It's official: people have become insane...

[Elkins45]

...because there's an RG 38 revolver on auction on the Bud's website and it has been bid up to $175 with half a day left to run. That doesn't even include shipping! What's worse, there have been 31 bids.

I wouldn't give you $7, or $5, or even $1 for it, much less $175. The only thing that makes sense to me is that a handful of people who have extensive junk gun collections and an RG38 is their only missing piece have stumbled onto this auction.

An RG 38 is worth slightly less that what you can get for it from a gun 'buyback' program--which isn't $175 anywhere around here.

The end times are near...

 

[35 Whelen]

You haven't participated in many auctions, have you? The prices are driven mostly by the egos of the men participating. I've sworn off public auctions because of the ridiculous prices items bring.

I frequently participate on a certain on-line auction where the buyer premium runs anywhere from 15% - 20%. More often than not knuckleheads will pay going price for a firearm, then pay the buyer premium and a typically inflated shipping charge!

35W

 

[Wishoot]

There's a great show on TV called Brain Games. They recently did an episode on the irrational behavior of those participating in auctions.

They auctioned off an ordinary $20 bill. The guy that bought it paid $40 for the $20 bill.

People get caught up in the heat of battle and will pay big to win. Even if the item being auctioned isn't worth what was paid.

 

[bannockburn]

Elkins45

Youre right, that is crazy! Still some people have more money (and ego), than common sense.

 

[RealGun]

Youre right, that is crazy! Still some people have more money (and ego), than common sense.

But some people have the guns, while others are either still waiting for that steal or have to settle for a collection of beaters that would draw envy from no one.. I don't think we have a natural right to a bargain, nor that we can dictate what the market will be.

 

[Waveski]

A week ago I saw a "force matched" P.38 go for $800. In reality it was a $350 (tops) shooter.

An RG? Sheesh!

 

[Panzerschwein]

Heck. I bet after the days over and after the ship charge, it'll be around $300 methinks.

For that, you could get a police trade in S&W Model 64 .38 special double action revolver, which is a step up from the Rohm.

 

[Old Fuff]

Unfortunately they're good people who can't afford even a used quality handgun. As a consequence they may place a high bid on a piece of junk that is still affordable so far as they are concerned. It's also possible (even probable) that they don't realize how bad the quality is on what they are bidding on.

In years past companies such as Harrington & Richardson or Iver Johnson made lower cost revolvers that were satisfactory for limited use. These and others like them are now long gone, leaving a huge void in the marketplace.

 

[tulsamal]

I've finally become old enough to change my tune on selling guns. I used to be 100% against such a thing. But you get older, you end up with a bunch of gun and a large percentage of them never get fired at all. Or even really looked at. I've been making a list of guns I could live without. And the list is getting long.... still haven't done step one but maybe this thread is going to motivate me to do it. If people are willing to step up and pay big money for something I never use at all... why not?

 

[Blueduck]

Can't do auctions.

Some people walk away thinking "I won! I won!", I walk away thinking "I paid more for this than anybody else thought it was worth..."

 

[Old Fuff]

Some people walk away thinking "I won! I won!", I walk away thinking "I paid more for this than anybody else thought it was worth..."

Not necessarily. On any number of occasions I have walked away with a real prize because the other bidders apparently didn't know the lot's true value.

The key to really winning is knowledge, not money.

 

[Sarge7402]

You must be wrong about it being just an RG 38. It's probably got a ribbed barrel, it's magna ported, it has target sights and a signed letter from Herman G that Adolph H owned it right before his death

 

[oneounceload]

Any item is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it. Just because another person does not place as high a value as another does not mean the object does not have that value

 

[Elkins45]

Any item is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it. Just because another person does not place as high a value as another does not mean the object does not have that value

Generally speaking I agree with you, but not in this case. The only way I would spend money on such a gun is if it were the only gun available and I KNEW I was going to be attacked before I could acquire a better weapon.

There are better guns available on the very same website for the same or less money once shipping is factored in. I'm still thinking somebody wants it to complete their Saturday Night Special collection.

 

[simonstough]

Its possible that the bidders actually like "junk guns", i personally know a gentleman with quite the collection of jennings, high points, Phoenix arms and a few jimminez pistols.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Eh. My money, my choice. Their money, their choice.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Well if people have the money honey, and want to pay $4000 for a RG pistol, I say sell them!

They can have my Glock for $10 grand! Sure I'd sell it.

Deaf

 

[Officers'Wife]

Can't do auctions.

Some people walk away thinking "I won! I won!", I walk away thinking "I paid more for this than anybody else thought it was worth..."

I grew up on livestock auctions so I know enough to set my price beforehand and let it go if someone else is willing to pay more. One household auction I attended in Kentucky there was this cutest little target pistol that I decided I would bid no more than $200 for. Starting bid was $75 and I was the only bidder. One of the non coms at camp cleaned it for me and immediately offered me $150.

I'm still not sure what a Colt Woodsman is worth but it's sure fun to shoot.

 

[Monac]

It is very difficult to start collecting Smith & Wessons, Colts, WWII pistols, or even Rugers because their prices are so high now.

Furthermore, so much research has gone into them, you can learn everything about them from books. Guns like the cheap West German revolvers of the 1950's-1970's, or the Spanish pistols of 1910-1936 represent a cheap area to collect where things no one has heard of can still be found. Do enough collecting there, and YOU could be the person to write a book about them.

For instance, right now, there is an Italian OMEGA 400 32 Long revolver for sale on GunBroker. It looks for all the world like a copy of an H&R, which, IMO, is a very odd thing to copy. I've never seen one before, and a Google search only turns up West German OMEGA revolvers. It's a chance to own something unheard of for about $200 to take home. I don't want it, but I understand why somebody might.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Any item is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it.

Or in the case of an auction (excluding shills) what 1.9 people are willing to pay.

I think the note above about relative budgets might be behind this one's overpricing... that and perhaps at least one shill.:banghead:

Todd.

 

[Elkins45]

Final selling price was $205, + $25 shipping and presumably a FFL transfer fee.

 

[VA27]

Back in the day, maybe 25-30 years ago, a guy walked into the LGS and ordered a pair of consecutively numbered RG 44 Magnums! (Yes, he got 'em.) I was talking to the same shop manager a few months ago and that purchase came up. I told him that if either of those guns came back in the shop I wanted first crack at them. I don't know why, but just the idea of an RG 44 Mag tickles me!

 

[skidder]

Same reason people are addicted to poker machines. Really folks? The poker machine is designed to lose money? I rest my case.

 

[CajunBass]

I wouldn't have paid that much for one, but many years ago, when I was flat broke and had never had a handgun, I wanted a RG-22 in the worst way. I couldn't imagine ever buying a Smith & Wesson or a Colt, they simply cost too much. However I could at least imagine buying an RG.

Many years and dozens of guns later, I've been tempted to buy a RG-22 "just because" I remember a young fellow who really wanted one at one time.

Maybe someday I'll get one.

Not all wants are logical.

 

[rondog]

Jeeze, I wonder how much I could get for my RG-10 at auction. I have the original box and holster for it too.....