My first Gun Auction

[Mgderf]

I find most of the gun "deals" are not at the "gun" auctions, but rather at your garden variety estate auction.

It's rather hit and miss, but I find that general auctions don't attract the "gun crowd" that the "gun auctions" do. This opens opportunities, if you're there and paying attention.

Two years ago, I found an EAA Witness (steel frame with "Wonder Finish") at an auction. It was listed, and they announced it, as a Tanfaglio .45acp. No-one there seemed to know what it was besides me.
I got the gun, which looked to be in unfired condition, the original box, and 1 mag gor $290!

I only bid against 1 other person.

Look for auctions out in the boonies, and advertising sporting equipment.

 

[snapping turtle]

If things are going high in the begining and middle stick around. People run out of money and the prices on the later items tend to come back down. I got a Lee Infield 303 back in the day for 50 dollars. Made a trade later that made me and the other party happy.

Remember that sometimes ammo might not be just new stuff off the shelf. I bought 3 boxes of cci mini mags at 10 bucks each. Why they were 22 shorts marked on the boxes as 22 long rifle. They made a mistake and loaded in the wrong ammo or the wrong wrappers in the machine. I am just saying there may have been something to the ammo going so high, The lots of outdoor stuff or a box of scope rings or old sights often is where the real bargins are at estate auctions and such. The guns bring in bidders on the expensive stuff. They often overlook the lots of stuff with a hiddden gems.

 

[Mosin-Me-Nagant]

I think ill stick to the gun auctions online........havent been to one in person but after hearing this dont really want to.

It had online buyers and IRL buyers.

I think ill stick to the gun auctions online........havent been to one in person but after hearing this dont really want to.

The auctions that I steer clear of are ones that have ProxiBid/living internet bidding running concurrent with the live auction.

This was the type of auction it was.

I really don't understand why everything was so expensive. I could understand an engraved limited edition John Wayne rifle going for crazy money, but seeing something you can get off of the shell at any store going for double the price. It makes zero sense. How can somebody buy something without knowing anything about how much it costs? I need to open up a gun auction lol.

 

[Davemo]

Auction Sale ?

Well did it sell ?

 

[LarryHoosier]

As I alluded to in my previous post, sometimes things are not as garden variety as many would think. This is especially true in the world of gun collectors. As an example, a couple of years ago at the Cowan's auction I bid on a ratty looking Mosin Nagant 91/30 and got it for a total of $80 including the buyer's premium. What was it really? A 1936 Spanish Civil War 91/30 with the "made in USSR" , a Spanish replacement cleaning rod, and the flaming bomb stamp on the butt stock. I've seen similar go for $350 at gun shows, if you can find one. The kicker was this had a "dragoon" rear barrel band as a bonus for those who noticed such! Either I was the only one who noticed or the only one who wanted such an item, but I considered this a "steal".