I explained that it was what Federal and State LAW required be filed with the auctioneer to be allowed to bid on the guns at this auction. The clerk said, "What are you talking about?"
I explained to the auctioneer that California State statute and Federal Law at the time REQUIRED that when a state entity sold firearms that they could only be sold to Federally licensed Firearms dealers. They could NOT be sold directly to the public. It was prohibited by law. I again offered a copy of the FFL for my business. The clerk said "You've got to be kidding!"
There were several hundred people browsing through the guns they had on the tables they had set up. . . and I realized they were just general consumers type bidders. "Nope, I'm not. Don't you know the law about what you are doing here? Only Federally licensed dealers can bid on these guns. Here is my license."
The clerk called over his boss, the auctioneer who also proceeded to question me.
I told him about the law as it stood at that point. This was mid 1975. . . and he should have been aware of the state of the law as it related to his business. He argued with me that since this was a public auction, he couldn't cancel it, it had been advertised! I said, "I know, but you cannot sell to the public, only to properly licensed gun dealers. Here's my license."
He sputtered a bit and said "I can't believe this"
I told him to "Call the ATF or your own attorney to check what I'm telling you."
"What's the ATF?" was his response.
"The Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms of the Treasury Department of the US Government. . . see, right here on my Federal Firearms Dealer's License." I said. "You can also call the State of California's Consumer Regulatory Commission, they'll tell you the same thing, but I doubt there's anyone there today."
They announced on the PA system that there was going to be a delay on the 9:00AM auction start. About a half-hour later the auctioneer came back on the PA announcing that this morning's auction was limited to Federally licensed firearms dealers and that dealers must file there FFLs with the auction clerk. There were only THREE of us there to bid on over 2600 long guns.
Unfortunately, most of the guns were literally junk. Lots of .22s and single shot shotguns and lots of rusted guns that would need a lot of work to make them look good enough to be salable. There were some gems in the batch.
Since there was no appreciable competition at the auction for these firearms, the typical auction for a gun went like this:
After trying to get his desired opening bid and not getting it, the frustrated auctioneer would ask for:
"Any bid at all?"
"One dollar!"
"I have $1, do I hear Fifty dollars?"
"Two dollars!"
"C'mon, gentlemen, this is worth more than that! Can I have Twenty-five?"
"Three dollars."
"I have $3. Do I hear Ten. Do I hear Five? Going once, Twice? Three times and sold!"
Sometimes it might go to five dollars and once a nice shotgun went to fifty, but the three dealers refused to compete and we essentially shared the good stuff. Mostly we took turns winning auctions.
The upshot of all this was I had spotted an M-1 Carbine with the fore end wrapped in black electrical tape in all those guns I was determined to get. The other dealers had essentially ignored it, not even picking it up. It was marked Singer Sewing Machine Company as the manufacturer!
I was pretty sure that Singer was NOT a contract maker of M1 Carbines, so I broke away from examining guns and found a phone booth and called my office billing clerk who collected M-1 Carbines to ask him what he knew about M-1 Carbines made by Singer. His response was first stunned silence and then excitement.
He said that what ever I did, get that gun! Singer NEVER had a contract but did produce ten guns as contract proofs when they applied for a contract which they did not get! That gun was the Holy Grail of M-1 Carbine collectors.
Most of the 1000 or so guns I bought at that California Fish and Games auction were Terrible Turkeys. We never did clean up the rust or repair them because it wasn't worth the effort. I had spent approximately $5,000 for all of the guns I bought at that auction. I had a barrel in the store where these Terrible Turkeys were sold for your choice $25. When the barrel would get close to empty, we'd grab an armful and refill the barrel.
Of course some of the guns were worth a lot more, and we got good prices for them. The best was that Singer M-1 Carbine. We sent out letters that we had it, with some professional photography showing the stamping of the maker's name and other details. We had cleaned up the gun, removing the adhesive from the electrical tape, which was on it not because the top wood was loose, but most likely to darken the gun for poaching. We offered it for "best offer" from these collectors of military rifles. By the time we finished, the impromptu auction between avid collectors resulted in thet rarest of M-1 Carbines brought in over $15,000.
I paid $3 for it.
The last time I heard of one of these Singer M-1 Carbines being sold it went for around $80,000. These days, under current law, it would be destroyed.
***Unfortunately, most of the guns were literally junk***
I was at a police auction in Oklahoma many years ago. Very dull. Furniture, unclaimed items mostly, and a table full of seized guns. Then something like an electric charge went through the people and they surged toward the gun table! They were selling the guns!
Junk guns went for new prices! New seized guns also went for new prices! I could not believe it! The bidding was fast and furious! Something takes over people when guns are on the bidding block!
I was from out of state and could not bid, but all buyers had to fill out government paperwork.
In the county I live in the seized guns are torched.