Random observations on 1868's and GB

[Mark Daiute]

Some random observations shared:

Currently I am following twelve 1868's on Gunbroker, 9 of them are at 1k or above. Ten if I count the one listed at $995. They have been listed for months and months. It makes me wonder what people base their listing price on and how they perceive the value of what they are selling.

Several years ago I puchased an 1869 dated 1868 rifle locally. It is a nice rifle but not without its warts. The metal is good, real good, the wood ok, not great. It had the wrong cleaning rod, I had to purchase a replacement. Dick was quick to ask about the wood where it had the wrong cleaning rod. Indeed, the stock was mashed where the wrong cleaning rod had been. That's what a half century of trapdoor knowledge will get you. I spent 1100 bucks to get the rifle and cleaning rod. It's a nice rifle, it's mine but it's not a prime example and cost me 1100 buck

Did I pay too much for my rifle? I think so. Could I get its equal for less? Probably not unless I was very lucky and in the right place at the right time. If I had waited who knows if and when I would have one like it.

[Dick Hosmer]

I rarely go to Gunbroker these days, as I'm no longer buying rifles. but I don't think $1,100 is too much for a nice 1868. At one time I wanted to get an 1869 date to go with my 1868 and 1870, if for no other reason than to duplicate Graham Burnside's iconic photo from 1957, but never found one to match, at a decent price.

I think the bigger issue is people over-valuing stuff that isn't all that great. A LOT of 1868s have survived so it was never really hard to acquire a clean specimen, thus few people are upgrading.

For shooters, the brass is apparently getting scarce. I have 50 Dixie cases which will last my lifetime.

[Mark Daiute]

I have about 150 starline cases, they will last a long time IF you anneal them every 3 loads or so, otherwise the necks crack. Last October I was at a shoot where I shared my trapdoors. We went through 110 cartridges.

[carlsr]

68's on GB are mostly overpriced. There is one seller who has several WAY, WAY overpriced, they've been on GB for some time now.
My 1869/68 was purchased from Al some years ago. It is an excellent example which I paid 1350.00.
My 1870/68 was purchased this year at the Baltimore show for 900.00 and is also in excellent condition. I believe they are in much better condition than those on GB, IMHO.
That's around 1150.00 a piece not too shabby I say for 2 awesome rifles.
My 1868/68 was purchased at a great price from Fred!!!! so I have the complete set.
I have plenty of used brass along with an unopened bag of 100 which at the moment is worth its weight in gold
There is a listing for 50/70 brass on GB @ 12.50 a case
There's also some reloads for the same price I believe.

I was at the Oaks gun show Saturday and was keeping an eye out for 50/70 brass, never know when someone is just getting rid of junk laying around who may have a few cases available. Didn't see any but did see a new bag of 45/90 Starline brass. I don't have anything in that caliber and in fact I do have around 100, some are reloads which were in an auction lot I won. Price on the bag of 50 was 250.00.

[Lead Snowstorm]

When it comes to GB and the like, any given search mostly returns the overpriced guns that won’t sell and therefore linger on the sites. The ads where price reasonably matches condition go quickly.

It doesn’t help that a couple of the bigger antique sellers routinely price their wares at twice market value. My most recent US longarm was a percussion conversion M1840. A nice piece, but priced starting at $2000, BIN at $2100. I must have watched that one for a couple of years. Finally the seller decided to offload some inventory and ran a no reserve penny auction. My winning bid was just under half of the BIN price.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1071317156

Did I pay too much for my rifle? I think so. Could I get its equal for less? Probably not unless I was very lucky and in the right place at the right time. If I had waited who knows if and when I would have one like it.

In my experience the fastest and surest way to run across a deal on a given gun model is to pay high market value for a similar specimen. Immediately better condition and lower priced samples will come crawling out of the woodwork!

[Fred Gaarde]

Here’s my 1840 that I bought recently that had never been converted to percussion or even used.
I paid 4 grand for it but an identical one auctioned for $16,000.00 two years ago.
This musket was a Sleeper in that the company that was selling it (Collectors Firearms) thought it was a very rough looking musket. I could tell that under the 180 year layer of dried grease and dust, the musket’s Armory Bright finish was preserved. Oil and Bronze wool and brush safely cleaned that off. No pitting anywhere, mint bore. It was the best conditioned and only one of the several 1840’s they had that was original flint and not converted and was in unissued shape. They couldn’t tell. But I could.
It really comes down to how bad you want a thing. The money is a lot. However I valued it that much and more. Now I’m its happy owner. So, I think if you really like a particular trapdoor, why shouldn’t you buy it?
If there aren’t many or any others around, you’ve gotta pay the person what they want for it if you want to own it.

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[Fred Gaarde]

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[carlsr]

Beautiful rifle Fred!!

[Fred Gaarde]

Thanks Carl. I’ve wanted this model flintlock musket for 50 years!

[Fred Gaarde]

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