blue. $350
Many more but you get the idea, all exc condition too.