Are folks on Gunbroker.com insane or dumb? Or both?

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The 1st gun I sold on gunbroker, being inexperienced and dumb, I sold with no reserve ans a zero starting bid.After the first day I was sure I was going to sell a $250 gun for $10, FWIW I got $270 +buyer paid a hefty $50 for shipping, since it was pistol..The buyer got a lnib pistol with 2500+ rounds through it. Gander Mountain's gunsmith offered me $100, as GM cant buy guns no longer in production.[Firestar45]
 
To answer the OP question - there are other sites you can investigate -

GunsAmerica.com and AuctionArms.com , along with Guninternatioanl.com.

Guns International is NOT an auction site, but a gun sale site with many reputable companies offering both new and used guns
 
When shopping on GB you've got to be watchful & patient for good or decent deals. I've picked up a bag of spare pistol parts for just a penny + shipping before. The Mossberg that's sitting in my closet was purchased from GB for $100 + shipping & transfer. I wouldn't call that one a great deal, but I didn't get robbed.

I actually find better deals on auctionarms.com than gunbroker. There's not as much variety, but typically better prices on used guns.
 
Haven't seen a good gun broker rant in about 20 minutes.

The important thing to remember is that no matter if the gun sells for a good price or a bad price, if everyone is happy or no one is happy, Gun Broker still makes money....
 
The asking prices on Gunbroker, by and large, reflect the insane optimism of the sellers. I follow Gunbroker closely. 80% or more of the items up for sale generally pass through the bidding process with no bids being made. Given that, the asking prices are essentially meaningless.
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This is absolutely true. The problem with GunBroker is that when you sell a gun, you can relist it indefinitely for no additional cost or work. You don't even think about it, you just click a check box and it is done. So if you set a ridiculous price, eventually some noob is going to come along and buy it. If the seller has patience, it may very well pay off to set a high price. I was checking out the prices of S&W 25-2's in 99% condition. Most go for $700-$800. One went for $1500! No reason why it should have, except someone was eventually willing to pay for it.

Free and infinite relisting is a major difference between eBay and GunBroker- and it favors the seller.
 
Sometimes, it genuinely IS covered in rust...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=156191770

And being sold for $180. If you look elsewhere, add another $20 and you can get one without a spot of rust on it, plus with 2 mags, a lanyard, a holster, and a cleaning rod too.
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You know, I honestly don't get why that gun went up on that site like that. A few drops of oil, a piece of steel wool, and 2-3 minutes of time would have cleaned most of that off. Still would have spotty bluing afterwards, but I'd wager he'd have a much better chance at moving the item than he otherwise would.
 
Another case(s) of those who think their choices should define the norm.

Insane? Doubt it.

Dumb? Only if they go out of business before responding to the market telling them their prices are too high.

Smart? If their costs are less than their incomes, why yes, I would say so.
 
Just because its an online site / doesn't mean its competitive for any particular model ...

But I see guys drive all over town to save $ 30 on a gun too .....and that makes no sense either.

Guns these days are a commodity / you have to know what you're buying and what the gun is worth that you are buying / especially if its relatively rare or in short supply. But the margins on standard production guns are really minimal --- buy from your local dealer /develop a relationship ...have some fun with it. Its not life and death ...
 
ou know, I honestly don't get why that gun went up on that site like that. A few drops of oil, a piece of steel wool, and 2-3 minutes of time would have cleaned most of that off. Still would have spotty bluing afterwards, but I'd wager he'd have a much better chance at moving the item than he otherwise would.
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Yep. And more flattering photography techniques could help too.
 
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=155498317
This thing has been on gunbroker for longer than I have.
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While I agree that's a crazy price for a Jennings.... keep in mind the two important words in that auction. Mass Compliant ( it should actually say Mass. O.K.)

Given local Ma. laws, if you want something like that, you're most likely going to have to pay. This is the land of used $400+ Kel Tec P32's!! and $800+ Glock 26's ... and people will pay that too.

I've seen "ring of fire" .25's sell for not a whole lot less than that localy.
 
As with any purchase, in person or online, 'buyer beware." I have purchased and sold a few handguns via gunbroker. Before purchasing any, I do some research at online gun stores, and when living where there were actual gun stores, I did the research in person.

I have found you can sometimes get a great deal (I only purchase new) on gunbroker, but I have seen some ads that I will agree are totally insane.

In the past week I have been pricing a Ruger Alaskan .454 handgun.
Right now on gunbroker a new one runs from 785 upward to 825. I can purchase one all day long for 770 at impact guns. (Although I will pay taxes at impact guns; whereas, the other ones are tax free.)
 
