Got Out Bid

[Retired W4]

$2500, plus fees was just not enough to own this beautiful Model of 1950 in 45 Colt. With a $250 bid increment I needed to go to $3000 to win it. I was busy at the show when the auction closed and found out I was out bid when I got home. I will always wonder if a $3000 bid would have held or would some one bid $3250. One of only 200, as I understand it. Anyone here get it?

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in .45 Colt

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in Scarce and Desirable .45 Colt with HolsterManufactured between 1955 and 1956, with this example being one of a mere 200 chambered in .45 Colt Per page 194 of "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson: 4th Edition". This example displays matching...

www.rockislandauction.com

 

[mojave30cal]

Don't beat yourself up. When I bid on a gun I set the price I'm willing to pay. I lose more times than I win. Oh well. Last
month I lost a gun by $5.00. It wasn't meant to be.

 

[S&W ucla]

It says ORIGINAL finish and FROSTY bore? Looks like two gouges in the side of the cylinder under the bluing, and no turn line? Difficult to be sure from photos!

 

[Gdogman]

Very nice revolvers. I picked one up a few months ago and paid more than that to fetch up that fine and scare ,1 of only 200, revolver

 

[Gun Relics]

Very nice revolvers. I picked one up a few months ago and paid more than that to fetch up that fine and scare ,1 of only 200, revolver

That's a beauty and having the box is priceless. Is the cylinder recessed for the .45 colt?

 

[Retired W4]

That's a beauty and having the box is priceless. Is the cylinder recessed for the .45 colt?

I don't believe S&W did that for the 45 Colt. Magnums only, and 22s. That is a nice one.

 

[Gdogman]

Picture of the cylinder

 

[flundertaker]

$2500, plus fees was just not enough to own this beautiful Model of 1950 in 45 Colt. With a $250 bid increment I needed to go to $3000 to win it. I was busy at the show when the auction closed and found out I was out bid when I got home. I will always wonder if a $3000 bid would have held or would some one bid $3250. One of only 200, as I understand it. Anyone here get it?

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in .45 Colt

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in Scarce and Desirable .45 Colt with HolsterManufactured between 1955 and 1956, with this example being one of a mere 200 chambered in .45 Colt Per page 194 of "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson: 4th Edition". This example displays matching...

www.rockislandauction.com

If it makes you feel better, I bet the other guy would have gone to $3500 or more. Once they get in the 3's it seems people bidding at that point typically have no problem putting a 4 at the front.

 

[22hipower]

I watched that one go too, thought the price was pretty good. I paid quite a bit more for this one from the same venue last year although it was advertised as 99% with the original box. This one will be at Concord in June.

 

[Gun Relics]

Picture of the cylinderView attachment 759530

Damn those are big holes!

 

[Gun Relics]

If it makes you feel better, I bet the other guy would have gone to $3500 or more. Once they get in the 3's it seems people bidding at that point typically have no problem putting a 4 at the front.

I agree - when you get into the league of collectors with deep pockets, for some people winning is everything. I would rather be patient and sensible because the hunt is so much of the fun. I have my limit and try to keep the ego firmly corraled in my wife's grasp, where it belongs.

 

[AC Man]

My last three bids on Gunbroker I lost by $5 $10 and $20 and I was second high bidder on all three. LOL. Win some you lose some.

 

[Frailer]

FWIW my general approach when bidding on a gun I really want is to place a bid at a price slightly higher than I want to pay.

If I get the gun for less, I'm very happy. If I get it for my max bid I'm still happy. I'm not especially happy when I'm outbid and lose, but I don't experience the regret of wishing I had bid more.

I'm not saying this is the right approach for everyone, but it works for me.

