not a big fan of gunbroker dot com

[KenWP]

I find it impossible to snipe with dial up. Can't keep up to the auction at the end. I have gotton shilled a couple of times and it ticks me off.

 

[gpr]

just like every else, you gotta kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince...my best deal, a keltec p40 hard chrome conversion for $50...gpr

 

[Ash]

I have actually played with Shills and forced a shill buy. The point is, the dealer still has to pay fees based on the final price. It can be declared a no-sell, but too many of those (especially where both parties give A+ ratings) can get you into hot water.

Ash

 

[TCB in TN]

Have found a few deals on GB, seen a lot of junk and stuff priced to high. Like anywhere else, including most shops. The informed, patient buyer does fine, the fool does not.

 

[nitetrane98]

I once had a buddy who owned a used car lot. He'd bring home a bunch of cars from the auction and sometimes I'd ask, "Who in the hell is going to buy that? He always said, "There's an a** for every seat." Somebody, somewhere, is just drooling over some gun that I might think is not worth the money, and would snap it up in a heartbeat if he could.

I used to work in the antique car restoration business and I think a lot of folks see their guns in the same light. They would see the prices that a 100 point car would bring after having thousands of dollars spent on it and think that their same model rust bucket should be worth only a fraction less, unless, of course, they put new tires on it. But the trouble with guns is, the big bucks go to the originals and any "fixing" or repair is generally penalized instead of rewarded, no matter how well it's done.

Having said all that, I use GB a lot simply because of the convenience. I recently bought a Browning BDA .380 and my FFL said, "Gee, I haven't seen one of those in years." They are not particularly rare but I'd have never got one waiting for one to show up in his store.

 

[m_kirk2001]

Gunbroker.com is OK. I don't have a problem with the prices (though I won't pay them) and I definitely believe in free market. There does need to be some alternatives out there and they may come in the future. The search abilities and filters of the website are abysmal compared to many other mainstream auction and listings sites.

 

[Phatty]

I think the reserve price system should be modified. The idea of a no reserve auction is to sell your product at the best offer you receive, regardless of the amount of the best offer. It usually means the seller needs to timely sell the product and guarantees that a sale will always take place.

Currently, a seller on gunbroker can list a gun with no reserve, but then set a starting bid price that is effectively a reserve price. Thus, when a buyer searches for "no reserve" auctions, he gets all these false returns in his search. Gunbroker should give sellers two choices: 1) list a product with a reserve (and the seller can also pick any starting price he wants), or 2) list a product without a reserve and the auction must start at $0.01. If a seller is afraid that he will get stuck with an extremely low-ball offer as the best offer, then he can protect himself by setting a reserve. If he's truly willing to take whatever the final offer is and ensure a sale takes place, he can advertise his auction as "no reserve."

With this system the seller would probably still try to protect himself using a shill, but at least in that case he still has to pay a fee for the sale.

 

[searcher451]

You have to pick and choose on Gunbroker, just like you have to pick and choose through the inventory of the big sellers who like to frequent the place. I've found three excellent deals during the past two years of monitoring the site for things in my range of interests. I've also gotten more than a handful of laughs. If you aren't enamored of auction sites, it's best to avoid it and spare yourself the grief, I suppose ... but some deals can be had there if you are patient.

 

[atblis]

I have never bought a gun off of gunbroker. I've sold several over the years, but never bought one. There's always somebody somewhere who thinks something is worth more than I do.

 

[Lou McGopher]

I've bought off GB. Got my XD .45 for less than I could find it retailing in my area, or from any online retailer I could find at the time. I've seen other good deals on there, too.

 

[bearmgc]

I bought a new shotgun years ago via auction at Gunbroker. It was decent priced and exactly what I wanted. Have not seen anything there worth the trouble since. And now, my gun collection is complete.....I think.

 

[SaxonPig]

All from Gunbroker and only a sample of my purchases:

$81




$165



$165



$150



$375



$295

$265 (22) & $135 (38)



Maybe my best deal, a Model 14-3 for $100



I have yet to be seriously disappointed with a GB purchase and I seem able to find good deals. At least I think they are good deals. Like anything, it is what you make of it.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Cruel,SaxonPig,just cruel!

 

[deanodog]

I bought a gun that was described as factory new and perfect in a mint box with two hi cap magazines and adjustable sights. It ended up totally false on all parts. Filed a fraud claim after seller blocked my e-mails wanting a return for refund. I filed with GB,the postal inspector and the federal trade comm. and recieved no help at all. If you get a sour deal you are your own. Buyer beware.

