Neighbor claims to have a $25,000 shotgun, shot it yesterday.

[hartzpad]

Did some informal trap shooting with a mechanical slinger with some neighbors yesterday. One of them claimed that his O/U shotgun was appraised at the local Cabela's at $25k!!!! I called BS right from the start, why would he take it shooting?

I don't know O/U shotties, he claims it is a Beretta ACS-II (or ACS-2) Gold Series, one of only 20 imported to the U.S. and that his is the 21st imported but no one knows about it because his is not "registered" because it was given to him by an Italian friend while he was on a hunting trip here in the U.S. He also claimed that his father competed in trap in the 1984 Olympic games, this Beretta shotgun he brought did have the Olympic rings symbol. I didn't see any of the fancy engraving that you normally see on $5000 shotguns and he kept it in a Perazzi shotgun case, not a Beretta case. This guy is just BSing about it being worth $25k, right?

This guy also said that he has to shoot highly-specialized 12 gauge shells with graphite shot in them so as to protect the blueing inside (hahaha) the barrel. He was using some kind of Fiocchi ammo that he said came from the U.S. military, case was marked U.S. Small Arms and no Fiocchi on the outside, only on the 25 round boxes inside.

He loved shooting my Saiga 12 gauge and AK's but kept asking me why I hadn't made them full-auto because "it is so easy to do so", I replied that I would like to keep my butt a virgin and didn't want 10 years in Federal Prison. He said that in Montana (where he is from) you can do whatever you want and no one cares if you make a full-auto. Ah huh.

I hate people like this.

 

[rdbrowning]

I can't confirm nor deny your neighbors story, but I did get the opportunity to go pheasant hunting in England in 1993. I was offered my choice of two O/U shotguns and I picked the $16K one because I figure if something happened to it I might have a chance of paying it off in this lifetime. The other was valued at about $40K and I was afraid of touching it, much less carrying it in the rain.

There are some folks that can afford VERY expensive toys and aren't afraid to use them.

Or maybe he is just telling tall tales.

 

[hartzpad]

this guy works in a call center and lives in a small apartment.

But I guess it is possible.

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

This guy sounds like an obvious BS'er. I know someone who has as $12,000 shotgun, but then again it is a Krieghoff so that makes sense.

 

[High Planes Drifter]

It is certainly possible. I've seen o/u Parrazi's (Spelling?) in catalogs for over 40k. Cant see why in the heck someone would want to take a 40 thousand dollar anything in the woods to shoot birds smaller than chickens; but they do.

 

['Card]

It's a founding principle of conservative thought that nothing is worth more than what someone is willing to pay for it.

No estimate of value really matters. No lineage, history, or background matters. It doesn't matter how much something cost to make, and it doesn't matter how much the current owner paid for it. That's why the vast majority of these 'value' claims are meaningless. You can own the coolest, niftiest, sweetest, rarest, deadliest gun ever, but unless someone is willing to pony up the loot and purchase it for a specific amount, you can't honestly claim that it's worth anything.

 

[hartzpad]

What I want to know if what you people know about the Beretta ACS-II (or ACS-2) Gold Series

 

[win71]

possible....maybe

I suppose there are Berettas around worth that much but when you consider all the other garbage he fed you I'd say it's more than total BS. Non the less I think you should contact your neighbor and tell him you did some research on that special Beretta and Cabelas is trying to screw him, it's worth a minimum $46,000.00.

 

[Justin]

List of medals awarded for shooting in the 1984 Olympics.

1 Luciano Giovannetti, Italy 192
2 Francisco Boza, Peru 192
3 Daniel Carlisle, United States 192

Note: It's possible that he has a relative who competed, but did not medal.

 

[waterhouse]

I called BS right from the start, why would he take it shooting?

While I know nothing about the shotgun in question, I wouldn't call BS just because he was shooting it. There are some people that hunt with more expensive shotguns than that.

This might get more responses in the shotgun forum . . .perhaps one of the resident experts can enlighten us. I did a quick google search and found nothing.

 

[220_Swift]

I suppose it is possible for it to be valued at $25,000. Here is one from gunsamerica for $22,000. Did it have extremely beautiful wood? Or did it resemble this at all in terms of overall looks?

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976328962.htm

And Like someone else already said, you can't know the actual value until you try and sell it. I could say the stapler on my desk is worth $400, doesn't mean anybodey would pay that much for it.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Beretta's ASE series were fine shotguns. Some came in extra fancy versions that sold for more than $25K. There were more than 21 of them. The niche is now occupied by the DT10s.

