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Re: I put a deposit on my first gun show table.

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 5:05 pm
by ArchFluffy
This makes me want to go to a gun show now too!

Not that I want to sell anything...

Really though, I think it's great that you pulled the trigger on this and gave it a shot. Looking forward to the final report!

-ArchFluffy

Re: I put a deposit on my first gun show table.

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 6:15 pm
by Niner
Today, I went in with my three rifles left. After thinking about it a little I decided to go home early and take them with me as they will help fill out a table full of rifles next time I may do this.

The one thing I didn't factor in was that the state, city and county wanted their tax cut. However even after having to eat that I still managed to realize a good profit over what I had in them. The long term investment in those old military bolt actions sold at scrap prices fifteen and twenty years ago has turned out to be good.

Re: I put a deposit on my first gun show table.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 2:38 am
by DuncaninFrance
So you sold 9? :roll:
Obviously you now know the ropes and a table at another show would probably nett you a better profit :)

Re: I put a deposit on my first gun show table.

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:29 am
by Niner
Duncan, I sold all of them for probably less than the highest possible price...yet when I add up the money I paid for the nine I sold and divided it into the money I sold them for, the result is three times what I paid for them in the years ago past. I probably should have offered some for $50 or a $100 or so more. On the other hand, would the buyers have been there at the higher price? I saw some dealers there with some much higher prices on Nagants but.... from the people I was seeing I don't think the chances were good that they ever sold. Of course the "greater fool" might have come along......but the odds weren't that great.

My goal was to reduce my collection and sell what I had for at least twice what I had in them from the golden age of the surplus rifle. I succeeded.

Next time I'll be into the less seen specimens and that will take some research....or maybe there is a better way to sell them by getting them in front of a larger audience. There are some auction houses for instance. I could also pick some for a gun shop at a range I frequent. They sell guns on a 10% commission. No tax problem collection as they are dealers and have tax accounts and people expect to pay the tax.

It was an experience I'm glad I undertook if only to have done it. It rounds out the C&R collector experience.


One thing that has proved out over the years....for me anyway.... if you buy an old firearm because you are interested in the history and the mechanics and the experience of knowing how a soldier experienced firing it, it won't be like just about ever other "durable" good you ever bought. It is not likely you will lose any money on your purchase if you keep it long enough. You can't say that about many things.

Re: I put a deposit on my first gun show table.

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 10:09 pm
by Aughnanure
I'd take an Indian Enfield .308 like a flash too.

Hope all goes well,

I came in late there!!

I'm in India at the moment and still a bit "Jet Forwarded" :bigsmile:


Eoin.

Re: I put a deposit on my first gun show table.

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 10:35 pm
by Niner
Sold the 2A and the 2A1 to the same young fellow. He said he was interested in the history. Hope he enjoys having them. I did stress that I was selling them as a Curio & Relic and that he ought to have them checked out by a competent gunsmith first if he planned on shooting them...and that the caliber wasn't .303 but the NATO cousin to the .308. I shot at least one of them a dozen years ago.... probably shot both of them. Just never took a shine to them. Maybe it was a shortage of ammo as well. I always have had plenty of .303, 8mm and 7.62x54r surplus around. Still do.

I gave him a card with the address of this site. Maybe he will take a look some time.