Redding Auction today:

I went up to Gettysburg today to hit the Redding auction that was going on. I figured I'd share some hammer prices and observations for those who haven't been to auctions recently.

First, it was PACKED. Beyond reasonable for the pandemic PACKED. When I pulled up an hour before the guns were to be auctioned, the parking lot was already full. People were squashed in together like sardines inside despite the auction house's best attempts to provide room. It was just completely unreasonable.

Second, ANYTHING will sell at a premium right now. Literally ANYTHING. US Revolver and Iver Johnson pistols that were trashed were bringing in at least $50 and some went over $100 for stuff that most people would consider a paperweight at best. I went there to look at some classic SxS shotguns and there was a lot of trash to sort through, but even that trash sold for well above what I would normally pay for a gun in working order.

Some observed hammer prices and the guns (and lot numbers should you care to look at the pictures on their site)

DWM P-08 double-dated 1918/1920 w/ unit mark "2.RR.5.4" all matching except mag w/ OG holster: $1250

BYF-41 P-08 all matching except for the mag, re-blued: $1325

Walther P-38 AC/43 code w/ mag: $750

Remington Mod. 33 .22 single-shot with sanded down stock: $240

Western Arms Co. (Ithaca) Long-Range 20ga hammerless SxS, dented barrel, visible pitting, and messed up crowns: $300

CZ52 w/2 mags, holster, and cleaning tool: $410

TOZ-8 dated 1935, listed as "unknown military trainer": $300

Remington Sportsman 58 12ga w/ engraved receiver mod. choke: $330 (that one was actually a good price and I wish I had bid on it)

ACC International AK, thumbhole stock w/ sling, no mag. $1300

Smith Corona O3-A3 S.C. 9-43 bbl and rear adjustable peep & intact bayonet lug: $740

Remington Nylon 66 Mohawk Brown w/ white diamond accents: $270-325 depending on example.

The Westernfield 600A-ERI I went there to buy (12ga mod. choke) sold at way more than I was willing to shell out. $390 was the hammer with a really good chance to roll over to $400 but the second bidder at the end waffled too long on the decision. I was hoping to grab it at $325 or less, but they blew past that number before I could even get my card up.

I left after that. I wanted to stick around and see what the various other 03 Springfields, M1s, Mauser trainers, and MAS 45 went for, but decided to go ahead and call it quits.

Way too much money being thrown around for what things were. AH Foxes with no remaining lockup (levers all the way to the left) and dented barrels were going for $400+

Thanks for sharing and in a helpful format like this, its on my list to get the C&R. Was at local GS yesterday and another MDS member mentioned he has his C&R..... just told me to be careful.... because then it's easier to buy certain guns .

I'm going to hold out on some purchases for a while, and one day (post covid and buying craze) head to an auction.

Wonder if the large crowd was due to lots of folks having a long weekend aided by free socialism money

How about the smalls? I used to get terrific buys on ammo and assorted parts. Last I was there before I moved fro Md to Virginia I paid 810 for my 03A3 mint condition but smalls were still reasonable, Redfields for 80 dollars, boxes of 400 06 for 2 something ect. I loved that place even if it was distant.

JamesDong said:

How about the smalls? I used to get terrific buys on ammo and assorted parts. Last I was there before I moved fro Md to Virginia I paid 810 for my 03A3 mint condition but smalls were still reasonable, Redfields for 80 dollars, boxes of 400 06 for 2 something ect. I loved that place even if it was distant.

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The ammo was going for what I'd call current market value. No deals to be had on any of that unless it was some esoteric caliber. I only saw about half of the ammo smalls due to the gun auction starting at 10AM. Smalls didn't wrap up until nearly 12PM. I left before they got into the higher-priced guns.

Bertfish said:

Wonder if the large crowd was due to lots of folks having a long weekend aided by free socialism money

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I don't doubt it. There were several younger guys in there. Some specifically going for Milsurp C&R stuff. TOZ-8, CZ52, and I *think* one of the Lugers went to the same guy. Probably late 20s to mid-30s in age.

Plenty of folks just looking for their next hunting rifle or shotgun as well. But with the bids going sky high on things like 870 Wingmasters ($450 and up for basic jobs) a lot of people walked early shaking their heads.

Good buys on the 03-A3 and P38, those are less than they go for at shows or in shops.

Mark392001 said:

Good buys on the 03-A3 and P38, those are less than they go for at shows or in shops.

