Selling Pistols

[Taz]

I have been playing with different models and fine tuning my likes and dislikes through this process I have purchased some Pistols that just do not fit my goals. My question is what is the best way to sell pistols. Dealer Trade, Consignment, Gun Brocker(Have not sold there so no rep). So someone like me who has not sold pistols how do I get the best price or should I say fair price.
Thanks for any help.
Don

[eXceLon]

You could head over to the classifieds section of this very forum.

I would probably do that first to try and find a local buyer just to avoid the hassle and extra costs, before resorting to some other option. Everything else is probably going to cost you more in the transaction, for shipping as well as for listing fees at places like gunbroker.

Just remember that in PA you have to go through an FFL for handgun transfers, even if it's a person to person transaction.

[Taz]

Originally Posted by eXceLon

You could head over to the classifieds section of this very forum. I would probably do that first to try and find a local buyer just to avoid the hassle and extra costs, before resorting to some other option.

Just remember that in PA you have to go through an FFL for handgun transfers, even if it's a person to person transaction.

So if I sold through the classfied here I would have to ship to a FFL or have my FFL(Dealer) ship or both.
Sorry for the simple questions

[Shawn.L]

Originally Posted by Taz

So if I sold through the classfied here I would have to ship to a FFL or have my FFL(Dealer) ship or both.
Sorry for the simple questions

yep.

must go through an FFL for the party recieving in the recievers state. Some of those FFL's will take delivery from you directly, some wont. But shipping a pistol legally is a whole notha issue and it is usually (or has been for me) cheaper and easier to have it shipped through my FFL.

[imperialism2024]

Well, you could just give them all to me. I'll even pay to do the transfers at your local FFL.

[eXceLon]

Originally Posted by Taz

So if I sold through the classfied here I would have to ship to a FFL or have my FFL(Dealer) ship or both.

Since you live in Pennsylvania and we are talking about handguns, the simple answer is that any transaction is going to need to go through a licensed dealer.

You can still do a face to face local transaction, you would just need to meet with the buyer at a gun shop who is willing to do the paperwork for the transaction. You'll have to pay a fee to the FFL, but I couldn't tell you what the typical cost would be.

Sorry for the simple questions

No worries. Better to ask than make a mistake that could get you in trouble. There is also some good information in the sticky at the top of the firearms classified section I linked you before.

[ranger7]

Originally Posted by Taz

I have been playing with different models and fine tuning my likes and dislikes through this process I have purchased some Pistols that just do not fit my goals. My question is what is the best way to sell pistols. Dealer Trade, Consignment, Gun Brocker(Have not sold there so no rep). So someone like me who has not sold pistols how do I get the best price or should I say fair price.
Thanks for any help.
Don

I just sold off some of my collection that no longer met my needs/wants. I use consignment sale at local dealers. A lot depends on the dealer and his policies. All the dealers I use charge 10% commission. (Some others get 15 or 20%.) Some have a $20 minimum so if you have an inexpensive gun that only sells for $100 then you still pay $20.

A couple of my dealers sell their new and used guns at low prices. I set the price on the guns I sell but if it is more than the dealer's usual price, it may not sell. Some dealers go to gun shows and take your consignment guns so they get a wider audience, but that doesn't always guarantee better sales. If you decide to sell through a local dealer ask if he allows buyers to put the guns on layaway. Layaway makes the guns more attractive to more buyers but can delay the sale for 30 days or more. Some dealers will allow you to specify "No Layaways" on your guns, others won't.

Most of my dealers will also buy guns outright or apply the gun as a trade on something else. One of my dealers tells customers that he will only give them 60% of the value (his idea of the value) of their used gun, if he buys it outright because his money is tied up until the gun sells. If you sell it on consignment you get 90% of your price but you have to wait til it's sold to get the money.

You should also ask about your options if the gun doesn't sell. Most of my dealers allow you to take it back anytime (unless it's on layaway). You will probably have to pay what the dealer charges for the instant check paperwork - anywhere from $5 to $20. My dealers only charge $5. (You have to go through instant check to get your own gun back as the gun is legally the dealer's when you put it on consignment.) If the gun sells, the buyer, not you, pays for the instant check.

[QuakertownRich]

Originally Posted by eXceLon

try and find a local buyer just to avoid the hassle and extra costs, before resorting to some other option. Everything else is probably going to cost you more in the transaction, for shipping as well as for listing fees at places like gunbroker.

If you do it right, it doesn't cost all that much. My FFL charges $20 to ship a handgun to another FFL. So, when I advertise the gun, I put in the ad "Shipping from my FFL to yours is $20". The buyer ALWAYS pays the xfer fees, so no worries there. I've bought and sold guns from Hawaii to Maine with no problems. As for gunbroker(not gun brocker) I've bought and sold quite a few from there as well. When you list, and dont' go crazy with the xtras, it works out to around $11 for a $300 gun, only had one gun that didn't sell on gunbroker after a week. These options are WAY more cost effective than selling to a local shop, where they'll screw ya.

[Xringshooter]

Taz, you're in Ohio, you will have to meet Ohio laws if you sell it to someone in Ohio. If you sell it to someone in another state it will have to be shipped to a FFL to do the transfer. If the receiving FFL will accept it from a non FFL (you) then you will have to ship the handgun(s) via common carrier (UPS, FedEx, whoever will ship for you). You, as a non FFL cannot ship a handgun using USPS, that option is reserved for FFL to FFL only.

You can advertise here in the classifieds, on an online auction, in a nationwide papers (Shotgun News, etc.), and your local newspapers/bargain hunter papers. The classifieds here at PaFOA reach a pretty big audience.

Selling to a dealer will bring less money as they won't give you what it is worth because they will be reselling it and have to make their profit.

Consignment will also lower what you get also as the seller will get a cut of the selling price.

Dealer trade would be the second best after an private sale as many dealers will give you a better price if you are going to buy something from them as they then make a profit on both guns sold, abet a smaller amount on the gun you trade.

[Taz]

Thanks for all the help. Answered a lot of my questions. I think I will start here first I am new but can provide different references plus people know where to find me from my signature.
Thanks again guys, don