Selling guns at local gun stores

[bigbore]

I am trying to figure out what they are worth ... for free. I am just looking to see what they go for on gunbroker but not sure if I trust it. Many guns are going for MSRP which is never the retail price. I am looking at Buds gun shop to get a retail price and then knock 20-25% off of that.

 

[Cameramonkey]

If you're not in a hurry, there are other options. Lately I've been taking my unwanted guns to Beech Grove Firearms and consigning them.

You tell them how much you want them to sell the gun for, and if they agree, they take the gun in and you walk out with no money that day. 30 to 60 days after they sell it, they give you a check for 85% of what it sold for.

Consignment is better at USDS. When it sells you are paid. Not weeks/months later. Did they say what the reasoning is for the extremely unreasonable wait? I could see waiting up to 7 if their accountant only cuts checks weekly. Its not like they risk having to take it back as a return since all sales are final.


As others have said, FTF private sale here is the way to go. (you will need to pay for site supporter though if you want to do it now instead of waiting for your post count to reach 50.) Lots of good people here, and you generally dont have to worry about the deal going south like Craigslist where you wonder what kind of crazy is going to show up.

And you dont need proactive proof they are legal. You only have to NOT have reason to believe they are not a proper person. Seeing a LTCH is what many people do for further peace of mind but it is not required because the buyer does not have to prove his eligibility; you just have to have no reason to think otherwise.

For example:
Random stranger that you have never seen before and know absolutely nothing about. (other than they are of legal age) Good to go.
Random stranger that you recognize his face from the post office wall so you have reason to believe he is not a proper person. No deal.
Your cousin's buddy that mentions during the inspection that he wants your gun because he cant buy from a retail store, no deal; with that new info you now have reason believe he is a prohibited person. .

 

[crispy]

If you do not know the value of your guns, you will get fleeced by anybody in the Indy area. If you are desperate for money, they will sense that and offer you even less. But it is your property so do what you want. If you know the value and have patience, go to gunbroker and sell them there. Over time you will get what you want. Or take them to an auction house and take a gamble there. Whatever you do, best of luck to you.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

If you do not know the value of your guns, you will get fleeced by anybody in the Indy area. If you are desperate for money, they will sense that and offer you even less. But it is your property so do what you want. If you know the value and have patience, go to gunbroker and sell them there. Over time you will get what you want. Or take them to an auction house and take a gamble there. Whatever you do, best of luck to you.

 

[MoparMan]

Become a Site Supporter or contributing member with 50 quality posts and sell them in our classified. Should do a lot better than a gun shop.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I second looking at the completed auctions on Gunbroker. Or even find similar guns for sale and put them on your watch list to see if they sell and for how much. Compare starting prices, and beware of those with reserves. They tend to be overpriced IMHO. Also look at the wide range of shipping cost. There's a lot of skimming going on there. I know how much it costs to ship a rifle and it's not 50 bucks! All that has to be taken into account. Of course you avoid shipping with a FTF deal too.

 

[bigbore]

As others have said, FTF private sale here is the way to go. (you will need to pay for site supporter though if you want to do it now instead of waiting for your post count to reach 50.) Lots of good people here, and you generally dont have to worry about the deal going south like Craigslist where you wonder what kind of crazy is going to show up.

And you dont need proactive proof they are legal. You only have to NOT have reason to believe they are not a proper person. Seeing a LTCH is what many people do for further peace of mind but it is not required because the buyer does not have to prove his eligibility; you just have to have no reason to think otherwise.

Of course I want it to be legal but I also want to have piece of mind as well, for my sake and the buyers.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Of course I want it to be legal but I also want to have piece of mind as well, for my sake and the buyers.

Just beware. Some folks here are mighty touchy and think that even showing a LTCH is an invasion of privacy. Not saying you shouldnt, just helping you understand some of the mindset that is out there. Same ones will also refuse to sign a bill of sale.

But its not THAT big of a deal. They simply will not contact you. Oh, and if you have ANY requirements, including the two above, LIST THEM IN THE AD. People get mighty irritated if you spring details like that on them after initial contact. If you have ANY requirements, you need to list them up front. Mentioning them after the fact makes people cranky. (and can even earn you negative reputation points)

 

[pudly]

Mentioning any restrictions on a sale is simply being polite. You don't want to waste their time or yours. List the terms up front, with good pictures and an honest description of the firearm and you will be well on your way.

