did anyone go to the gun auction?

MarkSBG · Jul 18, 2009

I was hoping to live vicariously through those of you who went to one of the recent gun auctions.

So, did you go? How was it? Crowded? Bargins? Purchases? Purchases? Purchases?

Come on man! Details! (Please?)

JAFO · Jul 18, 2009

It wasn't that crowded. It lasted a long time... it was ~5.5 hours by the time I left with my purchases.

There were some bargains and some prices that seemed rather high to me, but perhaps the guns had some value that I'm not aware of.

An M1 garand, H&R, in very good if not better condition went for $1200. Another M1 that had a BM-59 conversion, and I don't think it was Golden State, went for $850. Those I thought were on the high side.

An Inland M1 carbine (was mis-marked as Standard... at least I believe it was) went for $225 (which I think is damn good) but an Iver-Johnson (marked as Choate because it was in a Choate stock) went for $325, which I thought was rather high.

I got a Winchester 06 pump .22 and I probably paid on the high side but it's something I really wanted to have... $350 and there are actually spots of blue left on the barrel. Considering the condition, and what I've seen asked for worse ones at the gun shows, it is not a high price but I plan on shooting and abusing it.

A really nice S&W 586 snubbie went for $350.

A Colt Cobra nickel snubbie went for $450.

A couple NIB MAK 90s went for $400 ea.

A Colt King Cobra 6" blue .357 went for $475.

A S&W 29 6" classic hunter went for $450.

There were more but I feel sick... for not having the money to buy some of those deals.

Trlsmn · Jul 18, 2009

JAFO said:
It wasn't that crowded. It lasted a long time... it was ~5.5 hours by the time I left with my purchases.

There were some bargains and some prices that seemed rather high to me, but perhaps the guns had some value that I'm not aware of.

An M1 garand, H&R, in very good if not better condition went for $1200. Another M1 that had a BM-59 conversion, and I don't think it was Golden State, went for $850. Those I thought were on the high side.

An Inland M1 carbine (was mis-marked as Standard... at least I believe it was) went for $225 (which I think is damn good) but an Iver-Johnson (marked as Choate because it was in a Choate stock) went for $325, which I thought was rather high.

I got a Winchester 06 pump .22 and I probably paid on the high side but it's something I really wanted to have... $350 and there are actually spots of blue left on the barrel. Considering the condition, and what I've seen asked for worse ones at the gun shows, it is not a high price but I plan on shooting and abusing it.

A really nice S&W 586 snubbie went for $350.

A Colt Cobra nickel snubbie went for $450.

A couple NIB MAK 90s went for $400 ea.

A Colt King Cobra 6" blue .357 went for $475.

A S&W 29 6" classic hunter went for $450.

There were more but I feel sick... for not having the money to buy some of those deals.

I thought about going with you but I had to get up at 4am to get one of the kids to the airport so I came home and went back to sleep instead.

GED · Jul 19, 2009

Like JAFO said, it lasted a long time-too long IMO.
Toward late afternoon I realized that they would never get to the lot I was particularly interested in before I had to leave so I left an absentee bid and took off.

There were some real bargains to be had-one reason maybe that
it was relatively sparsely attended which is surprising given what
was on the block and the level interest around these parts.

GED · Jul 19, 2009

pdxppsguy said:
There were some real bargains to be had-one reason maybe that it was relatively sparsely attended which is surprising given what was on the block and the level interest around these parts.

Just got a call from the auction about my absentee bid-I got the NIB Sig P232 I wanted for $350-for a total of $404 including 12% commission and $12 FFL fee.

THe reason was interested in this particular P232 is that it is an all-made-in-Germany model with the German proof marks on the slide(with the U.S. manufactured P232s the frames are German-made, the slides are U.S. made). Also, the two included mags have metal finger rests-the newer models come with plastic ones. :s0155:

Trlsmn · Jul 19, 2009

pdxppsguy said:
Just got a call from the auction about my absentee bid-I got the NIB Sig P232 I wanted for $350-for a total of $404 including 12% commission and $12 FFL fee.

THe reason was interested in this particular P232 is that it is an all-made-in-Germany model with the German proof marks on the slide(with the U.S. manufactured P232s the frames are German-made, the slides are U.S. made). Also, the two included mags have metal finger rests-the newer models come with plastic ones.

Oro · Jul 19, 2009

Thanks for the report, JAFO.

A really nice S&W 586 snubbie went for $350.

That one would have been mine if I was local and not WA. I saw that in the catalog and was mailing in a bid sheet for that (and others), but between the fees, shipping, transfer, etc., it just wasn't worth the cost or hassle.

Looks like it was a good auction with fair prices overall from what you listed.

elsullo · Jul 19, 2009

This was my first gun auction, and I must say that it was really well done, and a very professional operation. It was not too crowded or rushed at all. EVERYONE, including security, was friendly and respectful, and the auctioneer was good humored and perfectly intelligible, and spoke normally---none of the "ibbida-ibbida-ibbida" auctoneer voice crap. Before the auction every item could be handled and inspected. I was allowed to use my bore light with no hassle at all. They sold xeroxed catalogs of all the items for $3.00, and images of each item were projected on a screen as they were offered for bid.

