Hi Dave,
You've gotten a lot of good advice from all the above. I don't hesitate to e-mail the seller to ask what his reserve is and most always get a polite answer. Actually, a starting price of $550 with a reserve of $995 is not really that much of a spread, IMO. I'd consider a reserve of $3000, starting at $100, pretty ridiculous. The seller does not have to reveal his reserve to you but I always like to know. If it is way over what I want to spend, I won't get involved in the bidding. Watch the bidding on the gun you are interested in. The final bid will tell you and the seller what it is worth. If the reserve is not reached, he may be willing to deal with you, after the bidding is closed. If he gets his reserve price, you have learned that, at least.
