My late grandfather left behind over 90 guns. Can anyone help me identify some i shouldn't pass on?

I would start by keeping any Winchester that is pre '64 and any revolver made by Colt.

In for curiousity

I’d definitely keep the National Match Garand, and the International Harvester for that matter, and the 1903 Springfield, and any Colt revolvers.

Theirs a lot of really nice guns on that list and different people would be interested in different one... I’d definitely get someone to appraise them. Just to keep the field interesting. Some would be very difficult to price without more information, for instance depending on condition a Beretta 12 gauge over/under could be a $500 dollar gun or it could be over $5000.


And I just want to say I’m sorry you lost your grandfather, I miss both of mine.

Any Eddystone M1917 with matching bolt, as the type was used by about 1/3 of our troops in WW1.
But the limelight after the war was always kept on the "Springfield", while trying to ignore the 1917. All 1917s were produced in England for our troops?.

The shapes of both the bolts, rear and front sights are very easy to spot after studying a photo for just five seconds.

I sort of regret not buying one at the huge Wanenmacher's Show--my first/last-- in Tulsa (last November), but I would not have accepted the list prices.

Just at a quick glance I don't see anything that I'd call a common gun there. It would depend on exactly when some were made. Most all of them would have some collector value I'd think.

My 1st reaction is that this can't be done on the internet and do it justice. I'd have an expert come and look at this collection in person to determine value and provide advice. Looks like a lot of money. If Grandma needs the cash then it might be necessary to sell bunch of them. I can't help with who could do this.

I'm sorry for your loss....all I can say is WOW! In just scanning that list it jumps out that your grandfather was a broad collector and in fact at least 6 or 7 major collector niches are very well represented. It is impossible to say "which" guns when the correct response is "most". That said I would first go after any weapon that he had a particular fondness for and actually used himself. Most guys with a collection this massive still tend to fall back on a few guns as their go-to weapons for various purposes (ie. plinking, target shooting, defense, etc). Regardless of financial prospects those are the weapons that your family will treasure more than any "safe queens" that saw little use years from now. Any Colt revolver not rusted shut is a sure bet for appreciation, and the U.S. military weapons will only increase in value, too. The Colt Woodsmens are terrific firearms to both collect and shoot and will not likely decrease in value ever. The Walthers are very likely worth keeping, too---especially if they are models no longer imported into the U.S. owing to the GCA of 1968. No matter what, it will be a hard call.....

I would save any that carry strong memories of your grandfather first. My dad had some very nice guns that mean a lot less to me than the old single six that we shot together frequently. That being said this list is just filled with nice guns that I would struggle to pass up on, but 47 and 97 specifically stand out to me a bit.

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With such a wonderful list I could imagine where to start. All the Colts, save for the AR, are interesting to me. Literally all these firearms are worth more than meets the eye. Except for the Weatherbys. Yuck.

There are very few I personally would part with. Especially if they were my grandfather's. I hope your family can reconcile this amicably.

Condolences on the loss of your grandfather.... A professional appraisal is gonna be needed not just because of there being so many but there are so many high value pieces there, some of which have probably gone up in value a great deal in the last 10 or 20 years. As to which ones should remain in the family; that's a decision the family can make based on the sentimental values and the memories which each one holds. I've known guys who still hunt with the same gun used by both their father and grandfather before them and they aren't high dollar collectors pieces but sort of a family heirloom that they would never sell because of sentimental value. Just be sure that your grandmother gets a fair price for the ones she sells. Too many widows get ripped off selling their late husbands guns for pennies on the dollar and knowing the approximate values first would save some real headaches and regrets later.

Hope you can help them sort through this treasure trove! Please don’t let your grandmother sell them as a single lot to a LGS! If there’s time and finances allow, get a firearms auction house appraisal. It seems that there are many valuable items.

I wouldn't part with any of them because depending on how old you are or your kids 40yrs from now those firearms could go from $500 to $10k.

I agree with everyone else get them appraised so you guys get every single penny for them. A lot of places do the estate sale thing and lie through their teeth that a gun is worth $300 and in reality its $1000.

I am sorry for your loss. I am also sorry for your conundrum -- there's no junk in that lot. I'd try to keep them all, if you can!

I am impressed with the collection. Definitely get someone in person to tell you the values.

We all have our own preferences and would pick a different set of mementos plus working guns, so there is no point in me analyzing the list. But that is an excellent collection.

Ignition Override said:

the 1917 (all were produced in England for our troops?)

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Other way around. We made P14s for England, then turned the machinery to make 1917s to supplement Springfield. Plants were at Winchester, Remington and Eddystone, which last was a Baldwin Locomotive plant set up to make rifles under Remington management.

Auction, let guys with more money than self control give the family a nice windfall.

I'd try and get at least one if not two of the Woodsman, at least one of the Springfield 1903's, one of the Colt double action 45's. Your grandfather had good taste. Most of the stuff on that list is top quality and assuming it's in good condition I would try and get whatever suites your interest.

If I had to keep just one gem from that awesome collection it would be #57 or #63. The M22 Springfield rifles have all the history and craftsmanship of a M1903 with the economy and fun-for-all ages of a .22. Plus they are super rare and difficult to replace at any price. Many nice guns there, but those stand out for me.

Good luck to you, sir, and my condolences on your loss.

1. Find an honest and knowledgeable appraiser, hire him to go through this list, and also buy a blue book of gun values.
2. Get a gunbroker account
This is a huge list, and gunbroker allows you to showcase your sales everywhere- trying to do this any other way would take forever. The only other alternative I could see is if there are any higher end gun shows in your area. Everything on that list is desirable to SOMEONE- Colt-Sauer people, milsurp people, S&W collectors, etc. Sorry for your loss.

If you can afford to, why not keep them all?

FL-NC said:

1. Find an honest and knowledgeable appraiser, hire him to go through this list, and also buy a blue book of gun values.
2. Get a gunbroker account
This is a huge list, and gunbroker allows you to showcase your sales everywhere- trying to do this any other way would take forever. The only other alternative I could see is if there are any higher end gun shows in your area. Everything on that list is desirable to SOMEONE- Colt-Sauer people, milsurp people, S&W collectors, etc. Sorry for your loss.

Click to expand...

Good advice.
Your Grandfathers collection is an investment that will provide for your Grandmother for a long time.

Just a word to the wise. Keep the appraisal separate from the sale. A lot of nice and interesting stuff in the list.