Selling BP Revolvers

tdmoparguy · March 22, 2010, 12:27 PM

I'm about to sell all my BP stuff. Whats more desirable? Should I clean them up to look new or do yall prefer them with a patina?

breed · March 22, 2010, 12:51 PM

put up some pics just like you have them.

ebr-lvr · March 22, 2010, 03:06 PM

Definitely.....What Breed said +1

tdmoparguy · March 22, 2010, 09:09 PM

Yall sure? the reason I'm asking is because they were in my closet and water leaked on them and they have surface rust on the barrels and cylinders.

TXGunNut · March 22, 2010, 09:33 PM

Take pics, then remove any wood, ensure they're dry and oil them down with Breakfree or something similar to stop the rust. Could start with a listing and length of time they were wet.

ebr-lvr · March 23, 2010, 06:47 AM

Well tdmoparguy, I must have mis-read your initial question.
I thought you asked if we preferred the guns with patina, or
slicked up?

BTW respectfully patina and rust are two very different issues.
I am sure I'd prefer leaving patina.
I am also sure I'd use 4aught steel wool dampened with a 50/50
mix of break-free and hoppe's #9 to gently (going w/the grain)
remove every trace of rust.
Hope this helps

Doc Hoy · March 23, 2010, 07:42 AM

MOPARGUY,

One additional thought is that photographs are not great at showing corrosion on internal surfaces unless they are done right. I have personally never been able to photograph bore and get anything more than glare.

When you sell the pistols, you might want to describe pretty carefully the condition of these internal surfaces.

I do understand that you said that the pistols suffered from only surface rust.

I also agree that probably everyone here would be happy to see some pictures and get an idea what you need to have for the things you are selling.

BTW: Also once a moparguy

tdmoparguy · March 24, 2010, 12:08 PM

I'll take some pics tonight and try to put them on here.

tdmoparguy · March 26, 2010, 05:19 PM

Heres the pics.

tdmoparguy · March 26, 2010, 05:21 PM

And here.

tdmoparguy · March 26, 2010, 05:25 PM

And these.

Delmar · March 27, 2010, 04:32 AM

The one that isn't a Colt, is that a Spiller and Burr? I would sure clean that one up a bit.

tdmoparguy · March 28, 2010, 04:58 PM

Yeah is a Spiller.

noelf2 · March 29, 2010, 08:16 AM

Didn't get any closeups of the barrels. Are they rusted too? Most damage seems to be on the cylinders, which can be easily replaced. I recommend you check into getting replacement cylinders and cleaning them up, brass and all, screw the patina since these are replicas. It will come back, or rub some black powder fouling on the brass to darken it up. You can bring these back to "real purdy" with just a little effort. They'll be worth more then, and you probably won't want to sell them anymore. Just my $.02

tdmoparguy · March 29, 2010, 12:37 PM

The barrels are good.

flatheadsal · March 29, 2010, 07:22 PM

how about prices? thanks

Delmar · March 29, 2010, 08:33 PM

Quote:

I recommend you check into getting replacement cylinders

To me, that would depend on whether any of the rust is inside the cylinder. If it functions well, there are a lot of guys who would rather get a good shooting pistol for $40 less than spend the extra money for a replacement cylinder.

Doc Hoy · March 30, 2010, 03:36 AM

If you swap out the cylinder only because it has some surface rust, but there is surface rust elsewhere on the pistol you have gained very little.

If the pistols are internally okay I would sell them as-is with a good description. Let the buyer decide what he wants them to look like.

Several people here have asked about prices indicating that they might be interested. My personal thought is that this forum would be a good place to sell them if the right price can be agreed upon. The reason I feel that way is that, 1) the pistols have been discussed at length in this thread. and 2) we are all friends here.

If a buyer can not be found here, then go to Gunbroker. Clean them up the best you can but carefully describe the condition and your knowledge of the history of the pistols.

I would set a fair but slightly low starting bid. One you can live with and then watch to see what that market assesses the value at.

1851 Navies are popular but they are also abundant. The Spiller and Burr is uncommon. There are plenty of pistols on Gunbroker that don't fetch the prices I have mentioned and I could be way high. On the other hand a lot of pistols sell for good money at the same time an identical pistol can't get a single bid. (Short barrel ROAs with hard sights are getting twice as much as long barrel adjustable sights...Go figure) The brass frames on the Navies and on the .44 may reduce the size of the potential market population. If you are concerned about this you would have to think about starting at a lower price than I mention below.

I would start the Spiller and Burr somewhere between 150.00 and 200.00 and expect it to go up. I would sell the two Navies as a pair with the holsters starting at 200.00 to 225.00 and perhaps not get a bid. A .44 Navy Sheriff is worth upward of 125.00 in good condition. These are not "Bluebook" values, they are Hoy's values and I reserve the right to be wrong.

The Gunbroker market is getting to be as funny as the eBay market. Difficult to predict. Hard to know how many bidders are interested in a given auction. And unfortunatley the venue has attracted some idiots both as sellers and buyers. If only one or two are looking at a pistol and the starting price is low, the seller can wind up giving it away to a bidder who would have been willing to pay a higher price.

I personally would not pay the prices I have mentioned. Not because I think they are too high. It is just pistols I don't need.

March 22, 2010, 12:27 PM	#1
tdmoparguy Member Join Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Okmulgee,OK Posts: 70	Selling BP Revolvers I'm about to sell all my BP stuff. Whats more desirable? Should I clean them up to look new or do yall prefer them with a patina?

