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September 22, 2011
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If I was a billionaire, I’d chase this one down no matter the cost.
Anyone want to bet it doesn’t crack 5? If not outright, once you add in buyer’s premium and sales tax?
November 7, 2015
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I’d settle for a chance to take a close look at this historical rifle and watch it sell.
Mike
April 15, 2005
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It will certainly be very entertaining & interesting to see what the final bid lands at.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 20, 2023
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I wonder what other pieces are being “released” from the Robert M. Lee collection?
I didn’t know who he was, so I looked him up. Thinking others may be wondering as well, here’s what I found:
Lee was an American who became a professional hunter and safari organizer, who popularized Angola as a safari destination. He founded Hunting World, a supplier of hunting gear that expanded into fashionable bags and leather goods.
He must have done well because he became a serious arms and car collector and owned millions of dollars in real estate.
Lee died in Reno, Nevada in 2016.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
September 22, 2011
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Does anyone know what this one brought this evening?
May 26, 2017
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Says 5,000,000(on-site). Don’t know if that’s with the juice or not…. Auction is still live on proxibid, I just scrolled up to see
March 20, 2010
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Hammer price has it at $2MM
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
May 14, 2025
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1892takedown said
Hammer price has it at $2MM
I was watching live. It started at 800k and sold for $5,000,000 before the Buyers premium. I saw it says 2 million but there were many bids after that so I’m guessing someone made a typo. Was fun to watch but holy cow!
November 7, 2015
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Buck94 said
1892takedown said
Hammer price has it at $2MM
I was watching live. It started at 800k and sold for $5,000,000 before the Buyers premium. I saw it says 2 million but there were many bids after that so I’m guessing someone made a typo. Was fun to watch but holy cow!
Yes, $5 Million to a bidder on the floor. Very exciting auction, more floor action than I expected. Just concluded.
Mike
March 20, 2010
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I just missed the live auction and saw the hammer posting. I bet it was exciting.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
February 4, 2007
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I hope the stock’s not chipped or broken when it gets to my FFL guy. RRM
September 22, 2011
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The sales tax alone on this one for me would have been $345,000, assuming a hammer price of $5 million plus 15% buyer’s premium.
Total = $6, 095,000 plus shipping. I would likely pick it up given the value, however.
If I had that kind of money, it might have brought more as I really would have tried to get it. If one is worth only a cool $1 billion, it’s only 1/2 of 1% if your net worth. It’s the equivalent of the average person wanting to get a firearm for $2500 and having to pay $3500 for it (assuming a net worth of $500,000).
May 14, 2025
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mrcvs said
The sales tax alone on this one for me would have been $345,000, assuming a hammer price of $5 million plus 15% buyer’s premium.
Total = $6, 095,000 plus shipping. I would likely pick it up given the value, however.
If I had that kind of money, it might have brought more as I really would have tried to get it. If one is worth only a cool $1 billion, it’s only 1/2 of 1% if your net worth. It’s the equivalent of the average person wanting to get a firearm for $2500 and having to pay $3500 for it (assuming a net worth of $500,000).
Well Rock Island, the seller and the state tax office all had a great day! I would guess the seller is ecstatic!
September 22, 2011
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Buck94 said
mrcvs said
The sales tax alone on this one for me would have been $345,000, assuming a hammer price of $5 million plus 15% buyer’s premium.
Total = $6, 095,000 plus shipping. I would likely pick it up given the value, however.
If I had that kind of money, it might have brought more as I really would have tried to get it. If one is worth only a cool $1 billion, it’s only 1/2 of 1% if your net worth. It’s the equivalent of the average person wanting to get a firearm for $2500 and having to pay $3500 for it (assuming a net worth of $500,000).
Well Rock Island, the seller and the state tax office all had a great day! I would guess the seller is ecstatic!
Does anyone know who the seller is? Or the buyer?
I have long maintained that sales tax should NOT be due on used items such as this as, presumably, it was collected at the point of first sale.
November 7, 2015
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At least one of our members was there but I think there were at least three live bidders on this rifle, plus online or phone bidders. I think there were three live bidders past two million. Very strong room. They have an online auction ending today.
Mike
December 9, 2002
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Rat Rod Mac said
I hope the stock’s not chipped or broken when it gets to my FFL guy. RRM
April 30, 2023
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I was there. It was two guys on the floor battling it out. I was going to ask all you guys if you wanted to go in on it with me! I figured it would beat the estimate, and even told the guy at my table it might hit 5, he laughed and then had to admit I wasn’t crazy.
July 8, 2012
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Bill Hanzel said
Says 5,000,000(on-site). Don’t know if that’s with the juice or not…. Auction is still live on proxibid, I just scrolled up to see
Hey Bill,
I’ll bring it to the next OGCA show for you to see it.
Al
November 7, 2015
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Jeremy P said
I was there. It was two guys on the floor battling it out. I was going to ask all you guys if you wanted to go in on it with me! I figured it would beat the estimate, and even told the guy at my table it might hit 5, he laughed and then had to admit I wasn’t crazy.
Other possibility is there were three crazy people in that room. 
Kevin has a great poker face but I could tell he was a bit surprised when it went past $3M. Several high-end guns beat their estimates but that one blew right past and kept going.
Mike
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