Target pistol values..help

BEARCATJER · January 25, 2010, 06:38 PM

I am trying sell 3 target pistols for the wife of a friend of mine who recently died and i have been surfing the net trying to find a site/s where i could get a good idea of what these guns are worth before i list them on some site like gunbroker.com or something similar. I know nothing about target pistols, but these guns are in beautiful condition and at least two of them are fairly valuable.
Briefly they are
1. COLT target model 22lr semi auto rim fire with a bushnell holo sight.

2. HI STANDARD 22 semi auto rim fire

3.S & W model 52-2 38 semi auto ..uses wadcutters..has a tasco pro point sight on it.

I realize these are perhaps abbreviated descriptions of these guns, but all are in very nice condition..no rust..bluing good...dont look like they were used all that much.

If some of you highly experienced gun collectors could give me some idea of what each of these guns might be worth and any reference to any website or other source where i could sell them I would really appreciate it.

Thanks very much for your help.

Sevens · January 25, 2010, 08:59 PM

You mentioned Gunbroker. You may or may not wish to sell them there, but it is a good place to check for current market prices. You may run live auction searches just to see what dealers are listing them for, but to see actual selling prices you will have to search completed auction listings. Many folks list something for $500 but never sell it... checking the closed and ended auctions will tell you more.

As for a real reference of what they are "worth", the definitive guide is The Blue Book of Gun Values by S.P. Fjestad. It's a very thick guide, published every year (or every other year?) and you can either buy a current one ($30-$40) or pick up a previous edition for much cheaper.

Many gun stores will sell on consignment-- you set the price and they take a cut if/when it sells. Perhaps the best way to sell immediately and get cash on hand is to take them to a gun show. Don't bother talking to dealers who sit behind a table, they can't possibly give you what they are worth as it is a business for them and they will need to make a profit. But do hang a sign around your neck, one for your front side and one on your back listing what you have and how much you want. MANY guns sell this way and both parties are happy.

BEARCATJER · January 28, 2010, 09:15 AM

Thanks for the reply and the suggestions. I found an online gun valuation service which charges $3.99 per gun to provide you with used gun value for the specific gun you have. I may resort to that although i dont know how credible it would be. I took some digital photos of each gun...they are really nice guns..and have sent them to a gun dealer about 50miles from where i live to see if they will give me some idea of value and marketability. I have no idea how much demand there is for sophisticated target handguns.

Skans · January 28, 2010, 10:00 AM

Did you check gunbroker closed auctions? That'll give you a good indication of value. Value will depend on condition, especially with the Hi-Standard and the Colt.

You need to give more information on the High Standard - length of barrel, and model. The Colt sounds like one of the Woodsman series - more information would be helpful - without more information it could range from $500 - $2,000. Good pictures would be even more helpful.

The S&W 52, in excelent condition, would range somewhere between $800 on the low side to $1,200 on the high side.

Without more information the high standard could be anywere from $175 - over $1,000.

Sevens · January 28, 2010, 10:25 AM

There is a genuine issue in going to a gun dealer to try and get "values" of a gun.

It's not that gun dealers aren't good guys. There are plenty of good guys, I might even say that MOST of them are good guys. (there are turds in every business and the gun business has their share) Thing about gun dealers is that they are in BUSINESS, and it's not a hugely profitable business for most dealers unless they deal in large, large scale.

If you approach a gun dealer and you don't know squat about what you have, and you want to sell them for money and you want his help, HE needs to make it worth his while. It's his expertise, or at least how he makes his living. He can't make the rent payment and electric bill by giving free advice and/or selling guns for other people.

So he will most likely give you a number that puts some money in your pocket and gives him a gun that he can sell for a MUCH higher price, so that he makes some money for his time and his investment.

Let's say just for argument that one of the guns you own is sought after in the used gun market. Let's say that any shop you walk in to might have one priced from $900 to $1100. It's safe to say your gun is worth a thousand bucks to a buyer, right?

If you take that gun to a gun store or gun dealer, how much can he possibly give you for it? This is money coming out of his business that he needs to tie up in your gun and he won't get back until he sells it.

He's going to give you $600 for that gun if you are lucky and he's a good guy and he thinks he can sell it. If he's a jerk, he'll point out every flaw, he'll tell you that nobody ever buys them, he'll tell you that they aren't as great as you think and he'll offer $350 for it.

