[gunman42782]

From the Ruger web site:
Auctioned Item Auction Start Auction End Starting Bid Winning Bid

Ruger M77 Rifle in .22-250 Caliber February 27, 2008 March 11, 2008 $ 1,000.00 $ 1,700.00 Learn More
Pair of 12 Gauge Woodside Prototype Shotguns February 12, 2008 February 26, 2008 $ 3,000.00 $ 6,161.00 Learn More
Ruger No. 1 in .308 Caliber January 23, 2008 February 5, 2008 $ 1,000.00 $ 5,020.99 Learn More
Ruger No. 1 7mm Remington Magnum Caliber January 9, 2008 January 22, 2008 $ 1,000.00 $ 2,113.79 Learn More
Ruger Old Army Blackpowder Revolver December 12, 2007 December 21, 2007 $ 1,000.00 $ 1,360.00 Learn More
Ruger M77 Mark II Rifle November 28, 2007 December 11, 2007 $ 1,000.00 $ 2,662.76 Learn More
Low Serial Number 19 November 14, 2007 November 27, 2007 $ 6,718.97 $ 14,010.00 Learn More
Ruger 10/22 October 31, 2007 November 13, 2007 $ 500.00 $ 710.00 Learn More
Ruger SR9™ "Launch Pack" October 16, 2007 October 30, 2007 $ 500.00 $ 1,830.00 Learn More
Ruger New Model Blackhawk in .22 Hornet October 3, 2007 October 16, 2007 $ 1,000.00 $ 2,180.00 Learn More
Ruger No. 1 in .222 Rem. September 5, 2007 September 18, 2007 $ 1,000.00 $ 4,830.00 Learn More
Engraved Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt August 21, 2007 September 4, 2007 $ 500.00 $ 1,060.00 Learn More
Ruger M77® in .308 Win. August 9, 2007 August 21, 2007 $ 1,500.00 $ 3,609.00 Learn More
Ruger XGI Rifle in .308 Win. July 25, 2007 August 7, 2007 $ 1,000.00 $ 8,020.00 Learn More
Ruger “U.S.” Marked Pistol July 11, 2007 July 24, 2007 $ 500.00 $ 1,560.00 Learn More
A Ruger Hawkeye Single Action Pistol June 26, 2007 July 10, 2007 $ 500.00 $ 3,010.00 Learn More
An Unusual Ruger M77® Rifle June 12, 2007 June 26, 2007 $ 400.00 $ 1,787.99 Learn More
Ruger .44 Magnum "Deerstalker" Carbine May 30, 2007 June 12, 2007 $ 400.00 $ 2,075.00 Learn More
Ruger M77 Rifle, Serial # 77-85907 May 15, 2007 May 29, 2007 $ 500.00 $ 2,566.00 Learn Mo

 

[Calvin Wiles]

Auctions sometimes amaze me. At a Feed Mill where I worked we sold Cattle Feed Troughs for 50.00 each new. I went to a Farm Auction and they had some that we had sold the man and he had fed out of the all winter and they sold for 100.00 ea. People sometimes get into bidding wars at auctions and pay way more than what it is worth.

 

[Hairtrigger]

When is the last time you saw an XGI for any amount of money?
It takes 2 people to want an item to make the price go up.

 

[Deadeye]

It just shows to go ya, people are IDIOTS!!!!!!

 

[jimbo1096]

No - It just shows ya there are a lot of people with more money than ME!

 

[Iowegan]

I look at it much different .... I see a company in dire need of money. So much that they have to sell pieces of their history just to keep from going broke. I feel very sorry for Ruger and hope they can raise as much money off their "auction" guns as possible.

Now for the "idiots". From what I've seen, these pieces of Ruger history are worth every penny of what they bring. As a collector, when you get a "museum grade" gun, complete with a letter of authenticity from Ruger, the value of that item is only going to go up. How can you call them idiots when they will probably double their money when they sell? Granted, when a 10/22 sells for $710, it better be a cut above the ones in Wal-Mart.

