Smith Firearms Consulting

Smith Firearms Consulting was started by Dan Smith to fill a gap in the market: a firearms consultant who works for you, not for profit. Dan spent three decades as a firearms collector (Type III FFL), gun store employee, and private dealer. He's now a Certified Firearms Instructor through the NRA and brings deep expertise across sporting firearms—though he's always learning.

Professional Firearm Appraisals

Dan conducts thorough, written appraisals that determine fair market value for your collection. His evaluations account for make, model, age, condition, and current market demand. Unlike "free" appraisals from gun stores with profit incentives, Dan's detailed assessments empower you to negotiate fairly or document your collection accurately.

His methodology: - Uses comparable sales from internet auction sites - References Blue Book values and collector associations - Applies the percentage condition scale from Fielstad's Blue Book—more precise than vague terms like "good" or "excellent" - Focuses on accurate condition assessment, which is key to determining value

NRA Firearms Training

Certified instruction covering firearm safety, handling, and shooting fundamentals.

Gun stores provide "free" appraisals as part of purchase offers—they know only local market prices and often discount heavily to boost profits. Dan operates independently. He researches national sales venues and provides impartial professional opinions you can use as benchmarks in any transaction.