Where can I find value of old shotguns?

[Guest nancy]

I have two older shotguns I would like to find the value of. A 1922 Parker and a Sauer. I posted on gunbroker.com, their suggestion was to put it for auction on their site with no reserve and then I would find the value. They did mention that appraisors may give you a high value for the gun but would not in fact give you that for the gun.

Nancy

[Oh Shoot]

Old shotguns, except for a few specific lines, are really hard to nail down as to value. I found this out researching a couple that I sold a couple of years ago.

If you don't get any good answers here, you might try posting on

Shotguns - Gun and Game Forums

Out of all the "general" gun forums, I found the folks there to be as knowledgeable as any on shotguns.

I guess the largest shotgun site is:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/

so that might be an option, too.

Pics, of course, will likely be necessary.

- OS

[gregintenn]

Post some good pictures on here and we'll see what we can do.

[leroy]

Nancy:____________________

Take a look at these web sites and see if you see anything similar to your guns: Cherrys Fine Guns: Cherry's Fine Guns Home Page Commemorative Firearms.

Collectors fire arms: Collectors Firearms.

We have done business with Cherrys. They are good guys and arrow straight.

Hope this helps.

Leroy

[Guest TnRebel]

Home Page | Shotgun News

is a good place to start

or here

http://www.parkerguns.org/

[Guest nancy]

I have taken numerous pictures of the two guns but I cannot get any good pictures of the silver engravings on the Parker. And when I got too close with the camera the photos just blur. I need a lesson in how to get a good picture of the smaller intricate parts of a gun, which is what someone would be interested in seeing. I will try to attach a few photos and I will keep trying to get some better ones.I believe the problem may be the strobe.

I just tried to attach 2 photos but was not allowed.

Nancy

[Oh Shoot]

I have taken numerous pictures of the two guns but I cannot get any good pictures of the silver engravings on the Parker. And when I got too close with the camera the photos just blur. I need a lesson in how to get a good picture of the smaller intricate parts of a gun, which is what someone would be interested in seeing. I will try to attach a few photos and I will keep trying to get some better ones.I believe the problem may be the strobe.

I just tried to attach 2 photos but was not allowed.

Nancy

Don't use flash. Get in indirect sunlight, if shutter speed too low (under about 1/60th sec), use tripod or other way to brace cam. Use delayed timer function to keep cam from shaking during exposure. If you can't get physically close enough, shoot as close as you can with highest rez cam can do and crop the pic after the fact.

Pics you must host somewhere, with pic link to it in post - no uploads to TGO, except for avatar pix.

Most folks here use Photo Bucket. You can use your own ISP webspace, they should have FAQ about how to do it.

ComCast, for example, gives you about 8 Gigs of space,2 gigs each for 4 email account names, that's what I mainly use.

Here's site owner's pix FAQ:

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/tgo-forum-support/28387-faq-how-do-i-post-pictures.html

All else fails, you can email them to me and I'll post them for you. Just PM me.

- OS

Edited July 23, 2010 by OhShoot

[Guest nancy]

FAQ: How Do I Post Pictures? I read this, and got 6 pictures on Photobucket. The below may be the pictures. Please let me know if the url is not the correct one.

Pictures by robert1945 - Photobucket

Nancy

[Oh Shoot]

FAQ: How Do I Post Pictures? I read this, and got 6 pictures on Photobucket. The below may be the pictures. Please let me know if the url is not the correct one.

Pictures by robert1945 - Photobucket

Nancy

Link works, and here they are in body of post, just used "copy image location" of the large versions and pasted into dialogue.

Nice lookin' old shotty for sure.

- OS

[Guest nancy]

The pictures came out o.k., tho the pheasant and hound engraved in the silver cannot be seen well enough. This Parker and a 20 ga. Sauer are my husbands, he says the Parker is in good condition and is deciding whether to spend the money blueing the barrels or even Parkerizing the barrels. He says the Sauer is a creampuff.

" I found this out researching a couple that I sold a couple of years ago." How did you decide to sell your guns? As these are worth more than a few hundred dollars, we are in no hurry to move them, yet again see no need to keep them if we got a reasonable price.

Thanks for helping me with the pictures, tho it seems I still need to spend more time trying to get a good closeup.

Nancy

[Oh Shoot]

...

" I found this out researching a couple that I sold a couple of years ago." How did you decide to sell your guns? ...

