civil war guns

shamrock1 · April 1, 2009, 02:13 PM

I'm a new guy here and I inherited civil war guns from a relative.Is their a way to get them appraised or insured.Thanks for any info.

James K · April 1, 2009, 04:38 PM

There are appraisal services, but they charge for their expertise and certification. If there are not too many guns, how about taking a good picture of each side, crop and reduce the pixel count to something we poor dial-up users can download in less than half a day, and let us take a look. If they are in the stratosphere price wise, then a pro appraiser would be better.

As a general comment, condition is all. The amount of original finish, whether the gun is intact or parts are broken/missing, whether it has been altered (like a musket with the barrel and stock cut down), all figure into value. So does any documented connection with a prominent person (a gun known to have been carried by Bobby Lee is worth a lot more than of unknown history). Age alone means little in regard to value.

Value enters into insurance as well. For average guns, unless there are a lot of them, your normal home insurance should cover them; if not, a policy rider would be best, or even keeping them in a bank vault. Talk to your insurance agent. There are insurance plans specifically for high-dollar collectibles, but they are pricey, premium-wise.

Jim

shamrock1 · April 3, 2009, 11:00 AM

Thanks for the reply Jim.I'm checking with ins co and as far as photos I'll need some help from my son when i see him (not too computer savvy).

**Mike Irwin** · April 3, 2009, 11:07 AM

Wow. I missed this.

There's a great source that you can use to learn more about your guns and maybe get at least ballpark vaues, called Flayderman's Guide to Antique Firearms.

Get it on the web, or get it from a well-stocked local book store.

April 1, 2009, 02:13 PM	#1
shamrock1 Junior Member Join Date: April 1, 2009 Posts: 2	civil war guns I'm a new guy here and I inherited civil war guns from a relative.Is their a way to get them appraised or insured.Thanks for any info.

April 3, 2009, 11:00 AM	#3
shamrock1 Junior Member Join Date: April 1, 2009 Posts: 2	civil war guns Thanks for the reply Jim.I'm checking with ins co and as far as photos I'll need some help from my son when i see him (not too computer savvy).

April 3, 2009, 11:07 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,379	Wow. I missed this. There's a great source that you can use to learn more about your guns and maybe get at least ballpark vaues, called Flayderman's Guide to Antique Firearms. Get it on the web, or get it from a well-stocked local book store. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

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April 1, 2009, 04:38 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	There are appraisal services, but they charge for their expertise and certification. If there are not too many guns, how about taking a good picture of each side, crop and reduce the pixel count to something we poor dial-up users can download in less than half a day, and let us take a look. If they are in the stratosphere price wise, then a pro appraiser would be better. As a general comment, condition is all. The amount of original finish, whether the gun is intact or parts are broken/missing, whether it has been altered (like a musket with the barrel and stock cut down), all figure into value. So does any documented connection with a prominent person (a gun known to have been carried by Bobby Lee is worth a lot more than of unknown history). Age alone means little in regard to value. Value enters into insurance as well. For average guns, unless there are a lot of them, your normal home insurance should cover them; if not, a policy rider would be best, or even keeping them in a bank vault. Talk to your insurance agent. There are insurance plans specifically for high-dollar collectibles, but they are pricey, premium-wise. Jim