Collectible Ammo inventory

[kilimanjaro]

OK, just got back from a show and bought some old ammo in boxes for my on-and-off-again collection, the one gathering dust on a shelf. Seems to time for my anal side to come up with a spreadsheet inventory.

So far, I'm classifying columns as

Item No.
Class (Commercial/Military)
Type (Rimfire, Centerfire
Purpose (Rifle, Pistol, etc.)
Maker
Caliber
Country
Label
Remarks
Quantity
Condition
Cost

Anyone out there do this? Anything important to add, or delete?

[Chuck Dye]

Sample's actual or probable date of manufacture?

Original manufacture date range?

Such a collection is, after all, largely about history.

[tahunua001]

god no, the only "collectable" ammo I have is a box of US match 30-06. I don't even do that with my rifles.

[kilimanjaro]

Well, I did say I had an anal side to myself.

Speaking of gun shows, today revealed a box of 100 CCI 22lr for $18, and a brick of 22lr for $100, and lots of powder at $35 to $40 a pound, no takers that I could see. I scored 2 pounds of 4895 at $20 each, and some 44 Special loads at a good price.

[James K]

Anyone who collects anything, ammo, guns, or postage stamps, should have an inventory with pertinent information, including cost and current value, and keep it updated. The reason is simple. If you pass on, and we all will, how else will your survivors know what your collection consists of and how much it is worth?

Absent such an inventory, someone offers your widow or whoever a hundred bucks for all that old gun junk and the offer is accepted because your survivor has no way of knowing better.

(If you prefer that your better half not know how much you spent on your toys, you can leave the inventory in a sealed envelope in a safe deposit box or with a trusted person.)

Jim

[tahunua001]

I love how gunshow salesmen still seem to think that people are willing to purchase for banpanic prices... heck even if you order online by the pill box, 22LR doesn't cost $100 per 500 after shipping and handling.

[kilimanjaro]

Yeah, one guy had a table full of powders at $35-$40 a pound, another had a few pounds for $20 a pound. Guess who I bought from? Local retail is $30 a pound right now, guess the one vendor thinks we're dumb bunnies.

[Mike Irwin]

I've broken mine into a somewhat similar structure:

Common Name
Alternate Name(s)
Caliber
Where made
Headstamp (I had considered breaking this into 4 separate columns, but decided to go with one for ease of sorting)
Bullet Type
Case Type
Notes
Cost


I've tried to create a Microsoft Access database for them, but I just am not familiar enough with the program to come up with an effective database design.

[bedbugbilly]

James K - well said! Regrdless of a person's age they should do this. Things happen that we don't plan on.

I've sold off the majority of my military and long gun collection just so my wife wouldn't have to deal with it if something happened to me. The special things that I have kept are all inventoried and include what they are, where I got them, what my cost was and what they should sell for. A big help to a surviving spouse or administrator of an estate.

I have even done that for my reloading equipment, bullet molds, etc. A mold picked up here and there doesn't seem like much but it all adds up.

We don't have kids to leave things to. If something happens to me and she wants to give the stuff to someone that she thinks would use and appreciate it - that's fine. I just don't want some jerk showing up and taking advantage of her. I've seen that too many times when a fellow passes and the widow is taken advantage of.

[kilimanjaro]

Just looked at a table full of bullet molds, dies, gauges, and what not. All priced $20 each. Dealer bought it all from a widow for $100. Must have been $750 at least at his prices. She definitely lost money.

[James K]

There is another piece of information that collectors need to know. Under the current tax laws, if you sell items from your collection, you have to pay taxes (capital gains) on the difference between your cost and the sale price. (Yes, I am aware that that is not always done, but why "mess with the IRS"? They might lose their own e-mails, but you can't count on them losing your tax return.)

If you allow the collection to remain in your possession until you pass on, your heir(s) inherit at the then current fair market value, and if they sell within a certain time, they pay no tax. For someone with a substantial collection, that can mean many thousands of dollars difference. (Example: A Luger bought in 1950 for $20 could now be worth over 100 times that. If you have 100 Lugers in your collection, the money can add up.)

