1740 West La Veta Ave, Orange, CA 92868
749-Lot Auction Preview, Buyer Premiums & Music Copyright on Radio vs Online
[0:01] Opening and Second Amendment Progress in California
The second hour opens with the crew and caller Brent from Los Angeles noting some encouraging signals for Second Amendment advocates in California and beyond. Jeff credits the California Rifle and Pistol Association and Rick Travis by name for driving legislative wins in a state where the default assumption has long been that gun owners are fighting a losing battle. His position, repeated consistently over six-plus years on the air, is that California is home and worth fighting for, and that the fight is moving in the right direction.
[2:07] Why the Bumper Music Disappears Online: ASCAP, BMI, and the Algorithm Problem
Regular caller Brent from LA notes that the show’s opening music is genuinely good and asks why it is not heard on the online streams. Kevin from the production booth steps in to answer. The short version is that the show pays ASCAP and BMI licensing fees that cover on-air broadcast across the radio stations the show airs on. That licensing does not automatically extend to YouTube, Facebook, Rumble, or other online platforms. On those platforms, copyright detection algorithms scan audio in real time, and when a licensed track is detected, the platform can block the video, demonetize it, or issue a strike against the channel. Extending the licensing to online use is possible but expensive enough that the economics do not work at the show’s current scale. The result is that online listeners get the hosts without the music, and anyone who wants the full experience needs to tune in on AM radio.
The same algorithm sensitivity applies to the show’s presence on Instagram, where keywords related to firearms, combined with the music flags, led to the account being treated as a policy violation despite the show’s explicit focus on safe and responsible gun ownership. The robots do not read context.
[6:47] Upcoming Auction: 749 Lots Including 1911s, Smith and Wesson Revolvers, Ruger 10/22s, and Pocket Watches
The crew previews the upcoming Saturday auction. What started as a reported 500-gun estimate turned out to be 749 numbered lots, with additional A-suffix lots pushing the total higher. The core of the collection is firearms spanning the full range of American shooting history: 1911 pistols, Smith and Wesson revolvers, Ruger 10/22 rifles, and a broad assortment beyond those. A collection of pocket watches from a single collector who spent more than fifty years assembling them rounds out the lots. Additional art and jewelry is coming in for a December sale. The full catalog is at gunslingerauctions.com.
[8:11] How Gunslinger Auctions Works: Pace, Bidding, and Buyer Premiums
Jeff walks through the mechanics for anyone unfamiliar with how Gunslinger runs a live auction. The pace is a minimum of 100 lots per hour, roughly forty-two seconds per gun. Lots with heavy bidding get more time; lots that sail past estimate early get moved along. The advice for online bidders is not to snipe. If a lot is running and you want it, get in early rather than waiting for the last second, because at forty-two seconds a gun the window closes fast.
For buyers who want to avoid online platform premiums, Gunslinger offers sealed bids and phone bidding as alternatives. Phone bidders get a call from Jimmy or another staff member during the live auction. The max bid system works exactly like eBay: if you set a maximum of $1,000 and the bidding opens at $300 with you as the first bidder, you win it at $325 if no one else bids. You are not automatically pushed to your ceiling.
Buyer premiums at Gunslinger are 15 percent for cash or check and 18 percent for card. Jeff notes he was shopping a Browning BSS on a competing platform that week and saw a 25 percent buyer premium. Gunslinger is running roughly ten points below the industry norm on that number, which adds up on any lot of meaningful value.
[10:04] Dave in Whittier: Book Recommendation on Ronald Reagan and the Cold War
Caller Dave from Whittier squeezes in just before the break with a book recommendation for anyone interested in the intersection of faith, politics, and the Cold War: Paul Kengor’s The Crusader, a biography of Ronald Reagan’s ideological campaign against Soviet communism from the 1960s through the 1980s. Dave’s point is that Reagan’s willingness to call the Soviets godless and immoral was both strategically effective and historically significant, and that the book documents how the Soviets themselves took that framing seriously enough to label Reagan the Crusader in response.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Gunslinger Radio play music on the radio but not on YouTube or Facebook?
Gunslinger Radio pays ASCAP and BMI licensing fees that cover on-air broadcast on the AM radio stations the show is carried on. Those fees do not automatically extend to online platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or Rumble. On those platforms, automated copyright detection algorithms identify licensed music in real time and can block, demonetize, or penalize the channel without human review. Extending the licensing to cover online use is financially impractical at the show’s current scale, so online listeners hear the hosts without the music. Full audio including the bumper music is only available on the live AM radio broadcast.
What is the buyer’s premium at Gunslinger Auctions?
Gunslinger Auctions charges a 15 percent buyer’s premium for purchases paid by cash or check, and 18 percent for purchases paid by card. These rates are significantly below the industry average for firearms auction houses, which commonly charge 25 percent or higher. The buyer’s premium is added to the hammer price of each lot at the close of bidding.
How does the max bid system work at Gunslinger Auctions?
Gunslinger Auctions uses a max bid system similar to eBay. If you submit a maximum bid of $1,000 and bidding opens at $300 with you as the first bidder, the system will bid the minimum increment on your behalf up to your ceiling. If no competing bidder enters, you win the lot at the opening increment above the starting price, not at your stated maximum. Your maximum is only reached if competing bids push the price that high. This protects bidders from being bumped to their ceiling unnecessarily.
Can I bid by phone at Gunslinger Auctions instead of bidding online?
Yes. Gunslinger Auctions offers both sealed bid and phone bidding options for buyers who prefer not to use the online bidding platforms. Phone bidders are contacted by a Gunslinger staff member during the live auction and can bid in real time over the phone. This option avoids the buyer’s premium surcharge associated with online platform bidding. To arrange phone or sealed bidding, contact Gunslinger Auctions at 714-939-1172 before the auction date.
How fast does Gunslinger Auctions move through lots during a live auction?
Gunslinger Auctions runs a minimum of 100 lots per hour during live auctions, which works out to approximately 42 seconds per lot. Lots generating significant bidding competition receive more time, while lots that have already exceeded their estimate and show slowing bidder interest are moved along quickly. Bidders should not attempt to snipe at the last second given the pace of the auction. If you want a lot that is actively running, enter the bidding early rather than waiting for a narrow window that may close before you can act.
Sources, Credibility, and Continuing the Conversation
Buyer premium rates, bidding mechanics, and auction pace information in this episode come directly from Jeff Taverner, who has operated Gunslinger Auctions for over twenty-eight years. Current lot listings for all upcoming auctions are posted at gunslingerauctions.com. Music licensing information reflects the current ASCAP and BMI on-air blanket licensing structure and the separate cost structure for digital and streaming platforms. For questions about consigning, phone bidding, or upcoming lots, contact Gunslinger Auctions in Orange at 714-939-1172.