Price Check?

[my username]

Don't know if this is the correct place to post this query or not, but (unfortunately not being able to afford a RENE subscription and) being pretty new still, I have been struggling with pricing some ruger's (both that I have purchased and also some) that I unfortunately need to relinquish, I wondered if anyone could help me get a better idea what a fair price might be for a revolver that I had previously had posted for sale? Any help would be greatly appreciated:

Make: Ruger

Model: 1976 Super Blackhawk

Caliber: .44 Magnum/.44 Special

Other info:

1976 7.5" barreled HIGH GLOSS blued, like new/never shot Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum. The revolver has a smooth action job and custom carved exotic grips that I got from another forum member. This quality piece is in pristine condition and probably the most beautiful SBH I've ever seen. No box or original paperwork unfortunately. And also though this is serial checked as a 1976, it is apparently one of the anomalies that doesn't have the "200th" roll mark. (Oh, and the holster pictured is either one that I have since sold or is another that I currently have listed with another SBH for sale, so I am only needing info on the revolver - just to clarify). Thankx so much.

 

[gmartinnc]

Nice gun. 1st one I've ever saw dated to 1976 without the "200th year" roll mark. That alone might make it worth more to someone. I can't see why it would have ever been rebarreled. Have you ever called Ruger and asked about this? Some documentation from them might help the value if you can prove it was shipped this way. Would be worth more with the box and papers of course, and actually, most would prefer the factory grips I think. As for the value, I would say around what a real nice NM Super BH is worth.

 

[street]

Nice gun. 1st one I've ever saw dated to 1976 without the "200th year" roll mark. That alone might make it worth more to someone. I can't see why it would have ever been rebarreled. Have you ever called Ruger and asked about this? Some documentation from them might help the value if you can prove it was shipped this way. Would be worth more with the box and papers of course, and actually, most would prefer the factory grips I think. As for the value, I would say around what a real nice NM Super BH is worth.

Ruger could verify the shipping date on this revolver but whether the barrel had the 200 yr stamping on it, that would not be documented at the factory. The letter could have a generic statement that all Rugers shipped in 1976 had this stamped on the barrel, but there would be no way to tell if it didn't.

 

[my username]

Thankx much for the replies and information. I haven't called Ruger directly, but as I found, there are several discussions on the forum here (as this one here: http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=133315) that explain (or at least theorizes) that special editions are actually often made for more than one year cycle and also that the online serial check system is less than perfect, so it appears serial number dating gets a bit fuzzy sometimes.

Also, please forgive my ignorance and confusion, but it seems "a real nice NM SBH" new usually goes for well over $700 from a dealer and places online, but "used" (or even "preowned" like new as this one technically is) can be as low as $350 just because some one cocked the hammer back once or something? This is actually where I get fuzzy myself. It doesn't seem NM's would be particularly collectible (at least for quite some time) - and only slightly so for special editions - so it doesn't seem that the exact original box and papers and factory walnut grips (which "as close as possible" replacements all seem fairly available on ebay and places for reasonable enough) and shouldn't affect value hugely like on a low digit OM or something? It appears there are many value determining factors (e.g. seems most customization, unless a full redo by one of the few best pistol smiths/component makers = bad for resale - I got that. I didn't modify the revolver to get rid of it - cannot imagine getting out of it what I have into it anyway, and wouldn't be selling unless I had to), but any further help narrowing things down a bit more would be great? And thankx again for your help!

 

[gmartinnc]

Nice gun. 1st one I've ever saw dated to 1976 without the "200th year" roll mark. That alone might make it worth more to someone. I can't see why it would have ever been rebarreled. Have you ever called Ruger and asked about this? Some documentation from them might help the value if you can prove it was shipped this way. Would be worth more with the box and papers of course, and actually, most would prefer the factory grips I think. As for the value, I would say around what a real nice NM Super BH is worth.

Ruger could verify the shipping date on this revolver but whether the barrel had the 200 yr stamping on it, that would not be documented at the factory. The letter could have a generic statement that all Rugers shipped in 1976 had this stamped on the barrel, but there would be no way to tell if it didn't.

I figured if it had been rebarreled there, they would have a record of it. At least that would explain the missing rollmark. It's a real nice gun but without the box and missing the rollmark, I just don't see any collector value, fired or not.

 

[gmartinnc]

Thankx much for the replies and information. I haven't called Ruger directly, but as I found, there are several discussions on the forum here (as this one here: http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=133315) that explain (or at least theorizes) that special editions are actually often made for more than one year cycle and also that the online serial check system is less than perfect, so it appears serial number dating gets a bit fuzzy sometimes.

Also, please forgive my ignorance and confusion, but it seems "a real nice NM SBH" new usually goes for well over $700 from a dealer and places online, but "used" (or even "preowned" like new as this one technically is) can be as low as $350 just because some one cocked the hammer back once or something? This is actually where I get fuzzy myself. It doesn't seem NM's would be particularly collectible (at least for quite some time) - and only slightly so for special editions - so it doesn't seem that the exact original box and papers and factory walnut grips (which "as close as possible" replacements all seem fairly available on ebay and places for reasonable enough) and shouldn't affect value hugely like on a low digit OM or something? It appears there are many value determining factors (e.g. seems most customization, unless a full redo by one of the few best pistol smiths/component makers = bad for resale - I got that. I didn't modify the revolver to get rid of it - cannot imagine getting out of it what I have into it anyway, and wouldn't be selling unless I had to), but any further help narrowing things down a bit more would be great? And thankx again for your help!

Something is worth what someone will pay when it's for sale. Go to Gunbroker and look at the completed auctions, and you will soon learn what they are bringing.

 

[KWYJIBO]

Something is worth what someone will pay when it's for sale. Go to Gunbroker and look at the completed auctions, and you will soon learn what they are bringing.

This is the best advice that can be given. It's possible that someone will pay $800+ for a gun like this, and finding that someone will be the only challenge. If you were to list it for $400, it would probably sell in a matter of minutes. Somewhere inside that wide range is where its realistic value would fall. If you want to know where to start with your asking price, do as gmartin suggests and check some online auctions for similar guns that have sold recently. The prices they actually brought should be a good indicator of current value.

 

[gmartinnc]

Anything much over $400 is getting in to 3 screw territory. That's a no brainer.

 

[my username]

Thankx for the responses. I certainly had looked at completed postings on Gunbroker before asking here and then ultimately took 30%-40% off of the lowest similar model I could find there needing a quick sale? All I can say is I guess I'm the no brainer then paying what I did for it. Thankx again.