[Kistle]

Originally Posted by tabs

First step..get the current copies of..(cost about $80). Gives an order of value on the different models.

1. The Blue Book of Gun Values

2. The Standard Catalog of Firearms

I will spend literally hundreds of USD for a book or a set of books. It is invaluable research material, that can make or save you thousands of USD. Books even become collectable when they go out of print and will climb dramatically in value for their research value.

A good book that will fall into this catagory is the book on LC Smiths by Hochines. He has passed away and his son is not going to reprint.

Next ALWAYS BUY QUALITY BRANDS..Colt, S&W, Winchester, Browning etc...they have the best name recognition, resale and apprecaition potential. Stay away from Commeratives, customized guns or refinished guns (there are several exceptions on restored or refinsihed..one is Brit rifles and shotguns). Obviously everything is a function of price and if it is being given away well...

For example in the same auction that this LC Smith came from there was a Sprinfield 1903 made at the Rock island Arsenal in 1909 by SN, B date and Cartouch on the stock...the spoon was straight with no monkey biz nor arsenal rebuilding, it came from the same estate as the Elsie did. The Bayonet was offered in the same auction...it sold for $970 and the Bayonet for $190 to the same person. Like early 1903's in roughly the same condition have sold for $3120 in the past several years at Julias Auctions..early ones that are straight are far and few between..A GOOD DEAL for $970????

If I were not saving my powder for the Elsie I woulda stepped on that 1903 faster than Dipso can talk shyte...

Also in the past month a British Jacobs DBL Rifle circa 1860 was sold for $2600 at auction, I have seen two ads for them..one at $7500 and the other at $6750..good deal at 26? In the same auction a Wm Lawerence high grade percussion rifle in near new condition sold for $2600 also...I sold a Wm Lawerence Percussion rifle with Malcomb scope in near new condition for $9000...Good Deal at $26? Again I only had so much dinero, so I wound up with a RJ Howland Percussion TGT rifle for $1900. Those are mid 3's...2500 to 4000. I was trying to get the WM Lawerence Percussion rifle as well but decided not to chase, dropping out at 24...

Thanks Tabs...I will start there.

JA