Rod and Gun Auction - Geneva, NY
- Thread starter alistair
- Start date
Glenn B
.308 Win
I have been going to Hessney rod & gun auctions since 2012. Wish I could go this weekend but have other commitments. Anyway, I don't have a even penny to spend on guns right now.
Last edited:
wizrd
6.5 Creedmoor
Glenn, do the auction selling prices seem to be reasonable? -- Some times guys at auctions seem to go a little nuts with their bidding.
Glenn B
.308 Win
Now you got me going. I am about to give a very long answer with much more info than requested in a very brief question. I learned much of this the hard way so freely offer it to others so they do not have to do it likewise. If you just want the answer to your question stop after reading the first paragraph. If you want my auction primer, read on...
The prices at which the guns go is all too often above retail for new ones and for used ones often way above Blue Book values or GunBroker buy it now prices. People want something badly enough and get into the bidding frenzy. Then they seem to forget there is either a 10% or 13% buyer's premium plus sales tax on the total of bid plus the premium. If you bid recklessly, it could be foolishly expensive for you but lucrative for Joe Hessney (great guy) and his family. For instance, bidders often pay above retail (retail out the door price) for Henry Lever Action rifles, Ruger Mini 14s, NY compliant ARs variations and whatever (those just come to mind right now).
That said, there are decent to excellent deals to be had often enough. I picked up a new Browning Citori Lightning O/U shotgun at a song of a price of $828.00 out the door (OTD). Thing was someone screwed it up during the preview and that was after I had looked at it so I was unaware. Everything is sold as is; however f they realize someone broke it during the preview, they do let the bidders know. Luckily for me, I sent it to Browning and they repaired it under warranty, it was a minor glitch nothing really broken. I wound up selling it and what I got for it put a big smile on my face and the buyer loved it.
I also picked up an "as new" Ruger Ranch rifle for a total of $710 (OTD), not the greatest deal when all things considered but not bad. It was in the box, obviously or at least seemingly unfired, and had all papers and accessories. At my local dealer it was going for well over $800. Of course, I could have gotten it from Sportsmansguide at $750-$775 with my FFL fee already figured in there but then would not see the gun before purchase and would have to wait for it. I don't expect to shoot this one for maybe a year or so and then sell it. I expect to keep it and pass it down to my son so it was a decent deal in my book. Granted, some might remind me I had to pay gas, toll and hotel to travel there and home and that all adds in but I would pay those same things for any weekend upstate and I truly enjoy these auctions; I could spend my weekends in a worse manner. Of course, I also bought other things and when you counted every penny spent, I made out pretty well at that auction. For instance I bought a bayonet for $83 (OTD) that I know with certainty can sell for at least $125; it is hanging on my wall.
They also auction off other things like firearms accessories, ammo, reloading gear, firearms books, gun cases, archery items, game mounts, outdoors art, decoys (wow what prices on some of them), fishing rods, reels and accessories, cars, motorcycles, trucks, farm equipment and the like. Firearms accessories and fishing stuff start off before the firearms in a smaller side room to the auction house. Then after that has been going for awhile, Joe goes outside to auction off any vehicles. After that, the firearms go on auction in the big room. Note that the accessories, archery items and fishing stuff are continuing to be auctioned off in the side room when the firearms auction commences. First it is firearms, long guns and handguns mixed in in various spurts of groups of one of the other. Then things like firearms parts (usually barrels) knives, game mounts, decoys, game art work and such with ammo usually coming last. They know how to keep me there but by the ammo most of the folks are gone.
You can get some good deals on ammo or can overpay as many do especially for popular calibers. I have gotten a few great deals on 12 sabot slugs. I also got a decent deal on Magtech 9mm ammo relative to retail pricing at that time at $9 per box. Probably not a great deal now that prices have fallen but still okay and better than retail at my LGS even when buyer's premium and tax figured in. Also picked up some 35 Rem at $19 per box. That is an excellent price that you likely are not going to find online or at a LGS ever again. I have also gotten some excellent deals on 44 magnum (usually only have competition on that is a dealer is bidding on it). Forget 22LR; they have it but it always goes way too high considering buyer's premium and tax.
