I am in the process of selling all of my big bores. I'm getting married in a couple months and need the cash. Aside from posting on the Classified's here and getting ads set-up on Gunbroker (which I plan to do tonight), is there any other good online marketplace that you know of? Does anyone know of any gun stores near Denver, CO that specialize in big bores?

The three rifles for sale are:
1. Ruger RSM .460 Wby (re-chambered from .458 Lott and installed in synthetic stock, with new magazine and feed work done by Stuart Satterlee)
2. Harris Gunworks "Talon" in .378 Wby.
3. Stainless .416 Rem. Mag built on M1999 and assembled by Tip Burns.

I would greatly appreciate any advice you can give me with respect to the best avenue to sell these rifles, especially since the first two are very much odd-balls. Thanks.

my advise is not get married and keep your guns if that is your only option........ haha

Load your rifles in the truck, tell her your going to the store to sell them. Then drive as fast as you can to get the hell out of there and NEVER look back. GOOD LUCK!

AR is probably your best bet for selling these particular rifles, as we probably have more big bore shooters than any other U.S. forum.

Of course, they know the market very well and it is a buyer's market, so your prices will have to be rational.

George

George over at The Gun Room (Lakewood)is always looking for big bores.
Or try Len over at The Firing Line (Aurora)
Don't expect to get retail from them of course, they are dealers after all.

Don't do it! Gotta pass on the warning I didn't heed. In process of divorce currently.

I'd love to see pics of that stainless 416.

Also you can drive down to C. Springs and try Specialty Sports.

4285 East Fountain Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80916

This is on Fountain Blvd, between Powers Ave and Academy Blvd.

Or...you can call and ask them to save yourself a trip. (719) 391-2556

They also take rifles on consignment.

Barstooler

In all honesty, If you are havong to get rid of guns to get married, you might want to seriously question you choice. If this is how you are starting out, you are truly screwed and it will only get worse.

Post good quality pics too. Most people spending this kind of cash are going to want to see good pictures from multiple angles. And don't post an "email me for pics" or "serious inquiries only email for pics" line either. If you're serious about selling the guns, make it easy for prospective buyers. Take the pics, post them, and save yourself all the hassles of sending emails of pics to many different persons.

LWD

Aside from the don't get married advice, which seems to me like good advice if marriage means you have to get rid of such interesting rifles, I would say stay away from dealers.

You will take a major haircut with any dealer, as they don't pay retail (rather, at least 20%-40% less) and charge nearly as much when they sell on consignment.

I'd price them fairly and put them on AR first, then move to Gunbroker, Guns International or Guns America, if they don't move here.

quote:

Originally posted by LWD:
Post good quality pics too. Most people spending this kind of cash are going to want to see good pictures from multiple angles. And don't post an "email me for pics" or "serious inquiries only email for pics" line either. If you're serious about selling the guns, make it easy for prospective buyers. Take the pics, post them, and save yourself all the hassles of sending emails of pics to many different persons.

LWD

LWD has it right. Start here by posting plenty of pics/prices.

I just bought a gun here on AR last week. The seller had good pics posted, responded to me quickly, and I bought the gun. He just shipped it today!

I'd be interested in seeing the pics/price of the .460 WBY?

Thank you all for your advice on selling the rifles. I will be sure to post pics later tonight of all three, and will check out the leads in CO.

As for the other comments re my pending marriage, I appreciate the words of wisdom. But I now realize looking back on my original post that it was a bit misleading. I am not selling the rifles because my fiance wants them gone or anything of the sort. I just want to be able to: (1) splurge a little more on our honeymoon and (2) rationalize (to myself) my recent purchase of a new elk rifle and Schmidt & Bender scope (when her family is paying for the whole wedding). This is an entirely self-imposed move, and she doesn't even know that I'm getting rid of them. In any event, I do appreciate the effort to look out for me.

When you are young you can have dreams and mistakes.
When you are old you have fond memories and regrets.
What will be a greater regret?

Just make sure your fiance knows that you're selling three prized rifles to pay for the wedding, don't hide it from her. That way in the future she will likely be much more open to you spending a big chunk of cash on a replacement once you can afford it.

As for the don't get married advice, take most of it as some friendly ribbing. Although if those guys love their rifes more than their wives maybe they made a mistake. I just got engaged myself, and I would sell rifles to pay for the wedding if need be, fortunately I don't think it will come for that. Congratulations on your upcomming wedding.

quote:

Just make sure your fiance knows that you're selling three prized rifles to pay for the wedding, don't hide it from her. That way in the future she will likely be much more open to you spending a big chunk of cash on a replacement once you can afford it.

Kinda like putting a tip in the jar when the bartender isn't looking......

