I need some help to determine value of this Vaquero

[RME]

I have a friend that has a Vaquero Bisley Orig. Model (1998) .45 Colt in excellent condition. Model # 0592 (KRBNV-455). It had a Custom Action & trigger job by Bob Munden in March, 1998 ( letter from Bob Munden stating the above ). It has everything with it as sent from the factory. He is thinking about selling this gun and I'd like to help him determine a reasonable price to ask for it.
Thanks, RME

 

[contender]

I'd look on GB for completed sales, then look at the receipt from Bob Munden, and add the two together. I'd then add about 10%-20% & start with that value.

 

[RonSwanson]

I have a .44 magnum bisley Vaquero 5-1/2" with a bob Munden #1 action in similar condition to yours that I bought at a LGS about three or four years ago. I don't remember the exact price but I do know that it was well under $700 including 10% sales tax and I still have a good case of buyer elation.

 

[GunnyGene]

All of this kind of thing is loose change to collectors - trigger jobs, etc. Probably fetch a reasonable price as a shooter, but what really counts for collector guns is history. If it doesn't have some notable history then it's just a tricked out shooter. Did it belong to somebody who's name is in the history books? Was it used in a famous battle or shootout, etc., etc. Provenance (and rarity) counts more than anything else in terms of value.

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

Action jobs, even by a relatively well known smith, really add little if anything to the value for the average person/shooter and detracts from the value for a collector. Some Cowboy action shooters may give you a bit more for an action job'ed shooter, but not all; count me in the later category as I have seen some pretty poor work (or should I say "over-worked') by famous gunsmiths in the 20+ years I've been doing Cowboy action shooting, and now only am interested in a stock gun as opposed to one 'worked-over'. Truly, the only person such action work means anything to is the person who wanted it done in the first place and paid for it initially.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I agree with Sacramento Johnson, I've got 2 5-1/2" 45 Colts (blue, but still) that I haven't been able to get $500 for at local gun shows. Stainless makes it more desireable, and bisley adds for some people, I'm thinking $550ish. Much as I liked Munden, I've heard fair complaining about how light his triggers were.

 

[Rancher Will]

Years ago my insurance company requested an appraisal for a gift that my wife gave me for Christmas that year when I requested it be added to our home owners insurance policy list.

It was a Colt, single action, .44 Special, Nickel plated (not stainless steel), with real Ivory grips mounted at the Colt Factory, in the original factory box. It has never been fired.

We knew the original cost since my wife had ordered it directly from Colt, via the Fort Collins Dealer, when she purchased it. However we wanted a price based on current value for the insurance policy.

I took it to the gun store in Fort Collins and received a written value based on what the gun store would sell it for if it was for sale in their store. The dealer was happy to give me their appraise retail price since I do business with them. That Colt is not for sale, and I don't plan to ever sell it. The dealer did say that if I ever wanted to sell it, they would like to have first chance to buy it.

The insurance company accepted the written appraisal value by that dealer.

 

[tx gunrunner]

A trigger and action job lowers the value of a gun to a collector and gun work done Munden would NOT be a good thing for 75% of the buyers . Before I would buy that gun I would want to feel the action and trigger job to see if it would be ok for my type of shooting . It cost 5X more to undo a trigger or action then to do one . Being a gunsmith I do a different many action and trigger jobs . Different job for new or season shooter , hunting guns , target shoot and Cowboy Action shooting are all different trigger or action jobs . So buyer beware ....

 

[RME]

Thanks to everyone for the info.
RME