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    HOW TO ASK – You need to give enough info so people know what you have and what you are talking about. Be sure your GUN IS UNLOADED first. Here is a basic list of what to include:

    * TYPE – Long gun or hand gun? If it's a handgun, is it a revolver or a auto-pistol. If it's a long gun, is it a shotgun or a rifle?

    * ACTION – What type of action does it have – single shot, break-open, double barrel, bolt action, pump action, lever action, revolver, semi-auto, other? Double or single action? Exposed hammer or hammerless? If revolver, solid frame, tip-up, top-break, or swing-out cylinder?

    * CALIBER – If you are lucky, it was be printed on the gun, if not, make your best guess as the the approximate bore size

    * MEASUREMENTS – barrel length, overall length.

    * MARKINGS – List ALL markings on the gun...even if you don't think they are important.

    CONDITION – After you know WHAT it is, the biggest factor in value is the CONDITION of the gun. Differences in condition can dramatically change the value of a gun. This is somewhat tough to do, and if you not familiar with firearms, you many need to ask for help. There are two systems commonly used .

    The NRA CONDITION STANDARDS rate modern guns as New, Excellent, Very Good, Good or Fair, and antique guns as Excellent, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. Each condition rating has a specific definition (you can find these defined in Blue Book of Gun Values).

    The PERCENTAGE SYSTEM rates the percent of original finish remaining on the gun, 100% to 0%.

    Refinishing a collectible gun or modifying it or customizing it or over-cleaning it nearly always lowers the value. NEVER take it upon yourself to clean up an old gun unless you know what you’re doing. You can make you riches into junkers.

    Link to definitions of NRA Conditions Grading Standards, and more information on rating gun condition.

    REFERENCE BOOKS – Most value questions can be answered by the major price guides -

    Blue Book of Gun Values by Fjestad, uses the percentage system, good for modern guns, no pictures. To order: Blue Book

    Standard Catalog of Firearms by Schwing, uses "Excellent" through "Fair" rating system, lots of photos, good all around guide, but BEWARE that they don't use the widely accepted NRA antique condition definitions!

    Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Arms – great for for antique American arms.

    R.L. Wilson's Official Guide. – helpful for the oddballs.

    Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson - by Jim Supica & Richard Nahas. great for S&W pricing.

    Remember that these list RETAIL prices. Expect a dealer to offer you 40% to 70% of these if he’s buying for resale.

    OTHER SOURCES OF HELP You can also get help with most questions at the rec.guns newsgroup, or at aol’s Gun Talk forum (keyword "Guns"). You can also take your gun to a gun show & walk it around asking opinions, but remember that some opinions may be from folks who want to buy your gun as cheaply as possible.

    Also, you might try the following:

    Guns for sale here – see if we have a comparable gun listed for sale, and what we’re asking.

    gunbroker.com/ - see what their guns are currently selling for.

    auctionarms.com/ - see what their guns are currently selling for.

    gunsamerica.com/ - see what their guns are currently selling for.

    The newstand publications Shotgun News and Gun List also list guns for sale for comparison pricing.

    SOME SPECIFIC GUN VALUES

    There are some types of older guns that tend not to bring much money (as guns go). While there are always exceptions, here are some of the types that tend to bring less than folks often hope —

    * Most single barrel break-open shotguns.– (except for fine trap guns), most bring $25-$75

    * Most top-break or solid frame .32 & .38 DA revolvers by firms like H&R, Iver Johnson, US Revolver, Secret Service Special, Hopkins & Allen, Forehand etc. Most bring $40 to $125. A truly "as new" gun in the original box can bring more. Top-breaks by S&W can bring more, and large frame .44 & .45 caliber S&W top-breaks can be very valuable. Foreign copies of S&W's do not bring nearly as much as original S&W's.

    * Many (but not all) double barrel shotguns w/ damascus barrels have relatively low values. Damascus barrels have a "twist" or "laminated" pattern in the steel, and are generally unsafe to shoot with modern ammunition. They are primarily "wall hangers" or "decorators". About 95% of these will retail in the $100 to $300 range. This range includes most well-worn, plain grade double barrel muzzle-loading shotguns, as well as those which break open to take shotshells.