Beretta makes an SO series that is all custom built to order. Prices on those are rather upscale.

I've shot a few $25K guns through the generosity of friends. Mostly Purdeys and a Fabri. They bust clays just like an 870.....

 

[45auto]

Beretta has/had an ASE-90 series which is a popular competitive shotgun that was in the $5-$6,000 for a plain model. Wood upgrades can increase the cost by a $1,000 or more, etc.
It has since been changed a bit and renamed to the DT-10 for the US anyway.

There are models available only in Europe and are not formally imported into the US, although they can be "had" if you want them. That might increase the "value" a bit, if consumers want them.

The "SO" series start at $15,000 I believe and go up from there...quickly with increased engraving and wood.

 

[dfaugh]

Well, ya never know...A good friend brought me some guns that belonged to her father (and his father before, and maybe even longer) for a "quick and dirty" appraisal...All were in rough shape from improper storage, and 3 weren't worth much at all, even if they'd been mint....

The fourth however, turned out to be an L.C. Smith, model A-1, made in 1898. They produced a total of 738 A-1s from 1892 to 1898. I actually found one other for sale--for $18,000. Unfortunately hers, while in better condition than the other guns, is far from pristine. It had been sitting in a closet gathering dust for at least 30 years. Anyway, sometimes things happen, and he MIGHT be telling the truth..

But, based on some of his other statements, I'd be real doubtful...

 

[thumbody]

I called BS right from the start, why would he take it shooting?

When I was about 17 I was hunting pheasants and ruffed grouse with a highschool friend. We were joined by a long time aquaintance of his father who had been coming up from the Detroit area for over 30 yrs to hunt with my friends father and grandfather. He brought a friend with him that if I remember right was a doctor. He was carrying a beautiful Browning O/U that made me drool. I have no idea of the model or value but I know I will never be able to afford anything like it. As we headed to the woods I asked him how he could take something that nice and valuable into the heavy brush we were about to enter. He replied "I have been fortunate to make enough money to be able to afford some nice things but I won't buy a gun just to look at it . If I am afraid to use it I wont buy it."
As a young country boy I was still a bit amazed that he would risk getting it scratched. But I later realized it was just a thing. A very nice thing that he enjoyed using. He was probably in his mid 70's or older and In a few years he wouldn't be able to get out and hunt any more,but he would still have the memories of taking his favorite gun and carrying it in the woods.I don't think the memories of looking at that fine firearm hanging over a fireplace mantel would be recalled as fondly.
So if his gun was what he claimed, why not shoot it he might as well get some enjoyment out of it.

 

[ApexinM3]

Hartzpad,
The gunshop I work at P/T sells highend trap guns, some of which are stickered at $23k (Kolar, I think). Others are $16k (Krieghoff), but most are in the $3k-to-$5k (Beretta, Browning) range. I asked why they were so expensive (I know black guns...) and was told it has to do with the amount of hand fitting, engraving, and quality of wood. A few other factors are involved, but those are the main ones. It's quite interesting, actually, because in a lot of ways they are like fine watches. I'd never pay that much, but then again if I had the money to burn I might be singing a different tune.

In all likelyhood, your buddy is blowing smoke, but it IS possible.

 

[RNB65]

I love the bit about the "highly specialized graphite shot". Graphite is a form of carbon and it's used for many things, but shotgun shot isn't one of them. However, all lead shot is coated with graphite to keep the pellets from sticking together.

Call his bluff and ask to see proof of the gun's value. See what kind of excuses he comes up with.

 

[redneck2]

Or, you could just let it go. No biggie one way or another if he's right or wrong. If this is your biggest problem in life, you don't have problems.

Calling someone a liar, particularly when you don't know the truth, isn't a particularly valuable virtue

If you call him a liar and you're right, what have you gained? If you're wrong, you look like and idiot and a jerk. Let it go.

 

[444]

Paying that kind of money for a shotgun is easy. That wouldn't even be an expensive one.
I was taken to a gun shop near Pittsburgh about 15 years ago. I don't know the name of it, and could never find it on my own. The place didn't look like a store and wasn't in an area with other businesses. The store's merchandise was about 99% shotguns and they had hundreds in inventory. I don't think I would be wrong in saying that they might have had over 1000 shotguns in inventory. I was told that the cheapest shotgun they had was over $1500. The guy I was with owned a couple over and unders that cost in the $3k -5K range. His dad owns at least one shotgun that he is trying to sell used for $60k and he has fired thousands upon thousands of shells out of it in big money trap shoots. (FWIW, my friend was there to buy a Mec reloader).

