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November 7, 2015
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Next weekend, December 5-8 in Bedford, Texas. Looks like I’m finally going to check out Kevin’s new place! I’ll be staying nearby so I’ll have plenty of time to peruse the eye candy. If anybody needs me to deliver their purchases I’m up for a road trip, weather permitting.
Mike
Have fun, I hope to make one of their next setups in the new year! I’m home for weekend and may go check out the Denton show tomorrow….haven’t decided.
RIA might be good to visit like it was a museum, you take nothing home with you. The deep pockets amongst attendees have made it unattractive for those with not quite so deep pockets. RIA attracts those with the very deepest pockets.
November 7, 2015
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mrcvs said
RIA might be good to visit like it was a museum, you take nothing home with you. The deep pockets amongst attendees have made it unattractive for those with not quite so deep pockets. RIA attracts those with the very deepest pockets.
Yes sir, well aware of that. I’ve been paying for my considerable tornado damage out of pocket so my pockets are not nearly as deep as they once may have been. Kevin Hogan and his dad have been very good to the TGCA and several of us took Kevin up on his invite to be guests of RIA for the weekend. Next weekend is the Premier auction so it will indeed be like a trip to the museum. I haven’t gotten my catalogs yet but my running buddy has and he says the offerings are pretty spectacular. They had an online auction that ended today, many of the offerings were quite affordable and tempting. RIA spends a considerable amount of time and money promoting their auctions, they attract some very special items and the folks with deep pockets who don’t mind paying big bucks for something they want.
I need a few mental health days away from Ground Zero. I just finished shoveling out a storage container that has been thru a tornado and two fires. Among other things it contained keepsakes from my parents’ and grandparents’ estates. I haven’t seen any collectable Winchesters since I returned from Cody and dropped some of mine off at an undisclosed location. I’ll get a bidder number and if I get a chance to steal something I’ll certainly try….if I can afford it!
Mike
As much as I can understand and agree with the comments above, I am grateful that we have a RIA house as a few others also, as times have changed for all of us, in the past years, in the collecting field. Yeah the nice honest collectable firearms are getting harder to find, and pricier, but things seem to come available also giving us things to look forward to. 
Anthony
I like to bottom feed the RIA auctions (not so much the premiers)…..every now and then something reasonable shows up if others aren’t interested.
I was looking at lot #1025, ’94 straight grip “deluxe” and thinking,”nice gun”, then I caught the estimate, $30-$50,000.00, holy wow, and then I read the letter, where it says about express sight, and I’m thinkin’ somebody took the express sight off and replaced it with a Lyman 21 and a blank in the dovetail. Now I.m thinkin’ nice gun for $8-$10,000.00 maybe. And the ’94 case colored piece,(lot#26) at $30-50,000.00 wow. The best part of all this is they sure do make My guns look good for My retirement fund, also to My wife when I’m trying to explain the value of the gun I’m buying.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
November 7, 2015
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I was looking at lot 26 early this morning. Very nice gun even tho they are using Madis’ rarity numbers. Will be interesting to watch it sell. The engraved guns a few numbers earlier caught my eye. Friday will be interesting!
Mike
I bought a couple of nice guns from good ole Leroy a couple of weeks ago , a case colored ’94 and a 30″ barrell ’94 , both for a whole lot less than the estimate on the R.I.A. guns and every bit as nice. with out the 28% buyers premium. All of a sudden some of the retailers pieces are looking quite reasonable. If I had to pay, say $40,000.00 for lot#1025 , being Canadian , by time I got that gun home it would be $86,500.00 Canadian, as opposed to app. $65,000.00 , buying without the buyers fees, for which I am not receiving any thing of value, just the privilege of buying that particular piece.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
Mike, I’ll make their next premier in Bedford if you want to go! Will be my first to (finally) make. Lunch on me!
Henry Mero said
I bought a couple of nice guns from good ole Leroy a couple of weeks ago , a case colored ’94 and a 30″ barrell ’94 , both for a whole lot less than the estimate on the R.I.A. guns and every bit as nice. with out the 28% buyers premium. All of a sudden some of the retailers pieces are looking quite reasonable. If I had to pay, say $40,000.00 for lot#1025 , being Canadian , by time I got that gun home it would be $86,500.00 Canadian, as opposed to app. $65,000.00 , buying without the buyers fees, for which I am not receiving any thing of value, just the privilege of buying that particular piece.
A lot of truth in your post and well said.
I can no longer play with the big boys at RIA, pockets not deep enough. If you can go there to look at the piece first their smaller non-premium auctions are attractive. Buying without holding them is not recommended.
