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Original Transferable Colt 1921 Thompson on Sturmgewehr


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Looks like a keeper to me, a possible put up or shut up moment I would think :-)

-Darryl

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Sorry to be negative, but you should be able to find a gun in a lot better condition than that for $34k. I would also note that vintage 1928s and their variations have appreciated a lot more in the last five years than Colts. In my view there is a much larger market for US martial guns and the wartime Thompsons fall into that market, so it is more competitive and prices will continue to rise. Look at the values of WH guns now, not even vintage. Also, if you want a shooter and by some stroke of misfortune you bulge the barrel, replacing the barrel on a wartime gun is a heck of a lot easier and cheaper than finding a an acceptable barrel for replacement on a Colt. Despite the general view that bulged barrels are rare, they still do occur and will continue to occur. fwiw
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Sorry to be negative, but you should be able to find a gun in a lot better condition than that for $34k. I would also note that vintage 1928s and their variations have appreciated a lot more in the last five years than Colts. In my view there is a much larger market for US martial guns and the wartime Thompsons fall into that market, so it is more competitive and prices will continue to rise. Look at the values of WH guns now, not even vintage. Also, if you want a shooter and by some stroke of misfortune you bulge the barrel, replacing the barrel on a wartime gun is a heck of a lot easier and cheaper than finding a an acceptable barrel for replacement on a Colt. Despite the general view that bulged barrels are rare, they still do occur and will continue to occur. fwiw

I think that is my view also. As a novice but a buyer. I prefer the wartime over a Colt. I will be expanding my collection as funds allow.

Eric

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I always mentally assign a letter grade to stuff, A B C D F

That gun looks like a C- to me.

Colts are primarily a collector item and hardcore collectors put a high value on condition and originality.

On this gun, the finish is very worn, it shows signs of hard use, and there are highly valuable parts missing.


I don't see the wisdom in buying a Colt to use as a shooter.

If you buy an arsenal rebuilt 28A1 and ruin the barrel, the barrel can be replaced for $200 and it won't really diminish the value of the gun.

But if you buy this Colt, you're going to be paying an extra $9k for a C- grade gun simply because it says "Colt" on it.

And then you're going to be worried about spoiling the barrel.


When the price of a gun goes over $30k, the number of buyers dries up. Not too many people have that kind of money to throw around.

So you can be demanding as a buyer, $34k in your hand is a stronger bargaining chip than a low end Colt.


The supply of legal MGs in the USA is microscopic compared to the demand. If a popular gun like a Thompson or M16 is not selling, it's because it's priced too high.


Edited by buzz
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i agree with all above.....i just thought this gun is decent for the asking price.....i dont know if my budget will allow for it....

 

I finally got the real price on the NIB 1928ac on GB...he wants $38k and said very firm....Sandman was going over to check it out for me tomorrow, but the owner told me he wont allow anyone to dissemble the gun......my only response was how is a bridgeport worth $38k when very,very few colts sell for $38k.......

 

i did email David Spiwak on his redone 1928 just to get some pics......i cant see spending $24k on a mismatch gun......id prefer a police 1928ac w/ matching #'s

 

found out my tax return is over $10,000 today (accountant screw up).....so my plan to be able to purchase in 3 weeks is spot on.....now i sit and wait for a gun to appear in nice condition on the web.

 

thanks for all the advice

Edited by huggytree
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huggytree,

 

You keep referring to these New In Box (NIB) Thompson Submachine Guns. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but there just aren't any NIB WWII Thompson submachine guns out there. There are many that are probably in very good to excellent condition with little use that have been stored at police departments for years, but I've never seen, or heard of, NIB WWII Thompson. They all got used at some point. Even the post-war Maguire Industries guns, built as new from parts and sold to law enforcement, received some use. What police department would order a gun and not take it to the range and train their personnel in the use of it?

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http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=540785840

 

thats not what this guy says!!! $38,000 and this NIB 1928 ac can be yours!!!!!

 

i offered him $27k and then $28k....wouldnt even write me back

 

today he told me no one can take the gun apart (not letting someone take apart a new gun)

 

i DO BELIEVE its possible to be what he says it is.....thats why i offered him so much....Sandman looked at it and did say it was in REALLY nice condition and also was ''possible'' to be new (he did not know if the finish was original or not, but i think he felt it may be refinished)

 

after reading American Thunder i know what it is...its a late 1942 parts gun for law enforcement....thats why the smooth barrel and M1 rear sight.....dont see this as being a valuable version of a 1928ac, but i dont mind it

 

anything is possible, but i do agree unlikely......i thought $28k was over offering and still do.....but i like minty looking guns and am glad to pay a premium for it.....today this guy pretty much told me off in an email when i asked for photo's and to have Sandman dissemble the gun....

