Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Garage sale gold

My wife loves to go to estate sales and occasionally yard sales. I usually go along to drive. We rarely buy anything, but it is a good way to spend a Saturday morning with my wife and eat lunch out somewhere. One thing we've learned is to always choose sales in neighborhoods at least equal to or more upscale than our own. I like the ones in more rural areas with barns better. If nothing else it is cool to be able to look at the inside of some really expensive homes. I'm often surprised at how run down some are though. These are people who had money, but at some point they just let things go. It is amazing at what they leave sometimes too. At a sale earlier this summer was a framed flag from a WW-2 vets funeral for sale. I just cannot imagine that there was no one in the family that didn't want that.

Aside from price, sometimes you find things not made new any longer.

I’ve never been to one, I’m sure there is some good stuff.

No matter what you see on display always ask if they have any "hunting or fishing" stuff they want to sell. It's amazing what they suddenly remember and haul out. Don't specifically say "guns" or anything, just "hunting stuff" or you might get them suspicious.

I'll give you $20 for those hatchets, poboy.

2 sets like knew K22 skis and boots for 20 bucks.

Chrome/black nylon Rem 22 for 100 that didnt work. Took it home and extracted the 22 short hull hung in action.

That's me. Our little town usually has 20-30 yard sales on a good Saturday morning, my wife and I make almost all of them. 95% of them are stuff for ladies: kiddie clothes, toys, ladies shoes, clothing, kitchen widgets, etc. I always ask if there's any hunting stuff, reloading equipment, you would be amazed what comes out of the closet. I have picked up several nice guns and a lof powder, primers, presses and so forth, I keep what I want and sell the rest online .

They were parting out and selling an old barn for wood and such in central Texas several years ago.

I heard the guy had an anvil, so I went and looked. Sure enough there was an old Swedish anvil correctly mounted on a big stump log. I bought the anvil, and looked around. and there was a a pair of aluminum painted spurs with baling wire straps hanging on a nail in the barn.

I could tell they were old, but really didn't judge them much. I asked how much, he said they used to play with those when he was a kid. I offered him $100 for them. He looked guilty but took my money.

Got home and cleaned them up and they were old, hand forged Crockett spurs. All I used was paint remover. Beautiful patina! Added and old vintage set of spur straps I already had... Took them to an Old West Memorabilia & Gun show, and sold that pair of spurs for $4500 within minutes.

Productive day!

Just checked and yea about half of what I first saw and plenty of them for sale at that. So now I think it goes on the tree again. I’m out a solid 3 dollars on the deal.

I have a 40’ conex box full of old worn out crap someone is gonna have a field day in. I have mountains of stuff. I don’t need to buy anyone elses old crap.

One I went to, I found A new box of..38s and an ancient box of .22shorts ..price not marked.
I asked the guy, he said "we are not supposed to sell live ammo at these sales. Please get that
stuff outta here." Made my day.

Yes, I was driving around with Momma as she was checking out yard sales one day. All the sudden I hollared for her to pull over at one she intended to pass by. I had spotted a pair of western saddles in the yard.

Sure enough, one 15" and one 16". Both had rawhide trees and real sheepskin in good condition. I paid $150 for the pair and have been riding and hunting from one ever since while the grandkids use the other.

Momma was bummed, I spent her entire yardsale allowance for the day at the first stop.

There was the time she called and asked if I wanted her to pick up an Aluminum hard side rifle case for $60. I said sure. She brought home an old Cabelas airline case for a single scoped rifle. I use the heck out of it.

And there was the time I paid $20 for a medium sized tackle box full of assorted lures and such. Only to find a Cutco hunting knife lying in the bottom.

Talked to a young neighbor couple last night. A few days back she purchased a jewelry box containing costume jewelry at an deceased's estate tag sale for $5. Found a one carat 14Kt white gold ladies cluster ring hidden behind one of the drawers. Diamonds were top tier in quality. Easy $1,000. ring. GW

Savin all my junk for the kids.

My 1st Garage Sale stop this year I found a pair of RED WING - WORX - LOGGER black leather laced boots.
$35 - New In Box never worn. One boot was unlaced enough to try on by the original owner.
They are a 1/2 size larger than I normally wear - but I appreciate the extra 'sock' room.

Also this Spring I picked up a dirt encrusted, cheap folding knife out of a '75 Cents Each Item' junk box that when
rinsed off under the kitchen sink faucet turned into a Benchnade 742 folding knife in near perfect condition.

I picked up a Queen brand filet knife for$1. Made a sheath for it and sold it for $35.

My wife holds a sale every couple years, she is on a mission to get rid of unused stuff. She prices it to sell and has a big pile of [bleep] that that's useless and won't let the good deals go unless they are willing to take two "free" items away with it. Works great. She even splits the cash with me.....

The people around here can get a tad forward. My wife had a garage sale one year and advertised 8:00 AM start and no early birds. Dang if a couple different folks tried coming up to the house between 6:30 and 7:00. She was setting up Tables on the driveway and no admittance to the garage was posted. However someone helped themselves to one of my new ultralight rod and reel. When I got home from work that day and discovered I was missing it I was pissed. I like going to them but I don’t like hosting them after that.

I have been lucky enough to have picked a few thing at a GS... My neighbors wife sold all his knife collection when they got divorce. i picked up a few things easy and for a superb price.

A few years ago I saw a black leather folding knife sheath in a box marked "50 cents each" at a yard sale. Thought for that price it would just be an empty sheath but nope, still had the bone handled, Case folding hunter inside. I have dressed and skinned alot of deer with that knife.