[Turtle Club]

I am going to an auction, they have advertised about 90+guns. I am interested in the following.



Winchester Model 120 Pump Action 12 ga.

Winchester Model 1300, Defender 8

Remington / Model 510 TargetMaster

Remington Model 870 Wingmaster , 12 ga

What would be a decent price to pay for the gun(s) considering it is in used, mint condition?

[Turtle Club]

Also....does anyone know the FFL Regulation on buying firearms at a sale. I have only baught thorugh direct from a store/dealer.

[Dave McCracken]

It's really hard to say.

Regional preferences can vary a fair price by $100-$1000.

Around here, $150-$200 for the Winchesters, $250 for a standard 870 WM.

[Fred Fuller]

People get excited at auctions. They over-pay for stuff. Don't let that happen to you, set an absolute maximum price you are willing to pay for any item and DO NOT exceed it. Whatever it is, it isn't unique, there are others out there and you don't have to have THIS ONE.

INSPECT THE MERCHANDISE carefully before you begin bidding. Make sure of condition, note wear, refinishing, mismatched parts etc. Be sure you are bidding on first class goods or let it pass.

I can't hazard a guess on prices for used guns in your area, they vary regionally. Were I you I'd check 'new' prices on the stuff I was interested in and not pay more for used stuff than it costs new. If it's out of production, find a Blue Book and go by that.

Best advice: Buy cheap, or don't buy at all.

lpl/nc

[Jim Watson]

Yes, you must avoid "auction fever." Those are dead common standard model guns so you can look up prices and you can set "screetching halt" limits on your bidding. Don't forget the "buyer's premium" which is added to your bid to pay the auctioneer.

Around here, the firearms in a general auction are usually papered through a cooperating FFL dealer, so you will sign for any gun you bid in just like you were buying it in a store.

[IThunter]

a quick search at gunbroker.com or gunsamerica.com will help shotgunworld.com also has a forum that might help with some of your pricing...watch for the dealers and collectors at auctions...you might even seek them out to see what guns they are interested in and if there insterests are not the same as yours ask some advice on the items you like...that is what i did

[Larry Ashcraft]

Auctions are my hobby, We go to at least a dozen a year. I also have furnished my house and shop with items purchased at auctions. But I've only bought one gun at auction. They simply go too high, as you will find out. If you can get one at Blue Book wholesale, you will be doing very well. Oh, the one gun I bought was a Ruger Old Army for $200.

Here's some tips though:

1) As others have said, set your limits and stick to them.

2) Bid briskly up to your limit. This is the best tactic I've learned. If the people bidding against you have no idea when you are going to stop, you can sometimes get the item for less than if you bid hesitantly. Especially if the auctioneer is having to pry bids out of your competitors, then throw the bid right back at them before they have time to think about it. Remember though, stop bidding when you've met your limit.

3) Waving your number card around to bid is the sign of an amateur, this isn't Sotheby's, and you'll annoy the auctioneer (try NOT to annoy the auctioneer or clerk). Once you have the auctioneer's or helper's attention, a simple nod will suffice. Shake your head to stop bidding.

4) DO NOT ask the clerk questions. He or she is busy. Some auctioneers will tell you that bothering their clerk is a hanging offense.

5) If there is an obvious dealer or two bidding, watch them. If you can get your item one bid above theirs, you did pretty well. They have to make money re-selling the item and they usually have pretty good idea what they can get for it.

I'll think of more.

[Moonclip]

Seems like good advice, I went to my first auction a few months ago and I looking forward to my next. Any more info appreciated. I did ok for my first time.