Para, please delete this if I'm breaking any rules here, as I know these kid of questions can be touchy.

I have a new-in-wrap Garand that was a CMP auction gun. I thought I would hang onto this for a couple decades and really have something, but I'm clearing out some "collectible" guns, and this is one that is on the list. Is there a particular dealer out there that anyone might have had a good experience with who would be able to help me value/ offload this thing? I've asked around at the local shops I frequent, and no help so far.

I am NOT looking for offers, and I will ignore any such messages since I have been around long enough to know that is a clear violation of the forum rules.

The Marketplace section of the CMP Forum or the Gunboards milsurp forum would likely be your best bet for selling a rare Garand to a collector.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
The Marketplace section of the CMP Forum or the Trader section of the Gunboards milsurp forum would likely be your best bet for selling a rare Garand to a collector.

I was unaware that the CMP had a forum. That sounds like exactly the solution.

Just some spitballing that you may or may not have already considered, but...

It seems that a key part of the equation here is how to value the Garand in question, and how rare/collectible it is. You should consider (I assume you have, but this leads to my next point) that using a 'dealer' to consign it will come at a price. If you're looking for maximum return, the commission to the dealer will definitely affect/determine the net return in your pocket. You might do just as well to thoroughly research this on your own to get an accurate value (or a close approximation) and then sell it yourself. Once you know what it's worth, and/or have settled on a price, you can sell it without any overhead costs that will affect net return. If you go that route, why not list it/try to sell it here in the SIGforum Classifieds, at least initially. If you're wanting it gone more quickly, or it doesn't move here right away then the CMP forum might be a better choice. If it's crazy rare/valuable, then you're best bet is to likely to auction it off in a venue that collectors willing to pay top dollar will frequent.

Good Luck with your sale, regardless of the path you take!

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
The Marketplace section of the CMP Forum or the Gunboards milsurp forum would likely be your best bet for selling a rare Garand to a collector.

Offering it here [exclusively, as per Classified rules] is an option as well.

Rock Island is a very large auction site. I don't think you can be in a hurry using them though. I also don't know what there cut is, but you will receive national wide coverage using them.

This forum and the CMP forum. Very nice and knowledgeable people in both. We have quite a knowledge base here in reference to the M1 but, the CMP has people that breathe and eat M1’s, collectors, the CMP armorers themselves, Garand Collector Association people on there, and I am sure a couple of us that spend time on both forums. Good luck w/ your endeavors. Sounds like you have a nice one.

The valuation is the major issue here. I'm not in a hurry to get rid of this, as I have had it for several years, and decided it should go to someone who will enjoy it more than me. The rifle itself is not rare or special, it's a run-of-the mill 5 million serial number Springfield. The potential value lies in the fact that is brand-new, still sealed in its original wrap since the '50s. Finding comps to estimate a valuation has proven rather fruitless.