Selling off a gun collection

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Mesa

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Athens, Ga.
I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to sell off a 80 or so piece gun collection. Getting a table at a gun show might be a good idea but the tables aren't cheap and I wouldn't want to have to haul any guns that didn't sell back home. Shipping to FFL's is a ROYAL pain. I've sold a few and shipping through Fed Ex or anybody else is WAY too much trouble.

Are there places that buy entire collections for a reasonable amount?

I have a small knife collection to get rid of too. Additionally, I have reloading equipment, brass, a safe, gun cases, and a LOT of other stuff I'd like to liquidate. Any suggestions?
 
Are you looking to sell them all at once, or over time? If you want to sell them onesies-twosies, how about posting them for sale right here on THR?

I've had decent results doing that, but I'm lucky enough to live in a big metro area that has a lot of gun buyers and sellers around.

For the knives and reloading stuff, there's always Ebay in addition to the online classifieds.
 
You could probably utilize the Classified forum here on THR to move that stuff quickly, although I would only do this if you want to make real good friends with the people down at the UPS store.

I know the reloading goodies being posted would be appreciated :)
 
What weapons are you talking about? If they are WWII German weapons, my uncle will fly there and buy all you have (if he does not have them already). Maybe you should post what you have? Or it could be too many to post.... just a thought.
Good luck.
 
contact an auction house, or you could try calling a local cabelas/gander mountain type place and see if they're interested, since they can spread them throughout a chain if they want to
 
you'll have to balance the money you get for them against the time it takes you to sell them. you can sell them as a group, but you'll get a fraction of total value. you can sell them individually, but it will obviously be more work for you.

if you're patient and ga law allows it, put them up here on thr and say local ftf only.
 
I agree with pauli. If you have to avoid the "ROYAL pain" expect to get a fraction of what they are worth. Personally I sell all my stuff on GunBroker.
 
First, a written inventory. Make, model, year (if possible), cartridge, condition. Fjestad's Blue Book is a help in judging retail value and condition. Don't expect to get retail except one by one to very interested buyers.

List a group separately--say, ten at a time--here at THR, with a reasonable price. You can always limit it to face-to-face sales and Georgia residents. Post another list a week or so later, I guess.

You can make a complete inventory list and make copies to mail to interested buyers of collections. In doing that, you face the usual trade-off between your time and the lesser money from the bulk buy.

Round numbers and roughly: If I bought your entire collection, I'd expect to resell at a profit. I don't expect to get full-bore retail, so I have to have room for both profit and my overhead of travel to gunshows and the table cost. Somewhere around 50% to 60% of retail would be my upper limit for a buy price.

Art
 
There are several outfits that advertise in "The Shotgun News" and "The Gun List" who offer to buy entire collections. My caveat here would be that, IMO, you're highly unlikely to realize anywhere near as much as you could selling the individual pieces. No one who buys used guns and/or accessories specifically for resale is going to pay you more than a fraction of the potential "retail" value.

Guess it comes down to just how much you're willing to sacrifice for convenience.

Don't know how things are in your area, but gun show tables here average about $35 each, typically 8' x 3' per table, for the run of the show. If you bring your own food and drink (some venues frown on this, as they get a cut of the gross from the caterer) and don't have to spring for lodging you ought to be able to recover all or most of your out-of-pocket expenses on one gun sale compared to what a reseller would've given you for that piece.

Unless your asking prices are totally unrealistic and you're unwilling to dicker, odds are that you'd be hauling a good deal less back home than you left with, your wallet excluded. There's no free money. You're gonna have to put some labor into anything that pays. That holds true whether it's an online auction, gun show, or whatever. For most firearms and related items, gun shows offer the most cost-effective way to liquidate, IMO. When you factor-in auction site fees, your time taking photos and assembling the ads, potential hassles and liabilities due to local restrictions, repeated trips to the UPS depot, packing materials, etc., etc., ad nauseum, the cash-and-carry aspect of a show makes sitting behind a table for a couple of days and loading a car trunk less work for the money all by itself.
 
Another thing you might consider is a gunshop that will put them on consignment. I live in a small town but it has a gunshop that will do it. I sold 7 or 8 that way over the course of a year. I was charged $20 regardless of the value. I sold a 9mm Broomhandle Mauser for $750 and a 1910 Mauser pocket pistol for $125. $20 fee for each. The shop owner gets traffic in his store, $20 from me and another $20 from the buyer. Check around your area for one.
 
Any local FFL's in your area? See if they'll sell on commission. It's easy for them (assuming item will sell) Present about a have dozen at a time through there, along with a more complete list of inventory/prices. Arrange to met anyone interested at the gun store to avoid having your home "cased".
Any title II or NFA items i'd go to subguns.com board and ask for advice/advertize.
 
From what you posted, I think selling them at auction would be your best bet. You will get close to top dollar even after you have to pay the auction fees. It is the least amount of work for you with the most amount of profit. I have never done it that way because I never had 80 guns to sell at one time but if the gun auctions I have been to are any gauge, you can expect crazy prices on all your guns. Every auction I have been to ended up with every gun selling at very high prices. I am not talking about rare guns only.
 
+1 to albanian

I go to alot of estate auctions, and get really good deals...BUT NOT ON GUNS

I've seen cheap, rusted, missing parts .22s go for $100...Don't know why but people at these things often spend WAY more than the guns are worth...
 