Nancy, I had an old Remington 1900 double barrel shottie 12 gauge, made about 1903. Had been my granddad's, and I learned to shoot with it also. Though it seems like a sin to sell off a family heirloom, I'm single, only child, no kids. So really nobody close to leave it to. I wanted a defensive shotgun, and there was some question as to whether this old gun, although in good shape, was actually even chambered for 2 3/4", although even 3" shells fit in there, and I had even shot a couple of them to re-test it; even Remington couldn't tell me for sure. At any rate, from research, especially looking at same model sales on gun sites, it looked to be worth as much as $750 to the right collector, in the shape it was in. Rather than try to get top dollar with the hassle of selling on GunBroker or etc, I put it on TGO, and sold it for $525 to TGOer who wanted it as gift for a relative, who had had exactly the same model stolen. And he used it. So that was a good thing, and I used the bucks to buy modern stuff.

Also had an old Davenport single barrel, just a junker, made about 1898, maybe nice to put on wall as a decoration, that's about all.

Had no takers for even $50, so put it on consignment at Coal Creek for $60, and the dang thing sold, to some fellow who had similar one and needed some parts. CC took ten bucks and I got my 50.

That's my only experience selling antique guns.

- OS

[gregintenn]

To answer your question on the Parker, as best as I can tell by your pictures and description, you have either a CH or if it has ejectors, a CHE. These were mid grade parkers, aslight cut above the popular DH. The CH was quite rare according to my blue book. It says there were approx 1100 made. Values are as follows:

80%-13,750

70%-$11,750

60%-$10,000

If it features ejectors, add 25% to 50% to that price.

Judging from the photos, yours shoud fall somewhere within ththe range above. A cool shotgun indeed! Thanks for sharing.

[gregintenn]

While I have a book about Parker shotguns, I don't have much information about the Saur. I'd sure like to see it, however, if you ever have the spare time to post pictures.

[gregintenn]

DO NOT REFINISH THE PARKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Garufa]

DO NOT REFINISH THE PARKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

+1,000,000

[56FordGuy]

I agree with Greg, refinishing (blueing or parkerizing) will probably do more harm to the value than it will help. Collectors like things all original.

My Blue Book lists Sauer shotguns. Without knowing what model yours is, I can't nail down an exact value. The absolute lowest value listed for any Sauer shotgun, in 'poor' condition, is 300.00.

These book values are general guidelines, not set in stone. Actual market value could be different by several percent.

[Guest nancy]

We are familiar with Coal Creek. he can talk with them next time he is in Knoxville.

I posted the Parker valuation question on another website, with the same pictures shown on this thread, following is one reply.

"The latest info I have on a CH is $2500 in Fair condition, $4300 in Good condition. Your gun appears to fall somewhere in between. "

That certainly is a different range than

" you have either a CH or if it has ejectors, a CHE. The CH was quite rare according to my blue book. It says there were approx 1100 made. Values are as follows:

80%-13,750

70%-$11,750

60%-$10,000

If it features ejectors, add 25% to 50% to that price."

Our Parker is Grade 4 CH, we are not sure if it has ejectors. When you break the gun, the shells are lifted away from the barrel but do not jump out(laymans term...).

I mentioned to my husband the recommendations of not refinishing the gun, he says blueing is not refinishing. He was looking into something called rustblueing with Turnbull.

Nancy

Edited July 25, 2010 by nancy

[DaveTN]

I mentioned to my husband the recommendations of not refinishing the gun, he says blueing is not refinishing.

Certainly it is. And no matter who does it or how good it looks it will stick out like a sore thumb to a collector.

[gregintenn]

When you break the gun, the shells are lifted away from the barrel but do not jump out

Ejectors gently lift the unfired shells while throwing smartly fired shell.

Extractors gently lift either. It is more likely to have extractors.

I mentioned to my husband the recommendations of not refinishing the gun, he says blueing is not refinishing.

It belongs to him and he can do as he wishes, but altering the original finish will diminish the value of the shotgun by at least half.

[56FordGuy]

Certainly it is.

Agreed. Collectors will want that gun exactly as it is. Original, even if less than perfect, is much more desirable than a 'perfect' gun that's not 100% original. If he has it reblued, expect the value to drop off.

[gregintenn]

Now quit teasing us......I want to see the J.P. Sauer!

[USMCJG]

Nancy, I agree with everyone else here. Bluing is most definitely refinishing. The value of that fine shotgun will drop greatly if it is reblued. And +1 for wanting to see some pics of that Sauer.