 

 

my belief is this guy better put his kids or grand kids on the trust for this gun, because they will be the ones selling it for $38,000 in 20 years when the market catches up

 

wish it were sitting in my gun safe for $27k being loved.............i thought his reserve was $30k and we could come to a deal after its been sitting on GB for 6-8 weeks now....almost fell out of my chair at $38k.............pricing by some dealers and individuals on machine guns just floor me some times....im 45 years old and ive never seen a product where pricing can be so out of this world high and people wont budge $1....i dont see much of a difference between collector cars and machine guns....both limited supply....you dont see someone asking $100k for a 1970 GTO when the market is $40-50k......with machine guns i see this constantly....and the guns sit and sit and sit.....when priced right they sell in a week....when priced a bit below the market they sell in a day....im still learning and its just odd and striking to me how unique the full auto market place is.....been looking at a MK760 NIB on GB for a while...starting bid is $6500....most sell in nice condition for $5500....saw today the reserve is at $9500.....who will pay double for a low end NIB gun that may not even work out of the box......just blows me away...name any other market/product where prices ''can'' be just insane

 

good news====every day i learn more

Edited by huggytree
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HuggyTree.....i chimed in very early in this thread that based on my recent sales experience with Colts I thought this is priced to sell. I had a 28 navy I sold last March that I tried to sell at a few shows and on Sub. I wanted 31K or obo and got two stupid lowballs. I consigned with Julia for March auction and they sold gun for over 36K .Colt market is strong.After my one percent consign fee I was very satisfied.

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HuggyTree.....i chimed in very early in this thread that based on my recent sales experience with Colts I thought this is priced to sell. I had a 28 navy I sold last March that I tried to sell at a few shows and on Sub. I wanted 31K or obo and got two stupid lowballs. I consigned with Julia for March auction and they sold gun for over 36K .Colt market is strong.After my one percent consign fee I was very satisfied.

 

Only 1% sellers fee on a single gun?

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Buyer's are even more foolish at auctions, which is demonstrated over and over again. Way over market prices at Internet and brick and mortar auction houses are used to justify inflated prices on the commercial MG market, but sellers wind up being disappointed and are forced to bring down their prices. I've been to or bid in quite a few auctions in the last five years. No one ever claims that a recent really low auction price is the "current" market value! Of, course not, so the inflated prices are no different. This is a Thompson board and these are Thompson pages, so I expect to see support for unrealistic prices for these guns, or at least little objection, since owners hate to see comments that might also reflect on the value of their guns. It's just the way it is. The Colt above is a very good example. I am amazed that it could be fairly considered as a $34k gun! Really!

Maybe in ten years, so as the saying goes, you may have paid too much, but you just paid too much too soon. Fwiw

Edited by Black River Militaria CII
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Buyer's are even more foolish at auctions, which is demonstrated over and over again. Way over market prices at Internet and brick and mortar auction houses are used to justify inflated prices on the commercial MG market, but sellers wind up being disappointed and are forced to bring down their prices. I've been to or bid in quite a few auctions in the last five years. No one ever claims that a recent really low auction price is the "current" market value! Of, course not, so the inflated prices are no different. This is a Thompson board and these are Thompson pages, so I expect to see support for unrealistic prices for these guns, or at least little objection, since owners hate to see comments that might also reflect on the value of their guns. It's just the way it is. The Colt above is a very good example. I am amazed that it could be fairly considered as a $34k gun! Really!

Maybe in ten years, so as the saying goes, you may have paid too much, but you just paid too much too soon. Fwiw

Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrr in 10 years when it's $50,000 you made the right decision. I think these things are going straight up.

Eric

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Ive decided to wait for a bridgeport to pop up......the above post about me shooting it and breaking something and the costs involved to replace a bridgeport barrel/etc vs a colt barrel/etc makes 100% sense to me.....its going to be an occasional shooter and i dont know if a 95 year old $34k colt would be considered a shooter.....id rather save $9k and wait for a Bridgeport or a Savage...........pickins are kinda slim right now and have been for a month......i am looking into the one on David Spiwaks website....it may be a lower cost option and has been there for over a month now....maybe there is some room to bargain on it.....i would rather pay more and find # matching though........not sure if id rather have a worn original finish bridgeport police gun or a parkerized mismatch military gun for a few thousand less....

Edited by huggytree
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Really, all MGs have been way too expensive for many years. In my own experience, the first live MG I bought was from J Curtis Earl who is probably unknown to many, but his prices were three times those of other dealers in 1970. But, he was the most accessible due to his "Hustler" effect MG brochures. I can still feel the rush when I first read through his catalog in 1969 and saw his Thompsons, but the prices were outrageous. I bought an overstamp that bankrupted me, happily! Some months later, I discovered Ron Rudin, Vegas Gun Traders and his prices were really low all of a sudden. I got a very pretty ' 21A for $550, a great deal of cash for me at the time, not including transfer tax and shipping, etc. Then I got Roger Coxs' lists of MGs and his prices were quite good, too, and there we a lot of other dealers once one was on the "path" and by1971 I had two Thompsons and an MG34 and was tapped out of money for a while. So, buying from Earl, I paid way too much, although I just had to have a Thompson, couldn't wait and wasn't informed enough yet to know the difference in market prices.

