[Rugerfan0374]

Ok, this subject I am sure has been tossed a around a little, but I have to rant a little bit.

Since getting this book listing the Value's and prices of firearms, seems to me that people are asking way to much money for used firearms.

For instance, a few years ago Wal-mart was selling those Model 70's with the black synthetic stocks, no hindge plate and the Simmons 3-9 x 32 scope for around 370 to 390 dollars brand new. Ok, was looking at something on Gunbroker, and have seen these in the local pawn shops and in gin shops on the used rack.

Can someone tell me how 6 years later, this same firearm can be selling for 450 to 650 dollars? Ok, so someone put a 40 dollar tasco scope on it, a 5 dollar sling, and a 4 dollar buttstock shell holder on it. I am sorry this is no ferrari of firearms here.

On saturday I offered a pawn shop in this area 300 bucks for a 7 mag in this Winchester rifle configuration, and he was insulted, whipped out my price book, and it said in good condition that this rifle was only worth 280 at best. Well he insisted that it was in excelent condition, ok, so I started quizzing him on the scratches on the barrel, the worn blueing on the bolt, the chunk missing out of the recoil pad, the epoxy around the sling swivle stud, and the rust on the barrel, and he took the rifle back and would not talk to me at all, until his partner said if I do not leave they would call the police to have me removed from their store. When I left I was asked never to return to their store, as all gun prices in this store are fair market prices, and that all guns are only marked up with a small percentage of profit. Bull-Crap. These are low quality firearms, not top of the line firearms. So what gives???? Most of you know if you take a gun to a pawn shop, you only get a 3rd of what it is worth.

This just fired me up, so I started looking at gunbroker, and seems that most of the rifles are being sold way over what they are worth.

OK, I just had to rant.

 

[eagleeye]

What a rifle or any gun is worth is what someone is willing to actually pay for it. Not what some book claims the price to be worth.

So in some respects, the ACTUAL sold price for closed sales on sites like gunbroker IMHO is probably far and away closer to what the real value of worth than what a book lists it at.

That is just my opinion.

 

[Sinbad12-2007]

Rugerfan ... I'm with ya pard. Frustrating, isn't it? Best prices I've found around are on the Williams Gunsite website. The kicker here is I live in Michigan, only 50 miles or so to the shop.

I've found that most pawn shops, and more than a few gun shops, are being run by someone who once read an article and considers himself an authority. The question I always ask myself, when in the market for a new piece, is "Is it worth that much money to me!" If so, I buy it. There's a lot of places that are really in love with the products they have to sell too ... witness Cabela's Gun Library. I once took my Winchester M62A over there to have them price it for me. Told me to get that piece of junk out of his store. Now, understand, the rifle is in 98% NRA condition. My Dad bought it new for me back in 1956. The only wear is on the bolt from cycling. He accused me of trying to sell him a refinished gun. Yeah, right. I just happened to take care of it, that's all.

My advice is to keep looking around. You'll find what you want at a price that you deem fair. Heck, the fun is in the finding,

 

[broom_jm]

I think the reason you're seeing inflated prices on most all guns, right now, is people don't trust Obama and/or Congress to leave gun rights alone. Consequently, you have quite a few folks buying which seems to have the sellers convinced they can get top dollar.

Coincidentally, I have the exact gun you mentioned for sale, 99% condition, for $300 on Gunbroker and I have not received a single bid. Buy now price is set at $350, which is $100 less than any other auction going, but I still have no offers. Maybe that's because it doesn't have a $40 scope on it?

 

[osprey572ci]

Unfortunately the blue book is the guideline most gun stores use to gauge what a gun is worth. I have worked in a store where we bought and sold used weapons. We would look at the gun, make our best appraisal, and offer them less than half of what is was worth. I can also tell you this; some weapons are in more demand than others depending on where you are located geographically. A good store manager knows what sells in his area regardless of what the blue book may say. A good condition mid-quality ready to hunt 30-06 with a sling and a scope is going to move much quicker in Montana vs in Iowa where there is NO rifle season whatsoever. Like I stated in another post, when in the market for a used weapon, always make an offer that is lower than what they are asking because you never know. You also don't know how long they have been sitting on it unless you frequent the shop alot. I tried trading in a Mossberg 500 riot shotgun with a pistol grip in on a Sig pistol one time at one of those "we sell everything from soccer balls to hunting rifles" sporting goods stores. When I pulled the thing out of the case the store manager almost crapped his pants. I might as well have pulled out an Uzi. He said "we don't sell those types of guns here and we are not interested in a trade for any amount of money, please put it back in the case".

