What's the used gun market like in your area?

[goon]

There are local online classifieds for my area where people can sell all kinds of stuff. Anything from land to cars to boats to homemade soap... and also guns.
The advertisements for used guns in my area are usually accompanied by asking prices that are more than the cost of the same thing brand new at either local gun shop. It's truly baffling that anyone ever sells anything in these ads...
About the only way to do business is to post a WTB ad and wait until you find someone else who appreciates the lunacy and wants to sell at a reasonable price.

Anyhow, what's the used market like where you live? Is it like this everywhere, or are all the nutjobs actually located within 50 miles of me?

 

[Awsomepossum]

"same" as you, the reason the market is like this, is because there are people who "snipe' anything at a great price quick. like a marlin 45-70 for 250$.

 

[montanaoffroader]

The used market here is lousy, and has been for a few years now. Most of the nicer used guns wind up on Gunbroker or GunsAmerica, leaving very little for the locals to choose from.

There are a couple of exceptions, but most of the pawn shops and dedicated gun shops sell their used stuff online. Nowadays I wind up shopping at Scheel's or Big Bear Sports as they are the only places with a decent inventory. Big R also sells guns, but they do not deal in used firearms, only new.

By the time you add in shipping and transfer fees, it's not worth it to buy anything online, especially since you really can't look it over without putting your money down - and if it's not as advertised you may have trouble getting your money back.

So these days, it seems like I'm buying more new than used, and from larger stores rather than smaller ones. I'd prefer the opposite, but it's just not working out that way.

 

[goon]

The used gun store selection where I am ranges from reasonable to even the occasional good deal.
But the private used market... that's where the lunacy really comes in.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

I live in the same immediate area as Montanaoffroader and I'd say it's not too bad. But, you do have to know what the market is and how to shop it.

Case in point: Scheels now is selling off the large collection of a local dealer who died. Anything I wanted was waay too high even if it had been bargain priced, & most of the items were on the high end of their value scale, but that's retail these days. However, there were a few items that weren't priced that way & they're gone now of course.

The trick is to let people know you're interested & may buy. Talk to people at the range. Let the "girls club" know; yesterday's widow may call you. And if that happens be fair, word will get around it's worth calling you. Check all the shops, and keep in contact with the larger gunsmithing business's in the area. And go to the gunshows.

900F

 

[montanaoffroader]

I see some pretty ridiculous prices on Armslist, most of the folks around here must think their stuff is gold plated.

The best deals around here are private, unadvertised FTF deals, also once in a blue moon you can find something ok in a pawn shop. But most of the pawn shop stuff winds up for sale online.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Over priced to the point of nearly being stagnant.

 

[montanaoffroader]

Case in point: Scheels now is selling off the large collection of a local dealer who died.

900F

Actually, I did pick up a .22 that was part of LY's estate. Got it from Scheel's of course, for a pretty fair price.

CB900F is 100% correct, there are still deals out there if you are willing to work for them, and I do occasionally come across a deal here and there. It's just not quite as easy as it used to be.

 

[JERRY]

slim pickin's

 

[rgwalt]

Good deals can be found, but are few and far between in Houston. Texas Gun Trader and Armslist listing are generally 10% over new price. However, I see the same guns listed over and over and over again at high prices. People are asking, but evidently no one is buying at those prices. I think it is a hold over from the insanity at the beginning of the year. Sellers are accustom/conditioned to ask over retail for used guns because people were paying those prices at the time. Also, you have people who bought in at that price who are "just trying to get their money back out of it".

I rented a table at a local gun show a couple of weeks ago, and frankly that was the best way to buy used firearms. Asking prices were pretty high, but occasionally you'd find a buyer who was realistic in their expectations. Plus sellers figure they will be negotiated down. I picked up a nice, threaded heavy barrel Savage .22 for a good price. One key is making an offer and letting the seller walk away. If they get a better offer, or aren't willing to sell at that price, then so be it. I've used a similar strategy for making offers for firearms on-lien. Most of the time my offers don't work out, but on occasion they do.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

It is hit and miss at my local Gun Shop.