You have to really look guns over well at the preview. Even then, someone can break it after you see it so remember all items are sold as is. If it obviously got broken during the preview or if one of the workers there does something like drops it, and you respectfully tell them, they may cancel your bid after the auction. They have done it for me and others. Just don't been an arsehat about it. A couple of moths ago, they sold a bolt action rifle from which someone removed the bolt during the preview. No one knew how to get it back in. They announced the problem at least three times before auctioning it and reminded everyone it was selling as is but that they wanted to alert everyone to the problem. Guy who had high bid called them crooks and said they ran a scam. Then he very nastily insulted Joe Hessney's daughter, said it to Joe's wife in the back of the room! Big bold man. She threw him out and Joe was adamant that they do so over the loudspeaker but not to let him leave with the gun and to give him a refund. Made a big scene and got kicked out but not before they literally grabbed rifle back and gave him a refund. Heck, they announced at least three times, before auctioning it, that someone had screwed up the gun. Why did he bid! Just remember all guns are sold as is regardless of how they are listed could even be listed as a model that it is not (sometimes excellent deals are made that was for the shrewd and observant bidder).
If you attend one of these auctions, you need to do a few things. Arrive the day before to attend the preview. It runs from about 2 or 3PM until 6PM. They list it on the site for each auction. When you arrive the night before, check in so you get your bidder number then and do not have to wait on Saturday morning. On Saturday morning, get there early, at least 45 minutes before the doors open (I never remember what time that is but think it is 8 or 830). Once the doors open, I wait a few minutes and when the line stalls as folks wait to get registered, I excuse myself and walk right passed them explaining I am already registered, never had a problem. That way you get to preview the guns again but mind you the time you have before bidding starts is not sufficient to do the preview just on Saturday - go on Friday night too. This way you get a second look on Saturday. If you bid, have a bid price in mind before hand. I go to their site, a day or two before the auction and they usually have the complete catalog up by then. Bidding will have been open a couple to few days before that online (online bidding ends the morning of the auction before live bidding starts). I print the catalog in PDF and then fill in what am willing to bid next to the ones I want. I use several sources to check the values. If you are going bid, remember your high bid will have the buyers premium of 13% for credit card and 10% for cash or check drawn on a NY state bank added to it. Then remember to add in sales tax on everything of 7.5%. This way you can figure what your highest bid should be before you even see the gun using the best condition as you guide. Then when you see the gun, you go down in your bid if need be based on condition. Bring cash or checkbook, it sure beats paying an extra 3% of buyer's premium (they will split the payment if need be to part cash or check and part credit card and charge accordingly).
Bring food and drink, the roach coach there has some passable but also some terrible food. Nice folks working there but their hotdogs absolutely suck. Coffee is okay and they have a lot of junk food snacks.
Remember to bring cases for anything you might buy. I live on Long Island so I try to bring two or three cases to put the guns into and then put them in my trunk because I have to drive through NYC.
If you do buy a gun, you pay, then do the paperwork, then they do the NICS check, after approval they give you the gun if a long gun or at a later date when you return with a purchase document for a pistol. Make sure you check the serial number if there is one on any gin you purchase. I got one rifle listed as NSN an found the number. They had to change their paperwork and my receipt. I also have gotten two with the wrong number on their paperwork. They are happy to correct things like that.
Finally be prepared to spend. There has always been at least one gun there I wanted, usually many more. I try not to go over my limit but have done so more than once, most of those times a couple or few years back. It takes some control not to get swept p in the bidding frenzy.
I always enjoy their auctions. Joe Hessney and his family are nice folks. After the auction, I sometimes stop at a winery to get something for my wife or the one distillery I found up that way to get some booze for my brother-in-law or myself. Great experience, I just wish I did not have to drive 300+ miles to get there and another 300+ miles back home.
Hope to see you there at the auction in August: Upcoming Auctions | Hessney Auction Company, LTD.