I feel that regardless of the appreciation potential of an over priced MG, and we all have market hindsight now on which to base our decisions that was not available in 1970, an over priced Thompson at $34k just takes $5k or more out of one's pocket that could be used to finance another MG or ammo, a better example or?

I still get a rush out of buying an MG! Fwiw

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Buyer's are even more foolish at auctions, which is demonstrated over and over again. Way over market prices at Internet and brick and mortar auction houses are used to justify inflated prices on the commercial MG market, but sellers wind up being disappointed and are forced to bring down their prices. I've been to or bid in quite a few auctions in the last five years. No one ever claims that a recent really low auction price is the "current" market value! Of, course not, so the inflated prices are no different. This is a Thompson board and these are Thompson pages, so I expect to see support for unrealistic prices for these guns, or at least little objection, since owners hate to see comments that might also reflect on the value of their guns. It's just the way it is. The Colt above is a very good example. I am amazed that it could be fairly considered as a $34k gun! Really!

Maybe in ten years, so as the saying goes, you may have paid too much, but you just paid too much too soon. Fwiw

Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrr in 10 years when it's $50,000 you made the right decision. I think these things are going straight up.

Eric

I think that will happen in 5 years when the colts turn 100.

Edited by ppgcowboy
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Buyer's are even more foolish at auctions, which is demonstrated over and over again. Way over market prices at Internet and brick and mortar auction houses are used to justify inflated prices on the commercial MG market, but sellers wind up being disappointed and are forced to bring down their prices. I've been to or bid in quite a few auctions in the last five years. No one ever claims that a recent really low auction price is the "current" market value! Of, course not, so the inflated prices are no different. This is a Thompson board and these are Thompson pages, so I expect to see support for unrealistic prices for these guns, or at least little objection, since owners hate to see comments that might also reflect on the value of their guns. It's just the way it is. The Colt above is a very good example. I am amazed that it could be fairly considered as a $34k gun! Really!

Maybe in ten years, so as the saying goes, you may have paid too much, but you just paid too much too soon. Fwiw

Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrr in 10 years when it's $50,000 you made the right decision. I think these things are going straight up.

Eric

 

Maybe worth nothing if Hillary gets elected. There was a recent post from a gentleman in Canada that explained how that worked in Canada--no compensation whatsoever by the government for banned gun. Couldn't happen in the USA?

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Buyer's are even more foolish at auctions, which is demonstrated over and over again. Way over market prices at Internet and brick and mortar auction houses are used to justify inflated prices on the commercial MG market, but sellers wind up being disappointed and are forced to bring down their prices. I've been to or bid in quite a few auctions in the last five years. No one ever claims that a recent really low auction price is the "current" market value! Of, course not, so the inflated prices are no different. This is a Thompson board and these are Thompson pages, so I expect to see support for unrealistic prices for these guns, or at least little objection, since owners hate to see comments that might also reflect on the value of their guns. It's just the way it is. The Colt above is a very good example. I am amazed that it could be fairly considered as a $34k gun! Really!

Maybe in ten years, so as the saying goes, you may have paid too much, but you just paid too much too soon. Fwiw

Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrr in 10 years when it's $50,000 you made the right decision. I think these things are going straight up.

Eric

 

Maybe worth nothing if Hillary gets elected. There was a recent post from a gentleman in Canada that explained how that worked in Canada--no compensation whatsoever by the government for banned gun. Couldn't happen in the USA?

I get that from my wife every time I buy a machine gun. I argue what a great investment this will be with low risk. She throws that Hillary bitch in my face every time. lol Hillary is going to come and ban the transfer and you are going to get stuck with them. I'll take my chances.

Eric

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Seems like every time there is a discussion about values of MGs, someone has to unload the "what if they ban MGs" scare from the box of chicken little contents. Just after the GCA '68 foolishness with the end of the Amnesty and the fairly widespread paranoia about the gov't entrapping MG owners, the very same scare was being bandied about. Don't waste your money on MGs! They will just ban them! Look what they already did!?! MGs will be worthless and you won't be able to own them! Back then, there was far more reason to believe such fears compared today, but they are just as baseless now. While the endless irrational and paranoid efforts of the "no one should be allowed" crowd will always be active, the NFA registration system works, has worked since NFA1934, albeit insanely dysfunctional, and for the anti-gun crowd to attempt to destroy it would put the lie to their demands for universal firearms registration as the only way to make society safe. So they are stuck! It can be fairly claimed that NFA registratiion is a longstanding, institutional , bureaucratic system that has done its job of "preventing" crimes and making society safer. It is the hoplophobes wet dream, and it can be held up as proof of the benefits of universal registration, so an attempt to destroy it refutes their most basic beliefs. But they are a humorless, miserable, confused, ignorant and irrational crowd of killjoys, so they might try, but it will go nowhere. Look at their record on demonizing and destroying private possession of semi-auto rifles and in particular ARs! While handguns are the surpassing majority of firearms used for criminal purposes, they go after rifles???! They are hopelessly inept.

Anyway, if you are afraid of NFA being banned, just don't own them.....

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