What mainmech48 said.
But, also, if you have a gun shop you trust, that deals in used guns (some don't), they might be willing to walk through with you.
The guy I usually deal with takes 20% off what he could sell it for as his price to you.
And that seems to match up very closely with what they would sell for on THR or others.
Lot less hassle.
If you don't have a good gunshop nearby, go with what mainmech48 said.
 
Collector's Firearms

Collector's down in Houston buys quite a few entire collections annually.

They're at http://www.collectorsfirearms.com

I've been told from other folks that they were paid a fair price for their collections, similarly to what they could have made by selling pieces individually.

From their site:
"Estates and Collections Purchased

Collectors Firearms buys gun collections. We also buy, sell and trade individual items. Contact us if you have an estate, or collection of guns, antique or modern, for sale. No collection is too large or too small. We buy militaria such as swords, knives, uniforms, helmets, medals, and decorations also. We are particularly interested in purchasing Japanese Samurai swords! We will travel to view or buy collections. Please call us at any time to schedule a viewing. All transactions are strictly confidential."
 
If sell them as a lot you will more than likely make less money.
I know its a pain but you will do alot better selling them one at a time.
 
GreyGhost

Your e-mail is blocked GreyGhost. My e-mail is [email protected].

Here is a full list of what I have (minus the ones I want to keep):
PISTOLS:
1 Armi Tanfoglio Giuseppe GT-27 25 ACP
2 Beretta Minx 950 BS 22 SHORT
3 Colt Junior 25ACP
4 CZ CZ-52 7.62x25
5 FEG PMK-380 380ACP
6 FIE Mod TEX 22LR & 22MAG
7 FIE Titan 25ACP
8 Galesi 504 25ACP
9 Galesi 512 32ACP
10 Grendel P-10 380ACP
11 Hi-Standard Double Nine W-101 22LR
12 High Standard Double Nine W-104 22 cal
13 HighStandard Hombre W105 22
14 Makarov BAIKAL IJ-70 9x18 MAK
15 Mauser M2 45ACP
16 Mauser M2 40 S&W
17 Phoenix Arms HP-22 22 LR
18 Phoenix Arms HP-22 22LR
19 Phoenix Arms HP-22 22LR
20 Phoenix Arms Raven 25ACP
21 Phoenix Arms Raven 25ACP
22 Rossi Lady 22LR
23 Russian Nagant Nagant 1895 7.62 x 38R
24 Smith & Wesson Airweight 642 38SPL
25 Smith & Wesson Airweight 642 38 SPL
26 Springfield Armory Ultra Compact V-10 45ACP
27 Walther P22 22LR

AIR RIFLE
28 RWS Model 34 .177 Pellet

RIFLES
29 CETME 308 NATO
30 CZ CZ-52 (VZ-52) 7.62 x 45
31 Enfield No. 1 Mk 3 303 Brit
32 Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 303 Brit
33 Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 303
34 JC Higgins Model 25 22LR
35 MAS 1936 7.5 French
36 MAS 1936-51 7.5 French
37 Mauser M98/22 8mm
38 Mauser K98 8mm
39 Mauser M 24/47 8 MM
40 Mauser M48A 8mm
41 Mauser Swedish 96 6.5x55
42 Mauser Turk Gew 98 8 mm
43 Mauser Turkish 8 mm
44 Mauser VZ-24 8 MM
45 Mauser VZ-24 8 MM
46 Mosin Nagant 91/30 7.62 X 54R
47 Mosin Nagant 91/30 7.62 x 54R
48 Mosin Nagant 91/30 7.62x54R
49 Mosin Nagant M 91/30 7.62 x 54R
50 Mosin Nagant M38 7.62x54R
51 Mosin Nagant M38 7.62x54R
52 Mosin Nagant M39 7.62x54R
53 Mosin Nagant M44 7.62x54R
54 Remington 514 22S, 22L, 22LR
55 Remington 597 22 LR
56 Remington 597 22 LR
57 Remington 597 22 LR
58 Romanian 1969 22LR
59 Romanian 1969 22LR
60 Romanian 1969 22LR
61 Schmidt-Rubin K-31 7.5x55
62 Schmidt-Rubin K-31 7.5x55
63 Schmidt-Rubin K-31 7.5x55
64 Schmidt-Rubin K-31 7.5x55
65 Schmidt-Rubin K-31 7.5x55
66 SKS 7.62 x 39
67 SKS 7.62x39
68 Stevens/Savage 86D 22S, 22L, 22LR
69 Styer M95 / 34 8 x 56R
 
80 - 69 = 11... looks to me like he's hanging onto about 11 pieces.

mesa... if you decide you want to ship, i am particularly interested in #37, 44, and 54.

good luck.
 
Actually, I have 82, so I'm hanging on to 13.

I'm selling a closet full of guitars and musical equipment first. Then I imagine I'll start with the guns. I talked to a guy tonight that is interested in selling them [the guns] through his shop. I also have a small knife collection to get rid of. Too many toys, not enogh time.
 
Can a FTF transfer be done with a FL resident, or does that have to be an in-state-only deal.

I have to head up to Athens next month for my wifes NATA certfication exam.

I'm interested in an Enfield, and possibly and SKS.
 
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