Pawn shop prices

O

Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
Only one pawn ahop in town is still selling guns. However, I decided to avoid them from now on after seeing their latest batch of rifles.

The had a "rare" M44 Russian Mosin-Nagant carbine for a low price of $249! That put their other prices in perspective.

OTOH, and here's a sad thought, we might get to where this is a good price same way we got to $250 SKS rifles.
 
One thing I have always found to be true with pawn shops is that the price can drop dramatically if you pay with cash. I walked out of one pawn shop with a Chinese SKS for $50 cash. Try getting to know the owner and pay cash for the best results.
 
Exactly. I frequent several pawn shops, just to see what they have. I look for guns, instruments, scanners, radios, CDs... Get to know the owners. I got a $2500 saxophone for $475. You just have to know what you're looking for, and they're usually willing to talk the price down.
 
Maybe I'm just unlucky this way but. I have found all the pawn shops around here to be full of crap and charging a fortune for all of it. I think the gun prices are the worst of all of it. I have never been able to bargain with them either. The problem seems to be they can sell even used guns for more than a new one is worth. They must have a good supply of suckers around here somewhere.
 
Pawn shops are usually frequented by the ignorant, and they are taken advantage of in both directions. Items are taken in pawn for a fraction of their value and if they are not redeemed are sold for several times that value. To add to this, most pawnbrokers know a little about a lot of things, but are seldom experts in any area. Those who know what they are doing can often pick up real bargains; others should beware.

Jim
 
Pawn shops are a mixed bag. The ones I've been to had very questionable stuff for way too much money. If you do run across a bargain - know what you are looking at and check it out closely.
 
LOCHFAL, you must live in my neck of the woods. The pawn shops around here irrate the living daylights out of me. They are always way too high, especially on used guns considering the quality. Heck they want $300 to $350 for an SKS. All the rifles and shotguns look like the ones from the "what is the worst thing you have seen done to a gun" thread. :mad: I have heard for years, "look in the pawn shops for good prices." I guess I need bartering lessons from Chad Young and real saxophonist :)
 
Pawn shops? Pawn shops??!? Out here in the SF Bay Area 'burbs they appear to be an extinct species.

I don't believe we're zoned for pawn shops. Only upscale yuppie coffee dives and gourmet grocery stores.

I can buy (if I so chose) olives marinated in Himalayan yak urine, but not a used guitar.

Figures.

Cliff (Remembering when things were different and resenting the varmit infestation).
 
True True, Oleg - but sometimes you will find a good firearm thats priced at an absolute steal.
I have found several... Cool guns and best of all Custom Knives that are worth over 400 for 50 because the PS Owner didnt know knives. :D

Like my Busse Combat that I picked up for 30.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Cliff:
I can buy (if I so chose) olives marinated in Himalayan yak urine, but not a used guitar.[/quote]
Thanks for adding "if I so chose"
You had me worried for a moment.



[This message has been edited by jeffer (edited April 27, 2000).]
 
It all depends on the pawn shop dealer and the gun shop dealer. My local dealer in town is a good guy and I try to do as much business with him as I can. Problem is his prices are way too high compared to his competitors. A pawn shop/gun dealer owner over the the next town on the other hand has very good prices and also does gunsmithing, something my local dealer does not. Gun dealers and pawn brokers can all be grouped into 2 groups, the good ones and the bad ones. There's some of each with both types of dealers.
 
Ah yes. Pawn shops. Years ago, when I lived in San francisco, all the pawn shops were on 3rd St. just south of Market street. In the 50's, you could find all kinds of great deals. An 1873 springfield rifle in 45-70, mint and looked unfired, $50. Colt New Service .44 Spl. $35, condition, NRA very good. 1917 Enfield sporterized, $45. 1911's and 1911A1's at giveaway prices. I paid $20 for a near mint Ithaca. The time period was from 1957 to 1961, when I left S.F. to do my military service. In 1964 prices still hadn't gone up that much. maybe 10 or 15 percent. I worked above one of those pawn shops, and got to know the owners. They would let me know when something choice was coming out of pawn, and I would get first grabs on it. I haven't been to S.F. to where I could look around in about 10 years, but I did drive through the area to see if any were left. Sadly, I saw none. Probably Feinstein had something to do with it. I sure would not be surprised. My fondest memories are a haggling with these guys to get the price I wanted. Sometimes I won, and sometimes they did. At least it was fun in the trying.
Paul B.
 
I once bought a ,32ACP automatic pistol for $6.00 from a pawn shop in Oklahoma city. It came with a brown leather flap holster but had no magazine, I did a little research and found that it was an FN Model 1900. Two weeks later I found a magazine which I bought for $2.00. I think of it as my $8.00 pistol. It is beautifully made, and shoots quite well for a 100 year old design, but then the man who designed it was john Browning.
 
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