Experiences with Gun Broker site

[yugorpk]

Gunbroker Good.

Armslist Bad.

In reality every deal is different. There is some protection on Gunbroker and as always its much safer buying from a licensed dealer. Ive gotten good deals off both sites but the Armslist deals are always much sketchier.

 

[cc-hangfire]

I am a late blooming gun nut, & have accumulated my collection in the past 3 years, mostly used guns & mostly on gunbroker.;Over 100 purchases, but some have been ammo or parts.

Given the feedback tagged to each member, both buyers and sellers, it tends to be self regulating. On any particular listing, the number in parentheses next to the sellers name is the #of transactions they've made. You can read feedback responses also for a seller so you can see if there's a trend or problem.

Ocassonally I've bought from a new seller, but if you're concerned you can avoid those. Read the descriptions, look at the pics, & ask question - repeat sellers want satisfied buyers. The listings will state if there are known issues or if the function is untested.

 

[Mauser69]

I really appreciate the OP and all the great responses in this thread. I have never used Gunbroker, primarily because I just always had an uneasy feeling about some of the posts and distrust of completely unknown sources. This thread has totally changed my way of thinking on them, and I will give it a new look.

 

[Mainsail]

I signed up recently because a friend said he got a pretty good deal. So far I haven't found one gun that wasn't priced significantly higher than I could get from my local garage FFL guy. In most cases it's $100 or more higher than I can find locally, where I can actually look at the gun first. With the pricing I can get from Sig or Glock with my retired military ID, I don't expect I'll ever use them.

 

[yugorpk]

For run of the mill stuff like SIG's and Glocks that you can find everywhere and they are almost like a commodity sure, you'll find better pricing locally. For stuff the locals dealers can't or won't carry GB sometimes has stuff you just can't find. Ive been in the market for a new Colt SAA for a while. There isnt a shop within 200 miles that has anything like that. I can find 10 on GB. Are they cheap? Of course not but I can find them and my guy down the street has no problem doing transfers in for me.

I did find a NIB Colt 5 1/2" Gen 3 SAA in 45 colt last week on Armslist for $1130. Almost too good to be true. The seller absolutely refused to take it to a dealer in his area who I had arranged a deal with to take the gun and ship it to my dealer. The dealer on his side would give him my money orders for the gun. Nothing could have been easier for the seller and the shipping dealer only wanted $50 for the service including shipping cost to my dealer. When the seller refused and demanded money orders be sent to him directly I figured it was a scam.

Keep in mind you are offered exactly ZERO protection from the USPS when using postal money orders. There is no "mail fraud" prosecution. That is one aspect of gunbroker I do not like. Most private sellers demand PMO's as payment. Great for the seller. Terrible for the buyer.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

I only have good experiences to report. Usually cheaper, even after shipping, FFL, and cc fee (if applicable), than buying local. Also nice that I can do it from my couch, at any time of day. I work a lot, so trying to get into local gun shops doesnt often fit my schedule. The "gun shops" that have longer hours are usually not very competitive on price (Bass Pro & Gander Mtn come to mind....).

I dont think I've bought a gun locally in the last 3-4 years. All online purchases. Ammo & reloading supplies I still buy mostly locally, and Im always on the prowl for a used gun that I cant pass up. But new guns, when I already know exactly what I want, its tough to beat gunbroker.

 

[spazzymcgee]

I've had a lot of good luck on Gunbroker. Some sellers overprice things like nobody's business, and some let things go really cheap. There are some sellers that I constantly watch, because they consistently sell used guns for prices that might surprise you. There's one dealer that sold a few NIB FDE Glock 42's for $330 each at auction. Just factor in the $30 that shipping usually costs, and whatever your dealer charges you for transfers. Like others have said, ask a lot of questions. And if you don't find yourself walking away from many auctions, then you're probably not getting very good deals. If anyone wants a decent list of sellers that you'll find good deals with, feel free to PM me.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Like anything else, people need to stick to their budget and shop around.

It is the nature of auctions to get the highest price possible from any given group of buyers. Because an auction is, essentially, a competition between several buyers, auctions tend to bring out the competitive nature in people...and this tends to drive the price up.

So be it. An auction isn't the only option people have to obtain what they want...if they can find it cheaper at a LGS, then by all means they should buy it there. But sometimes the reality is that it's NOT readily available at the LGS or other sites, which means you're competing against others for the item in the only readily available market.

The NIB Colt SAA I found on Gunbroker had a Buy It Now price that was within my established budget, for example, which was based on my research into prices through various possible sources. The LGS back home that was trying to locate one for me wasn't having any luck after several months. I was out of state when I found that one, called my LGS, made arrangements, did the Buy It Now option and it was mine.


