Incredible Artillery Rig Available

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by tudorbug

I would not buy from RIA.

RIAC probably won't notice the loss. They were a feature on History Channel's "American Pickers" a few days ago. (The 'pickers' went to RIAC for an appraisal). Exposure like that is bound to get them more business, from both buyers & sellers. I recall that they also take out ads in high-end publications [Wall Street Journal]. That would indicate they are aggressively targeting the investment market. I don't really follow investments so I don't know if RIAC is an upstart in the auction market, but they do seem to be getting more and more business (bigger catalogs).

The RIAC auctions I have put bids in on charged 17% 'surcharge' on the winning bid. Plus shipping & handling.

I still prefer Gunbroker, but RIAC does offer inspection prior to auction. I dislike RIAC's bundling of items.

[alvin]

Originally Posted by postino

I dislike RIAC's bundling of items.

It's hard to find "gem" in RIAC Premium Auctions. Not because they don't have good guns, they have plenty of nice ones, but the price is high.

But, it's possible to find gem in RIAC Regional Auctions, mixed in sand. The gun could be rare, and the price could be right as well. The description is minimum, you take your chance, it's not unlike gambling. I have met a few guys complaining this -- some collectors even kept the unwanted "bundling" guns for years.

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Probably not Lugers though. Luger is too hot on the market. Old rifles had more chance.

[alvin]

Originally Posted by postino

That would indicate they are aggressively targeting the investment market.

The guns that they are selling... well, some probably would outperform inflation, I guess most won't though. Real "investment guns" with very very low risk are guns like Yugo SKS, MN-91, Surplus P1, Romanian Tokarev etc, but they don't sell those.