Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
We talk about "good deals" here and there when the subject of used scatterguns comes up. But how can someone tell what is good and what is not? I know a lot of it is subjective, depending on individual likes and dislikes as well as lots of other factors. So with a little help from the membership, we can establish a little bit of a database that might offer some interesting comparisons on a regional basis as to what constitutes a good deal.
I'm located near Fayetteville, NC, the home town for the sprawling Army post of Ft. Bragg. With about 50,000 troops, Bragg is a busy place, hosting among other units the XVIII Airborne Corps, the 82d Airborne division, and a large contingent of special operations forces. And as a military town, things get skewed a bit (or a lot) around here. Especially things like prices for firearms. The biggest dealer in town is known to experienced folk as a great place to shop, but a poor choice for prices. But like most military towns, there are a lot of pawn shops. The pickings may not be as wide in these establishments but the deals are often a lot better.
In preparation for this exercise, I dropped in on one of my favorite dealers after work today and took some back-of-an-envelope notes. Here's what's on the rack, with 'hang tag' prices, in the order I found them:
ITHACA Model 37, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, about a 30" plain barrel overall with compensated Poly-Choke installed. Finish about 85%, $269.99.
BROWNING Auto-5, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, a 'round knob' gun with a St. Louis marked 26" plain barrel, fixed choke marked ***. About 60%, $519.99
REMINGTON 1100, 12 ga., 2 3/4 only, 28" plain barrel, fixed modified choke, about 50% on the finish (used hard), $269.99.
BROWNING Gold Hunter, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel with Invector choke tube, marked Patent Pending on the barrel, 90% plus finish, $569.99.
BROWNING Auto-5, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, a 'flat knob' with a St. Louis marked 30" plain barrel marked *, about 70%, $549.99.
WINCHESTER Model 1200, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, 30" plain barrel with Win-Choke tube, about 85%, walnut furniture, $149.99.
REMINGTON 870 Express Magnum, 12 ga. 3", 26" vent rib barrel with Rem-Choke tube, wood furniture, like new inside and out, all the modern features (dimples, plastic trigger plate, lockable safety). $229.99
REMINGTON 870 Express, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel w/Rem-choke tube, a real Cinderella with no dimples, aluminum trigger plate and old style safety, about 75% finish (an even brown patina overall, no pitting), $219.99.
REMINGTON 870 Express, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel w/Rem-Choke tube, with dimples, a plastic trigger plate but an old style safety, about 60% finish, $199.99.
MOSSBERG Model 500A, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel w/choke tube, wood furniture, about 85%, $189.95.
MOSSBERG Model 500ATP, 12 ga. 3", 20" plain cylinder bore barrel w/standard magazine, Choate plastic stock and SureFire fore-end, 60% finish, rode hard then rode hard some more, $269.99.
WINCHESTER Defender, 20 ga. 3", 20" plain cylinder bore barrel, factory full length magazine, 90% finish (like new except for a couple of deep scratches on the left side of the receiver), $219.99.
WINCHESTER Ranger 120, 12 ga. 3", 30" vent rib barrel w/Win-Choke tube, about 75%, $189.99.
STEVENS Model 67 Series E, 20 ga. (didn't note chamber, likely 3"), 28" plain barrel, no choke marking I could locate, about 70%, $139.99.
That's what was on the rack today, it will likely be different tomorrow. These guys deal, they turn over a lot of merchandise and since they are a pawn shop too there are always 'new' used guns waiting in the wings. No oddities today, no single shots, doubles or bolt guns- just ordinary pumps and autos. But that will change too, given time.
OK, let's hear from your part of the country...
lpl/nc
I'm located near Fayetteville, NC, the home town for the sprawling Army post of Ft. Bragg. With about 50,000 troops, Bragg is a busy place, hosting among other units the XVIII Airborne Corps, the 82d Airborne division, and a large contingent of special operations forces. And as a military town, things get skewed a bit (or a lot) around here. Especially things like prices for firearms. The biggest dealer in town is known to experienced folk as a great place to shop, but a poor choice for prices. But like most military towns, there are a lot of pawn shops. The pickings may not be as wide in these establishments but the deals are often a lot better.
In preparation for this exercise, I dropped in on one of my favorite dealers after work today and took some back-of-an-envelope notes. Here's what's on the rack, with 'hang tag' prices, in the order I found them:
ITHACA Model 37, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, about a 30" plain barrel overall with compensated Poly-Choke installed. Finish about 85%, $269.99.
BROWNING Auto-5, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, a 'round knob' gun with a St. Louis marked 26" plain barrel, fixed choke marked ***. About 60%, $519.99
REMINGTON 1100, 12 ga., 2 3/4 only, 28" plain barrel, fixed modified choke, about 50% on the finish (used hard), $269.99.
BROWNING Gold Hunter, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel with Invector choke tube, marked Patent Pending on the barrel, 90% plus finish, $569.99.
BROWNING Auto-5, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, a 'flat knob' with a St. Louis marked 30" plain barrel marked *, about 70%, $549.99.
WINCHESTER Model 1200, 12 ga. 2 3/4 only, 30" plain barrel with Win-Choke tube, about 85%, walnut furniture, $149.99.
REMINGTON 870 Express Magnum, 12 ga. 3", 26" vent rib barrel with Rem-Choke tube, wood furniture, like new inside and out, all the modern features (dimples, plastic trigger plate, lockable safety). $229.99
REMINGTON 870 Express, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel w/Rem-choke tube, a real Cinderella with no dimples, aluminum trigger plate and old style safety, about 75% finish (an even brown patina overall, no pitting), $219.99.
REMINGTON 870 Express, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel w/Rem-Choke tube, with dimples, a plastic trigger plate but an old style safety, about 60% finish, $199.99.
MOSSBERG Model 500A, 12 ga. 3", 28" vent rib barrel w/choke tube, wood furniture, about 85%, $189.95.
MOSSBERG Model 500ATP, 12 ga. 3", 20" plain cylinder bore barrel w/standard magazine, Choate plastic stock and SureFire fore-end, 60% finish, rode hard then rode hard some more, $269.99.
WINCHESTER Defender, 20 ga. 3", 20" plain cylinder bore barrel, factory full length magazine, 90% finish (like new except for a couple of deep scratches on the left side of the receiver), $219.99.
WINCHESTER Ranger 120, 12 ga. 3", 30" vent rib barrel w/Win-Choke tube, about 75%, $189.99.
STEVENS Model 67 Series E, 20 ga. (didn't note chamber, likely 3"), 28" plain barrel, no choke marking I could locate, about 70%, $139.99.
That's what was on the rack today, it will likely be different tomorrow. These guys deal, they turn over a lot of merchandise and since they are a pawn shop too there are always 'new' used guns waiting in the wings. No oddities today, no single shots, doubles or bolt guns- just ordinary pumps and autos. But that will change too, given time.
OK, let's hear from your part of the country...
lpl/nc
