BEFORE you die...

[Trekseattle]

Estate liquidation woes.
This post is twofold
1: Guns and ammo liquidated or gifted before you die. You know what you have, you know values, you have spent a lifetime building relationships with dealers other gun enthusiasts etc. and can get the best value to leave to your loved ones.

2: I feel I can't trust anyone, laws, sharky dealers, it's like everyone smells blood in the water. I'm shocked, a little worried (liability, safety, etc) and don't want to be taken advantage of.

2b: investment. He always said it's his hobby but also an investment. I'm starting to disagree. Unless you are a dealer, buying and selling for profits, or you collected when you could buy for 10 cents and now those guns are worth thousands, it looks like you get pennies on the dollar when you sell. Especially if you leave it for your elderly Wife, or other family to deal with. Honestly I'm a little upset at the burden he put on my mom, because she is saddled with major legal ramifications now.

Who do people turn to, whom they can trust ?

I did a few searches and couldn't find any threads on this topic.

My father passed a few years ago. He was a hoarder and reclusive, my mother is a hoarder.

I'm tasked with a massive job of trying to not be taken advantage of while not knowing a single thing about guns.
Who do you trust? A 30 cents on the dollar pawn/gun shop?


Frustrated a tad bit mad at the situation.

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[Snip]

Regarding guns, I'd take them to somewhere that can consign for you. They can set the price, but they don't make money until the gun is sold. It will cost you a fee (5-25%?) Some guns will be worth it, others not. Worst case is you can get an Amazon card with the police buybacks.

 

[1911Fanatic]

Post some pictures of the guns you want to sell here and there is also a gun values site that will give you the used value of each firearm, but you have to know the make, model, year, caliber, etc. there are many here who would be glad to help you determine value without pressing you to sell it to them.

 

[Tlock]

Just depends on how much time you want to invest. Consignment might be your best bet.....pawnshops are a rip off. Gunbroker if you have high value firearms

 

[1911Fanatic]

I should also say that anything in the collection that has been banned or restricted can still be sold out of state, outside of Washington.

 

[kmk1012]

People are always looking to take advantage of someone for money. Greed is the root of all evil. There are some very trustworthy people here who are knowledgeable about values and current markets. You are pretty far away from me but I've helped several others get good value on what they were trying to offload. Does anything have sentimental value to you first and foremost. If not, local gun shop may charge a nominal fee to appraise the firearms and even other things to go along with them. That'd be a good start. May want to ask here if there's anyone who has experience with sla shop in your area. Good luck!

 

[Koda]

I'm tasked with a massive job of trying to not be taken advantage of while not knowing a single thing about guns.
Who do you trust?

twofold answer. 1) don't beat yourself up over this its not your fault and estate liquidation doesn't have to mean you "have" to get the best deal. 2) you can trust this forum, very knowledgeable core group here that enjoy discussing values and what to do and nobody here is profiting from such discussions. If you take the time to ask you will get some legit answers.

 

[jbett98]

Here's an internet website that's easy to navigate. They show recent sales of all types of guns.

True Gun Value | New and Used Gun Prices, Values, and For Sale

Check gun prices and values when buying and selling new or used guns. Find guns for sale.

truegunvalue.com

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I don't understand who passed away and who's responsible for what from your post. But assuming you want to sell guns that you don't know much about, it's very simple. Find a respected and honest dealer who does consignments. Before you go to talk to them about what should the asking prices be, research true gun values or ask here. That way you already know what ballpark they should be listed at.

If you were in Portland area for example you could take them to adaptive firing solutions and determine how long you want to wait to sell. Asking top dollar they will sit. Medium they will take some time to sell. A little in the low side and they will probably be sold in days. I would find the equivalent dealer in your area. Ask around to find what dealer fits that bill.

A side benefit of talking to the dealer they will tell you if any guns are now restricted in WA state and must be sold out of state. Some dealers can sell out of state for you. If not, list those out of state guns with username locustfork on gun broker. They charge a low consignment fee and it will sell pretty fast. Really the only homework you have to do is find a respected dealer and research rough gun values before you go. Then you go back and collect the $. It's pretty simple.

 

[Joe13]

Estate liquidation woes.
This post is twofold
1: Guns and ammo liquidated or gifted before you die. You know what you have, you know values, you have spent a lifetime building relationships with dealers other gun enthusiasts etc. and can get the best value to leave to your loved ones.

2: I feel I can't trust anyone, laws, sharky dealers, it's like everyone smells blood in the water. I'm shocked, a little worried (liability, safety, etc) and don't want to be taken advantage of.

2b: investment. He always said it's his hobby but also an investment. I'm starting to disagree. Unless you are a dealer, buying and selling for profits, or you collected when you could buy for 10 cents and now those guns are worth thousands, it looks like you get pennies on the dollar when you sell. Especially if you leave it for your elderly Wife, or other family to deal with. Honestly I'm a little upset at the burden he put on my mom, because she is saddled with major legal ramifications now.

