Re: Who are the best people to value this type of gun? Archived Message
Posted by SGT on August 1, 2007, 4:35 pm, in reply to "Who are the best people to value this type of gun?" |
I won't attempt to appraise your gun; but will make an attempt to provide some information. Highest values are always determined by grade, rarity, guage rarity, options, and condition. Examples remaining in factory new condition are always in demand by collectors. Even though your gun has alledgedly never been fired, it has been handled; and you noted a "couple of small scratches". Any blemish will reduce value to some varying degree depending on blemish location and severity. You say this gun has been stored in an attic; extreme heat in an attic environment often has a detrimental impact on gun finishes. Attic heat over a long period will often dull/fade metal finishes and cause a stock finish to craze (crack). Hopefully, you still have the gun in its original shipping box; and I also hope that you did not toss the original deterioted wrapping paper, as an original gun with its original wrappings (even ratty wrappings) and still in the original serial numbered box is always more desireable to a collector than a new example in the exact same condition without the original box and wrappings.
As to what we do know about your gun; it is a 12 gauge Field Grade, which is the most common and least rare grade/gauge of Smith gun (probably comprised 60% of total production). Original "New-in-the-box" 12-bore Field Grade Smith guns with no options (ejectors, single triggers, etc) are typically listed for sale in the $3,000-3,500 range. I hope this information helps you somewhat. Finally, it would be great to talk with your father-in-law regarding any history of the Hunter Arms Company that he may recall, as this organization is making every effort to record as much remaining history of the company as may be possible before it is lost forever. If you could ask him to contact one of us here at the LCSCA, we would be most appreciative.
Thanks, Tom
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