I left very early after SCORING what I came for, but I saw many screaming-good deals go by. A couple of items were bid too high I thought, but most were very good deals. Just don't forget that 12% auction fee added on afterward! One issue is that the auction was just too BIG and long lasting. Things progressed rapidly and smoothly, but three hundred items is just too long of an auction---and some very nice items were at the very end. Most important: there was NO JUNK offered---everyting seemed to be in very good to excellent condition, and a lot of items were brand new in the box from past decades of storage.

A couple of foibles that they are working on: most of the premises had no air conditioning, and it was a HOT weekend. There was some cross breeze and some fans, and they tried to deal with it as they could, but the heat was an issue. Also, the BATF refused to let them do background checks on the premises, so non-FFL buyers had to walk five blocks down the street to a totally inadequate, cramped and hot little office. There must have been a line down the sidewalk in the sun when the auction ended? It was all bearable for a good deal, but these issues ARE a consideration.

All in all it was a great auction, especially since I got what I wanted and got out early! Would I go to the next one? Sure, if I had any money left!.....................elsullo

JAFO · Jul 19, 2009

That Spectre went for $400! I didn't see any on gunbroker.com for less than $900.

There wasn't a line on the sidewalk but there were about a dozen of us crowded into that tiny office.

I'll probably be there next time and hopefully I can dig up some money. Of course, we probably shouldn't let these guys know about it. We are just inviting more competition.

Joe Link · Jul 19, 2009

It's good to hear all of you enjoyed it.

Thanks again, Gary Germer & Associates, for your support.

Grizzly_A · Jul 20, 2009

Ok, this was the PDX Gun Auction....

Did anyone go to the other gun auction in Boring?

MarkSBG · Jul 20, 2009

Great comments guys! thanks, maybe I will be at the next one...

chris61182 · Jul 22, 2009

Grizzly_A said:
Ok, this was the PDX Gun Auction....

Did anyone go to the other gun auction in Boring?

I very much enjoyed hearing all about Saturday's event and as such would love to hear how Sunday's went as well? Anybody go? Any good deals?

pokerace · Jul 25, 2009

another one Aug 1

tionico · Jul 25, 2009

I've had a search recon going on an online auction site, and I've seen a number of M 1 Garands, usually one or two new offerings per day. I've noticed the H&R built ones, if complete and original, go for quite a lot of money. So much I've lost hope of having one, at least in H&R. Springfield made examples go for quite a bit less. Seems the H&R are held at a premium. A few International Harvester war vintage ones come up, too.. never know IHC ever made firearms, but they are all dated through the war years, so when not building trucks for Uncle Sam, I'm sure they turned some machinery to producing small arms..... these don't seem to bring any premium. Guess I missed MY window, as I saw several M1 Garands in really nice shape at gunshows in the mid-$600 range....

That all-German sig sounds like a sweet deal...... and new old stock on quality firearms is always interesting. They don't wear out, really, sitting in a shop's back room on a shelf..... I tend to like the older guns anyway, particularly handguns.

JAFO · Jul 26, 2009

tionico said:
...
and new old stock on quality firearms is always interesting. They don't wear out, really, sitting in a shop's back room on a shelf..... I tend to like the older guns anyway, particularly handguns.

One of the firearms I bought was listed as "new in box." It is not though. I think they should definitely be a little more cautious when marking items as NIB.

GED · Jul 26, 2009

JAFO said:
One of the firearms I bought was listed as "new in box." It is not though. I think they should definitely be a little more cautious when marking items as NIB.

Had the same experience as JAFO-bought what was described as NIB-but once I got the gun home and took it apart, it had obviously been fired(plus-tucked into the manual was an old receipt-from Three Bears Guns Inc.-anyone out there remember them?).

My feeling is that describing this gun as NIB wasnt done
for any dishonest reason-maybe more do to with being less knowledgeable about guns than many on this forum or just a failure on the part of the auctioneer to take a closer look at the gun-it is in excellent condition(you can see it under the thread Show your Guns post #985)and outwardly it does look NIB-the case is pristine, manual same, ditto the extra mag, test target.

It is old store stock(Three Bears Guns)though-just one that had been bought and then returned. But Im very happy with my purchase-I still got a good deal-NIB or not!

Suggestion: anyone interested in a NIB listed gun should go to the pre auction viewing and take a very close look at it(I looked but not close enough).

elsullo · Jul 30, 2009

The rifle I bought at the auction was described as "like new in original box". The box was completely beat-to-heck and totally taped together from thirty years or so of storage. The rifle appeared immaculate and had a clean bore, but had two powdery rust spots in hidden locations. Oddly enough, these spots functioned as "sacrificial anodes" for there was not a spot of rust anywhere else.

When I got it home and took it apart to clean and lube it, I discovered that IT WAS BRAND-NEW AND UNFIRED!!!!!!! What a SCORE! I submit that the auction house is just too busy to be completely certain of their descriptions of the items offered. The buyer can inspect each item to their satisfaction before the auction...................elsullo :s0114: