Used Rifles: Why Bother?

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GB is the Ebay of firearms sales.
When you have nationwide exposure, there's sure to be at least one guy out there that either "has to" have it for a collection or whatever reason, or an idiot that just pays too much. Certainly good for the seller.

Not to get OT too much, but GB would be a much better place if they started charging for listings at some point. I've got a couple of items I'm looking for on a "watch" list, and there's one yahoo that has several of these items on ONE day auctions at a ridiculous price.... So, they keep popping up on email notifications, every single day- for FOUR months now. If this guy had to pay for these re-lists, he'd drop his price to a level where someone might actually buy them... Anyway, GB rant over, sorry had to get that off my chest!:mad:

Pawn shops, or FTF if legal in your area.
Even the LGS's here seem to have ridiculous ideas of what used firearms are worth, and they won't come off them. Which, is why they don't seem to last long before their doors close.

It's hard for them to compete on price against online sales, and most aren't smart enough to offer enough "value" in terms of service or other incentives for customers to justify the higher prices of the "brick and mortar" stores.

Like anything else, know the value of what you want, and be prepared to walk away.
 
"It's not that the things we want are expensive. It's that the dollars we buy them with are worth less."

That's when Unicorn Farts will become the standard currency.

I guess that also explains why the price jumps in firearms and ammunition, and the comeasurate shortages of both, have SIGNIFICANTLY outpaced inflation.

Sorry, your math isn't working out.

And the word you're looking for is Capitalism.

Capitalism driven by mindless blithering idiots who are still running out and buying every last cartridge and gun they can find for when "Obama uses an executive order to make guns illegal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I'm personally waiting for when the screw turns and Dingus Dunderhead realizes that he's now close to broke AND sitting on 100,000 rounds of ammo and 30 guns he doesn't need and can't afford and starts selling them at a big loss.

That's when I'm going to start buying.
 
And the word you're looking for is Capitalism.
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Nope, pretty sure the Econ 101 teach didn't say, "Too few goods being chased by too much money is "Capitalism".

Shortages and spiralling prices are the hallmarks of inflation.
 
The used market generally stinks right now, and has for the past several years, because the new market has been so incredibly hot.

People either can't get what they want, or don't want to pay the inflated prices, in the new market so they hit the used market, and that drives prices up.
Click to expand...

I'm seeing the opposite, at least with centerfire bolt rifles.

You can go into a gunshop right now and buy a Ruger American or Remington ADL for $350, A Savage Axis for under $300. I saw some Stevens 200's a few years ago for under $200. There are good prices on new TC Encores, as well as the Mossberg rifles too. Most of these guns shoot just fine. Better in many cases than guns costing 2X as much.

Most new shooters walking into a gunshop and pricing a new Ruger @ $350 and a used Winchester @ $400 are going to buy the Ruger every time. I've seen some great deals lately on some very nice used centerfire bolt rifles.

I don't follow handguns as closely. There may well be some issues driving up the prices of handguns. And the quality problems with Marlin and no more Winchester levers have probably been responsible in a spike in prices for older Marlins and Winchester levers. But right now I'm seeing good deals on used bolt rifles.
 
it's not the first time gun buyers that are making up the majority of the gunbuying community. it's the guys that have been at it a while and like it and are expanding their collection to more than a single firearm. it's the guys that grew up shooting their dad's winchester 70 that are going in and would rather spend $400 on a used M70 than $350 on a "plastic Wonder" Ruger, remington and all of the other budget, reasonably priced rifles that have lots of plastic parts instead of wood to cut production costs.

inflation has nothing to do with it. supply and demand has nothing to do with it. capitalism has nothing to do with it. greed has everything to do with it. it's the same reason that guys started pouring into my LGS on december 14th of 2012 and buying 10,000 rounds of 22LR a day every day until the stores ran out and then a month later when everyone was terrified of weapons bans, 22LR started popping up in classifieds, on armslist, and on gunbroker for $60 a brick, bricks that were purchased for $15 a month earlier. 300% profit is not capitalism and the sudden shortage does not mean that the rules of supply and demand are existent here.

it is people trying to get every penny they possibly can, regardless of how much, or little they have invested into a product because they know that someone, somewhere will be duped into buying it.
 
There is a skill to buying and haggling, learned from a friend who owns a pawn shop.
One thing to avoid is not to be insulting or disagreeable.
No matter how much someone wants to sell their stuff, or buy yours, they really don't want to deal with Mr. McNasty.
And even if there's no deal today, it pays to stay on good terms for the future.
 
1903's were sold used for $25.00 at one time, does that mean they are only worth $12.50 now?
Or has inflation caused the value of the dollar to fall to the value of a cent in 1930's?
I say the former, and it is getting worse, due to the non-stop printing of money the government is giving away to other countries.
So, if you want something, buy it now, while people are willing to take worthless paper.:D
 
Alot of the used guns that are in the shop I go to are consignment guns, and some of these people that list their guns are delusional. They cant understand the concept of taking a loss when selling used. Now its one thing buying a used gun and selling it for the same price you payed used. But if you buy a new gun, don't expect to get what you payed for the gun back, that's just irrational.

I sell guns on consignment all the time, and I purposely list my guns depending on the price around $30-$50 less than what the market is commanding for that gun. The difference is, I have never had a gun sit longer than a week on consignment, where I have seen other peoples guns take close to 2 months to sell. Listing the gun slightly lower makes it that much more appealing and lets the buyer think there getting a good deal which they often are. While I am not rich by any means, $50 will not make or break me.
 
We are currently in what today people call a "bubble". It inflated hugely before the current administration got elected the first time, shrank a bit over time, and reinflated again before they got re-elected. Then inflated again when gun control got put on the table (as expected).