 

[yzguy87]

For sale ads by individuals are pretty decent. Ak type weapons are still high but most everything else seems to be ok.
We just had an lgs close up shop but IMO their prices on a lot of guns and accessories were over priced. There were some other poor business decisions that led to their demise too.

 

[Jim Mac]

I shop the flea market when I visit my mother and sometimes find decent deals. I also use backpage. Trick is to know whats a decent price, whenever i list something for sale my stuff is usually the lowest priced gun or ammo listed. The last month there was three sks sporters that took the ak mags $550,$500 and $400. Guess which one was mine and which one actually sold in less than a week. Later I posted a cz52+750 rds of surplus ammo for $400. It sold in a day. and a nagant pistol with 140 rds of ammo for $200 so reasonably priced stuff sells quick. The high priced stuff just keeps getting relisted. I onlu list stuff I dont want, figure how much i have into it, add a little and let it go.

 

[HoosierQ]

In a word? Glocks.

 

[akv3g4n]

It seems like a lot of the mainstream (AK, AR, SKS) used stuff in my area is overpriced both online and in the shops.

However, you can still find decent deals on some less popular firearms like Carcanos and Arisakas and such. Mostly the less popular C&R weapons is where I see fair pricing.

Still plenty of well used $500 Glocks out there

 

[John3921]

I went to the gunshow at the university field house this summer. What it looked like to me was that Friday dealers/tables were basically swapping guns. My father in law usually has a couple tables and I helped him out a little for the weekend. He said that in a lot of cases dealers used shows like the western mt show to pick up stuff at 60-70% of blue book and then take them to the larger shows in Vegas, etc. That looked to me to be about right. I saw a few guns go for about blue book over the weekend - but mostly the lower end stuff - old .22's, cheap single shot shotguns, etc. I did not see much of the higher end stuff get much attention.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Double Post

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Here it looks bad on the surface, but there are ways to make good deals. The paper usually has your standard $250 High Points and your $1750 Smith and Wesson M&P Sports but we have a local classifieds site (http://arguntrader.com/ If you're in Arkansas look it up) where I've made several good deals. Some folks on there are crazy sure, but I've traded both guns and reloading supplies.

 

[TonyDedo]

Used gun market is excellent in Massachusetts.

MA has restrictions on the types of guns an FFL can sell, but those restrictions don't apply to private sales. As a result, there is a very active second hand market here. There are several venues used to buy and sell, but the most popular is probably the classified section of the regional gun forum. It's well moderated and uses a feedback system, so transactions tend to go very smoothly. Arms list is also active here, but tends to be a bit more sketchy.

Earlier this year when prices got a little silly you saw a lot of people posting ARs and GLOCKS at ridiculous prices, but I suspect most were trolls just fishing for a sucker - I doubt many sold at those prices. Meanwhile there were still deals to be had, and now that the market seems to be crashing, there are deals everywhere.

 

[alsaqr]

Used guns in private hands often bring very high prices in OK.. Many Okies have bought into a conspiracy theory that guns purchased from FFL dealers are automatically "registered". They will pay a premium for an "unregistered" gun.

 

[gym]

Cheaper to buy new, people look up everything now, and usually try to charge the upper end of the range they find, even if the gun is scratched and marked up. I see things like 98% and the gun is banged up and rusted.

 

[ErieLurker]

Here in my part of the Frozen North, the best deals are at guns shows or by knowing a few good gunsmiths who will show you what they haven't put out front yet. Some of the old gunsmiths around here don't do the internet, so you do have to do some legwork. It can really pay off. Otherwise, you're usually better off paying for brand new.

 

[Oxidation]

I just bought a used(less than 50 rounds fired) Glock 27 Gen3 at my local gunshop for $355 plus tax.

 

[Cosmoline]

Alaska has a very active used market with many good deals if you move fast. There are of course highly inflated offers as well, but it sounds like it's worse elsewhere.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

I don't but I'm about to find out as I will be putting some up for sale.