Gun Show pricing for used guns

**JoshIronshaft** · November 8th, 2023, 10:32 AM

I watch auctions all the time. Many auctions and estate sales are online now. I can throw a rock in any direction and hit an auctioneer with a website. There are almost NO DEALS. That is because they are online and most auctioneers are willing to ship items. You're now competing with people all over the country. There is almost always someone willing to pay the going price or more. When I pick up local auction winnings, I usually ask what percentage of items are being shipped. The answer is usually 60-80%

The only place you find screaming deals is some word-of-mouth estate sales. Find the widow or kids who just want rid of things. Every FFL I personally know doesn't actively hunt these deals. Rather they just wait for them to walk through the door. Some people will go to an FFL to sell unwanted firearms they inherited for whatever price the FFL offers. This happens less and less due to the internet providing accurate gun values with a quick google. MOST, but not all FFLs, have good morals and won't rip off a widow. Yes, they obviously have to buy it for less than they will sell it for because they are a business. If they don't profit, they will cease to exist.

If an FFL gets something for a bargain and sells it to me for a price I am happy with, then I congratulate them. They made money, good for them. That's their goal. My goal is to get what I want at a price I can live with, so I'm happy too.

**Walleye Hunter** · November 8th, 2023, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by JoshIronshaft

I watch auctions all the time. Many auctions and estate sales are online now. I can throw a rock in any direction and hit an auctioneer with a website. There are almost NO DEALS. That is because they are online and most auctioneers are willing to ship items. You're now competing with people all over the country. There is almost always someone willing to pay the going price or more. When I pick up local auction winnings, I usually ask what percentage of items are being shipped. The answer is usually 60-80%

The only place you find screaming deals is some word-of-mouth estate sales. Find the widow or kids who just want rid of things. Every FFL I personally know doesn't actively hunt these deals. Rather they just wait for them to walk through the door. Some people will go to an FFL to sell unwanted firearms they inherited for whatever price the FFL offers. This happens less and less due to the internet providing accurate gun values with a quick google. MOST, but not all FFLs, have good morals and won't rip off a widow. Yes, they obviously have to buy it for less than they will sell it for because they are a business. If they don't profit, they will cease to exist.

If an FFL gets something for a bargain and sells it to me for a price I am happy with, then I congratulate them. They made money, good for them. That's their goal. My goal is to get what I want at a price I can live with, so I'm happy too.

I thought your goal was to have the biggest, baddest arsenal on the east coast, at all costs.

**JoshIronshaft** · November 8th, 2023, 12:35 PM

Heck I can barely compete with some others in my county!

**fritz1255** · November 12th, 2023, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by JoshIronshaft

The only place you find screaming deals is some word-of-mouth estate sales. Find the widow or kids who just want rid of things. Every FFL I personally know doesn't actively hunt these deals. Rather they just wait for them to walk through the door. Some people will go to an FFL to sell unwanted firearms they inherited for whatever price the FFL offers. This happens less and less due to the internet providing accurate gun values with a quick google. MOST, but not all FFLs, have good morals and won't rip off a widow. Yes, they obviously have to buy it for less than they will sell it for because they are a business. If they don't profit, they will cease to exist.

That's kind of what I was implying - that at least some of the used guns that I see at shows have been purchased directly from the families of recently deceased collectors for cheap. I've heard "this gun came from an estate" many times. There is obviously no money to be made if a dealer is trying to bid against individual buyers who are looking to add to their collections.

**Marines55** · November 12th, 2023, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by fritz1255

That's kind of what I was implying - that at least some of the used guns that I see at shows have been purchased directly from the families of recently deceased collectors for cheap. I've heard "this gun came from an estate" many times. There is obviously no money to be made if a dealer is trying to bid against individual buyers who are looking to add to their collections.

*This gun came from an estate* doesn*t mean that it was purchased dirt cheap. Some of us dealers are honest and will work hard for the money. Some, not so much. Keep in mind that many estate finds are consignments and the widow or beneficiary is willing to wait for the right guy on the right day with the right amount of money in his pocket. The dealer may make a small (and i do mean small) percentage of the sale and most of the time*.it isn*t worth it to be held responsible for that paperwork and serial number for the entirety of time you are in business.