Auctions...

[375supermag]

Hi...
I have been going to a lot of auctions lately...mostly gun auctions.
I always enjoyed them in the past but hadn't gone to any for years...mostly because of work and family obligations.
Since I am now retired, I have more free time and am having a good time attending auctions.
I have gotten some really good bargains, but I wonder about some people's mindset when bidding on some items.
I continually observe people bidding current production items beyond there current retail value. Ammunition and reloading components seem to be the main target of these bidding frenzies.
I also see firearms go for very high prices but there are a lot of collectors out there so competition can be fierce.
One item that I don't see garnering particularly high interest is customized rifles even when the gunsmith is identified and the item is very nice. That seems a bit strange to me but I don't have a great deal of knowledge as to what the collectors status of custom rifles might be.

I went to a large gun auction on Thursday afternoon that was very well attended.
Managed to get a few good deals...
A set of RCBS .243 dies new in box for $15
A Lyman D7 in the original box slightly used for $18
An unopened box of 500 commercial cast .44 Cal 240 gr LSWC for $30.

I usually make a list of what I want to bid on with a price I am willing to pay for it as I preview the auction items and never exceed it.
I am generally looking to buy things I can use but sometimes to resell for a profit.
I never get caught up in the bidding wars that I see others get sucked into.

[shooter93]

Auctions are one of those things that you need to attend often. I have managed to get some pretty stellar buys for resale on a number of guns over the years but I attended quite a few auctions. Many times people get in a bidding war and over pay. It seems to be a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

[owejia]

Attended a purebred cattle auction a few years ago and one of the group from "Alabama" and a Doctor from Paducah, Ky got into a ego contest over a bull and ran the bid up over $35,000. Usually the bargains are always at the auctions I missed. Set your limit and stick to it. Seen used items sell for more than could buy at retail. Unless it is one of a kind there will always be another for sale somewhere. Have found several needed items at bargain prices on evil bay over the years. Back when had my machine shop also found a few bargains on machine tools at Gov. auctions.

[snowwolfe]

One item that I don't see garnering particularly high interest is customized rifles even when the gunsmith is identified and the item is very nice. That seems a bit strange to me but I don't have a great deal of knowledge as to what the collectors status of custom rifles might be.

Generally a custom rifle will return 40-50% of it's original build cost plus they can be difficult to resell. A custom is built for one person, the owner/builder. Not everyone shares the same designs so the price suffers.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I watch the internet auctions almost daily, and you are correct that custom sporters usually bring less than an unaltered military rifle. As an example, one can almost daily see as-issued M1903 and M1903-A1 rifles sell for $650 and up, whereas sporterized versions go for $250-$350. There are exceptions, of course, and condition means a lot, but in general it seems to hold true no matter if it's a Springfield, Mauser, Carcano, etc.
I think it's collector value vs. utility value. So many as-issued rifles have been sporterized that good collector quality examples are much scarcer than they used to be. But, if you're a hunter, you probably don't want to pack the extra weight of the unaltered rifle and the sporter has more utility value for you, and that's hard to criticize. Sporters are usually highly individualized pieces, and even some of the best customizers/gunsmiths aren't known very far outside their locality, so their name doesn't mean much to prospective buyers.

[bob208]

it all depends on location and the poetical bidders knowing where to buy. like if the only place they know of charges retail plus. I have a shop like that near me in Gettysburg. they wanted $60 for a lb. of unquie. then retail is a buy. you would be surprised the number of people that don't use a computer. so they can not compare prices.

[MT Gianni]

Interesting. Most auctions even estate auctions around here rarely have any guns. It would be impossible to find a family that didn't have at lest one shooter that wanted them.

[William Yanda]

There is an online auction coming up nearby, ending Sunday:

Online auction ends Sunday September 9th 5PM. To register go to bidnbuyny.hibid.com

[375supermag]

it all depends on location and the poetical bidders knowing where to buy. like if the only place they know of charges retail plus. I have a shop like that near me in Gettysburg. they wanted $60 for a lb. of unquie. then retail is a buy. you would be surprised the number of people that don't use a computer. so they can not compare prices.

Hi...
I live east of York, Pa.so I am quite familiar with the Gettysburg area.
What gun shop would that be?
Interested in stopping by to see what they might have.

[375supermag]

Interesting. Most auctions even estate auctions around here rarely have any guns. It would be impossible to find a family that didn't have at lest one shooter that wanted them.
Hi...
It surprised me how many gun auctions there are here in South Central Pennsylvania.
Around a million hunting licenses sold every year yet there is at least one gun auction within an hour's drive almost every week.

[bob208]

the gun shop is readings gun shop. way over priced. most of the locals do not go there. last time I was there they wanted $52 for a lb. of unique. went down the road and got it for 30. have never been back.

[375supermag]

Hi...
Yes... quite familiar with Reading's gun shop.
Been there often...never able to make a deal on anything.
I agree their prices seemed very high... didn't price their powders.
There are a couple of shops near me with prices that are quite competitive, so I buy most of my reloading components from them.
And they never raised their prices exorbitantly during the past shortages.

[Reverend Al]

Going to monitor another online gun related auction this afternoon (3:00 pm start) ... there are a bunch of used moulds in this auction and I'm hoping they won't sell for stupidly high prices since a few of them interest me ...