AboutBob H. Expertise I have been involved with firearms since 1976. I am currently an NRA Life Member and Certified Instructor for Pistol, Reloading, and Range Safety Officer. I am licensed to carry a concealed firearm in over 30 states. I can answer most questions on a wide variety of firearms topics including:
advanced handgun topics including action types, selecting the right gun and ammunition for your needs, best places to purchase, how to find good quality training, where and how to practice, marksmanship programs, self defense, home defense, and concealed carry issues
basic topics for rifles, shotguns, and reloading
selecting and using accessories such as holsters, targets, range devices, cleaning products, storage cases, gun safes, replacement parts, upgrades, etc.
I will not answer questions about gun history, current or future gun values, or detailed legal questions. For these questions please see the Blue Book of Gun Values by S. P. Fjestad, contact the manufacturer of the firearm, or contact a qualified local attorney.
Experience Experience:
I have been involved with firearms since 1976 including many forms of target practice, hunting, self defense, home defense, concealed carry, reloading, and dozens of training classes. I am currently an NRA Life Member and Certified Instructor for Pistol, Reloading, and Range Safety Officer. I am licensed to carry a concealed firearm in over 30 states. I am not a macho paramilitary guy that is going to bark orders at you like a drill sergeant or tell you that there is only one correct answer. Instead I am a down-to-earth working class guy that will patiently educate you on the facts and issues so that you can make your own decisions based on your situation.
My full time job keeps me quite busy however I also provide firearms training to friends and referrals in my spare time. Many people have helped me over the years so I volunteer my time whenever possible to give something back to the community. If you use this site and find it helpful then I encourage you to consider signing up as an expert as well.
Expert: Bob H. Date: 7/19/2008 Subject: WEATHERBY MARK X (INTERARMS)
Question A friend OF MINE IS TRYING TO SELL ME A WEATHERBY MARK X WITH A ALPEN SCOPE 6x24x50 the cal is 270 im not sure how old the gun is but it looks to be in good shape. What do you think its worth?
Answer Hi.
Unfortunately I can't answer questions about current or future gun values. This was explained in my profile and displayed on the screen when you selected an expert and submitted your question.
To get an accurate value for your firearm I highly recommend that you refer to the Blue Book of Gun Values by S. P. Fjestad. This book contains detailed history and pricing information for virtually every major firearm on the market including older models and obsolete brands. It is well worth the price (especially if you own more than one firearm) and it is generally used as the sole source for appraisals by gunsmiths, collectors, and dealers. This book is updated every year to ensure that the values are always current so beware of older printed copies which are often sold at a discount but usually contain outdated information.
You can access the book instantly online at https://store.bluebookinc.com/Home/default.aspx or purchase it from any major book store such as Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc. The price for either option is usually around $35 but I highly recommend the online subscription because you can get the information immediately plus check the site for updates at any time during the year. If you don’t want to pay the full price for an online subscription or printed book then you also have the option to download a single section of the book for a specific manufacturer. The individual sections usually cost $5 or $10 but some of the sections are free. Here is the link to purchase a section by manufacturer: https://store.bluebookinc.com/InstantAccess/Manufacturer.aspx?product=5
You should also know there are many variables that significantly affect the value of any firearm and most of these details are impossible to discern without inspecting the gun in person. The book mentioned above will educate you on all the details to look for and it includes many photos of real guns so you can learn how to distinguish between the finer points that can make a big difference in the value. Once you have graded your gun according to the standard rating system then you simply look it up in the tables that are provided to see the current market value. Any estimates that you get without a physical inspection are likely to be way off the mark in either direction so you need to do the research yourself or have an experienced professional appraise it in person to be sure you are getting an accurate estimate.
If you are certain of the exact manufacturer and model of your firearm and you have graded the condition accurately then you might be able to determine a fair street value by searching your local gun stores or the most popular auction sites to see what similar models are selling for. Most auctions sites also allow you to search the closed auctions as well so you can see what similar items actually sold for.
There are also some gun dealers, pawn shops, and other retailers which post their inventory on the web but the sites above offer a pretty good chance of finding a similar gun since they are used by thousands of dealers across the US.
If you don't want to buy the blue book or check the value online then I suggest that you take the gun to a local gunsmith or gun shop which deals with similar guns, or to a local gun club or range where they shoot similar guns. Chances are high that someone there will know enough to give you some good advice and many of them will gladly do this for free, although keep in mind that their opinions may be biased if they are interested in buying or trading for your gun.
