My Mom just sold a S&W at her garage sale... for 80$!

[IRONFIST]

I just found out about the sale and I am sick to death over it. I am not sure of the model, but it was a beautiful blue S&W .22 revolver that was bought brand new in the 50's, I believe. My grandfather had it and I was told that it was only shot two times since new. The revolver was DA, six-inch barrel, no scratches or wear marks, perfect bore, perfect wood and the trigger and hammer metal was "rainbow" colored. The gun would have easily passed for newly bought from a store. I forgot she had it, I figured that it would be passed to me eventually and then she got the wonderful idea to add it to her garage sale. An older gentleman looked at it for, oh say, about one minute and then raced to his bank to get the 80 DOLLARS! she was asking for it. Oddly enough, he didn't haggle over the price at all :banghead: but seemed very happy with the purchase. I can't fault my Mom too much, she carries a pistol daily, but really isn't into them too much. I just wish she would have asked me whether she should have sold it or not. Guess what my answer would have been?

 

[Rebeldon]

I feel your pain...

 

[thumbtack]

Thats got to sting.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Heck, I'd have given her $95 for it.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'll give $5 over what Standing Wolf would have given. More seriously, sorry Ironfist that your mom just didn't give you that gun. It would have been a family heirloom as your grandfather owned it.

 

[JohnKSa]

My dad had a local gunsmith refinish an otherwise all original Colt 1903 38ACP pistol.

Kind of wish he'd talked to me first...

 

[IRONFIST]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, I am still a bit bummed over it. As for it being a family heirloom because my grandpa had it, nah. He was evil enough that when he died we all joked that we were gonna dig the old bastard up and put a stake into his chest to make sure he was dead for good. He was truly the nastiest person I have ever met.

The only consolation about the sale is if he knows that his pistol was sold for only 80 bucks, he's spinning in his grave at about 3400 RPM. I have now talked things over with both Mom and Dad, and now no more guns are to be sold with running it by me first as a courtesy. Dad has a sweet shooting, stainless Ruger Super Redhawk .44 mag, with either an 8 or 9-inch bull barrel and a .270 Winchester deer rifle and Mom has a Titanium Taurus snubbie .38 and a Ruger .22 revolver with a six-inch barrel. Hopefully, these guns will all come home to me someday.

 

[Moparmike]

Ouch. <Clinton>I feel your paaaiiinnnn...</clinton>

The only consolation about the sale is if he knows that his pistol was sold for only 80 bucks, he's spinning in his grave at about 3400 RPM.

Spinning, you say?

I wonder if we could attach magnets to him and generate electricity?


/pointy haired boss from dilbert

 

[ExtremeDooty]

The only consolation about the sale is if he knows that his pistol was sold for only 80 bucks, he's spinning in his grave at about 3400 RPM.

There's a silver lining in every cloud.

That still has to hurt, though.

 

[whm1974]

Drat, I'm looking for a .22 handgun... How come I don't get deals like this?

-Bill

 

[Red Label]

Not family but an aquaintance just had an estate sale for his mother and father and I didn't find out about it until it was over. Nice old guns went to another home that wasn't mine

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

So I guess I should stop at more garage sales...

 

[csmkersh]

Ironfist wrote

The revolver was DA, six-inch barrel, no scratches or wear marks, perfect bore, perfect wood and the trigger and hammer metal was "rainbow" colored.

Most likely that was a K22. Worth at least 3 times the price she got.

 

[armoredman]

My sis in law did the same thing - sold all my father in laws guns at giveaway prices, without asking if I or my wife would like any, and this after she asked me to clean them. One was a very odd shotgun - a double barrel with no maker name, but had a sliding cannon style breechblock. She sold that one for $100 or so.
My wife wanted her fathers' Smith snubbie, but it went for $50.
I feel your pain, sir.

 

[sturmruger]

I bet that old guy was flipping out!! That is one hell of a deal.

 

[cerberus]

Happens everyday

This example is why I have sold many of my guns. You kick off and in swoops all the family to pick your wife clean. Or in this case someone not having the foggest idea what a gun is really worth and unable or not wanting to find out gets skinned. Oh well the buyer got a great deal life gos on.

 

[HABU]

I have now talked things over with both Mom and Dad

How did she take the reaming?

 

[IRONFIST]

Well, my Mother is a hard-headed wench(her description, not mine) and she didn't take kindly to me telling her that she pulled one helluva goofball move by selling the Smith. She was actually defiant at first, telling me that it was her gun and she could as she pleased. That is, until I told her how badly she had rooked herself and that she could have gotten quite a bit more for the pistol. She realized how foolish she had been then and now we have an agreement. Dad was much easier. He has known about my lust for his Super Redhawk since the day he received it as a gift(I picked it out for him) and he has promised to update his will with the new stipulation that the pistol will go to me and no one else. Let this be a cautionary tale to everyone who reads this thread. Track down the old guns that your family has in its posession and makes sure they will go to someone who will love them and care for them when the owners get bored or pass on. What happened to me, could someday happen to you.

 

[Wayne D]

I keep a list of my serial numbers in case of theft, on the list is my estimated value of each gun. This way if something happens to me my wife or kids will know about how much they are worth.

 

[Das Pferd]

I just I shouldnt point to the thread in the revolver section where a guy just bought a S&W for a steal at a garage sale? He says it was a .22 pistol buyt not sure what model. He just knows it was mint and he took it for a steal.



























J/k

 

[Hardtarget]

At every garage sale I've ever been to they thought dearly of every piece of rust labled for sale. I've NEVER found a single "deal". Let me relate one story...Has a great ending. A friend was driving with his wife...she wanted to stop at yard sales but he would not so they were arguing. He spots a small "yard sale" sign, slams on the brakes, backs up, then into the drive. Of course, he is peeved and sulking around...till he spots a familiar object...just sticking up over the edge of a table. He left with a very nice M1 Garand...200 rnds of ammo and an extra barrel (and a BIG grin). Oh yes...$80.00. Never me.
Mark.

 

[IRONFIST]

Hey Das or anyone, can you point me to that thread about someone getting a great garage sale deal on a .22? I can't find it and now I am curious. Thanks in advance...

 

[Fatnhappy]

Most garage sales aren't worth a second lookout, but..

So far I've gotten a remington 1100 LT 20 gauge in pristine shape for $200
a ruger blackhawk .41 mag with a 7.5" barrel and a 2X leupold scope for $125
and a browning citori like new for $400

 

[hoji]

Garage sale steals,
20 Mini14 20 rounders{USA brand all function flawlessly} 10 bucks
2 factory ruger 30 rounders still in box 2 bucks{yes that is TWO}
2 Ram-Line 50 round 1022 mags 2 bucks

 

[Kingcreek]

not gun related, but when I dropped off a couple folding tables at my mother's for her yard sale I found my deceased dad's original John B Stetson hat (bought in Dallas in 1964 for $88 and LNIB today) for $5 and my great-grandfather's fiddle for $10! Also found $800 cash in a pair of his old boots! (gave the $$ to mom)