1918 Colt BAR dewat value...any idea?

[Gordnfreman]

1918 Colt BAR dewat value, PHOTOS ADDED

Hello,
I am hoping you guy's can help me out. I have an amnesty registered BAR, Colts Mfg. Co. This rifle is unique in that it does not have a serial number on top of the receiver. The bolt works and the trigger fires, the barrel is welded at the receiver only.

It was registered by my father in law and he put the barrel date on the paperwork because it was the only number he could find on the gun. The gun was made in Feb. 1919. I will try to post a pic. We are think about selling it and I have no idea on its value. It has been transferred to my wife from his estate.

Any and all comments and help is greatly appreciated!

Man, good pics are tough! I have a bunch more that I will post this evening.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

A lot depends on exactly what you have but lets just say more than an average larger car... more than likely.

Please post lots more pictures!

Do you plan to sell it? If you need work done on it, that is rewatting, I suggest Bob Naess with Black River Militaria in VT. He is one of the top MG Gunsmiths and gets top money for the guns he brokers...

You may want to bring it to this weekends MG show at the AGC (See other thread for details). We have one member that will be there that has more than a handful of BARs. He is very knowledgeable and will tell you exactly what you have.

 

[teratos]

The Dewats I have seen (and have not seen one of these guns) go only 10-20% below what a working gun would go for. They aren't cheap.

 

[Jaybeez]

you should contact one of the big firearms auction houses or major nfa dealers. that's the only way to value it for sure.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

you should contact one of the big firearms auction houses or major nfa dealers. that's the only way to value it for sure.

Why do you say that? Its easy enough to get an idea of value yourself. Just do some research.

It just depends why he wants to know the value... and exactly what he has.

 

[Gordnfreman]

I have talked to a few of the suction houses and Rock Island. Rock Island needs to have the gun transferred to them before they can auction it. It will take too long. We will sell if the price is right.

Wilhelm at Duffy's handled the transfer for us and said he has never seen anything like it. I was doing a lot of business with him back then and Wilhelm did a lot of research for me. He reached out to some people he knew and they said they have never seen one either.

I will be taking more detailed pics tonight and will post tomorrow. I will check into the MG shoot this weekend, have to check with my boss to see if she has anything planned.

Thanks a lot guy's!

 

[johnnyb2]

I will trade you...............ummmmm.........................HUNDRED .223 and a HUNDRED 9mm STRAIGHT UP!!! :-)

 

[johnnyb2]

Pa.......................LEASE :-) hahahahahahaha WOW...what a find.....

 

[Jaybeez]

Why do you say that? Its easy enough to get an idea of value yourself. Just do some research.

its a really early production example, that can command a premium.

 

[Gordnfreman]

I will trade you...............ummmmm.........................HUNDRED .223 and a HUNDRED 9mm STRAIGHT UP!!! :-)

Thank you for such a generous offer, it really is a hard one to pass on
If only I didn't have so much .223 and 9mm already!

 

[IMBLITZVT]

I have talked to a few of the suction houses and Rock Island. Rock Island needs to have the gun transferred to them before they can auction it. It will take too long. We will sell if the price is right.

Wilhelm at Duffy's handled the transfer for us and said he has never seen anything like it. I was doing a lot of business with him back then and Wilhelm did a lot of research for me. He reached out to some people he knew and they said they have never seen one either.

I will be taking more detailed pics tonight and will post tomorrow. I will check into the MG shoot this weekend, have to check with my boss to see if she has anything planned.

Thanks a lot guy's!

Sounds like you know a fair amount about it. If you want to sell it and get top money and do it quick I would talk to Bob Naess. He has a HUGE MG collection and is a MG dealer/gun smith. He has the connections that you need to sell it for top money and quickly.

Black River Militaria
(802) 226-7204
1831 Main St Rte 131
Cavendish, VT. 05142
bmg17a1@gmail.com

 

[IMBLITZVT]

I talked to Bob about the gun. He said Jim Ballou is the guy to talk with about it as he is the BAR fanatic and knows the history but is having some health issues and can't be reached easily at this time.

It sounds like you have shown the gun around a fair amount and probably have some idea for what its worth. This really is not the forum for it. The 1919a4.com forum would be better.

 

[Ab_Normal]

Thank you for such a generous offer, it really is a hard one to pass on
If only I didn't have so much .223 and 9mm already!

I would offer you 2 pmags but I can't in the state of Md.. So consider this NOT an offer unless we were to meet up out of the state and then I would offer them to you.