And either guy is then going to sell it for $900 to a knowledgeable buyer or $1100 to a wealthy businessman in a suit who is in town for some meeting and doesn't need to shop for 2 months before his purchase.

If you are okay about getting $600 and know full well that the end buyer wants that gun for $900 to $1100, then go in full confidence to a gun store or gun dealer and sell him your guns. If you know that you might run in to the jerk that will offer you a couple hundred and make you feel like you brought in some old junk, you are already better prepared.

You might try posting your pictures here and seeing what folks on this site can tell you about their values. If I had them in front of me, I'd start with the Fjestad guide and go from there.

BEARCATJER · February 11, 2010, 11:51 AM

Just got back from out of town and found the great and helpful responses you sent me, Scans and Seven. In my original post i didnt list as much info as i should have.

A. Colt Target 22..semi auto..6 in barrel..rim fire ammo.. with a Holo sight..very nice condition from my novice perspective...my friend when he was alive was asking $750.00 which he broke down as $550.00 for the gun and $200 for the sight which is installed on the gun.

B. Hi Standard semi auto 22 cal 6 inch barrel...rim fire..my friend was only asking $250 for this gun. it is in very nice shape ..again from my novice perspectivee.

C.Smith and Wesson model 52-2 38 cal semi auto..5 inch barrel..uses wad cutters..with a tasco pro point sight installed on it..my friend was asking $770 for this gun with the sight. I have a spreadsheet he prepared which allocates $650 to the gun and $120 to the sight.

I have taken digital photos of each gun which i would be glad to send you or add to this sight. I dont know how to add to the site but if you can direct me to the upload area or maybe easier i can email them to you if i had your email address.

Based on the feedback you have already given me it appears that either these guns arent in as good a shape as they appear to be...i think they are..or that he was pricing them pretty reasonably vs their true value. We live in the middle of nowhere in South Carolina and the only place he tried to sell them before he died was in our small retirement community. Im starting to wonder if i shouldnt just list them on a site like Gunbroker.com at the prices Bob tried to sell them for and see what happens, but if they are worth more i would like to see his widow get the benefit of the higher values.The only gun dealer within 30 miles of where i live around here is a hardware store which sells guns mostly for hunting.

Anyway, thanks again for all your helpful suggestions. Im not too comfortable taking these guns to a gun show...the next one around here is in april in Florence, SC...and trying to sell them on the floor. Im an old guy and worry about my ability to hold onto them if i somehow got into a situation i couldnt handle. Getting old is hell!

I hope the additional info i gave on the guns will help some and would really like you to see the pics of the guns themselves to firm up your thoughts on value.

l

LarryFlew · February 11, 2010, 02:53 PM

Im starting to wonder if i shouldnt just list them on a site like Gunbroker.com at the prices Bob tried to sell them for and see what happens, but if they are worth more i would like to see his widow get the benefit of the higher values.

You can list them at that price as your starting price in an auction format. Especially good on gunbroker since listing is free. If they don't sell you can re-list at a lower price and if they do sell you got at least the amount your where looking for.

January 25, 2010, 06:38 PM	#1
BEARCATJER Junior Member Join Date: January 25, 2010 Posts: 3	Target pistol values..help I am trying sell 3 target pistols for the wife of a friend of mine who recently died and i have been surfing the net trying to find a site/s where i could get a good idea of what these guns are worth before i list them on some site like gunbroker.com or something similar. I know nothing about target pistols, but these guns are in beautiful condition and at least two of them are fairly valuable. Briefly they are 1. COLT target model 22lr semi auto rim fire with a bushnell holo sight. 2. HI STANDARD 22 semi auto rim fire 3.S & W model 52-2 38 semi auto ..uses wadcutters..has a tasco pro point sight on it. I realize these are perhaps abbreviated descriptions of these guns, but all are in very nice condition..no rust..bluing good...dont look like they were used all that much. If some of you highly experienced gun collectors could give me some idea of what each of these guns might be worth and any reference to any website or other source where i could sell them I would really appreciate it. Thanks very much for your help.