The last Tulsa show had a lot of nice Winchesters on senior dealer’s tables for far less than you would pay at a RIA Premium auction. When you pay the auction fee dealer prices seem like a bargain. The cost to go to Tulsa is far less than the auction fees. That said, you don’t have the choices and it’s not as convenient but I still manage to come home broke. T/R
November 7, 2015
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Preview day @ RIAC today, somewhat overwhelming. There are some pieces that could very well sell in the range I’m comfortable with but I’m here to watch. Several of the TGCA members that are usually busy putting on our shows are here and it’s nice to be able to visit with them instead of doing our little tasks.
Yes, there are some spectacular guns here that will bring mind-boggling prices but I’m enjoying the opportunity to see guns that I’d never be able to see anywhere else….and some pretty cool people!
Mike
November 7, 2015
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Jeremy P said
Mike, I’ll make their next premier in Bedford if you want to go! Will be my first to (finally) make. Lunch on me!
Sounds good, Jeremy. think you’ll enjoy it. I’m thinking I’ll make another auction here before the next premiere. I’m not seeing the .22’s I like, I don’t believe there’s a Model 43 in the show and only a few guns have the character I like to see. OTOH, the eye candy overload yesterday had me up at 4:30 today and I’ve already drank all the coffee in my room! There will be some very nice Winchesters sold today but today’s offerings are mostly for the serious Colt collector.
Mike
TXGunNut said
Jeremy P said
Mike, I’ll make their next premier in Bedford if you want to go! Will be my first to (finally) make. Lunch on me!
Sounds good, Jeremy. think you’ll enjoy it. I’m thinking I’ll make another auction here before the next premiere. I’m not seeing the .22’s I like, I don’t believe there’s a Model 43 in the show and only a few guns have the character I like to see. OTOH, the eye candy overload yesterday had me up at 4:30 today and I’ve already drank all the coffee in my room! There will be some very nice Winchesters sold today but today’s offerings are mostly for the serious Colt collector.
Mike
Yes, I’m game for one of the lower level auctions too….I buy an occasional something from those, especially the forgotten stuff that gets no interest. Winchester .22s kind of slide under the radar some of the time…
I am very curious and ask anyone that is attending the RIA Auction event today and this weekend to respond….
I have been to their Rock Island Illinois location… the hall tended to be very full of “in -person” bidders there, with lots of jovial participation. What are you seeing at their Texas location? Are there lots of bidding folks present at facility? I’m watching the auction live on internet… they never seem to pan the room of attendees with the video feed. Love to know the general mood and euphoria in the room … seems pretty subdued & quiet based on the audio/video feed I am seeing on my computer screen.
I hope to make it to one of their Texas auctions in 2025 and just looking for some feedback regarding the new location and format from the perspective of a live in-person bidder or attendee.
Thanks .
Mike
I sure do like the hammer prices of the 1894’s and 1890’s so for at Rock Is., sure do make mine look good, I think I’ll put My prices up.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
November 7, 2015
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long spur hollow said
I am very curious and ask anyone that is attending the RIA Auction event today and this weekend to respond….I have been to their Rock Island Illinois location… the hall tended to be very full of “in -person” bidders there, with lots of jovial participation. What are you seeing at their Texas location? Are there lots of bidding folks present at facility? I’m watching the auction live on internet… they never seem to pan the room of attendees with the video feed. Love to know the general mood and euphoria in the room … seems pretty subdued & quiet based on the audio/video feed I am seeing on my computer screen.
I hope to make it to one of their Texas auctions in 2025 and just looking for some feedback regarding the new location and format from the perspective of a live in-person bidder or attendee.
Thanks .
Mike
We don’t have a hall full of bidders and quite honestly some have gone for the day. Some pretty awesome guns were sold today and there are more than a few active bidders still present. Some nice enough Winchesters sold in the last hour but my checkbook was otherwise occupied. Frustrating. Phone bidders have been very active.
Mike
I was watching from Canada. Had a couple 73’s lined up but even a good hammer price you have to add 41% exchange rate, 6.5% State tax where it’s being delivered, 15% at the border for customs, and the auction fees. Lucky for the U.S collectors, not many come to Canada. The 73’s just went too far past full market value here in Canada when all was done & said. I guess it depends on how bad you want it.
I’ve been at this long enough and bought hundreds over the years and some in the U.S. For the collectors in Canada that think U.S prices dictate what their gun is worth, they can ask all day long, getting it is another thing. Hopefully someday our worthless dollar will get back close to U.S currency, but not holding my breath.
Rick C
As a collector, I watch on line to get an idea of the market. This hobby is going strong, buyers didn’t run out of money. RIA just ran through a massive quantity of nice Colts like I haven’t seen in years, plus it’s share of Winchesters. With the exception of a few brass frame Henrys and 1866s most everything went in the auction estimates. 1886s and 1894s were strong.
I like and appreciate what I have and will continue to buy what I can afford from the most cost effective source. The key word is afford. That means I might have to sell a few to buy one.
T/R
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