doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Determining value? (long)

Dave J,

Unless you are looking at an extremely rare gun, it is ultimately a buyer's market. Keep looking at Fox's. Eventually you will find one in decent condition that meets your expectation regarding price.

A lot of seller's both on and off the net have strange attitudes. At a recent gun show, I saw a fellow with a Anschutz 54 in varmint configuration. I asked to see it. The seller had neither the box, nor the original paper work. In my book that is a used gun, perhaps 100% but used. I asked the price. He wanted $2,000 more than a new gun from a nationally known dealer. I just laughed and kept walking.

At the same show, I saw a Colt 1883. I was very tempted. Until the seller killed the sale by telling me he had paid $100 for the gun 5 years ago. He continues to drag it from show to show and doesn't understand why no one buys it.

The same is true on the net. Except they don't have to drag the gun around. The Lefever that Jim Legg pointed out is a good example. Take a good look at the photos and ask yourself if you would pay $2999 for that gun when you can not even see the engraving. But sellers do that all the time.

Besides AA,GB, GA and GI there are other venues available. One that comes to mind is the Rock Island Armory. They have regular auctions that usually have something worth a second look. http://www.rockislandauction.com/

If you let people know where you are located, I am sure someone can suggest a few gunshows and maybe some auction houses.

Pete

They made thousands of Sterlingworth in 12 gauge. There is absolutely no reason to pay that much for a shooter. A solid 12 should be in the $600-750.00 for a very solid shooter. Unless it is very high condition you should either wait until you come across one in this price range or be willing to over pay. Looking is more fun than buying because as soon as you buy you are either out of the looking/buying game or a better and cheaper one will come along.

Now on the other hand a 16 or 20 will set you back several times this amount for the same condition. Fewer made and demand is much greater for small bores so the price is much higher. Funny thing is that about 10 years ago 16's were hard to sell and went for less than a 12 did.

I think that the next big increase in prices will be on Ithaca small bores. Especially in the NID's. Prices are going up fast around here and I do not see an end in sight.

As has been hinted at, you can't beat the market buying in at the top on the low-price spread worth it's weight in silver because a series of experts said it's got three moving parts, no gunsmith has ever seen one, and it handles like a wet dream. Got to follow your personal drummer. Find a love only you can afford because it's your love. Popularity is in many ways an unwelcome antidote to neglect and disdain. Thus the "send it to me; it's junk" jokes. In-depth knowledge, cash in the jeans, and knowing where to find the widder ladies can help. I'd settle for one of the three.

jack

This one might give you the fever....


http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=73799473

"Sleepy Hollow Guns Shops" are worth visiting. Few months ago I came across mechanically and visually solid 20br 'Helico' scalloped BL with 65mm chambers for $325. I could have had that one for $275 cash. They're out there and if you look long enough you will find a good one.

Some guns have lingered in the basement of love so long, so no doubt a price increase as better Sterlingworths begin to dry up.
Even at these higher Sterlingworth prices, no need to buy a shooter grade. I've paid twice your bottom price KY, for a real good standard 12ga. and felted I gotta deal. I'm mean living in the 8-10K world.

Sorry Pete, I don't get your drift. You were tempted to buy it but didn't......because?

The first SW I had was a Philly 12 restocked high in the mode moderne with crotch black walnetto and a very good looking bt. Excellent checkering. 8C but I got a failure to stop citation from one of the "children of the corn" in Smyrna DE so the all up price with gas was probably closer to 850. Then I bought a Utica "Deluxe" which was just about all in for 299, had fun learning and messing with it and sold it for 300. Certainly not an obscene profit but when did you ever see a college textbook that would bring what you gave for it after you dropped the course? Picked up a Philly 16 recently after the previous counter-holder-downer said he'd think on it and went out the door. 459.00. White gun but excellent mechanically and a good solid stock. So I've got a very nice remuddle with no collector value and an orginal 16 shooter with few of the ephemera which mark condition (Homeless knows what I mean) which also has no collector value for an average of 630 per gun (not counting the 3 bills for the learn by doing gun).

jack

"Children of the corn," would sum-up my choices in the classics.
Original rustic, with a touch of barn wear in all the right places.
My Phila. Sterlingworth was local and came easy - and it had all of the above hallmark patina.
I paid-up and went home within two hours or less.
Why fool yourself with a pristine field gun!

I use the expression because I was outside town on a county road (which was probably a Colonial wagon road which was probably an aboriginal path) and it's got to be quite a cut between the cornfields on both sides and of course I did the creeping towards where I could see both ways which to me is the spirit and intent if not the letter of the law but Johnny Law was out at 7AM looking righteously for Public Enemy No.1. Followed me into town after giving me the bill for his services. I parked and went into Smyrny Sporting Goods and he came in and says: "Har,har,har, I thought yud comun inhear to buy er gun to shut me with, har, har, har." So I says: "Hardy-har-har, gudun Occifer, last thing on m' mind Im shur.." Law-abiding takes effort; so does abiding the Law. Found the nice SW after he left. Only thing I ever bought there.

jack