Dead Rich/Poor doctor Estate Auction: Guns +

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  • Ole Cowboy

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    Not a thing. I could see how things were going and threw out a couple of opening bids that were at the top end of what I was willing to pay; the bidding just zoomed up from there.

    I won't be at the auction tomorrow but there are plenty of hand and shop tools being offered. I hope they attract a more sensible crowd than showed up a week ago.

    When I go to the gun auction, I have hopes of bringing something home. There are several things I want enough to overpay at least a little. And I think I'll drive my truck, just hoping to get a good deal on ammo. They still haven't published an inventory of ammo available.
    On an auction a short time ago there was a small anvil up. IIRC it was 8" tall, unmarked with mfg or date.

    I would like to have one out in the shop and bid $80. I stayed with it till it hit $250, it hammered at $400...
     

    T.C.

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    69. REMINGTON 870 EXPRESS MAGNUM 12GA SHOTGUN
    70. REMINGTON 870 EXPRESS 12GA SHOTGUN

    Express = MEH!
     

    benenglish

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    I attended the preview today. I didn't look at everything but if there's a particular gun anyone is interested in, ask me about it and I'll check my notes.
     

    benenglish

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    It was a total misprint. That was the only thing I was *really* interested in. Blaser did, in fact, import a dozen or so pistols many years ago. Like their rifles, you could get them in any chambering, including .375H&H. I went there today believing I was about to gaze upon one of my holy grails.

    Man, was I bummed.

    They listed a rifle as a pistol? That's just stupid. The .375 Colt revolvers are .357s. And the 6mm Browning pistol isn't some custom bolt gun in 6 PPC, AR, or BR. It's a 6.35, i.e. a Baby Browning in .25 ACP. The guard really glared at me when I pulled out a pen and wrote a correction on the lot tag. ;)

    So, lesson 1 - The inventory list compiled by the auction house was more than a little sloppy.
     
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    benenglish

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    Off to bed for the night. One random note as a teaser:

    The auction list shows a Browning Invector 26 10 gauge shotgun. It's an earlier model with decent wood, bluing, and some of that gold inlay that Browning likes to do. Sounds like a good duck gun, huh?

    Nope.

    Somebody took a hacksaw to the barrel at about 16", then did a real ugly, cobbled-together attachment of an old flashlight at about 5 o'clock at the muzzle. Basically, somebody tried to turn it into what we called a "riot gun" back in the day, before there were any decent stocks and accessories for self-defense shotguns.

    I talked to one of the auction guys who obviously knew guns. "Who would mutilate a nice bird gun like that?" He just shook his head.

    Some of the guns are gorgeously pristine but a surprising number are badly altered, badly stored, badly neglected, and, in at least one case, rusted to hell. Frankly, I was surprised. All that money and he couldn't pay somebody to clean his guns and put them away properly?
     

    benenglish

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    Anything stand out in your memory of the HK SP89? Always wanted one.
    Of the fun blasters in inventory, it was in better shape than most. There was cosmetic wear and it was pretty grungy. There were some dings. I remember thinking that it could use refinishing to look good but that's not really the point of that pistol, is it?

    The mechanicals looked good. If you want an SP89 as a shooter, it's probably a good one since it's far, far away from the sort of pristine example that might attract a collector.

    No magazine. Since I wasn't interested, I didn't look down the bore.

    Those things go for ridiculous prices at gun shows. I can only imagine what this one will sell for. I'm not going to try to buy it; I figure there'll be too much competition.
     

    benenglish

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    BTW - On the subject of magazines, the auction house personnel were actively looking to match magazines to firearms. They had some magazines separate from the firearms. I have no idea how they got separated. While I was there, though, they managed to match a P220 magazine to one of the P220s in the auction.

    So, while the auction list says "no clip" on a bunch of items, there's a possibility that some magazines might appear by tomorrow. You CANNOT count on this happening but it's possible.
     

    benenglish

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    Thanks for the reviews Ben, Fascinating as always.
    Thanks for the kind words.

    I'm kinda surprised that so few people asked for any info from the preview. I took extensive notes and if anyone had questions about particular guns, perhaps questions that could help them decide if they wanted to go or not, I was ready to answer. Not too many people wanted the help, though, so I guess people have already made up their minds if they wanted to go or not.

    I'll check this thread one more time in about an hour before turning in and will answer any questions posted. After that, folks will just have to show up to look at the goods.

    As for tomorrow, I'm not a smartphone user. (I spent *way* too much time in the last few years of my career exploiting information from cell phones to consider using anything other than the dumbest piece of shit phone I can find.) For that reason, I won't be able to tweet or post directly to this forum the results of the bidding. If anyone else wants to do a play-by-play from the auction that would be great but I'll be concentrating on the business at the front of the room.

    I said that to say this - once I get home, I'll compile and post a list of all the auction results (that I can hear; inevitably I'll miss the hammer price on something someone was really curious about) as well as my notes on the merchandise. At least, that's my intention. If anyone else does the same thing *during* the auction, though, there'll be no need.

