M1 Garand on auction.......

Goose

Well-known Member
Went to a farm auction today where they had a few firearms including an average looking M1. It brought $2950.

The last ones I saw on gun shows were going for $1200-$1500. Have they skyrocketed lately?

They had a table full of assorted ammo adjacent to it, and before it sold some bonehead who obviously knew nothing about M1's tried to put a clip of live ammo in it. Thankfully, he didn't succeed, but people were starting to back away. I don't think the idiot even realized if he'd have succeeded in seating the clip of ammo he'd have been standing in the middle of a crowd with a loaded rifle. Although the bolt probably would have gotten his thumb on the way shut.

All the firearms sold for twice what they should have, although I caught the auctioneer bumping bids. On a Colt .357 DA revolver, the bids went from $250 to $300 to $350 to $700, and sold for $850. What the heck?

It was a desirable piece, but you can buy them by the dozens for $400-$500.
 
(quoted from post at 20:07:41 04/12/14) Went to a farm auction today where they had a few firearms including an average looking M1. It brought $2950.

The last ones I saw on gun shows were going for $1200-$1500. Have they skyrocketed lately?

They had a table full of assorted ammo adjacent to it, and before it sold some bonehead who obviously knew nothing about M1's tried to put a clip of live ammo in it. Thankfully, he didn't succeed, but people were starting to back away. I don't think the idiot even realized if he'd have succeeded in seating the clip of ammo he'd have been standing in the middle of a crowd with a loaded rifle. Although the bolt probably would have gotten his thumb on the way shut.

All the firearms sold for twice what they should have, although I caught the auctioneer bumping bids. On a Colt .357 DA revolver, the bids went from $250 to $300 to $350 to $700, and sold for $850. What the heck?

It was a desirable piece, but you can buy them by the dozens for $400-$500.

Don't know about your area but here I have yet to see a gun sell at auction for near of less than retail. I've seen Marlin semi .22s, well used and abused go for new or near new pricing. Saw a Springfield 03A3 that had been sporterized (poor job) sell for 450. Gun was worth maybe 250 on a good day. And no family member was buying. The fella that won the bid was a new guy in the area. I know there were no family ties because he was a black man. But someone else had bid 440 on it before he won it. Just crazy if you ask me. I know 2 dealers who will take a few used guns to a well advertised consignment auction it they are not selling but never attend auctions to try to buy guns. Sad part is just about everyone around here owns guns. They just don't know much about them. Heck we have a local guy, US Army vet, who for the life of him can't understand why a 243 isn't good for deer at 800 yards.

Rick
 
Around here the M1s are bring $700.00- $2,200.00 depending on shape.The Colt 357 revolver depends on what model. If it was a Python they can bring up wheres of $2,000.00 depending on condition and which version of Python it is.
 
The prices guns bring at auction have always been outlandish. Generally a bit over new retail. Three grand for a Garand tells me either it was a quite unusual rifle or you had a couple of guys bidding who knew nothing about Garand prices. I suspect the winning bidder got a bad case of buyer's remorse after he got home.
 
gotta love those garands,..all weapons are selling high, but as for the colt,..at 500 you better buy all you can find at that price, wore out .22's are bringing almost that
 
The Garand value depends on who made it. International Harvester built guns bring the most, often near $2K because they are the least common.
 
(quoted from post at 06:09:19 04/13/14) The Garand value depends on who made it. International Harvester built guns bring the most, often near $2K because they are the least common.

................. and if it has all it's original parts. Most have been through an arsenal refinish and are fitted with parts from various manufacturers.
 
Gun values have gone up dramatically in the last few years more people getting into the market.You priced new guns lately? They have gone way up so the used ones have increased in value accordingly.P.S.The 20th Century is gone and so are the 20th Century prices.
I guess add guns to the list of things people think they should be able to buy cheap along with
Ammo,Propane and Gasoline(LOL).
As I have said here often the root cause is the US Dollar is dropping in value so all things are going up in price if you're using them to buy with.
Back in 1913 when an ounce of Gold could be bought for $20 you could get a pretty nice gun for $20 now it takes about $1300 to buy an ounce of Gold and an ounce of Gold will stil buy you a right nice gun.Can't even buy a box of 30-06 now for the $20.
 
Guns always seem to go high at auctions. You didn't mention if the Colt revolver was a Trooper model or a Python. I'm assuming it was Trooper model. $800 for a Python would be the deal of the century.
 
I had an IH built M-1 in basic trainig during 1957. It had to have been left over from WW-II because it was impossible to zero the sights. Ordnace finally declared it worn out rifling in the barrel
 
I think that people don't do there HOME WORK before bidding or buying. Myself i am in the market for a gun and i have the fever to buy one , BUT not before i check all prices as to new to used . Lets see here what i have been looking for in new in the box ranges from 759 on the high side to a low of 520 with tax title , dealer prep , and destination charges , NOW USED i have not seen one for less then 550 . NOW what would you do go give John Q. Idiot his 550 for his USED gun with no warranty or go to the little gun shop out in the middle of nowhere and give 520 out the door with warranty ?? Also why is John Q Idiot tryen to sell the one he has ?? and why does the used gun not have the owners manual with it if you only put fifty rounds thru it ?? Is it so hot that you will burn your hands on it . Myself if i buy a gun i am buying it for life . I have only sold one gun in my life and still sorry for that mistake.
 
We cant know for sure because we cant see the gun but if every other gun sold high, its a good guess that the garand sold high too. But they have gone up in price at a higher rate than other guns these past couple years. Even though they have gone up, now is the time to buy garands, 5 years from now is the time to sell.

There is no telling if there was a rare part(s) on that gun and it was bought for that alone. If somebody was restoring their own gun and needed a part to complete it, he is likely braging about the deal he just got on a gun. Those people usually have spare parts and can replace the part they robbed and sell the gun again with minimal money lost.

Bottom line, at least 2 people were interested in the gun, one of them took it home...
 
Just did what I should have done in the first place. I looked them up in my 2013 Bluebook.

Depending on the exact model, the Colt Trooper in 95% condition could book for anywhere from $300 to $625.

An M1 in 80% condition, depending on manufacturer and serial number, could book for anywhere from $700 to $2800. Interestingly enough, according to my Bluebook serial number effects the value more than the manufacturer, with the newer ones numbered above 400,000 being worth the most.
 

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