Highway Patrolman 5 screw

wbraswell · #1 02-21-2024, 05:55 PM

I had a great time attending the RIAC gun auction in Bedford Texas, last weekend. My first time to go to anything like it. 5000 guns, and on the preview day, you can personally handle them and check them out. I had a few on my bid list and this was the first one that I was successful at. A fantastic 5 screw Highway Patrolman, the most impressive HP I've ever seen, and what really set it off was the outstanding non-relieved diamond target stocks! This made my weekend a success, but there was more to come.

Truckman · #2 02-21-2024, 06:06 PM

Wayne, if diesel wasn't so high I'd start following you around to these places...That's even nicer than the 4-screw, 4 inch 28 no dash I traded for last weekend...

...Ben

TheHobbyist · #3 02-21-2024, 08:53 PM

5,000? Wow. How did you determine what category to focus on, given the volume?

Nice find!

mchom · #4 02-21-2024, 10:00 PM

OP
Great to hear it was a great event. I’m not too far away and I definitely plan to attend soon.

BaylorCattleGuy · #5 02-22-2024, 12:21 AM

I’m a couple of hours away. I need to go to one of their sales soon.

AC Man · #6 02-23-2024, 10:09 PM

Is it rude to ask how much? I always list my purchase price so others have an idea what the going rate is. Of course I always pay to much, LOL

younggun22 · #7 02-23-2024, 11:04 PM

Love a 5 screw highway patrolman! I also have a 6in with non relieved targets that are numbered to the gun.

wbraswell · #8 02-24-2024, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHobbyist

5,000? Wow. How did you determine what category to focus on, given the volume?

Nice find!

Well, I focused on S&W, naturally. I had been planning to attend this since December, at least. I used their catalog on their website to pick out the lots that I had an interest in. They list what lot they will start at, on each day. I noticed that they would go through almost 100 lots an hour, so you can estimate when the lots you want to bid on will come up. Use the online catalog to make a list, by lot #, the items, the estimate, and figure how much you want to bid. Go to the preview, on the day before the auction, and see and handle the guns you are interested in. Remember that your bid is only about 75% of what you will pay. Beware, at the back of the auction room, there is courtesy soft drinks and light snacks...and alcohol. In the morning, mimosas and bloody marys, after 11, beer and wine....free.

RKmesa · #9 02-24-2024, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbraswell

... Beware, at the back of the auction room, there is courtesy soft drinks and light snacks...and alcohol. In the morning, mimosas and bloody marys, after 11, beer and wine....free.

... RIA knows with a little liquid courage, the paddle will be raised more often than it would otherwise be raised...

I used RIA's phone bid option to bid on a couple of engraved ones (won one and lost one). Bidding that way is also fun, especially if you are following the auction on-line as well. Not quite like being there in person, but still fun.

22hipower · #10 02-24-2024, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbraswell

Well, I focused on S&W, naturally. I had been planning to attend this since December, at least. I used their catalog on their website to pick out the lots that I had an interest in. They list what lot they will start at, on each day. I noticed that they would go through almost 100 lots an hour, so you can estimate when the lots you want to bid on will come up. Use the online catalog to make a list, by lot #, the items, the estimate, and figure how much you want to bid. Go to the preview, on the day before the auction, and see and handle the guns you are interested in. Remember that your bid is only about 75% of what you will pay. Beware, at the back of the auction room, there is courtesy soft drinks and light snacks...and alcohol. In the morning, mimosas and bloody marys, after 11, beer and wine....free.

The challenge, for me anyway, is to not bid on items not researched and handled during the preview. With 5000 items flying by it's easy to end up with something you weren't planning to buy. . . .especially if you miss out on one or two you wanted. Thought you got a great price on the Highway Patrolman; a local shop has the same gun with the same stocks listed for several hundred more.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

wbraswell · #11 02-25-2024, 10:03 AM

22hipower, I agree that I was lucky. I was quite surprised that I won it on the 3rd bid, and I made the first one, too. I would have loved to have bid on the pre-war kit gun that sold on Friday, but it was out of my budget from the opening bid. Not surprised by that.

RKmesa, I saw a couple of the engraved ones, the Baby Chief caught my eye, I knew I couldn't play, but I watched the battle for it.

By the way, one of the interesting things about the auction was the RIAC Live desk. Talk about intense. One person, representing, no telling, how many bidders. Their eyes are glued to their screen, constantly bidding. Looks high pressure to me! I see why they rotate then every 20-30 min.

RKmesa · #12 03-28-2024, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbraswell

RKmesa, I saw a couple of the engraved ones, the Baby Chief caught my eye, I knew I couldn't play, but I watched the battle for it.

Note: I just saw this response...

I was the second place bidder on that one. I really liked it. I was in the middle of a department store when it came up and was on the line with my phone rep. I said "yes" to the amount that it sold for, but with the phone delay, I was just not fast enough and that was my max dollar limit...

beagleye · #13 03-29-2024, 06:03 AM

Son of a Nutcracker, that's nice gun!