 

[jcelect]

Most of the stories are of bids being out bid while asleep in the chair after supper, bid way over market price, and "too rich for my blood"! This story is of my last mod 53 Jet auction. The bidding started as usual, very low, so I jumped in and made the bid 4digits! I did not expect my bid to hold. I got back online with about 1 hr. left on the auction! I don't bid in the bid increments! I hit it hard and waited for the war to start! To my pleasant surprise, the war never started and ended with my bid! When I relieved the gun, it was in better condition than the pics portrayed!
jcelect

 

[Mike LaNier]

Well, the Supica book notes the price on the 200 "Models of 1950" made in .45 Colt can be exorbitant. You have to be vigilant, as there are some fakes out there! I have a 5" Model of 1950 in .45 Colt, I've owned it for years and years, but when I finally lettered it, it was a Model of 1955 frame, modified with a Model of 1950 barrel and cylinder...Not worth any big bucks at all. I bought it right, so I'm not whining, but I think $3500 for a real one isn't too bad. Just an opinion, of course...

 

[Jay Hall]

$2500, plus fees was just not enough to own this beautiful Model of 1950 in 45 Colt. With a $250 bid increment I needed to go to $3000 to win it. I was busy at the show when the auction closed and found out I was out bid when I got home. I will always wonder if a $3000 bid would have held or would some one bid $3250. One of only 200, as I understand it. Anyone here get it?

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in .45 Colt

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in Scarce and Desirable .45 Colt with HolsterManufactured between 1955 and 1956, with this example being one of a mere 200 chambered in .45 Colt Per page 194 of "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson: 4th Edition". This example displays matching...

www.rockislandauction.com

Big auction houses are getting very greedy in their BP, fees and bid increments and I do NO bizzness with them for that reason. Let it go and do not be hard on yourself, you are still loaded with the cash and can pull the trigger again in the future.

 

[wbraswell]

I know how you feel, since I was the one you outbid at 2250. I weighed raising my bid, but, decided to let it go, since that price realized would be around 3250, plus tax shipping, insurance, supplies and transfer. That's OK, I won a real nice Victory for less than 800.

 

[Retired W4]

I know how you feel, since I was the one you outbid at 2250. I weighed raising my bid, but, decided to let it go, since that price realized would be around 3250, plus tax shipping, insurance, supplies and transfer. That's OK, I won a real nice Victory for less than 800.

Good for you on that Victory. I've got a really nice 25 ND (4 screw of course) in 45 ACP and thought that 5 screw 45 Colt would be a great companion. Oh well. Such is life.

The 25 just for fun.

 

[22hipower]

Good for you on that Victory. I've got a really nice 25 ND (4 screw of course) in 45 ACP and thought that 5 screw 45 Colt would be a great companion. Oh well. Such is life.

The 25 just for fun.View attachment 760161

I've seen three of them sell in the last year. One for $5400, one for $7kish and this one. Supposedly another 197 of them so one could pop up any time although in decades of watching for them I've seen only four, including these three.

 

[Retired W4]

I've seen three of them sell in the last year. One for $5400, one for $7kish and this one. Supposedly another 197 of them so one could pop up any time although in decades of watching for them I've seen only four, including these three.

I was really tempted, but like Wayne I let it go. I went to the show and let it ride. Still waiting to see if it shows up here.

 

[wbraswell]

Retired W4, I like those .45 Targets like you do. My first S&W is a 25-2 that I got ANIB at a show in 1977. In the last year, I've got a Pre 26 at auction, and a Pre 25 on our forum. I also have a PC 25-10 Hand Ejector in .45 Colt.

 

[rmax]

$2500, plus fees was just not enough to own this beautiful Model of 1950 in 45 Colt. With a $250 bid increment I needed to go to $3000 to win it. I was busy at the show when the auction closed and found out I was out bid when I got home. I will always wonder if a $3000 bid would have held or would some one bid $3250. One of only 200, as I understand it. Anyone here get it?

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in .45 Colt

Smith & Wesson .45 Hand Ejector Model of 1950 Target in Scarce and Desirable .45 Colt with HolsterManufactured between 1955 and 1956, with this example being one of a mere 200 chambered in .45 Colt Per page 194 of "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson: 4th Edition". This example displays matching...

www.rockislandauction.com

I'm the guy that got the gun for $2750. When I bid I do like one of the prior replies, I put my max bid in, if I get it good, if not that's okay too. I did not expect to get this revolver based on previous prices on a .45 Colt chambering. There was one walking around Tulsa last month asking $6K, and it was not without issues and questions. I'm going to letter this gun to confirm its originality. With regard to the stated condition, my experience with Rock Island is that they tend to if anything underestimate the condition of the gun. We'll see when it gets here.

