Stevens 520-30 Trench Gun Record Sale

[Keydet92]

This has got to be a record price for a Stevens 520-30 Trench Gun ($8569), don't get me wrong, it's one of the best but it looks like two egos with deep pockets went to war. I was estimating $3500-$3800.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/559963205

The same seller did very well on a 520-30 Riot Gun last week ($1882) and I thought that was inflated as it has some issues.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/558568320

[scosgt]

Either Donald Trump is collecting trench guns or someone has lost their mind - or the buyers are not paying or he is shill bidding.
The riot with the recoil pad - insane
The price of the trench - give me a break.

[Keydet92]

The riot gun doesn't have a recoil pad. I believe that the stock is a replacement as it doesn't fit correctly at the trigger and receiver tangs, in addition to the butt plate being held on by two incorrect Phillips head wood screws. The seller wouldn't answer my question as to if the stock was serial number matched to the gun. Stevens didn't have the fit and finish of Winchester but they did a much better job than this.
2 4.jpg2 18.jpg2 31.jpg

I suspect a shill bidder. The winner of the riot gun (user name 4p6e3h, an FFL dealer) is one of the two who was bidding on the trench gun, and 90% of their 27 A+ reviews are from this seller (user name diamond1210, Diamond Firearms, Rio Rico, AZ) . It looks like they went one bid too far on the riot and got stuck with it. A review of the items the riot gun buyer has feedback on shows that they've supposedly purchased over $80,000 of high end firearms from this seller in the past 3 months...when they first started using Gun Broker.

[scosgt]

The riot gun doesn't have a recoil pad. I believe that the stock is a replacement as it doesn't fit correctly at the trigger and receiver tangs, in addition to the butt plate being held on by two incorrect Phillips head wood screws. The seller wouldn't answer my question as to if the stock was serial number matched to the gun. Stevens didn't have the fit and finish of Winchester but they did a much better job than this.
2 4.jpg2 18.jpg2 31.jpg

I suspect a shill bidder. The winner of the riot gun (user name 4p6e3h, an FFL dealer) is one of the two who was bidding on the trench gun, and 90% of their 27 A+ reviews are from this seller (user name diamond1210, Diamond Firearms, Rio Rico, AZ) . It looks like they went one bid too far on the riot and got stuck with it. A review of the items the riot gun buyer has feedback on shows that they've supposedly purchased over $80,000 of high end firearms from this seller in the past 3 months...when they first started using Gun Broker.

You seem to have more detailed pictures then were posted. From what was posted online, I would not have bid at all, not enough detail.
That being said, it is obvious shill bidding and should be reported.
The good news is he owes commissions on $10K
If he claims non paying bidder, it will come to light.

[Keydet92]

You have to scroll down through the ad to see the rest of the pictures, they only put a couple in the preview window. The buyer/seller combo popped up on an HK forum about a month ago for the same sort of thing on two rifles.

They should pay me a commission, they cut and pasted verbatim from my Wikipedia article on the Stevens 520 for their description.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens_Model_520/620

[scosgt]

The stock on the trench is absolutely refinished. It is a $3K gun, it is not a $8K gun. Definite shill bidding.

[Cactuskid]

Am I the only one who noticed that the serial number on the buttstock of this 520-30 has been overstamped? I had to replace the buttstock on my 520-30, but I wouldn't dare try to change the SN. Does anyone know if this could have been done by the arsenal when these guns were reworked? The selling price for this gun was insane. My 520-30 is every bit as nice as the one in this auction, but I consider it a $2500 - $3000 gun.

[Keydet92]

Am I the only one who noticed that the serial number on the buttstock of this 520-30 has been overstamped?

I didn't even see those pictures, they only added them two days ago. That is completely bogus and an attempt to doctor the gun. That didn't happen during an arsenal rebuild, they could have cared less if all the serial numbers matched as long as the gun was functional and met specs. There would have been some sort of arsenal marking on the bottom of the pistol grip, or sometimes the bottom of the barrel lug, as well. In that state, it's not even worth $3K. There's a sucker born every day.

[scosgt]

The arsenal never ever re-stamps serial numbers like that.
The stocks are numbered because they are factory fitted to the receiver.
A replaced stock on a nice gun is not the end of the world, but it is part of the price consideration.
A replaced stock on a Winchester can be fatal, since they lack the inspector marks.

[Keydet92]

Interesting, same seller from my original post and the same bidder (4p6e3h) on another Model 520-30 trench gun. This one not as nice, probably a $2500 gun, went for $4198.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/588126125