I just got a personal call from Rock Island Auction reminding me of their upcoming auction.
They must be really desperate as I have never bought anything from them and have made only one low-ball bid ($200) that I didn't even come close to winning. (I did receive a donated catalog from when one of our big collectors liquidated some of his collection. (I didn't bid then either.))

They really don't know just how cheap I am....

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

I've never bid or bought from them but I get their emails. Obviously they bought my address from someone. I hope I never get a phone call.

With me it's not a matter of cheap, it's a matter of poor.

I don't know if desperate is the right word, but there is something going on in this country. I get emails these days from websites I haven't visited for years, all offering the latest sale prices. In the past week I've gotten calls from 3 former employees, all looking for work. One hadn't worked for me in over 7 years,and the other 2 have been gone about 3 years. I have an uneasy feeling about all of this, just can't put a word on it yet.

Lots of businesses and individuals are still hurting out there. I think people are trying to get what they can and move inventory no matter what they are selling. Too many people selling and competing for a shrinking amount of dollars that folks have.

So if you can stock up on good deals and hold on tight. The big bubble of inflated assets is going to be looking for a landing spot. I just hope it is not on me.

This tread is a little hard to believe because this afternoon as I was watching Judge Judy my show was broken in for a special message from some guy in Washington D.C. who after he said what he wanted us to here let us know that the economy was going great gun's and the good times are here again!

They have some nice guns up for auction.

I wouldn't take a whiz on the RIA facility if it was on fire. Think they run auctions? I don't. They go through the motions but it is often clear that the sale is already a done deal.

That message brought to us by the same pinheads who gave us the "unforeseen" mortgage crisis.

Regardless of what the fat cats in Wash. are saying, the economy is bad and getting worse. They keep saying the unemployment is down, but they are hiding the truth, that people's benefits are expended and can't get more. Sure unemployment is down.

With an excess of 17 trillion in debt and Fed printing more money, with nothing to back it up, means the dollar is worth less today than yesterday.

Ya, I guess you got a uneasy feeling. You got your head out of the sand and are looking around and deep down, you know what is coming.

It is the sheeple that are gonna hurt cuz they got their heads in the sand.

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Slim, U.S. Army, Ret.

I noticed that the gun bizz is on hard times. I think it is a reflection of the economy in general. I used to work for a gov't agency and the last year I was there (2012) we only had about 25% of our normal project funding. Most of our money came from the fed but we had to match it with local tax revenue which we could no longer do because of the local economy. A good part of our money came from fuel taxes and people just aren't driving as much as they were 5 years ago. The economic indicators may say we are doing fine and the head cheerleader may parrot these but the truth can be found here. This is what really matters, not the propaganda the adm would have you believe.

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/i...0725164636.jpg

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/im...0804135739.jpg

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That's just somebody talkin.

My main problem with RIA is the "Bundling". Including 3-4-5-? in a single bid item. Makes this a minimum of a $1000 first offer bid to get ONE item you may want and have to take 3-5 other pieces of @#$%^% you have no interest in. I have also noticed several bigger ticket items reappear in subsequent auctions. I can't believe people would be trying to flip them so soon, so must be reserves not met. I attend local gun auctions (which are unfortunately on Proxibid) and occasionally find something decent for a tolerable price.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Europe is swirling around the bowl and will soon be back in recession. I fear that the U.S. recovery will soon peak and follow in a few short years. The wealthy, will get wealthier, the W-2 folks will just hang on. Those who have not obtained means of support will slide further into poverty. Interest rates and inflation (outside of energy and food) will remain stagnant. Perhaps the next "recovery" will bring some jobs.

I don't have the foggiest idea how RIA is doing for sales. However I looked at one at on e of local gun shops yesterday.. they had taken it in trade it was a Officers model 3'' barrel all steel...Fit and finish were very good, action and trigger as good as many higher priced models, of the same semi auto...decent blue job, not fancy, Novak styled sights decent wood grips. Very smooth and slick action and fit...He got it on a trade and had about 250.00 in it.......he was offered 400.00 for it and says he is keeping it for himself....It is only a 9mm....Smooth pistol...Sure got it right, seems like new condition.....I would sure carry it after testing for reliability...The gun shop owner said it was flawless with one box of FMJ...feed ramp looked as good as many higher priced brands....