Setting a budget based on reality is important. And there are many factors involved in it. For example, I had plenty of money to buy the Colt SAA that I wanted at about any market price out there...but I established my budget limits based on two scenarios:

1. If my LGS could find one at the price they quoted.

2. If I could fine one at an auction which, knowing the nature of auctions, had another budget limitation based on the realities of auction bidding.

 

[silicosys4]

I won't use Gunbroker again, ever.
My one experience turned out horribly bad, and a dishonest seller stole $200+ from me by trying to sell me a gun that he didn't have in stock, then telling me I had to wait for him to get one before I'd get it....AFTER running my debit card.
I refused and he would only refund my money minus a 20% restocking fee.
On an $1100 gun.
That he didn't have in stock.
Gunbroker did absolutely nothing, then locked my account after I complained too much.

No thanks.
Gunauction.com for me. Never had a problem there, the site is much better at protecting buyers AND sellers

 

[Hammer059]

Thanks for the responses guys. Some very helpful input here. I might be using gun broker in the near future to buy a 617 or another model 18, so I'll let you know how it goes

 

[SSN Vet]

never a bad transaction on GB.... but then again, I almost always buy NIB from a dealer with a store front.

 

[rduchateau2954]

Anybody sell anything?

 

[yugorpk]

Its been a while but I have sold several guns on Gunbroker. Never had an issue. Gunbroker, unlike Ebay, is weighted heavily in favor of the seller. Much better to be a seller than a buyer on gunbroker.

I think the best way to do the deal as a buyer is to contract with a dealer in the sellers area to take the gun in , give the seller the funds you send to the dealer ( money order made out to the seller ) and pay that dealer a fee to do the transaction and send my dealer the gun. Its what they would have done anyway plus the transfer of funds to the seller. Many dealers will not do it. I had one tell me he would buy the gun I was going to purchase at low blue book from the seller and sell it to me at full retail. No thanks buddy. Many dealers will do it if they arent full of themselves . $50 for the transaction with priority shipping is what the dealer will charge if he isnt an A-hole. Many dealers are though.

 

[Scooter22]

Over the last 10 years I've bought about 15 used long guns on GB and around 5 from Gun Auction(Auction arms). Never had a bad experience. Actually most were way better than expected. Take your time, ask questions and communicate with the seller. Be polite Most will give you the info or extra pics if you ask. But realize many of the sellers have shops and you aren't the only customer. I found some hard to find models I have never seen locally. Most were at lower prices than I would expected to pay. And all but 2 were beter than exspected. The two that I question we worked out a deal that I had no problem with. Also use a USPS money order for payment. If someone tries to screw you it's a Federal fraud issue and use certified mail to send payments so you have proof of delivery. Give online auctions a try. Just don't get addicted. It's easy to buy something at 3AM.

 

[yugorpk]

It is not a federal fraud or a mail fraud issue to use a USPS money order. That is an undying urban legend. The post office will not give any assistance in filing any sort of charges. Money orders provide ZERO protection for the buyer while providing the seller with guaranteed cash even if he decides not to send anything. They are a guaranteed form of payment. Thats all.

 

[Gun Master]

Gun Broker

I "accidentally" put in a low bid on a Bersa Thunder .380 (really).

Guess what? I won! I put in a ridiculously low bid, thinking someone would out bid me. Not!

I have been pleased with my purchase, so far.

 

[T2K]

I've bought several (~15) guns via GB going back to 2003. All good experiences. I gave all sellers "A+" ratings. They all gave me "A+" ratings as a buyer.

I sold one gun via GB, using my FFL to actually send the gun to the buyer's FFL (for a $50 fee to my FFL which I passed on to the buyer). That also went really well.

In summary, it's my go-to for gun buys and sales.

CHECK THE FEEDBACK before buying or selling! Communicate with the seller or buyer before agreeing to anything.

 

[Twiki357]

I’ve only made a couple of purchases on GB, but have never had a problem other than other bidders out biding me.

One thing to do ahead of time is to find an FFL to receive your purchase. The transfer rates can vary a lot.

 

[slumlord44]

I have been buying mostly C&R guns on Gunbroker for years. Sellers vary but no big problems. My only advice would be to not buy from anyone who does not have a return policy. A 3 day non shooting inspection period is the usual. Some sellers will not take a gun back. You will have to pay shipping if you return a gun. Only returned a couple and never had a problem doing it. Another thing I do if I have an issue with a gun is contact the seller and see if he is willing to make a price adjustment if there is an issue. It has worked out for me.

