Thread: pawn shops

pros and cons on buying from one?

Deja vue

How would there be a pro or con. If they have what you want at a price your willing to pay buy if not don't.

Most place I have been had horrible used price tag.

Originally Posted by Skang

Most place I have been had horrible used price tag.

Yep, I'd rather pay $20 more and get a new one.

ive got good deals from pawn shops myself

Every pawn shop in my town has stupid high price tags on mediocre guns with no history or round count.

Seem like I got good deals at pawn shops back in the late 80's. I stop by a couple of pawn ever month and it seems like the same firearms and they don't seem to drop there prices much maybe 10 buck.

i bought a few of my first guns from pawn shops just to find that i paid new prices for a used gun.
i am really done buying used guns anyhow,i find that in addition to not knowing the round count that too many people have to change this and that right out of the box then complain that the gun is a p.o.s.then you dont know how to put it back the way it was designed to fire.i have never bought a bad new gun,they have all been great right out of the box or loosened up after a few magazines but every time i buy a used gun i have to replace the parts someone thought they had to upgrade to make a great gun better somehow.
if you have to change factory parts on a new gun you need to buy the next model up,its funny when a $1000+gun wont feed right and its because a 1911 expert had to change something to make it "better".pay a few extra bucks and know the history of your new gun.

yea pawn shops have no info on the gun round count ect. high prices usually sometimes they wont even let you break it down to see if their is anything wrong with it but then again some are almost new cheap with a cheap price tag so you can find great deals but they are hard to find this day and age

I have been to three different pawn shops here in Beaverton and I experienced some shady employees. I had a badge engraved from one and they gave me such a run around.... I was not happy with the quality of service and the way they did the engraving. I don't really care to do any shopping at a pawn shop but I would use them for a FFL transfer because one is really close to where I live. As far as the prices go, I would never....NEVER give them the asking price for a product. As far as firearms go, I would much rather pay a little extra and go through a local shop and buy new. The pawn shop would have to have something very unique for me to even consider buying from them. I do however like to watch them on TV lol one word.... Chumlee aaaaaaaaahahahahahah.

If you found out later you paid too much or the gun had problems then you are guilty of an impulse purchase. If you are seriously interested in a gun in a pawn shop go look it over, ask to perform a field strip and take your time. Put it back and spend that evening 'comping' it out what what people are paying for the same thing online. Go back a few days later and look it over again, and hand it back. Really put some time and effort in this and on about visit three or four make an offer. I deal with two pawn shops exclusively and have bought several guns from them over the years and have made some very nice deals. Now you may experience the loss of a gun because you followed my advice but so what - keep going back every few weeks to see what is coming and going. I lost an older (but very nice in it's original box with paperwork) Sig 226 which was priced at $499.00 and I had planned on a $350 offer but I waited too long BUT my point is I had already did the groundwork and decided it was a quality piece and I would have probably taken it for the probable $400 counter offer which I expected but such is life. A few weeks later I scored the CZ 75BD which appeared unfired with two factory mags for $350.00. Pawn shops are not just 'stores' but are a hobby, almost something you have to make a part of your day to day life to eventually become recognized in and you will come out with some good deals.

You can guess what about they paid for the guns. For example, if one is priced at $500, they paid no more than $250. Offer them $300 for starters and see where it goes. They may rather make $50 right now that wait for a better offer to come along. The price tags are for suckers.

Good deals are usually no longer associated with Pawn Shops anymore. At least not in the Skagit County area.

Once in awhile I find something that I like.
I will make an offer and if they turn it down I will browse a little more. Then before I leave I will jot down on my business card what I am interested in with my offered price and politely hand it to them an state the offer is good for twenty-four hours. There has been a few times that it has worked.

just say'n

No there is no difference between a gun shop and a pawn shop for buying.

Both have FFL's.

Both have the ability to get new and used guns (some choose not to carry one or the other)

Both decide what their selling price is.

Both decide what their policy is for handing, inspecting, ect firearms.

The key with ANY business and ANY product is KNOW what you are buying. KNOW what you are willing to pay. If the business does not make you feel comfortable with the purchase or the ability to examine it why would you even consider buying it and from them?

The type of business has NO bering on how you will be treated or the deal you will get. The quality of the "owner" and the help is what makes the difference. There are several gun shops I will no longer even go into because of the crappy owners or help. On the other hand one of my favorite shops is a pawn shop.

The FFL I use is Dave's Gun and Pawn in Riverside. As the name states, it is more of a gun store than a pawn shop. Most pawn shops expect to haggle, most gun stores do not. If you don't like the price listed, work at getting a better price, haggle with them.

I have had more weapons shipped in to Dave's for transfer then I have purchased from them, but I have also purchased used consignment items. Just remember, on consignments, the LGS or pawn shop are not the ones that set the price.

One thing about purchasing used from a pawn shop is you can feel fairly confident the SN has already be checked to see if it was stolen.

I have gotten good deals in pawn shops when looking for long guns. At times I find myself rubbing elbows there with somewhat less then savory types but what the heck; they are probably thinking the same thing about me!

I bought an anschutz model 54 sporter from a shop for a hundred bucks years ago, even then it was a $600 gun. Over the years I will spot a shop and go in "just to check" while my wife rolls her eyes. not often, but sometimes I walk out with a deal.

It seems like I wind up using a couple of different pawn shops for gun transfers if I buy on Gunbroker.com, because they advertise the best transfer prices on Gunbroker. So naturally while I'm in there getting my gun, I have to look at the inventory, LOL. I think maybe that's why they have good transfer prices.

I got a gorgeous Winchester Defender in one while I was picking up a Gunbroker purchase. I couldn't resist, LOL.

They were really decent in dickering with me. Their asking price was too high but they wound up giving me a fair price. No complaints. They were nice about everything, too. I'd go back.

PS If I'm allowed to say, it's Medford Pawn on S. Riverside.

say pawn shop has gun X listed for $500
and you want it.
start at half of what they are asking for.