My trip to the gun store

[priv8ter]

Having all but decided that I am not longer totally in love with my H&K and that I am going to trade it for something that fit's my hand better, I took a trip to the gun store this afternoon.

I showed the guy my H&K. He looked it over. Full size .40 Short and Weak, one 10 round and one 13 round magazine, meps lights Night Sights.

He offered me $375 for it.

What?????? I mean, I know the guy has to make a profit, but I was expecting a slightly better offer than that.

To hide my disappointment, I decided to do some fondling. handled some .45's...the one that felt best in my hand was a Ruger P97D. Nice gun...liked it. Anyone out there have any experience with one of these? Guy was asking $399, so if I don't get a better offer for the H&K, then I might be able to swap straight up.

Then, it was looking at .380's, because that's what the wife wants. The two I compared? P232 and the Bersa Thunder, because they were right next to one another. Folks, I have to say that I just liked the Bersa bettter! NO, I'm not crazy! It felt better, had an external safety(a biggie for my wife) and was $300 cheaper! I haven't heard anything bad about them, so...who knows.

And finally, they had a lever action .357 Rossi that I was looking at. Looked nice, but, I have never heard anything about Rossi. I had been looking at Marlin's, but this one is like $200 cheaper than the Marlins. In fact, I could get both the Bersa .380 and the Rossi .357 Lever gun for the same price as the Sig P232...

As always, a good time was had, and I stand by my past assertions that the process of looking and fondling(as far as guns go) is more fun that actually shooting and buying sometimes.

Greg

 

[Kahr carrier]

Heck sell the HK yourself to a PPT you will get a fairer price for it . Then use the cash to buy what you want.

 

[10-Ring]

Agreed! Sell it yourself private party. You'll get a muc better deal! Try your shooting buddies, bulletin boards & online for starters. Good luck!

 

[Phil in Seattle]

I agree with the above posters.. Sell it yourself.

Take a trip down to the next WAC show in Puyallup, join the club if you aren't already a member, and walk it around the show. It helps if you make up a little sign saying what you are selling so all of the other attendees can easily see it. (might be able to make a swap at the show too)

I don't even want an HK .40 but I'd give you $375 cash for it!

 

[beckrodgers]

like was posted sell it your self then get what you want. Hey, I still love my local gun store,even if I aint 100% pleasesd, take your time. Thanks

 

[firestar]

Another vote for sell it yourself. You could get $375 in about one second if you put it in the paper or online. I think $450-500 is about what you should expect.

He looked it over. Full size .40 Short and Weak, one 10 round and one 13 round magazine, meps lights Night Sights.

The night sights and hi-cap will up that price some. I would say, AT LEAST $500.

That guy was going to sell it for about $650 you know. I know they want to make a profit but that is a HUGE profit. Why can't dealers understand that if they offered better prices, they would do a LOT more business? I sell all my guns online or private party. I can't remember the last time I walked into a gun store and sold a gun. I can remember a lot of times asking what they would offer and then walking out.

Some places seem to have a formula on how much they will offer, like a percentage. Those are the decent ones, the really bad ones seem to put out their tentatcles and feel for how bad they can screw you. If they detect a sucker, they will take him for all they can. I have been confused with a sucker on numerous occasions, often it is by people that know even less than I do. Idiots!

I don't know why but gun dealers can be some of the lowest of the low. I have met some of the most scumy people at gunshows and gunstores. I have met some good people but they are spoiled by the bad ones all too often.

 

[happy old sailor]

just a note about the Rossi .357 mag lever gun.

i have a Rossi .44 mag lever gun. it performs as advertised.
wanted a .357 mag to go with it.

the gunstore i trade at got a .357 in. was a sweet piece. then i asked to see it load and shuck .357's. several brands of ammo would not enter the chamber, hanging up something (?). it loaded 38 ball perfectly, but, that is not the purpose of the purchase.

told dealer to quiz our local, and excellent, gunsmith about this.
if the smith could fix it, he had a sale. next visit was told smith said he wouldn't touch a Rossi lever gun.

sure hope the problem was this particular rifle only as i dearly want one, however, i want one that works. two other persons i know have them and have no problems with any ammo they have used. maybe one of these guys will tire of theirs.

so, try before you buy or make arrangements for a return. seems that would apply to any firearm, just not always possible.

 

[Detritus]

just a note about rossi's and Smiths

was told smith said he wouldn't touch a Rossi lever gun

most won't , they just don't wanna take the time. but i think is mostly has to do with bad rep from years ago. Rossi used to equal POS. but hey are pretty good guns now, but everyone puts a lemon on the street sometime.

but if you ever DO have a rossi go south on you. get in touch with Steve Young at Steve's Guns out of Port Aurthur TX, he's also know as the "Rossi '92 Specialist" he's real well know amoung those who shoot Cowboy Action, due to the quality of his work. basicly teh jist i get is (since i'm a Marlin user adn haven't needed his services) if it's a Rossi 92 and he can't fix it then no one can!

in fact is you want a Rossi that's assured to work as soon as you get it and be slick as (insert mildly nauseating country "slick stuff" name here) Steve your man.

 

[Tamara]

firestar,

Another vote for sell it yourself. You could get $375 in about one second if you put it in the paper or online. I think $450-500 is about what you should expect.

Exactly.

That's about what the dealer could sell it for, too.

If he could only sell it for $450-$500, why should he pay more than $400 to buy it? Man's got to make a living.

 

[GlocksRock]

If you like the Ruger, shoot it first if you can. I love the way Ruger autos look and feel in my hand, but I hate the trigger on them, and the way they recoil. Not to mention I don't shoot well with them, but my Glocks are another story.

 

[Jesse H]

399 for a P97? That's nuts.

If your USP was a .45, I'd trade you your HK for my P97 stainless and some cash.

 

[Combat-wombat]

I'd expect at least $500 plus bucks for a HK USP40, assuming its in good condition.

 

[ball3006]

I got two Rossi 92's...

The older one is 357 and looks and shoots like a dream. The other one is 45 colt and does likewise. The 45 does not have the saddle ring. Both are very accurate....chris3

 

[Double Maduro]

go here for information on Rugers;

http://www.rugerforum.com/

 

[coonan357]

my dealings with the rossi was the same as the others it wouldn't feed , I had to work the elevator face and the chamber opening by chamfering it and smooth it up alittle then it worked great , its a tack driver other than the little smoothing up work it was a good buy .