Value of Austrian Lorentz

[GreyGus]

I have been offered an original Austrian Lorentz musket. It is complete and in good overall condition. The seller wants me to make an offer. I am still pretty new at black powder, and these don’t seem to come up very often. What is a fair price on one of these? I know it is hard to say without photos, but this one is in pretty good shape and has no reproduction parts.

thanks in advance.

 

[Dismount]

I have been offered an original Austrian Lorentz musket. It is complete and in good overall condition. The seller wants me to make an offer. I am still pretty new at black powder, and these don’t seem to come up very often. What is a fair price on one of these? I know it is hard to say without photos, but this one is in pretty good shape and has no reproduction parts.

thanks in advance.

I’m no expert but, if seller wants you to price it, he doesn’t know what it’s worth. He’s asking you to to value it for him. Don’t value it for him. Try to think in your mind what you would sell it for then offer less. These rifles are neat but not terribly rare or sought after, at least in my neck of the woods. If you don’t care if you get it or not, offer pretty low and see what he counters back at. Or tell him it’s your gun, you need to price it, not me.

 

[GreyGus]

I’m no expert but, if seller wants you to price it, he doesn’t know what it’s worth. He’s asking you to to value it for him. Don’t value it for him. Try to think in your mind what you would sell it for then offer less. These rifles are neat but not terribly rare or sought after, at least in my neck of the woods. If you don’t care if you get it or not, offer pretty low and see what he counters back at. Or tell him it’s your gun, you need to price it, not me.

He is now asking $900.

 

[Dismount]

He is now asking $900.

Just to be the devils advocate.. are there replacement parts for this? Are you ok at gun repair? It may work perfect for the next hundred years so.. I don’t know. 900 would buy you a nice rifle on this site that parts are available for.. just throwing that out there. My advice and 4.00$ might buy a Starbucks

 

[64Springer]

He is now asking $900.

Counter with $450.

 

[Calum]

'afternoon,

As you said, without photos, it's difficult. Based on your description, I would think $900 is reasonable - if it comes with the bayonet. Bayonets in good condition are more difficult to find than the musket. At least from what I've seen.

If you get it, be sure to post some photos!

Mike

 

[Conquerordie]

Yeah you see them a lot for $1200-$1400 range. Some are quality pieces made for the Austrian military. The ones made for export vary in quality. Some were bored out to .58 cal for Union contracts, but a lot were left in their original bore of .54. Don't know if you plan to shoot it, but they used a special bullet, and a .54 cal minieball will not give you the accuracy you could get.

 

[GreyGus]

I appreciate everyone’s thoughts. The rifle does come with an original bayonet, but no scabbard.
I am relatively new to black powder military arms, and candidly the current pricing is puzzling to me. It seems that good condition original arms routinely sell for less than new reproductions. To my knowledge, only Petresoli currently makes a reproduction Lorentz. Their list price is $1790. After taxes and shipping that would be more than double the cost of the original which includes a bayonet. The same seems to hold true for other CW era muskets as well. I have recently purchased an original 1855 Enfield and original model 1842 musket, both in very good condition and both for less than the cost of their respective reproductions. And the reproductions must sell as they are generally out of stock.
I am guessing the pricing is based on an assumption that the reproductions will be more reliable and accurate for those who are primarily shooters? I guess my preference for the originals is, although I intend to shoot them, I see them primarily as historical
collectibles.

 

[Conquerordie]

Civil War firearms seem to have regular swings in value. I think repros are way overpriced nowadays, but if people keep buying them, the prices will never come down. It's crazy!

I choose not to shoot my originals. I'm also picky that I only buy guns with patina. I don't want a 170 year old gun that looks new, I want it to look 170 years old! To me, it's pleasing to the eye, and tells it's story. Once it's taken off, it can not be replaced. If I was to shoot one of mine, while cleaning it, some of that patina would come off, and to me that would be terrible.

That being said, I've always wanted to shoot one of them, and support anyone who shoots originals. They are just willing to take it a step further than I am. I'm looking for a Lorenz as well, the right one has a way of showing up when the time is right. Can't wait to see pictures.

 

[Relic shooter]

I have been offered an original Austrian Lorentz musket. It is complete and in good overall condition. The seller wants me to make an offer. I am still pretty new at black powder, and these don’t seem to come up very often. What is a fair price on one of these? I know it is hard to say without photos, but this one is in pretty good shape and has no reproduction parts.

thanks in advance.

After collecting & shooting antique firearms for over 60 years providing a value without detailed photos is impossible.
Can't count the number of times folks have described to me about an unseen antique that was in excellent shape then bring in a relic or firearm that someone had polished, reblued & destroyed it's value.
Some have stated that they refuse to shoot their antique firearms.
My personal policy has always been to never fire a mint or near mint firearm, those get sold to non-shooting collectors.
I only collect & shoot firearms that are safe to shoot with excellent shootable bores & show honest usage field dings of their era.

I adopted my favorite .70 cal. Danish Jaeger 40 some years ago & have used it in competition & big game hunts for all those years & it still looks the same and mechanically the bore, lock & triggers remain tight as when new.
Same goes for my well cared for pistols.
Being an avid history buff there's something special about shooting original firearms that 'show' that they have actually participated in our history

Now that I've become a rusted out relic & my firearms remain ageless I never considered until now how fortunate I've been..
If everyone had -had my preferences back when I was young it's unlikely I would been able to find & acquire the remaining few vintage guns I have now.