Internet auctions.

[jeffkinser]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

I'm not talking about gunbroker, but rather the true auction houses. I realize the bigger auction houses have garnered their reputations through honest dealings. These well-established big auction houses attract the most potential buyers and with it comes top dollar realized, but what about the lesser known auction houses where one might be able to pick up a quality gun at a great price without the competition?

What are some of the lesser known ones that you are talking about. I would love to add more sites to see guns and hopefully see prices paid to learn more about the market.

Jeff

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by jeffkinser

What are some of the lesser known ones that you are talking about. I would love to add more sites to see guns and hopefully see prices paid to learn more about the market.

Jeff

Carol Watson's Orange County Auctions, Fox River Auctions, Poulin Auction Company and scores of others scattered around the country.

[Jawjadawg]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

Carol Watson's Orange County Auctions, Fox River Auctions, Poulin Auction Company and scores of others scattered around the country.

Strongly disagree. I've picked a few bargains this way, but you get far less information when using something like Proxibid to access those auctions, and no buyer protections. None. Zilch. Gunslingerauctions in California will never see another dime from me. Sorry SOB's won't even return phone calls after I spoke to them about the fact the Fox they sent me made no mention of being more wobbly than a circus tent in a tornado, among other issues. I didn't complain too much because I knew the risk ahead of time, but their NRA description was a joke. The gun was unsafe to shoot. Carol Watson's also sent me a pretty ridiculous gun, but those were also partially my fault for not asking better questions. I've posted about the Carol Watson's gun(without mentioning them - I've actually held the gun for over a year), on Double Gun Shop recently when asking about how the ribs were attached on an LC Smith from 1968-71. That gun arrived with the ribs attached by high heat black silicon. I've also attended the live auction regularly held here in Central Georgia. Those guns were also not very well represented on the internet, and for some reason the on-sight bidders seem to push the prices higher despite condition. The auctioneer seems to have a good feel for how high the people in the live audience will bid, and then there are also the "pre-bids" which I assume are often placed by shills to establish a "reserve".

Rock Island and, of course, Julia's, seem to be the best.

The auctions on the Gunbroker-style websites are far superior to the others, in my opinion. My experience with Freeman_Arms in Drexel, MO regarding their "call it what you will" behavior has been the exception.