January 25, 2010, 08:59 PM	#2
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	You mentioned Gunbroker. You may or may not wish to sell them there, but it is a good place to check for current market prices. You may run live auction searches just to see what dealers are listing them for, but to see actual selling prices you will have to search completed auction listings. Many folks list something for $500 but never sell it... checking the closed and ended auctions will tell you more. As for a real reference of what they are "worth", the definitive guide is The Blue Book of Gun Values by S.P. Fjestad. It's a very thick guide, published every year (or every other year?) and you can either buy a current one ($30-$40) or pick up a previous edition for much cheaper. Many gun stores will sell on consignment-- you set the price and they take a cut if/when it sells. Perhaps the best way to sell immediately and get cash on hand is to take them to a gun show. Don't bother talking to dealers who sit behind a table, they can't possibly give you what they are worth as it is a business for them and they will need to make a profit. But do hang a sign around your neck, one for your front side and one on your back listing what you have and how much you want. MANY guns sell this way and both parties are happy. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 28, 2010, 10:25 AM	#5
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	There is a genuine issue in going to a gun dealer to try and get "values" of a gun. It's not that gun dealers aren't good guys. There are plenty of good guys, I might even say that MOST of them are good guys. (there are turds in every business and the gun business has their share) Thing about gun dealers is that they are in BUSINESS, and it's not a hugely profitable business for most dealers unless they deal in large, large scale. If you approach a gun dealer and you don't know squat about what you have, and you want to sell them for money and you want his help, HE needs to make it worth his while. It's his expertise, or at least how he makes his living. He can't make the rent payment and electric bill by giving free advice and/or selling guns for other people. So he will most likely give you a number that puts some money in your pocket and gives him a gun that he can sell for a MUCH higher price, so that he makes some money for his time and his investment. Let's say just for argument that one of the guns you own is sought after in the used gun market. Let's say that any shop you walk in to might have one priced from $900 to $1100. It's safe to say your gun is worth a thousand bucks to a buyer, right? If you take that gun to a gun store or gun dealer, how much can he possibly give you for it? This is money coming out of his business that he needs to tie up in your gun and he won't get back until he sells it. He's going to give you $600 for that gun if you are lucky and he's a good guy and he thinks he can sell it. If he's a jerk, he'll point out every flaw, he'll tell you that nobody ever buys them, he'll tell you that they aren't as great as you think and he'll offer $350 for it. And either guy is then going to sell it for $900 to a knowledgeable buyer or $1100 to a wealthy businessman in a suit who is in town for some meeting and doesn't need to shop for 2 months before his purchase. If you are okay about getting $600 and know full well that the end buyer wants that gun for $900 to $1100, then go in full confidence to a gun store or gun dealer and sell him your guns. If you know that you might run in to the jerk that will offer you a couple hundred and make you feel like you brought in some old junk, you are already better prepared. You might try posting your pictures here and seeing what folks on this site can tell you about their values. If I had them in front of me, I'd start with the Fjestad guide and go from there. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 28, 2010, 09:15 AM	#3
BEARCATJER Junior Member Join Date: January 25, 2010 Posts: 3	Thanks for the reply and the suggestions. I found an online gun valuation service which charges $3.99 per gun to provide you with used gun value for the specific gun you have. I may resort to that although i dont know how credible it would be. I took some digital photos of each gun...they are really nice guns..and have sent them to a gun dealer about 50miles from where i live to see if they will give me some idea of value and marketability. I have no idea how much demand there is for sophisticated target handguns.

January 28, 2010, 10:00 AM	#4
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	Did you check gunbroker closed auctions? That'll give you a good indication of value. Value will depend on condition, especially with the Hi-Standard and the Colt. You need to give more information on the High Standard - length of barrel, and model. The Colt sounds like one of the Woodsman series - more information would be helpful - without more information it could range from $500 - $2,000. Good pictures would be even more helpful. The S&W 52, in excelent condition, would range somewhere between $800 on the low side to $1,200 on the high side. Without more information the high standard could be anywere from $175 - over $1,000.

February 11, 2010, 02:53 PM	#7
LarryFlew Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2009 Location: Minnesota CZ fan Posts: 902	Im starting to wonder if i shouldnt just list them on a site like Gunbroker.com at the prices Bob tried to sell them for and see what happens, but if they are worth more i would like to see his widow get the benefit of the higher values. You can list them at that price as your starting price in an auction format. Especially good on gunbroker since listing is free. If they don't sell you can re-list at a lower price and if they do sell you got at least the amount your where looking for.