All the best,
Glenn B
The prices at which the guns go is all too often above retail for new ones and for used ones often way above Blue Book values or GunBroker buy it now prices. People want something badly enough and get into the bidding frenzy. Then they seem to forget there is either a 10% or 13% buyer's premium plus sales tax on the total of bid plus the premium. If you bid recklessly, it could be foolishly expensive for you but lucrative for Joe Hessney (great guy) and his family. For instance, bidders often pay above retail (retail out the door price) for Henry Lever Action rifles, Ruger Mini 14s, NY compliant ARs variations and whatever (those just come to mind right now).
That said, there are decent to excellent deals to be had often enough. I picked up a new Browning Citori Lightning O/U shotgun at a song of a price of $828.00 out the door (OTD). Thing was someone screwed it up during the preview and that was after I had looked at it so I was unaware. Everything is sold as is; however f they realize someone broke it during the preview, they do let the bidders know. Luckily for me, I sent it to Browning and they repaired it under warranty, it was a minor glitch nothing really broken. I wound up selling it and what I got for it put a big smile on my face and the buyer loved it.
I also picked up an "as new" Ruger Ranch rifle for a total of $710 (OTD), not the greatest deal when all things considered but not bad. It was in the box, obviously or at least seemingly unfired, and had all papers and accessories. At my local dealer it was going for well over $800. Of course, I could have gotten it from Sportsmansguide at $750-$775 with my FFL fee already figured in there but then would not see the gun before purchase and would have to wait for it. I don't expect to shoot this one for maybe a year or so and then sell it. I expect to keep it and pass it down to my son so it was a decent deal in my book. Granted, some might remind me I had to pay gas, toll and hotel to travel there and home and that all adds in but I would pay those same things for any weekend upstate and I truly enjoy these auctions; I could spend my weekends in a worse manner. Of course, I also bought other things and when you counted every penny spent, I made out pretty well at that auction. For instance I bought a bayonet for $83 (OTD) that I know with certainty can sell for at least $125; it is hanging on my wall.
They also auction off other things like firearms accessories, ammo, reloading gear, firearms books, gun cases, archery items, game mounts, outdoors art, decoys (wow what prices on some of them), fishing rods, reels and accessories, cars, motorcycles, trucks, farm equipment and the like. Firearms accessories and fishing stuff start off before the firearms in a smaller side room to the auction house. Then after that has been going for awhile, Joe goes outside to auction off any vehicles. After that, the firearms go on auction in the big room. Note that the accessories, archery items and fishing stuff are continuing to be auctioned off in the side room when the firearms auction commences. First it is firearms, long guns and handguns mixed in in various spurts of groups of one of the other. Then things like firearms parts (usually barrels) knives, game mounts, decoys, game art work and such with ammo usually coming last. They know how to keep me there but by the ammo most of the folks are gone.
You can get some good deals on ammo or can overpay as many do especially for popular calibers. I have gotten a few great deals on 12 sabot slugs. I also got a decent deal on Magtech 9mm ammo relative to retail pricing at that time at $9 per box. Probably not a great deal now that prices have fallen but still okay and better than retail at my LGS even when buyer's premium and tax figured in. Also picked up some 35 Rem at $19 per box. That is an excellent price that you likely are not going to find online or at a LGS ever again. I have also gotten some excellent deals on 44 magnum (usually only have competition on that is a dealer is bidding on it). Forget 22LR; they have it but it always goes way too high considering buyer's premium and tax.
You have to really look guns over well at the preview. Even then, someone can break it after you see it so remember all items are sold as is. If it obviously got broken during the preview or if one of the workers there does something like drops it, and you respectfully tell them, they may cancel your bid after the auction. They have done it for me and others. Just don't been an arsehat about it. A couple of moths ago, they sold a bolt action rifle from which someone removed the bolt during the preview. No one knew how to get it back in. They announced the problem at least three times before auctioning it and reminded everyone it was selling as is but that they wanted to alert everyone to the problem. Guy who had high bid called them crooks and said they ran a scam. Then he very nastily insulted Joe Hessney's daughter, said it to Joe's wife in the back of the room! Big bold man. She threw him out and Joe was adamant that they do so over the loudspeaker but not to let him leave with the gun and to give him a refund. Made a big scene and got kicked out but not before they literally grabbed rifle back and gave him a refund. Heck, they announced at least three times, before auctioning it, that someone had screwed up the gun. Why did he bid! Just remember all guns are sold as is regardless of how they are listed could even be listed as a model that it is not (sometimes excellent deals are made that was for the shrewd and observant bidder).