I've got another in .45 Colt that I will take to Concord for Show and Tell. I've got serious questions as to whether it was shipped as a .45 Colt. It was returned and factory refinished, based on frame markings, could it have been rechambered also?

 

[wbraswell]

rmax, I think you did well on that gun. If it had been at one of the auctions in Texas, where I could have seen it and handled it, I probably would have put in a bid over 3k. Plus I love those no cutout target stocks.

 

[22hipower]

I'm the guy that got the gun for $2750. When I bid I do like one of the prior replies, I put my max bid in, if I get it good, if not that's okay too. I did not expect to get this revolver based on previous prices on a .45 Colt chambering. There was one walking around Tulsa last month asking $6K, and it was not without issues and questions. I'm going to letter this gun to confirm its originality. With regard to the stated condition, my experience with Rock Island is that they tend to if anything underestimate the condition of the gun. We'll see when it gets here.

I've got another in .45 Colt that I will take to Concord for Show and Tell. I've got serious questions as to whether it was shipped as a .45 Colt. It was returned and factory refinished, based on frame markings, could it have been rechambered also?

Nice buy on the 1950 45 Colt. I watched it and probably would have bid it up a bit had I remembered what time it was closing. I'll look forward to seeing it at Concord. What makes you think it wasn't a factory 45 Colt? The factory certainly could do it, and would do it, but documentation of that is apparently scarce. I have a 1917 though documented as being converted by the factory to a 45 Colt target in 1949.

You never know on the auctions, I don't like to chase them either. Today I bid, once, my max, on GB and won the gun for exactly my max bid. Always wonder a little when that happens.

 

[handejector]

It says ORIGINAL finish and FROSTY bore? Looks like two gouges in the side of the cylinder under the bluing, and no turn line? Difficult to be sure from photos!

I agree my friend- something does not look quite right. The gun has a frosty surface that does not really look like the satin blue of the early 50s. Fine bead blasting perhaps? I see the under-blue dings you spotted. Good eye.

 

[Freedom Fighter]

I've had a few wins and A LOT of losses. I always have to consider bidder discipline---can I make a minimum of 10% over the total cost (buyer's premium, shipping, etc.)? After all, I'm an FFL01 and I'm there to make a few bucks. Figuring all that into account, I put in a Max Bid and see what happens. If a customer tells me what they're willing to pay, then I recalculate my numbers so I recoup all my expenses & fees. For the most part, I find auctions to be more a retail/collector venue rather than a resale potential. There are some ridiculous prices realized at some of these auctions.

 

[22hipower]

I've had a few wins and A LOT of losses. I always have to consider bidder discipline---can I make a minimum of 10% over the total cost (buyer's premium, shipping, etc.)? After all, I'm an FFL01 and I'm there to make a few bucks. Figuring all that into account, I put in a Max Bid and see what happens. If a customer tells me what they're willing to pay, then I recalculate my numbers so I recoup all my expenses & fees. For the most part, I find auctions to be more a retail/collector venue rather than a resale potential. There are some ridiculous prices realized at some of these auctions.

I watch the RIA auctions quite a bit and buy occasionally. That venue is not known for low prices and yet I've seen some items show up on GB and GI shortly after selling at RIA. Of course one of them is still being advertised months after the auction. I would think it a very tricky business to buy at RIA and comparable auctions with the idea of being able to quickly resell and make a profit worth the effort.

 

[6string]

There's a lot to be said for just placing one serious, but comfortable, bid then walking away.
Sometimes you get lucky!

On occasion, I have won stuff for much, much less than my max bid, usually because I found some unique characteristic of a listing that neither the seller nor, apparently, other potential bidders noticed.

 

[DHernandez]

Is the hand ejector of 2001 less desirable?

 

[Kinman]

I always get a little jacked when my top bid holds and I actually end up with something I want. There have also been the few times that my top bid was nowhere near where anybody else felt like pursuing. There are few things more irritating than getting into a bidding war with someone that either wants it as bad as you do or just hates loosing and has a ton of money to throw away. I get into a urinating match from time to time, nickel and diming each other until I finally let it go.