 

[Gordnfreman]

I talked to Bob about the gun. He said Jim Ballou is the guy to talk with about it as he is the BAR fanatic and knows the history but is having some health issues and can't be reached easily at this time.

It sounds like you have shown the gun around a fair amount and probably have some idea for what its worth. This really is not the forum for it. The 1919a4.com forum would be better.

I am working on taking some detailed pics. I am a rare coin dealer and had to go look at a collection today, thats why there are no photos yet. I have described it to a few people and everyone is wanting photos.

I really have no idea yet what this thing is worth or what a reasonable offer would be. I will get the pics done tomorrow morning. Just trying to get some kind of idea of what it might be worth, didn't know if any of you guy's might have a ball park idea. The only person who has actually seen the gun is Wilhelm.

 

[rsideout]

I don't know where your located, but if you can come up to AGC on Sunday for the Maryland Thompson Collectors Association show, you will get get some good information about your gun. PM me if interested.

And since you are a coin dealer, if you just want to let it go.......I'll trade you an NGC AU55 1937-D 3-legged Buffalo Nickel & a PCGS MS63 1932-S Washington Quarter for her. That sounds like your best offer so far.

 

[SFbrah]

Seriously though, extremely jealous. Will need to set up new standards for a future wife...starting with:

1. Do you have any transferable class 3 weapons?


Good luck with the sale, make sure it goes to a good home. Great piece of history. Also remember, its only been ~25 years since the cutoff of automatic civilian manufacture, imagine how much it will be worth in another 25...great investment.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

....
I really have no idea yet what this thing is worth or what a reasonable offer would be. I will get the pics done tomorrow morning. Just trying to get some kind of idea of what it might be worth, didn't know if any of you guy's might have a ball park idea. The only person who has actually seen the gun is Wilhelm.

Well, put it this way... The cheapest BAR is about $20k. That for a gun built with original parts on a modern receiver. Original WWI guns command a premium. Somes for really nice ones up to about $90k Asking, probably more $30-$50K Selling. However there is a wide range of prices based on exactly what you have and how bad the dewatting is.

These links are from the most expensive guy out there. However a Colt would be worth more than a Winchester or Marlin.
http://dealernfa.com/shop/1918-bar-marlin-rockwell-in-very-nice-condition-43985/
http://dealernfa.com/shop/winchester-bar-1918-cr-in-very-nice-condition-barrel-was-replaced-77813/

Being an early gun, it could be worth 2x, 3x if its really rare.... which I don't know if your gun is or how much extra that would add.

Without a lot of detailed pictures, its very hard to give you a price. I would say Min $30K up to $45K and if its extremely rare, maybe as high as $75K??? Of course the next picture could show a demil cut through the receiver and you are down to $20K...

 

[Gordnfreman]

I don't know where your located, but if you can come up to AGC on Sunday for the Maryland Thompson Collectors Association show, you will get get some good information about your gun. PM me if interested.

And since you are a coin dealer, if you just want to let it go.......I'll trade you an NGC AU55 1937-D 3-legged Buffalo Nickel & a PCGS MS63 1932-S Washington Quarter for her. That sounds like your best offer so far.

Those are a couple of nice coins. Are you a into coins? I specialize in colonial and early federal but will buy anything!

Another offer thats hard to pass on, but I already have a couple of each.

 

[rwbow1969]

How about trading my Ex wife, she goes from 0 - Bitch in a nano-second.

 

[Gordnfreman]

Well, put it this way... The cheapest BAR is about $20k. That for a gun built with original parts on a modern receiver. Original WWI guns command a premium. Somes for really nice ones up to about $90k Asking, probably more $30-$50K Selling. However there is a wide range of prices based on exactly what you have and how bad the dewatting is.

These links are from the most expensive guy out there. However a Colt would be worth more than a Winchester or Marlin.
http://dealernfa.com/shop/1918-bar-marlin-rockwell-in-very-nice-condition-43985/
http://dealernfa.com/shop/winchester-bar-1918-cr-in-very-nice-condition-barrel-was-replaced-77813/

Being an early gun, it could be worth 2x, 3x if its really rare.... which I don't know if your gun is or how much extra that would add.

Without a lot of detailed pictures, its very hard to give you a price. I would say Min $30K up to $45K and if its extremely rare, maybe as high as $75K??? Of course the next picture could show a demil cut through the receiver and you are down to $20K...

I posted a few new pics today and have more to come this evening.

Hey man, thanks for all the time you have taken finding and posting all this info for me. I really do appreciate it!