When the only auctions for CW9's that have any bids at all are going at $350 and UNDER, why would someone list a gun with a start price of $435? Let alone the $535 I mentioned earlier.
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well, here's your answer...
The problem with GunBroker is that when you sell a gun, you can relist it indefinitely for no additional cost or work. You don't even think about it, you just click a check box and it is done. So if you set a ridiculous price, eventually some noob is going to come along and buy it. If the seller has patience, it may very well pay off to set a high price. I was checking out the prices of S&W 25-2's in 99% condition. Most go for $700-$800. One went for $1500! No reason why it should have, except someone was eventually willing to pay for it.

Free and infinite relisting is a major difference between eBay and GunBroker- and it favors the seller.
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And that is why I seldom visit GB any more.
 
I see a lot of that on ebay for other stuff as well. I have been looking for a xd 45 and I am going to have a smaller local shop order it for me, I would rather give him my money.

I visit another forum for archery stuff and some of the classifieds are amazing. people are asking for just under new for a used bow, they either wind up dropping the price or keeping the bow. I don't think they think about the fact that 50 dollars is not a good deal when for that 50 you can buy one with a life time warranty.
 
The problem with GunBroker is that when you sell a gun, you can relist it indefinitely for no additional cost or work. You don't even think about it, you just click a check box and it is done. So if you set a ridiculous price, eventually some noob is going to come along and buy it. If the seller has patience, it may very well pay off to set a high price. I was checking out the prices of S&W 25-2's in 99% condition. Most go for $700-$800. One went for $1500! No reason why it should have, except someone was eventually willing to pay for it.

Free and infinite relisting is a major difference between eBay and GunBroker- and it favors the seller.
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That would explain the S&W cardboard boxes for guns like Model 27s with starting bids fo $450. :eek:

For cripes sake, you can buy the gun for $200-$250 more!

But like anything else, deals can be found if you are patient. A couple of years ago I picked up a S&W Model 17 (no dash) with numbers matching walnut diamond magnas for $430. Not a bad price, even at that time. Also bought a 4" S&W Model 28-2 (near mint condition) for $450 (included shipping and my local gunsmith/dealer's $20 FFL fee). The last Model 28 I saw in my area was a 4 incher 2 years ago with a busted front sight insert for $400. So $450 with all fees was decent, especially since I didn't have to pay sales tax.

But you have to be patient, and wait for a fair or great deal to come along. Pawn and gun shops can be the same way. A S&W Model 10-7 at one store for $675, $209 at another. BTW, that shop with the $675 S&W Model 10-7 also had Charter Arms 38 snubbies for $575.:barf: Not surprisingly, most of his guns had about 4 years worth of dust on them.

Know what you are looking for, and set a price ceiling for yourself and don't exceed it.
 
I agree with most of the points made. I have bought my guns between my local shop, GB and the S&W sites. I picked up my first presentation box, brushes, screwdriver and 8" Model 27-2 for about $600 (at my local shop), I considered it fair because I could afford it, I did not have one and it came along at the RIGHT TIME! I have got most of my long guns on GB. My DA Ruger & most of my S&W's came from the S&W site. Most S&W's on GB are irrationally priced. I, for example, can't afford the new S&W's, so that's why I search the used sites. I am not a fanatic about the new lock system that most S&W people hate, I'm just trying to get stuff I can afford.

Again it's what you are looking for and what is available and where it is and where you are. Being from NJ I have to plan my purchases around permits which can be 3-6 months ahead of time. If I lived in Virginia or somewhere else, I would plunk my money and my Driver's license on the counter and walk out.

The other big problem with all auction sites (not just gun related ones), is when I hear/read the seller say "I need this much to buy something else...". Once I see that, then I know fair pricing is out the window. Because this clown wants to buy something he can't afford, so he is trying to put a higher value on a lesser item of his to get what he wants.

As an aside to all our Baseball fans who will understand, it is the same thing with trades. Most fans of a team think their junk is great and greatly desired by everyone else. For example, I am a Cardinal fan. I am sure there are some Met fans out there who think that 3 minor league prospects in their farm system would be a great trade for a Carpenter or a Wainwright. I would respectfully reply, "Are you serious"? But again that is human nature, to value your stuff while de-valuing others, right?
 
But I see guys drive all over town to save $ 30 on a gun too .....and that makes no sense either.
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My dad bought a Ruger LCP on-line several months ago for what he thought was good price. An FFL dealer who lives a couple of miles away from him and does a nice little home business selling guns did the transfer for just $25. When dad showed up to pick up his LCP, he found the local guy had three of them in stock for about $15 less than he paid on-line. Add shipping, transfer fee and so forth, dad paid too much for his on-line purchase. On the positive side, he did develop a relationship with the local guy for future buys- dad called me and I showed up the next day and bought one of the 3 LCPs plus several types of ammo I couldn't find elsewhere. One of dad's buddys showed up while I was waiting for my background check and bought another of the LCPs.

I like looking at the pictures on GB, but when I'm ready to buy I just see my local guy and have him order it. I have a pretty good idea what the gun should cost...
 
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