LWD

When I got married I made a deal with her. I didn't want to hear any greef about me buying guns or fishing in Canada. Over the last 42 years not one word about guns. I get greef about Canada if she isn't going. I think she loves it more than I do. I would advise you do the same, espesially the great 42 years with her, good luck.
If I didn't already have a .378 Wby, I would be interested in your Talon. I have one in .300 WM it has spent a lot of time in Africa, love it......Tom

I have been married to the same woman for 30 years, so I kinda like her, most of the time... well OK some of the time...

However, I would not recommend selling a gun, or guns, to enable someone to get married...

If you have to start out this way, it will NOT work.

Question, does she hunt, shoot, fish, camp, etc???

If not...

This isn't regarding your rifles but it my 2c on the other, I don't know how old you are but am guessing this is your first marriage and hers. You have some mighty fine rifles there so are doing much better than I was at the same point in my life, so maybe this won't all apply, but I'll throw it out there anyways:

1. When a woman is young she really wants to have a big wedding. My wife is very practical as far as women go and even she wanted a pretty wedding (we did it 75 people and still managed to spend about 5k). But if you're smart, later you're going to talk about it and say,"think what we could have done with that money, we could have put it towards a house, a car etc. Now, hearing this now does nothing for you, because it did nothing for us either, I'm just telling you because it really will be a thought some day. (and our wedding was AWESOME, we still realized later what a misuse of good money they are).

So if her parents are willing to pay for it don't feel guilt about how you've spent your money. Girls dream of it their whole lives, that's why our tradition is their parents pay for it, after all they let them get away with building it up in their minds all those years.

2. You might not think so now but it may make you bitter later. I have a buddy married over 10 years now that sold his truck to help pay for his wedding, even though he says he doesn't mind, he stills talks to me about it once in a while and I get the feeling he really does mind.

there's no reason to start a marriage with anything to be bitter about later (you'll have plenty of opportunities for that in a marriage )

3. If you're in a position like I was, and still am (despite having great jobs), that is your income is fine but being married you no longer have that ability to spend whatever you have on whatever you want, you may find yourself in a position where you decide to sell some of these guns to get other ones you want. I have a fraction of the guns now that I had when I was single. It's a lot harder to drop 500-3000 dollars on a gun when you have a wife and maybe a family.

Of course I could be wrong on that point, I know a guy who's wife has no problem at all with his having guns and so he's always devoted the majority of his disposable income to buying them and has quite a collection.

Red

For those of you who expressed interest in pictures, I have now added pictures to each of the 3 listings in the classified's. If I did it right, the links below should take you there. If not, each rifle has it's own listing.


.416

.460

.378

I remember selling almost 10k worth of custom rifles to pay for my daughters birth expenses. Their just rifles even if they are really nice ones, and can be replaced down the road.

I've been with my wife for 31 years and married for 26 of them.

I am 100% with TheBear_78:

Every "thing" can be replaced. I've sold plenty of things to pay for school, house repairs, safaris, family vacations and yes even my 1969 Chevelle SS 396/375 with Muncie M22 and Hurst T-shifter to pay for our wedding. Even sold a 1971 'Cuda convertible when I needed to.

Was able to find and buy (and sell some of it again) all of that stuff at various points in life.

Good for you for putting what's important first.

Now to answer your question, I've had the best results posting here on AR in the classifieds and a few days later on GunsInternational. I've not used Gunsbroker or GunsAmerica though the more exposure the better your chances.

There are a few big-bore specialtiy dealers with excellent reputations that will take them on consignement but as others have pointed out, you won't get quite as much going that route. On the other hand, some folk looking for such guns prefer to buy from and feel more secure with dealers than an unknown random gun seller.

I'd go with the advice you have already received here - AR for a week, then start posting on GI and perhaps the other on-line places. Be realistic in your asking prices and be prepared to hunker and haggle - everyone wants to feel good in the end.

One final piece of advice: if one or more of these rigs is something that can't be "replaced" ask the eventual buyer to give you right of first refusal - in other words, if she/he decides to sell, to give you the first opportunity to buy it back.

Congratulations and best wishes on your new life with your soon-to-be wife.

More unsolicited comments about marriage and sacrifice...TheBear_78 has the right answer in principle. But real life isn't always so principled or divorce would be a rarity. After 34 years with the same woman I have sold many many guns at different life stages; usually to solve a temporary financial issue. I love my wife but you know what she has sold in those years? Nada. Zip...zero. Not saying she should have, but it would be nice to know she would have considered it.

When it was a man's world, that was the price we paid..support the family at all costs. Today it's supposed to be "equitable" but we know women gladly share the power and give up nothing. But I'm not bitter...

Your rifles have been on the boards a bit and now if you really want to sell.....

