1 Attachment(s)
I’ve Sold The SA NM M1 RIFLE SN 5796843
I advertised the SA NM M1 RIFLE SN 5796843 “FOR SALE” in the “GARAND MARKETPLACE” section of the Summer 2009 edition of the GCA JOURNAL, and I sold it to a collector who has several 100% original and 100% correct M1 rifles but who didn’t already have a(any) NM M1 rifle(s). That collector is about my age [I’m sixty-one (61)], he has two (2) sons who are currently serving in the United States Military [I served in the United States Army], he is a career law enforcement officer [I was a Military Policeman in the United States Army], and his father carried an M1 rifle in World War II [my father also carried an M1 rifle in World War II]. Additionally, that collector has proven to me that he will keep the rifle along with all of its related paperwork and accessories 100% original and 100% correct, he will not fire the rifle, he will not field strip the rifle, he will not disassemble the rifle, he will properly store the rifle along with all of its related paperwork and accessories, and he will eventually pass on the rifle along with all of its related paperwork and accessories to his heirs. Even though I was offered considerably more money for that rifle by several other collectors, I sold it to that particular “right” collector for $4,500.00 (a substantial profit, considering that I purchased that rifle through the Director Of Civilian Marksmanship for “only” $155.70 back in September of 1971), and I was able to personally meet him as well as personally deliver that rifle to him. In addition to that rifle and all of its related paperwork and accessories, I also gave him a CD of all of the original large size digital photographs I’d taken of that rifle, a few M1 rifle military publications, a copy of The M1 Garand: Post World War II by Scott Duff, the original 1958 nearly new “CASE, INDIVIDUAL WEAPONS, PARACHUTISTS” that I’d always stored the preserved and protected rifle in for more than thirty-seven (37) years, and a late 1950’s nearly new “CASE, WEAPON, UNIVERSAL” which was designed to carry an M1 rifle in a military vehicle. That collector presented me with a genuine nickel plated brass UNITED STATES ARMY whistle, the exact type of whistle that was used by MILITARY POLICEMEN.
I could have easily sold five (5) identical SA NM M1 RIFLES for at least $4,000.00 each. I corresponded via telephone and/or via email with people from all over the continental United States, and one thousand seven hundred thirty-two (1,732) people viewed my WebShots “SA NM M1 RIFLE S. N. 5796843” photograph album from June 1st of 2009 up through June 30th of 2009. [I uploaded that photograph album to WebShots on February 24th of 2008, and from that day up through May 31st of 2009, only one thousand five hundred ten (1,510) people viewed that album.]
Over the past more than forty (40) years, I have sold a variety of firearms (but never any M1 rifles) by renting a table and selling them at the Empire State Arms Collectors Association gun shows at Rochester, New York; by carrying them around and selling them at various New York State gun shows, by selling them through “word of mouth” throughout New York State, by selling them through Gunboards.com, by selling them through AuctionArms.com, and by using them as partial payment when I purchased other firearms from New York State FFL dealers. However, if I had to sell the SA NM M1 RIFLE S. N. 5796843 all over again, I would once again only sell it by advertising it “FOR SALE” in the “GARAND MARKETPLACE” section of the GCA JOURNAL.
Take care,
Ralph Van Buren
136 Durland Place
Watkins Glen, New York 14891
(607) 535-4042