Another point to consider is that the firearms auction services will take a collection, auction it off and send you or your heir(s) checks as they do so. They have all the licenses needed and some will also take books and other firearms related items. They advertise in the collector magazines, like Man at Arms and will be happy to provide info by mail or phone. If you have a substantial collection, don't count on selling through local gun shops or auction services; a moderate collection of, say, 1000 guns, will totally swamp the local market and the guns won't bring anywhere near a fair value.

Jim

[tahunua001]

I wish I had 100 lugers in my collection that only cost $20 each.

[kilimanjaro]

I have a $24.95 Luger I mowed quite a few lawns for in 1965. It's a shooter, but nothing more than that. If the 1968 GCA had come in 1978, I know I'd have a dozen of 'em by then. Maybe.

[tahunua001]

well I have way too much ammo at the bottom of the lake to inventory but you guys do have me updating my what-if list for guns.
make/model
serial number
description
caliber
and now
estimated value.

[nate_g_2003]

Lot Number would be a good addition, when that information is available.

[kilimanjaro]

OK, thanks to those who gave me some tips, I added the year of make and headstamp, and a value column if I ever determine any. Probably just copy the cost over to the value cells and call it good for now.

Anyway, I thought I would attach a short portion of my collectible ammo inventory, for any who may want to plagiarize it. I'll spend some time this winter putting the rest of the 'collection' in there.

Sorry about it being in .pdf format, can't upload a spreadsheet, it seems. Anyone wants an .xls copy, I'll be glad to send one upon request.

As always, the total is a surprise, after putting in only a few items. An insurance agent once told me the household stuff under your kitchen sink is probably worth over a hundred bucks, most folks don't believe it until they get home and check it out.

[Mike Irwin]

Is that an Xcel spread sheet, or are you using Access?

[kilimanjaro]

Excel.

[James K]

Just some thoughts. You might consider using the Table feature of Word; it is not bad at that kind of thing, though less flexible and searchable than a spreadsheet program.

If I were doing an ammo collection, I would break it down into sections by caliber. Ex. Section I - 5.7mm/.22/.23 and under; Section II - 6mm/.24 to 7mm/29; Section III - .30/7.62 - .35/9mm, and so on. Dividing each section into rifle and pistol can help, though there is overlap. Shotgun shells would be a separate section, by gauge.

Jim

[Magnum Wheel Man]

might want to add powder type, smokeless, cordite, black powder, etc. ( though on boxed ammo, some of that would be obvious...

I have a cartridge collection, just loose cartridges mostly ( I do have some Velo-dog, & 32 / 38 rimfire & centerfire boxed factory ammo for a few collectables, but the bulk of my collection is loose...

wish I had a good way to display them... right now they are tucked away... thought about doing a plate rail of sorts around my gun room, to put them on, arranged by caliber, but by the time I go over the rifle racks, they'd be pretty hard to see, unless I mounted mirrors or something ????

[Mike Irwin]

"Table feature of Word; it is not bad at that kind of thing, though less flexible and searchable than a spreadsheet program."

Exactly... a LOT less flexible than a spreadsheet program.

Word is great for keeping simple lists in tabular format, and printing out mailing labels.

But if you have more than a few dozen entries in the table, or a few dozen addresses, your life will be one hell of a lot easier if you use Excel.

[Mike Irwin]

This is a printer's type case.

http://mygoalissimple2.files.wordpre...6/dsc_0056.jpg

These things make fantastic display cases for cartridges.

You can frequently pick them up quite cheaply at flea markets or on line.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

MIKE that is interesting... but takes up too much wall space for what I'm looking for... I don't think all my cartridges would fit in one drawer either

[kilimanjaro]

Best cartridge collection storage for single rounds I've seen is a wooden map chest. Must have been room for hundreds of shells in one drawer. His rare stuff was laid in small boxes, but most just sat on fluffy white padding.

Another was an armoire, with nicely done wooden trays inside. He said he had about 6,000 rounds in his collection.

[Mike Irwin]

I've got 6 of them and not all of my cartridges will fit.