 

[churchmouse]

Selling in here gives you the opportunity to check out the individual to some degree.
Long time high post count members are easy to find.
Low post count classy dwellers are likely wanting to buy low and move it on another site. Not all but they are here.

 

[nhgluff]

Since you cant PM maybe myself or others are interested in buying one of your guns
you can txt me

 

[churchmouse]

Since you cant PM maybe myself or others are interested in buying one of your guns
you can txt me

This is strictly against forum rules.
Your post will be edited.

 

[warriorbob]

Get your post count up and sell on here. No need to be neevous about ftf as most folks on here are great, or atleast that's been my experience.

 

[TopDog]

If you are hell bent on selling to a LGS, Bob at Plainfield Shooting Supplies will give you the best deal. But even Bob is running a business and you will do better selling face to face.

Another option (which I have used) is to have the LGS sell the gun for you on consignment. The fee for this service is usually a percentage of the total they get for the gun.

Good luck.

 

[Destro]

I've had luck with local auctions.

 

[wtburnette]

Get your post count up and sell on here. No need to be neevous about ftf as most folks on here are great, or atleast that's been my experience.

As most are saying, selling on here is the best way to go. A good reason I haven't seen mentioned is that you can research feedback left by other members for transactions that have been done in the classifieds. That is also an area to research the price. Search the classifieds for the same or similar guns and see what prices they sold for. Gunwatcher.com is another good site. You can get current pricing for new guns and then just decide what used would be worth (for instance I usually look to save around $50 off the current retail price for a used gun). I've done many transactions through this site and have never had a bad experience. Good luck!

 

[LP1]

Consignment is better at USDS. When it sells you are paid. Not weeks/months later. Did they say what the reasoning is for the extremely unreasonable wait? I could see waiting up to 7 if their accountant only cuts checks weekly. Its not like they risk having to take it back as a return since all sales are final.


As others have said, FTF private sale here is the way to go. (you will need to pay for site supporter though if you want to do it now instead of waiting for your post count to reach 50.) Lots of good people here, and you generally dont have to worry about the deal going south like Craigslist where you wonder what kind of crazy is going to show up.

And you dont need proactive proof they are legal. You only have to NOT have reason to believe they are not a proper person. Seeing a LTCH is what many people do for further peace of mind but it is not required because the buyer does not have to prove his eligibility; you just have to have no reason to think otherwise.

For example:
Random stranger that you have never seen before and know absolutely nothing about. (other than they are of legal age) Good to go.
Random stranger that you recognize his face from the post office wall so you have reason to believe he is not a proper person. No deal.
Your cousin's buddy that mentions during the inspection that he wants your gun because he cant buy from a retail store, no deal; with that new info you now have reason believe he is a prohibited person. .

Maybe BGF's payment delay is to make sure that the gun doesn't suddenly pop up as being stolen, but that's just a guess. Getting paid in a week is obviously better, though.

Although Cameramonkey is technically correct in his sample scenarios, in the first example of a random stranger you know nothing about, I'd at least verify age and residency based on a DL, and it would be prudent to look for IN plates on their car. I'd also ask to see LTCH. In the current environment, additional scrutiny (sting?) is likely, and since you are selling several guns, your status as a dealer might get called into question. If you post a fair price on INGO, you'll sell quickly with minimal hassle, and I would suggest that a person who leaves a trail on INGO is relatively unlikely to be a prohibited person.

 

[bobjones223]

Most small gun stores will pay you around 50% of the gun's value. I was told by a Cabela's employee that they pay around 2/3 of the value. If I were you I would take them to the gun show, the Indy 1500, next weekend and try to sell them there, or maybe even trade them

I was told by a Cabelas employee that is was 20% of their list price! Which in my mind means if you pick one up at a LGS at a good price you could probably sell it back to Cabelas for the same price. I haven't tried it but it might be an option.

 

[bigbore]

I will post them some time today and see how they go.

 

[churchmouse]

I will post them some time today and see how they go.

Make sure you read the rules and follow them when posting your ads please.
You seemed to ignore my post warning.