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I was just thinking the same thing. Sounds like a very fair price for a Walter made P38 as long as it isn’t in lousy shape.

Mark392001 said:

Good buys on the 03-A3 and P38, those are less than they go for at shows or in shops.

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That was the interesting thing, some of the Milsurp stuff wasn't too overboard, but most of the hunting and sporting guns were getting way overbid.

tallen702 said:

That was the interesting thing, some of the Milsurp stuff wasn't too overboard, but most of the hunting and sporting guns were getting way overbid.

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I’d have to imagine that most people want to grab the “home defense” kind of guns. I saw it myself when people and friends of mine were searching high and low for an AR-15 but couldn’t be bothered to look at a $400 SKS (with ammo) because it looked old.

More Milsurps for us Milsurp guys I guess, lol.

Quartermaster1942 said:

I was just thinking the same thing. Sounds like a very fair price for a Walter made P38 as long as it isn’t in lousy shape.

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Or import marked.

Mark392001 said:

Or import marked.

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Not sure if it was or wasn't. Redding never makes that determination on the sales sheet.

Prices actually aren't terrible being they don't charge a premium.

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-Thanks for the update! What I want to know is, how was the pit beef? Willing to bet it disappeared instantly if they had that big a crowd.
-Not surprised at the crowd size but a bit disconcerting as I'll be there next Saturday and don't want to be rubbing shoulders in a pandemic. Bucky has a 5 hr grooming appt. in town and I was hoping to kill a bunch of time hanging out at this smalls auction that's mostly ammo and reloading stuff.
-What you're seeing is both consumers and dealers desperate for stuff. Dealers looking for inventory 'cause they can sell damned near anything they can get. Stuff is flying off their shelves. Consumers in yet another panic mode. I still remember how bad it was in the eve of the AWB in the early 90s. That was the last time I saw a panic similar to this one. Imagine people 3 rows deep in the big hall at the Tiomonium fairgrounds, waiting HOURS to get into the building. The Obama panic was crushed soon after by the economic crash which had everyone scared to death to spend money on anything.

This is about the ONLY thing I miss about Maryland............ a short drive to Reddings. Here are two of my many purchases from there. I really liked that place and I trust them more than most. Matter of fact is I told my wife when I go **** up take a few days and I want her to bring all my gun stuff there with exception of 22's for the grandkids.

mawkie said:

-Thanks for the update! What I want to know is, how was the pit beef? Willing to bet it disappeared instantly if they had that big a crowd.
-Not surprised at the crowd size but a bit disconcerting as I'll be there next Saturday and don't want to be rubbing shoulders in a pandemic. Bucky has a 5 hr grooming appt. in town and I was hoping to kill a bunch of time hanging out at this smalls auction that's mostly ammo and reloading stuff.
-What you're seeing is both consumers and dealers desperate for stuff. Dealers looking for inventory 'cause they can sell damned near anything they can get. Stuff is flying off their shelves. Consumers in yet another panic mode. I still remember how bad it was in the eve of the AWB in the early 90s. That was the last time I saw a panic similar to this one. Imagine people 3 rows deep in the big hall at the Tiomonium fairgrounds, waiting HOURS to get into the building. The Obama panic was crushed soon after by the economic crash which had everyone scared to death to spend money on anything.

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Yeah, the beef was well gone by the time I got there! I overheard two of the auctioneers talking right before the gun sale started, they expected to bring in over $1 million today in sales, and I'd be surprised if they didn't.

I'd expect the smalls auction to be a good pull. Nothing like today, but you'll definitely have a full main room. The main rooms stayed full for the ammo smalls today even as they were selling guns in the back room.

I had a dealer that owns a gunsmithing business and small shop in York standing next to me. We were chatting while things were selling. He was aghast at what some other dealers were paying for what was basically shelf-filler. I recognized one of the dealers that I've seen there before often. Probably in his 60s, beard, kind of heavy-set. He was bidding for a fare-the-well today and snapped up at least 12-15 pieces from the "lower tier" section of the sale alone. He was definitely pushing bids to where there would be little profit left for most people.

I almost popped my card up when they called for $390 for that Westernfield 600A-ERI that I wanted. It was VERY clean, but just couldn't justify it when I paid $90 for my current one.

I really want to know what that AR 180 went for.

Thanks

Thanks for the review. This really helps in deciding whether to venture to such events

tallen702 said:

Yeah, the beef was well gone by the time I got there! I overheard two of the auctioneers talking right before the gun sale started, they expected to bring in over $1 million today in sales, and I'd be surprised if they didn't.

