Recommendations for a firearms appraiser

[Ragnar]

I need to get a collection of around 40 guns appraised. There are a few C&R guns, but nothing rare or exotic. Most are modern firearms, and I just need a written estimate of secondary market value from someone I can call an "expert." Any suggestions?

 

[manderson]

My suggestion is be your own expert. Find several examples of each gun you have on the internet, i.e. GunBroker, GunAuction, Guns International, Guns America, and see what each sells for, then determine a reasonable value. It's somewhat time consuming, but will be the most accurate. Auctions that start at one dollar with no reserve will be your best reference. No one person will give you an accurate assessment. Any professional appraisal is going to be low with the hope of buying your firearms in order to make a profit. This is just the nature of the beast. Appraisals by friends or people on forums is going to be what they think it is worth, not necessarily what it is selling for. I personally don't believe some of these guns are worth what people are paying, like some of the used Colt and S&W revolvers. But the market is what it is. Good luck.

 

[lee2]

they would have to be seen.
are you looking for someone in your area?

 

[hodgepodge]

I'm also looking, for an appraiser in the Annapolis area for an antique Marlin rifle.

 

[Boom Boom]

Tread carefully. In my experience, a lot of self-titled gun appraisers are buyers/collectors who make a habit of low-balling the appraisal just before making an offer. Others heavily oversell their supposed expertise and therefore their ability to accurately gauge the gun's true market value. Be prepared to waste time and money.

 

[Biggfoot44]

I get the impression the OP is more looking for a piece of paper from a third party for insurence or estate purposes , than a serious market value for each.

 

[Pinecone]

Either way, you want a true value.

The Blue Book of Gun Values is a good start. And with pictures to document condition.

 

[SRD]

My suggestion is be your own expert. Find several examples of each gun you have on the internet, i.e. GunBroker, GunAuction, Guns International, Guns America, and see what each sells for, then determine a reasonable value. It's somewhat time consuming, but will be the most accurate. Auctions that start at one dollar with no reserve will be your best reference. No one person will give you an accurate assessment. Any professional appraisal is going to be low with the hope of buying your firearms in order to make a profit. This is just the nature of the beast. Appraisals by friends or people on forums is going to be what they think it is worth, not necessarily what it is selling for. I personally don't believe some of these guns are worth what people are paying, like some of the used Colt and S&W revolvers. But the market is what it is. Good luck.

Tread carefully. In my experience, a lot of self-titled gun appraisers are buyers/collectors who make a habit of low-balling the appraisal just before making an offer. Others heavily oversell their supposed expertise and therefore their ability to accurately gauge the gun's true market value. Be prepared to waste time and money.

Friend of mine got screwed (like .25 on the dollar) for high end rare stuff when his father passed because he didn't know.

 

[Ragnar]

I get the impression the OP is more looking for a piece of paper from a third party for insurence or estate purposes , than a serious market value for each.

That's exactly what I'm looking for, And I don't mind if they're low-ball estimates. That would actually serve my purpose.

 

[thumbert]

That's exactly what I'm looking for, And I don't mind if they're low-ball estimates. That would actually serve my purpose.

Call Nova Firearms and speak to JB or Eric. Think I overhead someone come in for that the other day when I was there.

 

[Ragnar]

Either way, you want a true value.

The Blue Book of Gun Values is a good start. And with pictures to document condition.

Thanks. This might work for my purpose.

 

[Ragnar]

Call Nova Firearms and speak to JB or Eric. Think I overhead someone come in for that the other day when I was there.

Thanks!

 

[Ragnar]

they would have to be seen.
are you looking for someone in your area?

Someone in the central Maryland/northern Virginia area. AACo, PGCo, Montgomery, Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria.

 

[Shemp]

Scotts Gunsmithing in Glen Burnie. Scott is very knowledgable on most firearms.

 

[54rndball]

One idea is to contact an arms collector's club such as Potomac Arms Collectors Association or Maryland Arms Collectors, who run the Baltimore show. Appraisers usually take a fee for service, such as 3-5% of the appraised value. And of course they can give you value based on what a dealer would pay, rather than what it might go for at auction. This can be useful if you need it for estate purposes, etc. Sometimes a collection needs to be appraised by an executor, because the beneficiaries want their cut in cash for their share of the collection. Had to do that awhile ago to get complete control of my father's gun collection.