Many years ago when Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix area) used to have Sheriff gun auctions, I went as often as I could. One day the auctioneer held up an old SA revolver. It was in poor condition and didn't have a brand name or a caliber marking. I had scoped the guns out during the pre-inspection period and knew what it was. The auctioneer started the bid at $100 ... nobody raised their hand so he dropped it to $90. I raised my hand and there were no other bids. I bought a genuine Colt SAA, made in 1886 and chambered in 44-40. There was a small Rampant Colt stamp on the lower cylinder frame, a serial number, and a patent number ... no other markings. I took the gun home, cleaned it up a little, and promptly sold a few days later for $1500. At the next month's auction, the auctioneer held up a nice Browning Hi-Power. He stated it was very clean, made in Belgium, and the magazine was missing. He pulled the slide back then tried to dry fire. It wouldn't work. I bought that BHP for $100 because nobody wanted to take a chance on a broken gun. I dug a spare BHP magazine out of my goodie box and walla! The gun worked perfect ... the mag disconnect prevented the hammer from dropping unless a magazine was inserted. I sold the BHP for $600 a couple weeks later. At the auction, I heard all sorts of comments like ... "what idiot would buy a piece of crap gun without a brand name or without knowing what cartridge it shoots?" .... "what idiot would buy a BHP that won't work and is missing a magazine?" As I smiled and walked away, this idiot made a decent profit ... in fact a huge profit on both guns. Point is, the idiot is often the guy that doesn't bid (or bid enough).

 

[shadow_dog]

My wife and I used to attend several auctions a week. It amazed us at what some people paid. Like Calvin said I've seen people pay way above retail for used, still manufactured stuff. We don't go to them anymore, they have almost dried up around here. The ones that we would be interested in are usually scheduled through the day, during the week and we can't get off work to attend.

It's funny when you are a regular attender. You get to know people. One time we were behind a regular guy who got in a bidding war with a lady. He was bidding the item sky high and finally won it. We heard him tell his friend that he hated the lady he was bidding against and didn't want her to have the item because she apparently wanted it so much.

 

[rugerguy]

well there are so many sides to this,hard to pick any GOOD one......I think by them doing it this way, it "opens" the market to so many more folks than a "local, at the plant, sale or auction" or like they used to do, provide some of their "extras,spares, overruns" whatever to the "RCA" , this was back when Steve Vogel was alive and took care of them things....again, maybe they want to "clean house", who know if they have to pay
personal property taxes" on '"inventory".......
I do know this much, we know there is a bunch MORE stuff and I feel sorry for the first guy who paid top dollar and out the wazoo, to get one of these "items" , the following ones will NOT go for as much.........
as said above , uit only takes two people, who want the same thing, to drive up the prices.......I have seen many MORE Hawkeyes, on the market , at shows and with lower serial numbers than what they sold theirs for...................
they do not have anything that I would "hock the farm" to try and outbid some other "party"??? to buy.....we know our limits..........

 

[Metlhed57]

The few thousand that they raise from the auctions wouldn't keep me afloat let alone a company that size. I think it is great that the average man can have the chance at these sometimes highly collectible pieces that in the past were only available to only members of "the good 'ole boy network". Sure, most are out of our reach but a thumbs up for Ruger for making the offer.

 

[Hairtrigger]

The few thousand that they raise from the auctions wouldn't keep me afloat let alone a company that size. I think it is great that the average man can have the chance at these sometimes highly collectible pieces that in the past were only available to only members of "the good 'ole boy network". Sure, most are out of our reach but a thumbs up for Ruger for making the offer.

Well said.
It is great to think that if I scraped money together I could own an XGI or something else I have never laid hands on

 

[operator]

I had the idea of $6,000. on the xgi, went right on past me. Sure would have loved to had it!!!

 

[Song Dawg]

Depending on the merchandise and those interested buyers, there's a very real psychology at work with the concept of auctions.
It starts with the absence of a firm price and translates into getting something substantially under fair market value. Unfortunately the feeding frenzy takes over and trumps any rational thinking.
In the last few years every industry from real estate to auto sales has employed this method because it removes the rational purchase and replaces it with the competition of the bid!

More times than not it results in Calvin Wiles' scenario!

SD

 

[ddd482]

looks like they started this last one a little high