    Those double damascus shotguns which will bring more have one or more of the following factors —

    1. Famous maker (such as Purdey, LC Smith, Parker, Greener, W&C Scott, etc.)

    2. High grade of gun. Nearly all the best makers offered several "grades" of guns. The better grades included fine engraving, select fancy wood, special features, etc.

    3. Excellent original condition (never refinished or modified)

    A double barrel damascus shotgun with all three of these factors can be worth thousands.

    * Most mass-produced reproduction blackpowder (muzzle-loader) guns are not worth a great deal. It is a common mistake a to confuse modern reproduction of an antique pattern gun for an original. If a gun is marked "For Black Powder Only", it is reproduction. Usually, if it’s marked "Made in (name of country)" it’s a reproduction. Many Italian made reproduction cap and ball firearms retail used in the $40 to $150 range. Some of the better reproductions, such as those by Colt, Ruger, or Thompson Center, might tend to retail more in the $100 to $350 range. Some oddball hand made reproduction Kentucky rifles by famous individual gunsmiths can bring much more, but can be hard to sell.

    * Recently imported milsurp rifles. Again, there are lots of exceptions, but many "import marked" bolt action type non-US military rifles in well-used condition (esp. with non-matching serial numbers) will retail in the $50 to $200 range. Ones that seem to be especially cheap right now include most English, Turkish, Chinese, and Spanish bolt actions.

    * TRADE NAME GUNS – These are guns which were made by various firearm manufacturers for large distributors or mail order or hardware stores. The manufacturers would put any name the store wanted. This started back in the 1800’s and continued through the 1960’s for Sears & Wards. People are often disappointed, since they find a gun with an odd name on it, and assume the it must be rare, and if rare, must be valuable. Not always the case. These guns have very little collectors interest, and are valued primarily as shooters. Many of these are well made and are great shooters – they just don’t usually have collector value. Most trade name .22 rifles will retail between $40 to $100. Trade name pump shotguns will retail in the $60 to $150 range.

    * COMMEMORATIVES – Most guns increase in value over the years (after an initial depreciation when the first few years). One group of guns that have not performed as well as others are COMMEMORATIVES. To get top value, a commemorative must be absolutely unfired w/ the original box & all papers. Even so, they can be very tough to sell, and some are worth less now than when purchased years ago. Especially weak performers have been commemoratives created by firms such as Franklin Mint, American Historical Society, etc. Most better price guides list retail values for commemoratives which were offered by the actual manufacturer (most notably, Colt & Winchester.) They can be slow to sell if you’re trying to get "book value" or close to it. Commeroratives often are great show pieces and should be bought for sentimental reasons, not to flip and try to profit.

    * CUSTOM GUNS – It is very hard to get your money that you invested in a custom gun. Many people are not willing to pay for your modifications This is especially true of SPORT MILITARY RIFLES. Usually, a military rifle will be worth more in it’s original configuration than if someone has extensively modified it for sporting use.

    There are some types of guns which are worth watching for, as they nearly always have good collector value. A listing here will be woefully incomplete, but some of the many major collecting fields include Colt percussion revolvers, Colt Single Action Armys, pre-1964 Winchesters, Lugers & other early auto pistols in nice original condition, large frame S&W top-breaks, US military arms, original percussion & flintlock rifles, fine double shotguns, etc, etc., etc. There are generally collectors for specific rare guns by any of the better quality manufacturers. Among those, often WWII or earlier guns bring a premium, and pre-1898 "antique" guns may bring an even larger premium.

    Take everything with a grain of salt. These are just generalizations and should only be used as a starting point.

    Hope this has been of help! You can also post a thread and hopefully someone else will have some info for you.

    This is a membership driven discussion forum.

    As such, Michigan Gun Owners does not endorse, sponsor, sanction, or guarantee any of the products, services, appraisal values, identification or other input that appears in the "Firearm Identification/Value" forum.
    Last edited by edge; 03-13-2010 at 04:28 PM.

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    Also, to add:

    This is a membership driven discussion forum.

    As such, Michigan Gun Owners does not endorse, sponsor, sanction, or guarantee any of the products, services, appraisal values, identification or other input that appears in the "Firearm Identification/Value" forum.

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