I am honestly not trying to imply anything here, but you obviously don't run in circles where people spend money on toys. If that guy would have told me that I wouldn't have doubted him for a second. Hell, I paid over $40k for my pickup truck and drive it off road, why wouldn't he shoot a $25k shotgun ? What is going to happen to it ? I have seen guys fire one of a kind double rifles. We have a gun show here that sells shotguns and rifles for well in excess of 100 grand. Why is this shotgun such a big deal to you ? This may just be because I live in Las Vegas, but I wouldn't have been surprised if he told me he paid that much for his watch. I know a guy that has three Maxim belt fed machineguns sitting in his garage with all the other junk he has lying around. Each one of those is worth way more than that shotgun.

Point being, he may be FOS or not. But, it wouldn't cause me to raise an eyebrow if he was for real. The thing with the shells sounds kind of ridiculous to me, but you never know.

 

[pete f]

I have a good friend, who hunts all the time with "daddy's guns". One is a 12ga with a second set of barrels, from H&H, I have seen similar guns selling for over 50K He hunts pheasant with that gun. His grouse gun is a fancy Darne. maybe 10K. He does not baby these guns but he treasures that on every hunt "Dad" is with.....even tho he passed on maybe 20 years ago.

As for your buddy, It would seem to be a weak story, but not worth getting into a pissing match over. Maybe his dad told him that story to prevent him from getting rid of a treasured piece. Maybe he needs to believe that his daddy would spend that much on himself. Who cares. The guy likes you enough to let you shoot his $25,000 shottie, why argue.

 

[ATAShooter]

Well, I'll say this... You can pay 25,000 or even 250,000 ..... But if you can't hit crap, it's useless. At ATA shoots, there has been many a time I have seen a mossberg 500 shooter whip a Perazzi shooter. The guns are nice, but skill is the key. The rules only say how many birds you break.... not what you do it with.

 

[444]

True enough.
By the same token, the best trap shooters are NOT using Mossberg 500s.
There is nothing wrong with owning nice guns. There is nothing wrong with buying the best gun in the world, even if you can't shoot worth crap, just because it is what you want to do and it makes you happy. YOU are the only one that can make YOU happy. If you have the dough to buy nice stuff, why wouldn't you ? After all, it IS your money to do with as you please.
I shoot in a local match with a guy that obviously has big money. Everything about him screams money. He shoots an unbelievably gaudy, obnoxious commemrative gun (IMO). It doesn't run for crap and he can't shoot for crap. He is easily the worst shooter there. The gun cost less than this shotgun we are discussing, but way more than a good used car. He is happy with it and he has fun at the match. That is all that really matters. What the internet peanut gallery thinks doesn't. Should he shop at Walmart just to please someone else when he doesn't have to ?

I am also a big believer in the idea that having good equipment helps you shoot better sooner in your shooting career. Fighting poor equipment is the hard way to learn.

 

[albanian]

"I've shot a few $25K guns through the generosity of friends. Mostly Purdeys and a Fabri. They bust clays just like an 870....."

SO TRUE! That is so true it is not even funny. A shotgun is a smooth bore tube made for sending a bunch of lead shot in the direction it is pointed. Once you get beyond a well made barrel and choke, there is nothing that can be done to make it shoot any better. They can fit you better and balance better but unless it is custome made to fit YOU, it may not feel any better than a $700 Ruger Red Label.

I understand the love of fine things but I also like to get something for my money other than pretty wood. A rifle that can shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yards would be worth some extra cash because it does something that a $600 Remington can't do but a $25K shotgun that shoots the same as a cheap shotgun doesn't make sense to me. I like preformance not just beauty. For $25K, you should get both!

 

[444]

Hurry

Before you forget.
You need to let the US Olympic team know they have been wasting their money.
They don't need those expensive shotguns to shoot trap.
And to think, they didn't figure this out for themselves.
If only they spent more time on internet gun forums they could have saved themselves from all this.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Rein thy choler, 444. This is a friendly discussion.

Nobody ever won the Indy 500 in a Corvair. At the same time, not everyone wants or needs a vehicle which costs half a million and runs best at 150 MPH or more.

We have made our weapons prettier as long as we have made weapons. I delight in the fine finish and great wood on my TB, and it's glad I am to find an 870 that looks that good and works that well. And I love the eye candy the Geezers bring to PGC on Fridays.

In a given day, I might shoot with folks with Purdeys, Parkers and Mossberg bolt actions. I'm more concerned with safety and fellowship than make or money needed.

If I hit the Lottery, I'd pick up some more nice shotguns. Meanwhile I have lots of fun with the ones I have.