 

[BBQLS1]

Just have to look and be patient.

I bought a SA 1911 for a pretty good price when they were getting hard to find.

I do agree, it's mostly dealers.

 

[Kwanger]

I also like Gunbroker - if you are a pretty savvy internet shopper, you can do well.

Round my area, local stores are pricey/inventory is limited. Some perseverence on GB has saved me literally $100's of dollars - even with shipping and FFL fees. If you have a good local FFL who is reasonably priced and trustworthy, GB can also be more convenient than shopping locally.

So long as you are aware of the pitfalls of online shopping, its a great site and opens up the national and international market places.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I have to stand by and watch the damn auction to make sure I get the part. It is the Shill Buyers

I disagree, on ebay last minute take it personal bidders are called snipers, but when the same thing happens on GB all of a sudden it must be a shill....Come on. I'll bet money that somewhere on another PC someone is accusing YOUR last minute bids as being shill just the same as you

My advice to you
Enter the most you're willing to pay on your first bid and let the puter do the rest, don't visit the listing till you get a win confirmation. Why would you have to "watch" the listing? Let the proxy bid feature do the work.

True story I've had indviduals bid 30 times at the bid increment till he topped the current high bidders proxy by 1

Folks are dumb and don't understand the function of an auction is to pay no more than you're willing. OH NO! folks take it PERSONAL when they're outbid. I've sold a lot of GB items and have seen stuff gain 70% of it's selling price in 15 minute overtime a lot of this is folks THINK they can snipe like on e-bay and in attempting to do so they just start a last minute viscious bidding cycle with the other "how dare he out bid ME!" people.

Why would I engauge in shill bids? That just means I don't make a sale and if I'm worried about the price I shouldn't have started the bidding at that.

 

[R.W.Dale]

If a seller is afraid that he will get stuck with an extremely low-ball offer as the best offer, then he can protect himself by setting a reserve. If he's truly willing to take whatever the final offer is and ensure a sale takes place, he can advertise his auction as "no reserve."

Setting a reserve on an auction is pretty much commercial suicide. NObody and I mean NObody myself included gives reserve auctions so much as a first glance. Having that little square red R in the listing next to your item pretty makes your auction not exist.

Because a reserve ties up your (bidders) time on an Item you may not ever be able to win and may in fact be overpriced by a factor of x3 but you cannot tell, unlike with an appropriate opening bid

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I lost a lot of auctions because I tried to bid "just enough". I now bid my maximum early on and let the proxy bid work. If I don't win the auction then it went for more than I was willing to pay. I USUALLY avoid "reserve" auctions or an auction with a beginning bid set at the same price as the BIN price.

 

[earlthegoat2]

not everyone can wait around their local GS and find good old guns. All the new stuff is so Ho-Hum I cant stand it anymore. GB and GA and AA are about the only place to find the out of production guns your looking for.

OTOH places like California are hurting because pre lock smiths cannot be shipped there but they can be shipped out of there. This really sucks for California residents. There are other cool old guns that are in the same boat. The dealers there are selling on GB and are permanently depriving California residents of guns. I dont live there so I dont care that much but I definitely care as a 2nd amendment supporter.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I love GunBroker. The sales I made (of - unfortunately - guns, as well as accessories I was no longer using) helped me keep my car and my credit intact. And I got twenty-six A-pluses.

 

[PX15]

FWIW:

I monitor GunsAmerica, GunBroker, and AuctionArms just to get a ball park figure of what a particular firearm "might" might go far, but unless the deal, AND the dealers reputation (history of past transactions) is very, very good, I pass.

I've gotten my best deals from CDNN, hands down. Impact Arms was good to me on one deal too.. But CDNN is my first choice IF they are selling what I'm buying.

In the past year or so I've bought 3 "A" grade HK P7's, and several NIB 3rd gen Smiths and each transaction was painless and professionally done and the prices were very reasonable.

Jesse

 

[runrabbitrun]

Hopefully GB won't become 'eBay like'...

 

[Frank4711]

I like gunbroker, my hobby is custom polish work on mostly older S&W. All of my auctions start at .01 and I take good pictures...No issues...A lot of great buyers......

 

[scott.308]

I find it is pretty good and most of the offers that are way high are stores. Private sales are much better priced.

Scott