March 22, 2010, 03:06 PM	#3
ebr-lvr Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Location: missouri hollar Posts: 56	Definitely.....What Breed said +1 __________________ Col. Jeff Cooper..remembered When a deadly situation presents,One will not "rise to the occasion" but will " default to his highest level of training"

March 22, 2010, 09:33 PM	#5
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Take pics, then remove any wood, ensure they're dry and oil them down with Breakfree or something similar to stop the rust. Could start with a listing and length of time they were wet. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

March 23, 2010, 06:47 AM	#6
ebr-lvr Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Location: missouri hollar Posts: 56	Well tdmoparguy, I must have mis-read your initial question. I thought you asked if we preferred the guns with patina, or slicked up? BTW respectfully patina and rust are two very different issues. I am sure I'd prefer leaving patina. I am also sure I'd use 4aught steel wool dampened with a 50/50 mix of break-free and hoppe's #9 to gently (going w/the grain) remove every trace of rust. Hope this helps __________________ Col. Jeff Cooper..remembered When a deadly situation presents,One will not "rise to the occasion" but will " default to his highest level of training" Last edited by ebr-lvr; March 23, 2010 at 06:54 AM. Reason: correct spelling

March 23, 2010, 07:42 AM	#7
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Perhaps on additional comment MOPARGUY, One additional thought is that photographs are not great at showing corrosion on internal surfaces unless they are done right. I have personally never been able to photograph bore and get anything more than glare. When you sell the pistols, you might want to describe pretty carefully the condition of these internal surfaces. I do understand that you said that the pistols suffered from only surface rust. I also agree that probably everyone here would be happy to see some pictures and get an idea what you need to have for the things you are selling. BTW: Also once a moparguy __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

March 22, 2010, 12:51 PM	#2
breed Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2009 Posts: 230	put up some pics just like you have them.

March 22, 2010, 09:09 PM	#4
tdmoparguy Member Join Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Okmulgee,OK Posts: 70	Yall sure? the reason I'm asking is because they were in my closet and water leaked on them and they have surface rust on the barrels and cylinders.

March 24, 2010, 12:08 PM	#8
tdmoparguy Member Join Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Okmulgee,OK Posts: 70	I'll take some pics tonight and try to put them on here.

March 27, 2010, 04:32 AM	#12
Delmar Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2009 Location: Norhthern Indiana Posts: 307	The one that isn't a Colt, is that a Spiller and Burr? I would sure clean that one up a bit.

March 28, 2010, 04:58 PM	#13
tdmoparguy Member Join Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Okmulgee,OK Posts: 70	Yeah is a Spiller.

March 29, 2010, 08:16 AM	#14
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Didn't get any closeups of the barrels. Are they rusted too? Most damage seems to be on the cylinders, which can be easily replaced. I recommend you check into getting replacement cylinders and cleaning them up, brass and all, screw the patina since these are replicas. It will come back, or rub some black powder fouling on the brass to darken it up. You can bring these back to "real purdy" with just a little effort. They'll be worth more then, and you probably won't want to sell them anymore. Just my $.02 __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

March 29, 2010, 12:37 PM	#15
tdmoparguy Member Join Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Okmulgee,OK Posts: 70	The barrels are good.

March 29, 2010, 07:22 PM	#16
flatheadsal Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Posts: 180	how about prices? thanks

March 30, 2010, 03:36 AM	#18
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	I think I agree with Del If you swap out the cylinder only because it has some surface rust, but there is surface rust elsewhere on the pistol you have gained very little. If the pistols are internally okay I would sell them as-is with a good description. Let the buyer decide what he wants them to look like. Several people here have asked about prices indicating that they might be interested. My personal thought is that this forum would be a good place to sell them if the right price can be agreed upon. The reason I feel that way is that, 1) the pistols have been discussed at length in this thread. and 2) we are all friends here. If a buyer can not be found here, then go to Gunbroker. Clean them up the best you can but carefully describe the condition and your knowledge of the history of the pistols. I would set a fair but slightly low starting bid. One you can live with and then watch to see what that market assesses the value at. 1851 Navies are popular but they are also abundant. The Spiller and Burr is uncommon. There are plenty of pistols on Gunbroker that don't fetch the prices I have mentioned and I could be way high. On the other hand a lot of pistols sell for good money at the same time an identical pistol can't get a single bid. (Short barrel ROAs with hard sights are getting twice as much as long barrel adjustable sights...Go figure) The brass frames on the Navies and on the .44 may reduce the size of the potential market population. If you are concerned about this you would have to think about starting at a lower price than I mention below. I would start the Spiller and Burr somewhere between 150.00 and 200.00 and expect it to go up. I would sell the two Navies as a pair with the holsters starting at 200.00 to 225.00 and perhaps not get a bid. A .44 Navy Sheriff is worth upward of 125.00 in good condition. These are not "Bluebook" values, they are Hoy's values and I reserve the right to be wrong. The Gunbroker market is getting to be as funny as the eBay market. Difficult to predict. Hard to know how many bidders are interested in a given auction. And unfortunatley the venue has attracted some idiots both as sellers and buyers. If only one or two are looking at a pistol and the starting price is low, the seller can wind up giving it away to a bidder who would have been willing to pay a higher price. I personally would not pay the prices I have mentioned. Not because I think they are too high. It is just pistols I don't need. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.