Good morning. I have a small collection of old Winchester lever action rifles that are in pretty good shape along with some Colts etc that I would like to sell as I am about to the 80 yr old mark and don’t want to leave these to the kids to sort out. I used to buy and sell a little on Gun Broker but that site looks nothing like it did 15-20 years back. What happened with that if you know? Other than that, what is your best recommendation for selling firearms these days. Help and advice appreciated. Eagle
For starters, I would post here on the swap meet and let your fellow collectors have first crack at them. We are all just temporary caretakers and knowing that they would be going to a good home makes it a bit easier to part with them. No fees or commissions either. Just my opinion.
Don
Good morning Eagle. Hope all is well. The answer is a complex one. Depends on your hoped result and the type of guns you are considering selling. Fast payment versus top dollar? High condition rare guns versus Brown condition? Auction versus private sale? Mixture of all? I’m sure the group would have interest and be willing to help and provide advice. Good luck.
Casey
Eagle,
I spent last weekend at the Tulsa Show, largest show in the world. I use it to see what sells and what it really looks like , hands on. I talk to friends that are active to get a handle on the market. Over the last few years the big auction houses have made a very big impact on or hobby. They set up and display eye candy for up coming auctions, they have sales staff working the show, and our shows have changed. The majority of high end guns are going thru their houses. The problem for the buyer and seller alike is the serious commission. Maybe over 40% plus a 1099.
I agree with deerhunter, use the Forum to obtain a appraisal and possibly find a buyer. If a person splits the 40% with the buyer and seller both are happy. A good deal is one that’s good for both. Do not be distracted by these large auction “price realized”, they will not end up in your pocket.
At the Tulsa show many dealers were distracted by auction prices and maybe that’s why they went home with the same guns they came. T/R
TR said
Eagle,I spent last weekend at the Tulsa Show, largest show in the world. I use it to see what sells and what it really looks like , hands on. I talk to friends that are active to get a handle on the market. Over the last few years the big auction houses have made a very big impact on or hobby. They set up and display eye candy for up coming auctions, they have sales staff working the show, and our shows have changed. The majority of high end guns are going thru their houses. The problem for the buyer and seller alike is the serious commission. Maybe over 40% plus a 1099.
I agree with deerhunter, use the Forum to obtain a appraisal and possibly find a buyer. If a person splits the 40% with the buyer and seller both are happy. A good deal is one that’s good for both. Do not be distracted by these large auction “price realized”, they will not end up in your pocket.
At the Tulsa show many dealers were distracted by auction prices and maybe that’s why they went home with the same guns they came. T/R
The fact that many of those same dealers at the gun shows with the “sky high” prices on their Winchesters are in fact the same people who are paying the ridiculous prices at the big auction houses is also the problem!
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
The fact that many of those same dealers at the gun shows with the “sky high” prices on their Winchesters are in fact the same people who are paying the ridiculous prices at the big auction houses is also the problem
They escape sales tax, & possibly write off the commission. Speculators are a curse.
Eagle said
Thanks to you all for the info and the suggestions. The big auction houses have never been a turn on for me. How about the one in Western Oregon called ??
Ward’s… Dallas Oregon
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 7, 2015

Nice thing about the big auction houses is that in many cases they will pick up the guns they agree to sell and send you a check after they sell. A well-heeled dealer will buy all he thinks he can sell but he’ll want to make a profit to cover his time & expenses. No marathon photo sessions, gun show trips or dealing with prospective buyers. These auction houses and dealers expend considerable resources traveling to shows, picking up consignments and promoting their auctions to attract top dollar for their offerings. Depending on what you have to sell they may net you as much or more with less effort from you.
Quite honestly I’d like a chance to help you thin the herd a bit but some specimens may not realize their full potential here. Some auction houses will give you an honest assessment of the best marketing plan for your collection. Wouldn’t hurt to PM a few pics to selected members here to get some input on a marketing plan.
Mike
At my age I’m not into taking a bunch of pictures of these guns and then taking the wrong ones for what you might want to see. I will make a list of what I have a little later and post it on the forum. If you’re interested in one of them, you and I can do a live Zoom, Facetime, or a WhatsApp call and I will show you every inch of the gun you want to see. I used to sell on GunBroker, Ebay and several other sites and have never received a negative or any bad score. I am honest and will not hide anything from you. We can talk about price if you are interested in the gun, but I’m not going to get into a big argument with anyone about prices. Like Texas Gun Nut said above, it’s way to easy to just take all the firearms and the ammo up to Eric at Wards auctions and let him deal with it. His fees are very realistic compared to the big auction houses too. I would love some or all of these Winchesters to go to people that belong to WACA. I remember when I was new to collecting Winchesters, it was very hard to find nice guns, with good wood to metal fit, original condition, good bores, and not all banged up. I spent hours and hours searching the net for what I wanted. I tried the auctions and quickly found out that was a waste of time and gas cause there were people there with way deeper pockets than I.
I’ll come along with a list in a week or so. Thank you for your interest and advice. August
Eagle said
At my age I’m not into taking a bunch of pictures of these guns and then taking the wrong ones for what you might want to see. I will make a list of what I have a little later and post it on the forum. If you’re interested in one of them, you and I can do a live Zoom, Facetime, or a WhatsApp call and I will show you every inch of the gun you want to see. I used to sell on GunBroker, Ebay and several other sites and have never received a negative or any bad score. I am honest and will not hide anything from you. We can talk about price if you are interested in the gun, but I’m not going to get into a big argument with anyone about prices. Like Texas Gun Nut said above, it’s way to easy to just take all the firearms and the ammo up to Eric at Wards auctions and let him deal with it. His fees are very realistic compared to the big auction houses too. I would love some or all of these Winchesters to go to people that belong to WACA. I remember when I was new to collecting Winchesters, it was very hard to find nice guns, with good wood to metal fit, original condition, good bores, and not all banged up. I spent hours and hours searching the net for what I wanted. I tried the auctions and quickly found out that was a waste of time and gas cause there were people there with way deeper pockets than I.I’ll come along with a list in a week or so. Thank you for your interest and advice. August
I’d love to hear about and see what you have. If it goes that way, thanks for including us!
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