Offer to take a payment plan.
I recently purchased two double rifles this way and believe me I could not have done so without the trust of the gentlemen selling the rifles. I really wanted them and know they would have been gone before I could squirrel away the funds.
By taking a substantial down payment, you keep the rifles and receive funds monthly to apply to the expenses of the wedding and the honeymoon or purchase of your home.
I have looked at your rifles seriously and the talon is a very fine quality rifle. Others are also looking. by offering a payment plan you may make it affordable now.
Frank

Good Grief. I have not seen a Harris Gunworks arm in any caliber for sale in dog years. Not gonna' be making any more of those, either.

I have a very clear understanding of financial constraints, but you might think about hanging on to that one.

Best wishes for a long and happy marriage.

My wife just bought me a gun cause I liked it in the store. I'm keeping her!-Rob

Your values and priorities are your own, and that is the way it should be. Don't let others tell you what they should be. Others don't know jack-sh-- about your life.

Now, if you are going to sell them, I'd recommend the following:

1. If you want, post them here. But don't expect to sell them here. If you are lucky, that may work, but it is not certain enough to count on it as your only option.

Option two - Pick yourself an auction house, and post them there for a minimum of two weeks. Three weeks would be even better. Be sure to set a reserve you can live with, then make the opening bid LOW...like 1 cent! and make the minumum bid increase also low....like $0.50 at a time. Post the best pictures you can, and make the description a complete one, stressing the good points of the guns, but not going on and on and on.

IF you will accept "layaways" by the winner, say so, but make it clear from the git-go what the minimum amount paid down must be, what the maximum length of layaway is, that there will be NO refunds by you of layaway payments made for ANY reason other than a descriptive error by you, and that shipping/delivery will occur only after the full purchase, shipping and insurance are paid in full.

Also make it clear that in every sale it is the bidder's responsibility to ascertain BEFORE bidding that purchase and ownership of the gun is legal for HIM in his area of residence and that he has an FFL dealer prepared to accept a shipment from a private individual on the buyer's behalf and at the buyer's expense.

If the auction site permits it, reserve to yourself the rights to end any auction early and to sell to anyone you choose before the auction ends. Many auction sites will not allow that, but there are few circumstances under which I would recommend selling a gun out from under the bidders anyway if the reserve is met by any of them.

Consider offering a "buy it now" option at a particular price (higher than the reserve price, usually).

Then sit back and enjoy watching the bidding.

Good luck.

And if anyone tells you they wouldn't bid under those conditions, remember you don't CARE WHO buys the guns, just that they sell at the best prices and on good terms for YOU. Those who do not wish to bid won't win the auctions.

As they all address the same relatively small market, I would not start all your auctions on the same day. I would space them to start and end a few days apart.

Lots of good advice above! My suggestion would be: sell the rifles if you can make money on them, if not, try to keep 'em! You can always sell them later when the economy picks up, but now may not be the best time. Good luck with your marriage. Mine will be 39 this year!
Peter

I took my wife on a Buffalo Safari for our honeymoon. Get yours to agree and you'll have to keep at least one of them...

it will take you ten years to restock, and three times what you tied up in these...

Find a woman that likes firearms. My lovely wife was speechless when I presented her with a mint Remington M37 as an engagement present. That was twenty-four years ago, and she just finally agreed to a diamond ring last fall.

Im sure you have heard all the old jokes by now. Ill still rerun this one in case you havent. It was a standard from my navy days. Just find a woman you dont like and buy her a house. It will amount to the same thing in the end. That said I have been married twice. Second time I pretty much got it right. After all these years I still got to do pretty much what I wanted. Remember it is the people in your life who come first, not the things. Wealth is neither measured in money or possessions. In the end it is those around you that love and support you that matter. The reverse obviously as well. So sell what you really need to. First though, did you talk it over with your fiance'? Would she really want you to sell all three? Maybe you should consider keeping one. That would tempper any future regret. If you are both agreed then nothing wrong with it. Even though they are your prize possessions, it should not be a unilateral decision to sell them, at least for this reason. You need to include her. Good luck and congrats.

quote:

Originally posted by Robgunbuilder:
My wife just bought me a gun cause I liked it in the store. I'm keeping her!-Rob

+2

I cannot stress stronly enough to forget getting married. I bought an engagement ring with money i had been saving for a safari. I'll never do that again. I have been on three safaris since but.....Keep the guns if you like them, i am reasonably sure you will never get your money out of them. Whatever you get out of them will be a drop in the bucket to what getting married will cost. And I don't just mean in dollars. Got any dreams, they want them too. All jokingly, but theres a lot of truth in humor.

Gentlemen, this is not a marriage counseling forum. Please let's get back on topic.

George

Maybe instead of selling your guns have her to sell off 100 pairs of shows or any fancy jewelry etc that she has to pay for a fancy wedding.
My current girlfriend likes to shoot and would not dream of asking me to sell a gun unless I was in dire need of the money