Need advice....selling guns for a friends widow.

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c.latrans

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To make a long story short, I have been entrusted by a friend who recently died to assist his widow in dispersing his collection. I am by no means a neophite when it comes to firearms, I am close to 50 now and have been buying and shooting guns literally since childhood......but some of these guns are highly desireable and will bring a premium....ie. a couple of Winchester 21 and 23's....as well as an L.C. Smith and a Parker Bros.....a Savage 99 in 250-3000....a transition era Model 70 in .22 Hornet.....the list goes on....as well as a bunch of common stuff. I need to do the best for this lady that I can, and am looking for ideas. I have run the prices out on Gunbroker, and will likely list some there as well as consigning some with a trusted dealer. What other options are out there?....other places on the net besides GB and GA?....thanks in advance, all advice is appreciated!
 
I would stick to ANY kind of auction, Gun Broker or Auction House or another auction. You just can't beat 2 or more people wanting the same item for running the price up & up.
 
Good thoughts, thank you. Our local auctioneers take 30 to 40 percent on firearms auctions, which seems way out of line to me. Does anyone know what the "accepted" take on firearms auctions is?
 
Recently a neighbor put some guns on consignment at a gun shop for 23% fee. Based on that you might try to negotiate it down.
 
Gunbroker is the most likely place to achieve the best price for the least amount of fee's. GunsAmerica, and Auctionarms are also well known internet gun buying / selling resources.

For specific brand guns there may be some internet activity more aligned with a that brand. Perhaps checking with form members on some of these brand specific boards will turn up selling resources for you.
 
For guns with desirable uniqueness, a specialty auction is a MUCH better idea than GunBroker. I suggest Kull & Supica. Their website is armsbid.com.

They run three or four auctions a year, which focuses their bidder's and clients attention. They promote it heavily with catalogues and online photos, and they charge reasonable commissions. She won't get the money this month perhaps, but she will get the best she can, I believe.
 
Local shops charge 15% fee for consignment guns. I'd put 'em all on consignment and let the widow pick up the checks.
 
I've had this discussion with one of my friends.
The main reason I dislike the consignment proposal is more than likely we're dealing with an elderly widow, and the money just trickles in over a period of time which could turn into months or even a year or two.
With the auction its there BOOM all at once which possibly would be to the surivor's benifit.
Yes the auction charges a higher percent but thats another reason the auctioneer tries so hard to get the bids higher. Higher it goes the more he makes.
Won't even toy with the idea of the money coming in at once it could be invested. That might be a joke in todays market.
 
JMHO, but I'd think that the REAL auctions (not Gunbroker) would attract more of the REAL collectors, with the REAL serious money in their pockets. That's how I'd want to sell the really collectible ones. I mean, you'd sell a classic car at an auction instead of Craigslist, right?
 
Don't go with local general auction services to sell firearms, especially collector grade firearms.

She'll be very disapointed with the return if you do. The local auction house just isn't going to have the draw to bring in the collectors to pay what the guns are worth.

Instead either sell them individually on Gunbroker or Auction Arms. Include GOOD detailed descriptions and some very good pictures. Have additional pictures ready to send out if anyone asks for more.

Make sure you have a reserve at the minimum she's willing to accept for each gun. The reserve should be low enough so that if it sells for just above the reserve the buyer can justly feel like they got a bargain, but not so low that if it sells for the reserve the seller will feel like she gave the gun away.

Yeah, setting that reserve is the tricky part.

If you don't run a GB or AA auction yourself, find a larger auction house that specializes in firearms. At least then they'll reach the right market.

But, whatever you do, don't go with any local general auction service. She is bound to be disapointed if you do.
 
You might try something crazy like evaluating the guns and try selling them on this web site.

I am always looking for a few common guns.

If you do list on gunbroker, be ready to answer all kinds of stupid questions, or is that just me? How much is the reserve? Is that a scratch or a glare? How many times was it shot? Do you know if the wood in the stock was on the north or south side of the tree.....

Good luck!
 
I truly appreciate the responses from you gentlemen.....it has given me a few more options to consider, and I will consider them all. I have sold and bought on both GB and GA, and have answered those questions!.....but if you think those questions get bad, try selling paintball stuff on fleabay......I did that for my son a few years ago when he was in school....man, that was an experience!
 
Sell them at the local gun buyback. She'll get a $50 gift card for each one, evil guns will be off the street, and the do-gooders can feel great about accomplishing nothing.

Seriously, though, try Jaqua's Fine Guns in Findlay, OH. www.jaquas.com Was in there last week. They sell very fine collectables, no Hi-Points or Ravens in their store. They said they update their website 6 times a day, based on what comes in and goes out. They have a cased pair of Purdy side x sides for $90,000, if you're interested. Had a couple of Model 1917's too.
 
I have stoped going to gun auctions more than once a month, the good guns (that I still can't afford :() go too low and the rest go WAY to high.
 
I assume she would be happy with getting a fair price out of each of them. Some of this will be determined by how quickly she needs the money. If she doesn't have to have the money immediately, then she might be able to get more money out of the guns by waiting for the "right" person to come along and see the ad on places like here or Gunbroker.
 
You put them on consignment somewhere, the only people that see them are the relatively few customers that pass through that store. And by far the large majority of them aren't there looking for those particular guns.

You put them on Gunbroker and you have a huge base of potential buyers, some who will actively be searching specifically for those particular guns. Plus the auction/competition factor ensures that the greatest possible selling price will be obtained.

my $.02....
 
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