 

[il.bill]

I won't use Gunbroker again, ever.
My one experience turned out horribly bad, and a dishonest seller stole $200+ from me by trying to sell me a gun that he didn't have in stock, then telling me I had to wait for him to get one before I'd get it....AFTER running my debit card.
I refused and he would only refund my money minus a 20% restocking fee.
On an $1100 gun.
That he didn't have in stock.
Gunbroker did absolutely nothing, then locked my account after I complained too much.

No thanks.
Gunauction.com for me. Never had a problem there, the site is much better at protecting buyers AND sellers

That IS a bummer!

I do have a question though - could you not have simply 'disputed the charge' with your credit card provider? As you described the transaction, it seems that a chargeback of the full amount would have been in order.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

That IS a bummer!

I do have a question though - could you not have simply 'disputed the charge' with your credit card provider? As you described the transaction, it seems that a chargeback of the full amount would have been in order.

Maybe he could, maybe not. He used a debit card, and they don't carry the same protections that credit cards do. It depends on his bank/credit union and what they will do based on their card agreements.

 

[chadman]

I've bought several pistols on GB. Here's what I do: Read the description carefully. Look to see what the inspection period is. It the inspection period isn't specified I ask when I ask the seller questions, which I always do. I look at the photos carefully.

It is important to know about the gun you want to buy. You need to know what to look for as far as matching serial numbers, mis-matched parts and what the gun should have in the original condition, especially if it's an older, C&R or antique gun. Knowing these before you buy the gun will save you pain down the road.

I also look at the feedback of the seller, especially any negative or neutral feedback. I'm especially careful with new sellers. I buy C&R pistols mostly and some of the questions I ask are: Any missing or broken pieces? Is the finish original or re-blued? Are the grips and magazine original to the pistol or period correct? What is the condition of the bore? Any rust/pitting not visible in the pics shown? I ask them to field strip the gun if I want more pics and I ask for more pics of certain areas if they're not included with the listing.

I ask what they charge to ship from their location to mine. Some sellers charge ridiculous amounts of money to ship. Will they ship to a C&R or not? Will they provide a tracking number?

I've had mostly good luck with GB. I have had a few occasions where upon field-stripping the gun I found mis-matched parts. I always contact the seller of this, take photos of the part(s) in question and ask for a resolution. I've sent one back and the other two the seller made it right for me.

Someone said earlier that GB is a seller's market and I agree with that. Some want to wait for feedback before they give theirs. I don't do that. As the buyer I complete my business first so they should give feedback first. If my e-mails go unanswered or the answers aren't complete I don't buy.

Long answer I know. Short answer is I still use GB but I try to be as careful as I can.

 

[silicosys4]

I also look at the feedback of the seller, especially any negative or neutral feedback. I'm especially careful with new sellers.

Gotta be careful there too. The guy that screwed me had a lot of feedback, 99.9% positive. Then I caught gunbroker erasing both mine and another guys negative feedback we left for the guy on the same weekend.
Both negatives were only up for a day or so then were deleted, along with my account.
This was before the seller had been forced to refund me.
I have no kind words for Gunbroker.
The ONLY reason the seller eventually refunded what he did was because I started making noise with a few LE agencies.
He was bragging about being able to keep the full amount through a few emails.
No, my debit card was no protection.
Lessons learned.

I'm glad others have had positive experiences. Buyer beware, if you have an issue with a seller, gunbroker will do nothing for you, they like their sellers' auction fees too much.

Gunauction.com was the polar opposite, In about 50 purchases I made, I had an issue or two there and the staff was very proactive in helping me resolve them.
They aren't afraid to lock a sellers account until the seller resolves the issue.
Responses from staff was measured in hours, not weeks if at all like gunbroker.

http://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/www.gunbroker.com
2 star overall rating, 22% satisfaction, most reviews a 1 star, lots of complaint very similar to mine.

 

[il.bill]

... could you not have simply 'disputed the charge' with your credit card provider? ... .

It was clearly stated that a debit card was used, so a lot of charge protections do not apply. I really need to pay more attention when reading the posts.



I have completed over 100 transactions on GunBroker, mostly buying, but also selling. More than 99% of them have been enjoyable and what I consider to be successful. A couple of purchases, however, went sour. You are taking a chance with any Buy, especially on used firearms. It is a matter of deciding whether or not the chance is worth it..

 

[Ibmikey]

I have made approximately 150 purchases on GB and twenty five or so on Auction Arms, in all that time i have had a disappointing result a time or two but the norm is a nice product that i paiid a reasonable orice for.