I'd expect the smalls auction to be a good pull. Nothing like today, but you'll definitely have a full main room. The main rooms stayed full for the ammo smalls today even as they were selling guns in the back room.

I had a dealer that owns a gunsmithing business and small shop in York standing next to me. We were chatting while things were selling. He was aghast at what some other dealers were paying for what was basically shelf-filler. I recognized one of the dealers that I've seen there before often. Probably in his 60s, beard, kind of heavy-set. He was bidding for a fare-the-well today and snapped up at least 12-15 pieces from the "lower tier" section of the sale alone. He was definitely pushing bids to where there would be little profit left for most people.

I almost popped my card up when they called for $390 for that Westernfield 600A-ERI that I wanted. It was VERY clean, but just couldn't justify it when I paid $90 for my current one.

I really want to know what that AR 180 went for.

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-Oh I know this gentleman very well! He sells up on Gun Broker under the name slautterfish, based out of York. He loves the "bargin basement" ring that sells guns in the morning. He's normally a 70% bidder, as in he'll stop at 70 points of market value. But in these crazy times expect that to change.
-The guy who I get into bidding wars with runs Commonwealth Arsenal on GB. He'll go to full retail as he routinely gets over retail on GB. Can't tell you how many times I've paid more for something or lost outright to him as we're looking for the same stuff.
-If you go to Redding over time you'll learn about all of the "regulars". It's akin to a local poker game. If you're a good observer you learn all their tendencies and tells.
-BTW, about 5-6 yrs ago I drove to a PA estate auction where all the firearms were long guns and because the executor of the estate was on site they were doing the sales as private transfers, no FFL or NICs. I was there for a Polish Wz29 Radom rifle (which I didn't get, sold for a crazy high price). There was a sweet AR-180 and it sold for, drum roll... $650! I was too much the coward to try to pull off an out-of-state purchase of a regulated item so I sat on my hands. My inner bad boy is still bitch slapping me for wimping out on that one!

mawkie said:

-Oh I know this gentleman very well! He sells up on Gun Broker under the name slautterfish, based out of York. He loves the "bargin basement" ring that sells guns in the morning. He's normally a 70% bidder, as in he'll stop at 70 points of market value. But in these crazy times expect that to change.
-The guy who I get into bidding wars with runs Commonwealth Arsenal on GB. He'll go to full retail as he routinely gets over retail on GB. Can't tell you how many times I've paid more for something or lost outright to him as we're looking for the same stuff.
-If you go to Redding over time you'll learn about all of the "regulars". It's akin to a local poker game. If you're a good observer you learn all their tendencies and tells.
-BTW, about 5-6 yrs ago I drove to a PA estate auction where all the firearms were long guns and because the executor of the estate was on site they were doing the sales as private transfers, no FFL or NICs. I was there for a Polish Wz29 Radom rifle (which I didn't get, sold for a crazy high price). There was a sweet AR-180 and it sold for, drum roll... $650! I was too much the coward to try to pull off an out-of-state purchase of a regulated item so I sat on my hands. My inner bad boy is still bitch slapping me for wimping out on that one!

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Yeah, I remember "slautterfish" from when I bought my Ithaca-made Lefever a few years back. I was there for a grab-and-go SxS that didn't need any work to use as a pheasant gun. He pushed me right to the edge of retail, which was fine by me as I was willing to go full retail since I knew it was in good shape with no real work needed. He bowed out at the last minute.

The AR-180 this weekend was still in the box with two mags, manual, the whole 9 yards. There was also a loan 180 mag in the smalls that sold before the actual gun went to auction. I have a feeling that if the purchaser of that mag didn't win the 180, there was likely an exchange right after the auction in the parking lot.

I'd have stuck around and bid on it, but it didn't include a black balaclava and Provisional IRA flag, and I feel that those are really necessary if you're going to own one.

Was fat boy who sits on counter in front of the sign that reads don't sit on counter there bidding everything up? Was so happy to outbid him on No5 MkII. Went for $700. On my way out he comments that's a lot to pay for a Jungle Carbine. My reply it would be if it was a jungle carbine. It's an experimental MkII grenade rifle one of 50 made. Posted on Milsurps forum the next day and a member offered me $4k so I sold it. Right after I made deal another member offered me $4,500 but I already made a deal.

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