Just talked with a life long friend

[bersaguy]

I just got off the phone with a buddy I grew up with that is somewhat of a collector on a few particular shotguns and has been buying them since we were kids. He told me something I thought I would never hear. He and his wife never had any children and they are getting ready to sell their home up in Illinois and they are taking a liitle beating on the sale but going to move south to some where around a place called May, Texas near some of her family. Anyway he is going to be down sizing his collection considerably and out of his 80 guns he has he is only keeping 10 and going to sell all the rest but is looking for 1 single buyer. Not willing to split it up or auction it off. What I can say right now is there is 40 Winchester Model 12 Pumps in all grades from Field to Skeet grades and gauges including 28 gauge Skeet grades The other brand is 30 Belgium Brownings . They consist of the O/U in all grades and gauges and Semi Automatic Hump Backs in all grades and gauges. The reason I am posting this is because I have no clue of anyone that would have the kind of funds on hand to buy a collection like that. I thought maybe someone here might have a clue to someone that would be in a position to at least talk to him about it. I can find out more about what he definitely wants to sell if I get some one that is truly interested............... :popcorn:  :popcorn: 

[musicman]

Interested, heck yes! Able to do anything about - nope. :-( Edited September 28, 2013 by musicman

[Raoul]

Perhaps. although the logistics of putting this together are probably insurmountable.

[bersaguy]

Perhaps. although the logistics of putting this together are probably insurmountable.

 

The main issue I see is the laws in Illinois and their gun issues and a sale of that size taking place in that state. I told him he may want to wait till he gets in Texas and just moved the guns in the vaults and then do the transaction in Texas. He said he would consider that option. Illinois has some really crazy gun laws. He said the reason he was thinking about selling them before moving it it will take one 26 foot U-haul truck just to move the vaults.

[musicman]

Has he thought about talking to any gun shops? I guess... is he looking for top dollar (not going to get that from a store) or just an easy dump?

[RED333]

Well how much money ya talking, PM if ya like.

[VERO1]

I'm thinking his best bet would be to contact one of the higher end ,national gun auctions. Especially if he wants to get rid of them all at one time.

[gregintenn]

I too would like to hear a round about price.

[mikegideon]

He's gonna need a detailed inventory and a starting price if he's going to move the whole load. Probably doesn't matter what state he's in. If he sells the whole thing out of state, it will just have to go thru an FFL.

[Dustbuster]

Hey Mike,Id talk to Terry Hetrick or one of the guys at Nashville Gun Club.Shotgun heaven over there..someone will prob know someone..

hope this helps

[gregintenn]

He's gonna need a detailed inventory and a starting price if he's going to move the whole load. Probably doesn't matter what state he's in. If he sells the whole thing out of state, it will just have to go thru an FFL.

Right. But in order to gauge interest, some of just want to know how many zeros in the price before we go any further.

[mikegideon]

Right. But in order to gauge interest, some of just want to know how many zeros in the price before we go any further.

 

I figured that when you asked. Gonna be some zeros :)

[gregintenn]

I expect it would be worthwhile to speak with representatives from James Julia, Rock Island, and perhaps some other auction houses in order to get top dollar for them. As a general rule, a collection of guns sold together will not realize near the money that they will being sold separately.

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I buy a collection of guns with the intention of selling the ones I'm not interested in at a profit, and keeping what I am interested in for free.

Edited September 28, 2013 by gregintenn

[bersaguy]

Well, I asked him about an O/U Trap Grade 12 gauge F/F Belgium Browning I know he has with a the Pure Maple Wood that he bought back when he was 18 and I was 16. He gave $495.00 back in 1962 brand new and the gun is now valued in the collectible condition it is in at   $6,500.00 and that is at the low end of the scale of the O/U's Browning guns he owns. I am planning on talking with him again the mid week coming. As far as the inventory goes he has every gun inventoried along with serial numbers models and all other notable items needed for insurance purposes. I am going to ask him this week what the replacement value is that was put on them by the insurance appraiser when he and 3 gun experts came out to prepare to put new insurance on them last year. That should at least give me a round number to look at. I'm betting they are insured at full replacement value if they had to be replaced which of course most of them could not be replaced. I'm glad he is moving out of that crappy state and wish he would come to Tennessee instead of Texas. I wish he would have made this move a long time ago. I'd like to go hunting with him one more time together.  This guy back in his prime could shoot some clay birds. He was Illinois State Handicap Champion for 3 years. I watched him win it by running 500 straight dead clay birds over a 5 day shoot using a Pigeon Grade Winchester Model 12 Pump gun. Runner up hit 498.   Man him and I sure have some memories together. We grew up hunting everything that had a season from Dove and Squirrel to Rabbit and everything in between if it was food related we hunted it...... :yum: :yum: :yum:

[TripleDigitRide]

I suspect he'll not find a single buyer who's willing to pay what he is expecting, unless he's willing to accept an amount far less than their actual value. Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2 Edited September 29, 2013 by TripleDigitRide