Best/Most Interesting Pawn Shop Find...
- Thread starter mk70ss
- Start date
Gads! I haven't been in a pawn shop in years. When I did frequent then, it was from 1957 to about 1960. I got to know the bosses there and usually got some very good deals on guns. Probably one of the best was an S&W Highway Patrolman, no model number fo $80.00 and it was NIB. But then at that time I had been buying and trading stuff with the them for a couple of years so he would throw me a better than usual deal every once in a while. Probably the best ever though was at a gun shop I worked for. Guy came in who had ordered one of the first M29 S&Ws to hit San Francisco. He traded in a genuine S&W Registered .357 Magnum for $75.00 and the boss let me have it for that. 
The following weekend I had the day off so was at the range when the guy that bought the .44 came up to shoot. Same old sad story, six shots and he wanted to sell the gun. He noticed that I gad his old .357 and asked to trade back. I said let me shoot that .44 first before I decide. I did, didn't think it was that bad so we made the swap then and there. I probably should have kept that .357 as it is now a high dollar collectors item. The .44? I traded it off for something else down the road. Not my smoothest move. 
Paul B.
The following weekend I had the day off so was at the range when the guy that bought the .44 came up to shoot. Same old sad story, six shots and he wanted to sell the gun. He noticed that I gad his old .357 and asked to trade back. I said let me shoot that .44 first before I decide. I did, didn't think it was that bad so we made the swap then and there. I probably should have kept that .357 as it is now a high dollar collectors item. The .44? I traded it off for something else down the road. Not my smoothest move. Paul B.
Mike Irwin
Staff
The local pawn shops here in Northern Virginia all seem to think that every firearm they have in stock is made from gold, platinum, perfect diamonds, with unicorn horn grips.
It's not uncommon at all to see a ragged out firearm at, or above, MSRP.
It's not uncommon at all to see a ragged out firearm at, or above, MSRP.
Seedy Character
New member
Typical pawn shop, Mike. They are worse than car dealerships.
They "acquired the item for 10-50% less than true value
To make a pawn shop purchase;
1. Know what you are buying
2. Know it's value
3. Offer 25% less than what you are willing to pay
4. Be prepared to walk, if they don't deal.
The longer they have had the item, they better they will deal. Their objective is getting cash in hand.
Today's market is NOT conducive to great deals on firearms.
My friend visits a nearby pawn on a monthly basis. A couple years back, he had been watching this Kimber 1911. Knowing it had been in the case over 90 days, he offered $700, it was priced at $1100.
The guy acted offended and mad, told him that was a $1500 gun.
My friend walks around the counter and sees an identical Kimber. Looking at the tag, he figured out the coded number, that it was a new item.
He offered $1300 out the door for BOTH, take it or leave it.
He now owns 2 Kimber 1911
They "acquired the item for 10-50% less than true value
To make a pawn shop purchase;
1. Know what you are buying
2. Know it's value
3. Offer 25% less than what you are willing to pay
4. Be prepared to walk, if they don't deal.
The longer they have had the item, they better they will deal. Their objective is getting cash in hand.
Today's market is NOT conducive to great deals on firearms.
My friend visits a nearby pawn on a monthly basis. A couple years back, he had been watching this Kimber 1911. Knowing it had been in the case over 90 days, he offered $700, it was priced at $1100.
The guy acted offended and mad, told him that was a $1500 gun.
My friend walks around the counter and sees an identical Kimber. Looking at the tag, he figured out the coded number, that it was a new item.
He offered $1300 out the door for BOTH, take it or leave it.
He now owns 2 Kimber 1911