Where Are The Buyers?
- Thread starter rfo1
- Start date
Does the blue book of gun values have any bearing on pricing here? In military stuff the cost of restoration of sporter rifles and building guns from bare receivers most be
taken into consideration. Pics also don't tell all of the story in regard to condition when the wood is oil soaked and mis matched etc Sometimes local pricing is higher than
what is posted here. It is really a guess on military stuff because no one has imported much for sometime. ie Korean Garand rifles coming soon. How many people waited
and didn't buy what was available at the time? The price went up and the guns didn't come. Military rifles are hard to price in exc condition or poor condition because buyers
cant see everything in pictures
taken into consideration. Pics also don't tell all of the story in regard to condition when the wood is oil soaked and mis matched etc Sometimes local pricing is higher than
what is posted here. It is really a guess on military stuff because no one has imported much for sometime. ie Korean Garand rifles coming soon. How many people waited
and didn't buy what was available at the time? The price went up and the guns didn't come. Military rifles are hard to price in exc condition or poor condition because buyers
cant see everything in pictures
I don't have a current blue book. I say the market sets the value, and that a savvy buyer will soon see what the market is paying.
If it's a unique item it comes down to "can I afford this? is this personally worth $###x to me?"
I guess that if one is a real shark of a collector using firearms as a long term investment, then one might have a different attitude. For myself every gun is a toy first, and appreciation/depreciation doesn't much come into it. If I sell, I will only ever get out of it what someone will pay for it.
Que sera sera
If it's a unique item it comes down to "can I afford this? is this personally worth $###x to me?"
I guess that if one is a real shark of a collector using firearms as a long term investment, then one might have a different attitude. For myself every gun is a toy first, and appreciation/depreciation doesn't much come into it. If I sell, I will only ever get out of it what someone will pay for it.
Que sera sera
Well said Mark-II.
I shoot everything I buy and while I like older guns none are bought as an "investment". As to the people who say "buy new for a few bucks more" many of the guns i own are no longer in production so that really isn't an option.
Same with me. Vast majority of stuff I buy on EE isn't made anymore or in limited supply. the value calculation is a little tricky sometimes but they are unique items. Sometimes I get good deals, sometimes I'm probably overpaying a little.
I won't buy something used if I can get it new for 20-25% more.
- Location
- my heart in the blue sea
exactly.....as example, i'm eyeing a tactical sport in 9mm,but i'm not going to stretch the same amount of money ( or even 85% ) as NIB for a used gun , then i buy new instead.
Why would anyone pay the same price as new for a second hand gun if both guns are the same and readily available to the buyer?
Now if the gun has only shot a box of ammo and is in mint condition where you can't tell ( new guns get fired at the factory) and the gun is not available, and the buyer is trusted and says that the gun is a shooter, and it's a few hundred cheaper or even one hundred cheaper then new. Then what's the problem?
I've bought lightly used guns for 10-15 percent of new when I suspected that the availability might be an issue or that the prices were on the rise.
There are so many different variables but as has been pointed out already if it doesn't sell then the price is to high or the right buyer has not come along yet.
I think another issue that comes up is people today have easy access today to the lowest price available and the lowest price ever ( no longer available), other people pay more for an item because they did not shop around or they bought local and paid a premium. They then reduce what they paid for the item and list it for sale and people are offended that a used gun is the same price as the lowest ever price they saw once or even the current lower price.
When new prices go down people expect the used guns to go down which makes sense, but when the new prices go up people still expect the used prices to go down which makes less sense.
I know people that refuse to buy used items regardless of their condition or price. Different strokes and all.......
Yes that hurts. A $330 Auto 5 after tax cost me close to $400 last week.
Still, I doubt I'd find the same gun here or at a show for that price, and not without the peace of mind I got from being able to take my time in inspecting this one with no pressure or hurry. In that case the tax I'll swallow.
- Location
- Aaaaaadmontin AB
Ayup. There's that, people think they can charge as-new prices.
That - and I've been burned twice on the EE. Not badly, but some of the sellers were less than honest about the condition of the guns they sold me. When I make my next offer, it will be on condition that the seller will take the gun back if it isn't EXACTLY as described. If there are any warts on a gun I want to know about it up front.
2/3 not a very good batting average.
I hope for the sake of the rest of us you slagged his trader rating/s?
For 'milsurps', I'd suggest there's a price thing going on that may be slowing sales. Quality ones are currently being listed for very premium prices...maybe to see what the market will bear, or in the hope someone is willing to pay well now rather than wait for a cheaper one in as good a shape. This is followed by someone with a dog who lists it high based on what he just saw a 'similar' one go for. Another quality guy looks at this and sees the mismatched piece of crap listed for more than he though possible, so he prices his superior example even further up. I'm not saying these prices aren't worth it, just that this quick escalation could be cooling the market for those who saw prices almost double over a very short time.
- Location
- Aaaaaadmontin AB
No I didn't slag the seller. I wouldn't slag any of you guys either. I went to the gunsmith and got the one gun brought up to snuff and had a few other farkles and upgrades...and the other was a seller here in Edmonton. He had an old beater of a car, with a child seat in the back when we met to do the deal I saw that he was obviously hurting for money. I've been in that position myself - and it's just a chitty place to be - especially when you're young. I'm not going to kick somebody in a boat like that; and I doubt very strongly that guy sells a lot of guns. I later sold that one for a reasonable price to a close friend that likes to tinker. Today it shoots like a champ and he's spanked me at the range with it a couple of times...so it all worked out. Maybe it was just my imagination when I met him but he struck me as a good young man that was being forced to sell off his gun and wasn't doing it by choice.
It is all over the stickies, "buyer beware" and all that. It's my own fault, I have enough money to buy new and from here on out that is what I do. We all make mistakes, I don't buy or sell a lot and would hate to piss on somebody that didn't deserve it.
It is all over the stickies, "buyer beware" and all that. It's my own fault, I have enough money to buy new and from here on out that is what I do. We all make mistakes, I don't buy or sell a lot and would hate to piss on somebody that didn't deserve it.
Yeah but ... the bottom line is you stated you have had transactions with two people who misrepresented what they were selling ... I as a buyer on the EE I would want to know to steer clear of these sellers ...
