RIAC Blog

What's The Value of a Factory Letter?

A factory letter can tell a lot about a gun and increase its value while providing a good starting point to find out more about its history.

Gun Gifts for Dad

Gun gifts for dad are a great alternative to neckties and coffee mugs. Whether you're shopping for a shooter, hunter, or collector, RIAC has you covered.

Ulysses S. Grant Record Propels Premier Auction to $28.2 Million

A record-setting pair of revolvers owned by Ulysses S. Grant propelled Rock Island Auction Company's May 13-15 to a $28.2 million result.

Lots of Guns! Four Auctions Now Posted!

Rock Island Auction Company is well acquainted with history, and for the first time in its history has four auction catalogs available online.

Pinfire Guns: An Ammunition Oddity

Pinfire ammunition uses a small pin protruding from the cartridge. Invented in the 1830s it was the first widely used self-contained cartridge.

Everyday Carry: A Texas Ranger's Colt Single Action Army

Texas Ranger Jack Dean carried a nickel-plated Colt Single Action Army during his career before becoming the sixth Ranger to be a U.S. Marshal.

Winchester 1873: One of One Hundred

All Winchester 1873 "One of One Hundred" rifles are rare, and the example offered in RIAC's May Premier has a thrilling tale to go along with its pedigree.

Elmer Keith and the .44 Magnum

Legendary outdoors writer Elmer Keith received an early .44 Magnum Smith & Wesson revolver for his role with the new powerful ammunition load.

Walther PP: Patton's Twin

As a near-identical twin and one serial number below the legendary General George Patton's gun, this engraved Walther PP is a true rarity.

Colt Single Action Army of J. Edgar Hoover

J. Edgar Hoover cast a long, imperfect shadow over the FBI for nearly a half a century. This is the famed G-Man's Colt Single Action Army.

Ghost Guns Defined

Today's news cycle sees ghost guns defined in countless different ways. Examining a recent Illinois ghost gun law puts the debate in perspective.

Samurai Gun: Colt’s Gift to Muragaki Norimasa

The first Japanese embassy to America was a historic event, and Samuel Colt presented the samurai envoys with an inscribed gun - an 1855 revolving rifle.