 

[Rugerfan0374]

You guys all have valid points, and yes it is very frustrtating. This is the second tangling I have had with this particular pawn shop of gun values and pricing, and I will respect there wishes and not return.

Broom, have to agree on the politics thing, but as I am seeing in my area, all that stuff that people went out and bought a year ago is showing on the used racks. The Cases of ammo are showing up forsale on several different forums and other sites.

Ospreys, you have a good point, here in the south the 30-06 reigns supreme above all, and in my opinion only have the people know what they are actually buying. Here it seems that a 30-06 with a scope and sling for 500 dollars is deal, no matter what make the rifle or the scope is.

I guess I am not the usual gun shopper, as I no longer have a distinct need for a firearm, I just have a want, and I want a good deal. I am in the market for a low cost rifle to tinker with, and possibly use it as a base for a project gun, that is why I am eyeing up all these guns that have noticeable flaws in the appearance of the rifle, and not the flaws in how it works. It just gets real frustrating to me, and had to vent. How a used gun with lots of flaws can be more expensive than some new ones.

 

[osprey572ci]

I actually think there will be, if not already, a rash of used guns on the market soon. A year ago people were going hog wild buying guns. At Cabela's here you waited an hour just to get someone to service you at the gun counter. There 50-60 people trying to hold/buy guns at any given time.

 

[Oneeye66]

"Supply and demand." Stop paying those prices, and the prices will fall.

That pawn shop would not have had to tell me to never come back, as I would have already come to that conclusion.
Dan

 

[Rugerfan0374]

ospreys, the flooding of used guns has started, all those people that maxed out their finances buying all this stuff up, are needing to sell them now. I fear though that allot of those will be the Ar type rifles.

Oneeye66, you are right, and I won't pay the high prices. A 300 dollar gun is just as good to me as a 500 dollar gun. I am a fan of the Rugers, but I am a bigger fan of keeping as much money in my wallet as I can.

 

[osprey572ci]

Good deals on guns are few and far bewteen just like anything. The problem I had as a younger man was I never had the capitol/money laying around to jump on those deals. It's Murphy's law, if you're looking for a deal it's hard to find, when you're not it falls in your lap. A guy has to be ready and that's hard to do sometimes.

 

[fyimo]

I guess it depends on where you live and the economic conditions in the area because around here the market is really soft and prices have dropped from the post election surge last year. Last year you could list a gun on Gunbroker or put it on consignment sale in a local gun shop and it would sell in a matter of days. They also sold for high prices and people grabbed them up.

On GunBroker now many of the dealers list them for high prices and they sit there week after week never selling. It doesn't cost them anything to list them and they hope to snag a sucker or one that someone just has to have that gun. The only true gun values on Gunbroker is to do a serach on completed auctions on the guns you are looking for and see what the ones that actually sold as that's the real current pricing on that gun model.

The Blue Book itself never bought or sold a gun and it's a guide on pricing that is usually out of date the day it's printed. I also think that finding a quality rifle in excellent shape for less then $300 these days is a dream or you are really lucky and better grab it.

 

[Jim H]

no doubt in my mind there has been a firearm "Bubble" just like the stock market dot coms and the housing market. and no doubt yes there will be a flood of firearms for sale over the next year as folks who had to have these things but did not save for a rainy day that has come to us all.

 

[Oneeye66]

no doubt in my mind there has been a firearm "Bubble" just like the stock market dot coms and the housing market. and no doubt yes there will be a flood of firearms for sale over the next year as folks who had to have these things but did not save for a rainy day that has come to us all.