If you attend one of these auctions, you need to do a few things. Arrive the day before to attend the preview. It runs from about 2 or 3PM until 6PM. They list it on the site for each auction. When you arrive the night before, check in so you get your bidder number then and do not have to wait on Saturday morning. On Saturday morning, get there early, at least 45 minutes before the doors open (I never remember what time that is but think it is 8 or 830). Once the doors open, I wait a few minutes and when the line stalls as folks wait to get registered, I excuse myself and walk right passed them explaining I am already registered, never had a problem. That way you get to preview the guns again but mind you the time you have before bidding starts is not sufficient to do the preview just on Saturday - go on Friday night too. This way you get a second look on Saturday. If you bid, have a bid price in mind before hand. I go to their site, a day or two before the auction and they usually have the complete catalog up by then. Bidding will have been open a couple to few days before that online (online bidding ends the morning of the auction before live bidding starts). I print the catalog in PDF and then fill in what am willing to bid next to the ones I want. I use several sources to check the values. If you are going bid, remember your high bid will have the buyers premium of 13% for credit card and 10% for cash or check drawn on a NY state bank added to it. Then remember to add in sales tax on everything of 7.5%. This way you can figure what your highest bid should be before you even see the gun using the best condition as you guide. Then when you see the gun, you go down in your bid if need be based on condition. Bring cash or checkbook, it sure beats paying an extra 3% of buyer's premium (they will split the payment if need be to part cash or check and part credit card and charge accordingly).
Bring food and drink, the roach coach there has some passable but also some terrible food. Nice folks working there but their hotdogs absolutely suck. Coffee is okay and they have a lot of junk food snacks.
Remember to bring cases for anything you might buy. I live on Long Island so I try to bring two or three cases to put the guns into and then put them in my trunk because I have to drive through NYC.
If you do buy a gun, you pay, then do the paperwork, then they do the NICS check, after approval they give you the gun if a long gun or at a later date when you return with a purchase document for a pistol. Make sure you check the serial number if there is one on any gin you purchase. I got one rifle listed as NSN an found the number. They had to change their paperwork and my receipt. I also have gotten two with the wrong number on their paperwork. They are happy to correct things like that.
Finally be prepared to spend. There has always been at least one gun there I wanted, usually many more. I try not to go over my limit but have done so more than once, most of those times a couple or few years back. It takes some control not to get swept p in the bidding frenzy.
I always enjoy their auctions. Joe Hessney and his family are nice folks. After the auction, I sometimes stop at a winery to get something for my wife or the one distillery I found up that way to get some booze for my brother-in-law or myself. Great experience, I just wish I did not have to drive 300+ miles to get there and another 300+ miles back home.
Hope to see you there at the auction in August: Upcoming Auctions | Hessney Auction Company, LTD.
All the best,
Glenn B
Last edited:
wizrd
6.5 Creedmoor
Thanks, Brother - some good tips there. A while back, I took several firearms there to sell, for a good friend. I didn't attend the auction, but we got some pretty fair market prices for the guns. If your SELLING guns there, the trick is to get them in early - guns are usually auctioned off as they are received, that's what I was told ( their site will tell you when guns that are being received are cut off ), get your guns for sale there immediately after the cutoff date -- first in - first sold.
Guys got more money to spend at the start of the auction. Folks there were very nice and helpful - just saying.
Guys got more money to spend at the start of the auction. Folks there were very nice and helpful - just saying.
Glenn B
.308 Win
The next live Rod & Gun auction thy are holding is on August 12, with preview August 11. I plan on being there. anyone else thinking of attending.