    No matter what, though, I'm pretty sure I'll feel compelled to do some sort of wrap-up write-up. I'm too much of a blabbermouth to pass up the opportunity to put that many words on the screen. ;)
     

    Glockster69

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    Thanks for the kind words.

    I'm kinda surprised that so few people asked for any info from the preview. I took extensive notes and if anyone had questions about particular guns, perhaps questions that could help them decide if they wanted to go or not, I was ready to answer. Not too many people wanted the help, though, so I guess people have already made up their minds if they wanted to go or not.

    Honestly, I think your #2 & 14 posts sealed the deal for many, myself included. No matter and as always, your detailed information was a huge help, at least to me.
     

    pistolpadre

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    Actually I've had a question from the OP on.. numbers 36, and 37.. Didn't want to bother you for fantasy purchases, but sure would love to hear a follow up on these.. assume a pair of 1917 45 ACP's.. were they blue or park, wood or colt plastic grips, and a hammer price should you stick around..

    As an addendum to all the compliments.. the 'most interesting' title went to you (MHO category) when you did the "Alex, I'll take rap for 500 thing". glad your getting these group accolades Ben, you add to the site to a degree that makes them deserved..
     
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    benenglish

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    Actually I've had a question from the OP on.. numbers 36, and 37... assume a pair of 1917 45 ACP's.. were they blue or park, wood or colt plastic grips, and a hammer price should you stick around..
    Again, thanks for the kind words.

    Those two revolvers are not 1917s. They are a couple of .45 Long Colt Peacemaker commemoratives. They are by Colt and not knock-offs. They have a very high-polish finish. It didn't look like nickel, so I'm guessing it's chrome.

    I forget what they commemorated. There was an auction employee standing next to them during the whole preview warning people not to spin the cylinders. Naturally, I picked one up and automatically started to check it to see that it was unloaded. "Please don't spin that cylinder. Those guns are commemoratives." I closed the loading gate and said "OK, but since it's on half-cock I'm going to have to spin it one chamber to lower the hammer." He said "Yeah, I know. Just do it slow and careful." I did and put it down.

    I assume that like most makers, Colt has put out lots of commemoratives that aren't worth any kind of premium so I don't attach any special significance to them. But that finish (that you could use for a mirror) and the faux-ivory grip panels made for a couple of very pretty revolvers. If someone wanted to get into Cowboy Action, they'd make a great fashion statement.

    Condition was pristine. I saw no drag lines and no residue of any sort. My guess is they are unfired.

    Sorry I didn't examine them more carefully but they didn't hold much interest for me. I was a lot more interested in the two nearby Diamondbacks. ;)

    I'll try to get the hammer price for you. In fact, as I said before I'm going to try to get *all* the hammer prices.
     

    benenglish

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    If that's all the pre-auction questions, I'm gonna hit the sack. First, though, I want to re-post something I posted to another forum. It pretty much sums up my attitude toward the auction.

    I went to the preview and was shocked at the condition of many of the pieces. Many were neglected, many were very badly altered, at least one was completely covered in rust.

    To be sure, there were some newer nice things there. [Emphasis added for TGT readers.] However, some of the classics were enough to make my soul cry. For example, there's a .416 Rigby on a Mauser action that looks like it's actually a Rigby-built rifle. At first glance, everything looks right. The stock shape is classic. The front sling attachment is via a barrel ring. The bedding is properly crossbraced.

    Then you look closer and realize that it's got rust all over, the bore has been neglected, the stock is dinged up badly. Worst of all, someone cut off the barrel just ahead of the front sight and attached an abominable muzzle brake. They also managed to booger up the front sight while doing the work.

    It's arguably a $4K gun but it needs probably that much money put into it to restore it. And there's no way to restore the mutilated barrel.

    I don't even want to think about the 10-gauge Browning (originally with a long barrel for duck hunting-type work) with good wood, bluing, and gold inlay that had been hacksawed off at about 16" and an old flashlight crudely attached at the muzzle.

    I was really, really disappointed during the preview.

    I'm especially disappointed since I was at the first auction 2 weeks ago and everything sold for ridiculously high prices. Seriously, there was furniture with retail price tags from local stores that sold for more than the price on the tags!

    I'm going. I'm taking cash. There are a half-dozen nice things I'll try to buy. Realistically, I expect to come home with exactly the amount of money I take into the place, minus the cost of a hot dog and a diet Coke.
     

    benenglish

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    Hitting the road. Barring something unforeseen, I'll be there soon. Any TGT'ers, feel free to say Hi.
     

    Reaper277

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    2 colt Pythons, wouldn't mind having one of those, crazy prices on those since Walking Dead started. At least where I'm at.
     

    Acera

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    Like Glockster said, post 14 nailed it down for me. Trust your postings and feel that other things have moved up the priority list.

    Thanks for your effort, been informative reading your posts.

    Can't wait to see your wrap up post on this whole thing.
     
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