I sure hope so, as I am on the hunt for a couple of my "have to have" guns and I have the capital ready to "pull the trigger". BUT, I am just like Rugerfan0374, I will not overpay.
Dan

 

[Rugerfan0374]

fyimo,

The firearms market as hit the skids a little, altough a majority of the shops here are selling firearms to people that do not know firearms, so therefore they are getting those high prices.

I personally thought the gun was worth 300 to 325 in the condition it was in, and I would have paid as much as 375 for it, but not a penny more. This pawn shop was asking 479.99 for it, and I just thought that was tottally out of question. I could have used it for my needs, but not at that price, not when you can go get a better quality new firearm for that or a few dollars more.

 

[spitfire_er]

First thing I would do is to do my best to let everyone you know how "well" they treated you at that shop. I would have had some words with them as to how they treated you as a customer... the people that are keeping their business afloat in general.

As for gun prices... yeah still seem a little high but prices are slowly falling from where they were a year ago. If you look around there are still deals to be had. Just picked up a Remington Model 30 in .30-06 for a steal..... Just keep an eye out!

 

[Davers]

Through out history, Firearm prices have been always on the highside.

 

[hillestadj]

I am finding more and more that I am only interested in buying new, not because I am a snob about being the first time user, but for a lot of the rifles I am interested in shops try to sell the USED rifles for slightly less or in some cases right at MSRP. Im sorry but I could never see the sense in paying new prices for used merchandise.

I am also seeing a trend at a particular local store were they give $200 for a $600 dollar gun and try to sell it again for $750. They dont care if it doesnt move too quick cause they gave 1/3 of its value.

For my money I'd rather just go through private party deals where people have a reasonable price for both parties involved. Or buy new from a shop that doesnt inflate prices over MSRP.

-JTH

 

[osprey572ci]

Gun shops are just like any other merchandising venue, they are going to try and get as much profit as they can. I don't blame them. Nobody forces anyone to buy. How many times have we walked through a gun store and saw a tag on a used weapon and almost burst out laughing because of the ridiculous price they were asking. Something we have to remember is that some person had to buy that rifle, which means some person had to appraise it in one form or another. Sometimes these guys pay too much for the gun and they try to recoop it from the consumer. Usually this doesn't happen and they end up taking a lesser offer than what they are asking. I am speaking from expirience and I will tell you this, no matter how much they paid, they want to sell. Make educated offers and walk away if you don't agree. I have no problem buying used if it meets all my conditions, price being one of the most important. Of course we would all like to buy direct from the seller but those situations seemed to be getting harder to find too. Uneducated sellers are afraid to sell to people they don't know.

 

[hillestadj]

^^

That is all true and trust me I do realize they are not in business to give guns away. But it seems that in many stores they are just waiting for someone who a) doesnt know guns or gun prices, or b) wont work with you on a price once they see you aren't a "sucker".

This is not meant to be a jab at some buyers and I dont want to sound like an a$$, but I find myself wishing that people who dont know any better than to pay ridiculous prices would stay out of the stores as all they do is make it harder on those who know the drill since owners/operators know that if they hold firm someone will pay what they're asking.

 

[fyimo]

I snagged a good deal on Gunbroker last week and what was funny is I did a low ball bid not expecting to win and then found out the nest day I had won it. The difference is the seller was a private individual and his starting price was $400 less then what dealers starting prices were. I picked it up for about $200 less then other dealers were asking and $100 below blue book for the same model in the same condition.

I bought a H&R 300 Ultra Rifle 30-06 made in the 1970's that has a commerical Belgium FN Mauser barreled action in 98% condition and beautiful heavily grained walnut stock for $450 and it had a good set of scope rings and a BSA 3x9x40mm scope. I wiill sell the scope and put a Leupold Vari X II scope on it when it arrives. I was paying $350 for these same guns whether in Sako or FN Mauser barreled actions in the mid 1980's.

There are deals out there you and you just have to keep looking and laugh and walk away from the ones that aren't. I also think the ecomony will continure to get worst and more and more good deals by private owners will be coming out.