SO, today, in general, ALL gun prices are distorted, and that's over and above the pricing caused by our devalued dollar.

No, you aren't likely to see the same prices we had when gasoline was less than a dollar a gallon. On anything...

Another point is what you are looking for. If you think you should be able to get a new gun at used gun prices, keep looking, and good luck.

Pricing is driven by the market, and lately the market has been a seller's market for a lot of things. Right now, I can find a finely done milsurp sporter (not a bubba hack job) with a decent scope for half (or less) than the asking price of many a new stainless and synthetic stock bolt gun.

Sure, I'm taking a chance, I don't know the history, or the round count, etc. But I do know a bit about guns, and a bit about getting them to shoot acceptably well for most uses, if they don't come to me that way already. So its not a BIG risk, for me, especially when I get it cheap to start with.

I've seen rifles that, when built, cost their owners the equivalent of thousands of today's dollars, sitting on gun show tables for $350-500. (and yes, I bought a few of them :D).

Because they aren't new, because they aren't what in demand today, they aren't worth much on the market, despite being high quality builds, sometimes with exceptional wood and real craftsmanship evident.

What really depresses me is not even the fact that some sellers think their used guns (even the crap) is worth so much, but the fact that so many people are stupid enough to buy them (especially the crap) at the (inflated) asking price.

Eventually, this bubble will burst. And a lot of people are going to be selling a lot of stuff cheap, just so they get something back out of it. That's when I'd recommend buying, so when the next bubble inflates, you're not in it.
 
"greed has everything to do with it."

:rolleyes:


Greed is good.

But, you're incredibly wrong on your other points.

In the Capitalist system, it's the right of the seller to (or try to) obtain the highest price for his goods.

If people are willing to pay that price, the product sells. If demand is high, he gets to raise his prices to the point where the product won't sell.

If demand is low, he'll have to drop his prices to the point where the product will sell.

In times of ultra high demand, such as what we've seen the past couple of years, where consumers are losing their freaking minds, NO ONE is holding a gun to Donnie Dingus's head screaming "YOU WILL BUY THIS AT THE PRICE I TELL YOU TO!!!"

It's more likely to be a case of Donnie Dingus screaming "I'LL PAY YOU TWICE WHAT YOU HAVE MARKED ON IT!!!"

You make it sound as if the producer/seller is to blame for all of this. That's ludicrous in the extreme, shortsighted, and flat out wrong.

The consumer isn't some poor downtrodden luddite held hostage by the greedy overmasters of production and supply.
 
Only NIB rifles I have purchased are 2 of my SIG SHRs plus a Savage M110 and a Winchester M-70XTR. My rule of thumb is that a used firearm must be at least 25% below NIB for me too look at it. Yes NIB does come with factory warranty, so far I have sent only one firearm back for warranty work.
I do look for Bubba's handpprints even on a sporter rifle. In addition to having no gunsmithing skills, Bubba can't shoot either which is why he unloads so many firearms.
 
I'm with MIKE IRWIN, it's not a Right-Wing Conspiracy or a New Order plot to take over the world, it's called Supply and Demand.
Long years ago in Economics 101 we were told that secret that sometimes gets lost todays world. If the seller's Demand (Price) outweighs my Demand (Buying Price) we don't deal, I say So Long and mosey on my way.
I've stumbled across a few good deals, and seen some where I feel the seller is insane or stoned. But What The Hey... Freedom of choice makes the world go round and round. I go into a LGS or pawn shop thinking that this might be my lucky day, and if not, all I've wasted is my own time. Nuff said.
 
How can the laws of supply and demand in the free market be a foreign concept.

Did the schools stop teaching this as the fundamental back bone of a free economy???
 
If people would stop panic buying the shelves would fill back up and prices would settle but nooo, everybody is convinced they're making less or the government is buying it up and the prices are going to go higher so they buy up every round they can.:rolleyes:
 
That's o.k. They will run out of money or space and the ammunition manufactures will open up another plant and make more. Sooner or later the bottom will fall out like the housing market and we will be buying at a discount again. If I thought this was a long term deal, I would open up a store myself. Unfortunately, ALOT of gun dealers are going out of buisness the last 6 months due to over buying and now can't pay their suppliers. My LGS has bought up parts of three different shops that over extended them self and were going out of buisness.
 
"If people would stop panic buying..."

Actual event, last year at my LGS: A guy walks in, wanting an AR. My guy had several; maybe an average of $700 to $800 in them. Mr. Buyer had apparently found Mr. High-Dollar Seller before coming to my LGS.

Out of the blue, HE OFFERED $1,200.

Well, my guy sure didn't refuse the offer. :D
 
I will buy used EVERY TIME if I know the gun I'm buying. For example, a friend of mine bought his son a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker in .270 Win a few years ago. It was used, with a Burris Fullfield 2 already on it. They worked up some loads for it and it shot under MOA consistently. Once I made up my mind to get me one, Browning, in all its wisdom, had quit making them. The only Stainless A-Bolt I could get in .270 Win was wood-stocked, which I didn't want. It was going to cost me around $750, and then I had to buy bases, rings, and scope. I figured $900-$1000 easy...and there was no guarantee it would be a shooter. I put a bug in his ear, and when he got ready to part with his, I snatched it up for $850, along with a box of handloads. I'd do it again tomorrow for a gun I know will shoot. Why pay more for new when there's no guarantee?
 
I learned the following:
1) always assume that the listed price is 10% more than he really expects to get and 20% more than his lowest price.
2) Start the price negotiation by saying, "What's the least you'll take for it?" as you reach toward your wallet.
 
Used rifles..why bother?

The action..that's why lol. Half the time you can find a used rifle for cheaper than a new action.
 
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