Premium for unfired Linebaugh?

[eisenhower]

Gents, I've got a pistol I'm going to be putting on auction with Gunbroker in the next few weeks and I want to seek your opinion as to pricing.

It's a John Linebaugh gun in .475 done for me by John a few years back. The pistol is blue/case colored, banded front sight, 6" barrel, fancy walnut grips by Dustin, Bowen Rough Country rear sight, absolutely beautiful. The best part is the pistol is absolutely unfired since leaving John's shop. I have the original target sight from John, but it has never been fired since and remains pristine.

It's the top pistol in the picture here:
s19.beta.photobucket.com/user/sonvolt/media/IMG_1079.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

My notion to price it is simply to total up what the pistol would cost today if he were to make it (same features, etc.) and then add a premium since the buyer is avoiding the one-to-two year wait that would be incurred with a new order. But what kind of premium seems fair on such a piece?

Would appreciate your thoughts as I try to come up with a fair price.

Thanks,
DeWayne

[wildwillalaska]

Would prefer you simply sell it to me for less than a fair price. Beautiful gun, would certainly love a shot at it if you come up with a fair price. Nice case colors and think your on the right track on price if you can get it. Often times with customs we seem to have a hard time getting all our money back out of them, others they go for bod price and maybe even a bit more if you get the right two or more folks bidding on it.

[maxcactus]

I think the problem you may find is that many similar tools are found lghtly used and barely fired for significantly less than they sold for originally. Sort of the "drive a car off the lot" theory. I would say start it at full retail and see where it goes from there. A thing is worth what someone is willing to pay. If said tool retails from John today for $2500 and soneone is willing to pay $300 to skip the wait, I'm thinking they'll send $2800 or more your way, if it's what they want and are willing to pay.

Just my thoughts.

P.S. Yeah, gorgeous tool, esp the grips!

[boxhead]

I have never seen a custom (handgun or long gun) sell for full "replacement" value, unfired or not, let alone at a premium over that value. It will be interesting to see how the sale goes for you.

[zeus]

To me, unfired doesn't really matter. Most of us don't buy a Linebaugh to look at and it's gonna get fired. I'd say you would be able to get your build price out of it pretty easily and above that, it just depends on who wants it of course. Typically, the reason a used gun sells fast is they don't have to wait which is why folks are willing to pay full conversion prices.

[Fowler]

I really do hope you get what you want out of your gun, it is a spectacular piece for sure. But I agree getting much more than the build cost is tough, if I have to pay full nut for a gun, I want it built exactly to my specs. There is a great deal of satisfaction of owning a full custom that only exists because you dreamed it up and were willing to find the right builder, invest your own money, and wait the time required to get it. You don't get that buying someone else's dream gun.

I will say though it is built about as perfectly as it can be to get the most attention from the potential buyers. Good luck

[CraigC]

I think the fact that it was built to YOUR specifications and not the buyer's will negate any premium you might've received for it being unfired or getting it without the wait. I would, however, pay a little more for one unfired than I would one that has been heavily used, just as with any other gun. I expect to pay more for the privilege of putting my own marks on it.

[Boge Quinn]

+1 to all of the above.

While some guys shoot these guns (a few guys a LOT), I imagine many languish in almost-unfired condition. I think getting much of a premium above full-retail build cost would be a tough sell. If you don't NEED to sell, you can afford to sit back and wait for a buyer at your price; if you must sell quickly, you'll probably have to take less that what a guy would have to pay, wait notwithstanding, for a gun built for HIM.

But I've been married twice, so I am fully accustomed to being wrong.

Do let us know how it goes!

[steve]

Wow that is a nice one!! Here's the Pic


That's exactly how I would have mine built. I wish I had the money, but I've got 500 max in the works.

[majorKAP]

Start the auction at $1.00 with no reserve, run it for two weeks, see what happens.

[JohnInWYO]

Eisenhower,

Might you share what the build # is on the bottom of the frame in front of the trigger guard?

I've got a John built .500 and five shot .45. Might be interested in making an offer.

[Thunderjet]

A custom (rifle, revolver, shotgun, etc) has the most value to the person who ordered it. Unfired or fired, when it is sold it is a used revolver and IMO not as valuable to any prospective buyer because it was not designed by them for them.
Just my two cents worth.

[wildwillalaska]

To get the most out of it, and ensure a fair price, MajorKap is right on the money. Place on GB with no reserve and let it go. There are many here, Rugerforums, and others that will most certainly bid. I expressed interest in my reply at the top and would happily pay a fair price as would others, so although initially listing for a $1 and no reserve may invoke anxieity, confident the price would raise high enough and with enough haste that you will not worry long.

As far as a premium, only the auction can tell.

[lightningii]

DeWayne,
Do us all a favor and post a link to the auction or at least tell us when you put it online. I'd like to see how it goes.

[toroflow]

What I did recently on a 3" N frame S&W 29-4 is put it on Gunbroker for a tad over what I actually wanted for it, then a "buy it now" price of $100 more. Set it for a 2 week auction, it renewed a couple times, then a guy sent me a note offering $100 less than my "start price". Sold it that way, avoided GB fees (shhh!!) and the guy was really happy to get it for less than offered price. I believe if I were ever to go insane and want to sell one of my Bowens, that's how I'd do it. Good luck with your sale, it sure is a beautiful gun!