Estate sale

[beemer]

I usually catch the tail end of these things but today I did good. Bought a Ohaus Dial-O-Grain 309, RCBS 502 scales and an older set of Lyman 45 ACP carbide dies for a grand total of $46.

The Ohaus set is really dusty but not damaged and seems to work fine. I made sure that they would zero before I bought them. When I got home I got out the check weights and it was on at 5 grs through 150 grs. After looking them over I think I will just use a tooth brush and clean up best I can and enjoy.

The 502 scales were in a box so they were clean, they checked out good also.

There were some other Lee dies and molds at full retail prices, like usual some things cheep and some over priced.

I have my wife to thank for this, she looks online for estate sales. She knows nothing about reloading but can't help but know what it looks like. We know what the other likes and keep a lookout.

Dave

[TNsailorman]

Very nice deal Beemer. I think you have a winner in the wife. Wish mine would hunt online for my reloading supplies. Take care, james

[jaguarxk120]

Estate sales can be outstanding, many times the sellers have no idea what they have.
Good buy's can be had for much less money than buying at retail.

[StratsMan]

Be careful!!! Finding good deals on reloading equipment at estate sales is as addictive as reloading... It leads to a side-hobby; rummaging for deals on presses.... Soon, your workbench will be littered with well made tools from the past and you won't remember the last time you sat down just to reload...

Run away, before it's too late !!!!

[beemer]

Too Late !

[largom]

Consignment auctions are good also. Once bought a RCBS Lub/Sizer in it's box for $8.00 because no one knew what it was. Auctioneer called it "some kind of press".

[mew]

Over the last year or so I have been "bit by the bug" in picking up reloading equipment people are getting rid of. I have some old stuff that will make it to the trade/sale board at some point. Some of it I know is collectable stuff. I have so many die sets its almost crazy. The good thing is every now and then someone says I need a set of XXX and many times I have come through for them. The good news is I got them all pretty cheap and I pass that on. And yes, I still like finding good buys like this!!!

[mdi]

I envy you fellers that find reloading/shooting stuff at estate or garage sales. I live in So. Oregon and I fear CA liberalism is creeping northward. There seems to be a growing, malignant Democrat presence and I find no reloading stuff at garage sales in my town. We have a couple "city wide" garage sales Saturdays per year, but the best reloading equipment/supplies was a box of assorted brass, about 14"x14"x14", and the guy wanted $10.00 for it...

[TNsailorman]

Just finding out about an estate sale around here is difficult. I think most people around here just divide things left by family for other people in the family to take what they want. That is what my wife did when her parents died. Children and grandchildren came in and picked what they wanted and took it home. It is not a common thing to see estate sale adds in the paper. I am looking more and more for them. I did get to go to one that had several rifles and shotguns for sale but they brought blue book prices and I didn't bid. None were in all that good of a shape. I did buy 700 nice 30-06 military cases for $2.50. Lady at the pickup called me the big spender from the east and my buddy about died laughing about it. He still tells that one on me. my experience anyway, james

[beemer]

The are several people in the area that run estate sales. Most just set prices like a yard sale, you walk through the house and pick up what you want. The first day is usually Friday and prices are fixed, day two is half off and you can sometimes make an offer especially late in the evening. If it is an auction I don't waste my time.

Pricing can be all over the place because they sometimes know nothing about the items. Some of the reloading items at this sale were still too high at half price and some a steal at full price. It is a bit unusual to find reloading items at these sales. Usually the family has already picked through it.

Dave

[starmac]

A lot of estate sales around here, probably most of them are auctioned off by an auctioneer that advertises for several weeks, sometimes some reloading supplies and equipment goes fairly cheap, guns not so much. The last 2 years most of the auctioneers have started requiring firearms to go through an ffl that is usually on the premises, and that has caused some prices to come down somewhat from before.

During the great ammo shortage, ammo, even reloaded ammo brought unrealistic prices, as much as 10 times retail in some cases.