I am soooo jealous of a friends luck,,,

A

aarondhgraham

New member
So there I was at work,,,
Minding my own business and not bothering anybody.

My phone rings,,,
A friend calls to ask me about a handgun.

He described it to me and as it turns out,,,
It's a S&W 34 with a 4" barrel and square butt.

According to him it's very clean with no dings or rust,,,
He's no gun guy but he said it looked like it's brand new.

So I ask him, "Did you buy it?"

His answer was, "No, I finally got around to opening that taped up box I bought blind at an estate sale. The gun was inside it, wrapped up in a sock."

He paid $5.00 for the box that was labeled "linens".

I hate him!

I'm going to his house after work today to verify the ID,,,
Now I'm in a quandary as to how much to offer him for the gun.

I really need one exactly like it,,,
I would match it up with my 3" Model 36.

I told him that it could be worth a decent price,,,
Though I didn't quote a number to him.

The reason I don't own one already is because,,,
They've been going for $700 or much more on Gunbroker

Heck, he might want to keep it,,,
He doesn't own a gun but has gone to the range with me a few times.

I reiterate,,,
I Hate Him! :rolleyes:

Aarond

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There any legal ramifications involved with buying a firearm like that? Possibility exists the thing was stolen, used in a crime or whatever. Thou shalt CYA.
If you offer him $50, he's made a 1000% profit. snicker.
 
You could suggest he call the Evil Pawn Shop and see what they'd offer him, and then make him a better offer.

Linens...LOL
 
He's a hobby woodworker,,,
A box of old sheets would make good stain rags.

I can't see any legal problems with the gun,,,
Oklahoma has no laws against private sales of firearms

I think it was just a case of someone storing it,,,
And nobody knew it was there before selling off the estate.

Carmady's advice is a good idea,,,
The Evil Pawn Shop Guy would offer a fair wholesale price.

I don't want to cheat a friend out of anything,,,
I'm hoping he'll want to make a quick buck.

I could easily go $200-$500 for the little gun,,,
I think I'll recommend the Evil Pawn Shop route to him.

But he did like shooting with me at the range,,,
Maybe he'll decide he wants to keep it.

It's all speculation until I see him this evening.

I hafta hate him just a wee bit though,,,
The only surprises I've found in boxes were spiders.

Aarond

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You are a good guy, and I am sure you will handle it ethically. Personally I don't see anything wrong with giving him your honest estimate of its wholesale and retail value, and then making him an offer below retail, pointing out that the sale is fast and hassle-free to justify the discount.

But yeah, you can hate him a little. We probably all do. Five bucks - sheesh!
 
I looked on GB and there are 3 pages of model 34s. Some with some very optimistic prices. And no bids on them. The only bids were in the $400 or less range.

I would offer between $300-350 or maybe as much as $400 and see what he says. That should be a fair price. Prices on GB are not always a real reflection of what a gun is worth.

I like the pawn shop idea.
 
At least it was/is probably legal.

On a muscle-car-oriented forum that I frequent, one of the members runs a non-profit thrift shop.
Some one brought in a dilapidated dresser that was useful only in the wood pile. ...Except it busted open and a firearm came tumbling out, when they threw the dresser at the 'breakdown' pile.

No one recognized it, and it seemed to have been modified. One of the guys with a basic knowledge of firearms figured they should take some pictures while waiting on the cops, as it just didn't seem right.

It took about two weeks, but we "gun nuts" on the forum bounced ideas around until some one figured it out.

Turned out to be some obscure combination rifle that had the rifle barrel cut off, so it was only usable as a shotgun. Then the butt stock and barrel had been chopped. ...And then the serial number obliterated.
So, it was an illegal 6" AOW with an adulterated serial number. :eek:

The police were very happy to have it.
And the thrift shop owner was very happy to see it leave his property.
 
Agree with Bedbilly, to offer more than twice what the owner paid is obscene. We all know “doubled my money” gives us bragging rights.:rolleyes:
(I also have some swamp land for sale...just get rid of the water moccasins and alligators for a beautiful week end retreat). ::D
 
If he's a good friend I'm sure you will offer him a fair price. The prices on GB are asking prices, do a search in the advanced search of guns sold and get a fair price and offer him that. If its in as good of condition as he says then maybe a little more. Be honest with him, I would value a good friendship more than one gun. YMMV

If you do get it please post some pictures.
 
Well dang, he's keeping it.

I got over to see the gun and it's not brand new,,,
It's been fired enough to leave carbon rings on the cylinder,,,
But more importantly it's been fired enough so that the action is very slick.

The packing tape on the box had aged to brittle dust,,,
I think the gun had been in there for a long time.

It doesn't have any rust or patina on it,,,
I find that surprising seeing as how long it was in that box.

The only damage is one teeny chip out of the grips,,,
I had to look closely to even notice it.

Anyways I offered him $400 cash money for it,,,
But he says he's going to keep it and learn to shoot.

I did get one promise from him,,,
If he changes his mind I get first option.

It's a bit funny how I went to his house with some sense of false entitlement,,,
I wanted him to sell me the gun so badly that I already felt it was mine.

I think that was Gollum on my left shoulder whispering,,,
"It should have been mine anyways, My Precious"

~sigh~

Aarond

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Cool thing about good friends with cool guns is sharing them to some extent. I have a good friend that I shoot with at the range and while we're there, my guns are his and his guns are mine. I even avoid purchasing guns he has because it seems redundant. I'd rather get something he doesn't have to expand our "friend collection".
 
I would be thrilled for my friend but I think deep down inside I would wish it had been me. $400 would be a fair price. But helping a friend join the shooting world is better. Go shooting with him, try the gun and convince yourself the trigger sucks, the grip doesn't fit your hand, and the gun won't shoot to the point of aim.
 
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