Finding a unique gun is a rare find. Purchasing an antique that has some value is even rarer.
An antique is described as an item that is over one hundred years old. Anything newer than that isn’t an antique, but should more accurately be described as vintage. So do you know anyone that has an antique gun collection? It’s a fun hobby that can get quite expensive, depending on what you are going after. You have to be smart about where to look. Sure, you can get really lucky and find an antique beauty at your local pawn shop, but you’ll probably have to look a little harder than that.
Let’s check out some of the very best places to shop for an antique gun with value. Part of the search for a perfect antique gun is just like hunting. The process is so much fun.
Educate Yourself First
Before you jump into taking anyone’s word about a firearm and the value, educate yourself on some historical basics. Not everyone will be honest with you. Know some facts about antique weapons. Check everything out to make sure the condition is good without any major modifications made to the gun, which will usually render it less valuable.
Private Gun Collectors
This is a good place to start that takes some time to investigate. If you belong to some antique gun enthusiast clubs through social media, this is a great way to meet fellow collectors who might be looking to liquidate their collection at certain times. Maybe they are making room for other acquisitions, but you can benefit from this.
Estate Sales
Estate sales usually happen when a person has passed away and their family is selling off most of their assets. You can sometimes find listings of estate sales that will specifically say they have antique weapons as part of the lot. You can get some truly fantastic deals this way.
Gun Shows
Be careful with these. People tend to up-charge for guns that aren’t worth what they say. Another possibility is that the sellers know their value and the prices are very high. If you go to a local show that’s pretty big quite often, you may be able to make friends with some of the collectors and eventually negotiate a better deal on an antique piece you have you eye on.
Online Websites
There are tons of places online to buy antique guns. GunAuction and GunBroker are just two of them to try. You can’t go to Ebay though — they have banned the sale of any firearms on their massive online auction house.
In-Person Auction Houses
Speaking of auction houses, you can go through one of these, like Christie’s, when they have a special sale on antique weaponry. Keep in mind this is a place where they sell pretty high-end stuff, so you are unlikely to get a great deal. You need to have some serious money to spend. It’s definitely fun to be a part of a live auction where you get to see some amazing antiques.
Your ideas are all worth consideration and yes, sellers of older guns most certainly price them above their actual worth. This is usually due to the seller evaluating his product at 90% when it is in reality a 65% condition arm. Seems that more often than not, antique and vintage arms are evaluated a good 20% plus above their actual condition.
Now, my main reason for responding is this, most all older firearms being sold are sporting arms, not Weapons. Weapons are designed for combat. My Ithaca Flues S/S (1917) and my Savage ’99’s are not weapons, just field guns. In the mid to late ’60’s I gunned on a 155mm howitzer and carried a M-14, now these were weapons. I just had to say this. Respectfully, Raymond