Who do people turn to, whom they can trust ?

I did a few searches and couldn't find any threads on this topic.

My father passed a few years ago. He was a hoarder and reclusive, my mother is a hoarder.

I'm tasked with a massive job of trying to not be taken advantage of while not knowing a single thing about guns.
Who do you trust? A 30 cents on the dollar pawn/gun shop?


Frustrated a tad bit mad at the situation.

Your dad did you a disservice by not teaching you about guns - I'm willing to bet there is history and guns he really loved.

Having said that my condolences for your loss.

IMO - gun laws could continue to go down hill and I would sell everything else before I sold even a single gun.

Keep it in the family and keep passing them down. You never know, it might become a hobby for you and you just do not know it yet.

My daughter is not into guns so my grandkids (male or female) will inherit all of my guns and safes to store them in with a list of what is there, where I got it and what it means/meant to me.

I have my dads guns, his dads guns, his dads guns and my moms dads guns. There is a lot of history there.

AND yes, I put my wife thru the end of getting her degree by selling off a lot of my guns and I didn't loose a dime on any of it. If anything I made money.

Think long and hard about selling your dads firearms - there are to many people on this forum that have posted they greatly regret having done so.

 

[Dsj1911]

I would recommend a reputable consignor like Lock stock and barrel.

I say this because they know guns and they will properly appraise your gun and create professional ads . They are reputable and people from across the country buy from them.

No matter who sells your guns for you, they're going to make some money. So what you can control is finding somebody who will properly appraise and market these guns.. Consignors that has a national buyer base would be high on my list as well.

 

[arakboss]

What happens with my junk including firearms after I die is not much of a concern. I am not going to be looking down on earth and getting upset that my wife sold my stuff for pennies on the dollar. My wife could sell my entire collection for $1 and I will be none the wiser, if I am dead.

I can see if you had pets, children, or other family that relied on you being alive, that you would want them taken care after you passed. Guns won't care and neither will you if your dead.

I have done zero estate planning thus far and firearms will be the least of my worries.

I know some people treat inanimate objects like people but thankfully I am not one of them.

 

[Lilhigbee]

Call Alex @alelord at AL Ammo in Vancouver. A straight shooter and honest dealer. A bit of a drive for you, but well worth it in the end!! He's a member here and will treat you right.

Here's a thread about your exact problem with my recommendation for Alex as well as a number of others and the OPs experience;
https://www.northwestfirearms.com/t...at-it-is-all-worth.511633/page-2#post-4111700

https://alammollc.godaddysites.com

 

[nwslopoke]

Also consider trading some as a package for something of value to you or at least something you have knowledge of.

 

[P7M13]

Call Alex @alelord at AL Ammo in Vancouver. A straight shooter and honest dealer. A bit of a drive for you, but well worth it in the end!! He's a member here and will treat you right.

Here's a thread about your exact problem with my recommendation for Alex as well as a number of others and the OPs experience;
https://www.northwestfirearms.com/t...at-it-is-all-worth.511633/page-2#post-4111700

https://alammollc.godaddysites.com

+1

 

[Aught Six]

Before we die, we are selling the house next summer, buying an RV and getting the blank of the left coast.
Everything will be sold, what we carry is what we have.

 

[Carguy]

I know how you feel. I've been working with the families of two of my friends that passed in the last two years. It's a long slow process, as I'm trying to do the best I can for them, and I'm not taking a dime. It's made me realize I don't want to do the same thing to someone else. As soon as I'm done with both estates, I'm starting on thinning out my stuff. I have hard to find parts for cars I haven't owned in 20 years. It'd be a shame for them to just go to the dump.

 

[drstrangelove]

+1 on Alex (@alelord)
We became friends years ago when he was just launching his FFL business. I deal with people who are getting old and need to divest guns and they would ask me if I wanted to buy many times. I suggested to Alex that he branch into estate sales, and behold, he has become one of the best, most respected, and fair estate sale FFLs in WA. Give him a call. +1 (360) 931-0464

 

[The Heretic]

Post some pictures of the guns you want to sell here and there is also a gun values site that will give you the used value of each firearm, but you have to know the make, model, year, caliber, etc. there are many here who would be glad to help you determine value without pressing you to sell it to them.

This. Most people here will give you decent feedback on firearms that you need an estimated value for. Then once you have that feedback you can post a classifieds ad, or find some other venue.

Bear in mind, estimated value can vary a lot depending on the firearm itself. Brand, options, condition, market and a number of other criteria can mean a large difference in value.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

Having been around a couple times with folks in your situation I have a few thoughts
Times like this bring out the best and worst in families, if there is anyone you are unsure if you can trust, you can not trust them
Despite how much something may have meant to the dearly departed, there are things that realistically have no better option than the trash, notably World Book Encyclopedias, TV Guides and newspapers
Prescription meds should be secured and disposed of at one of the medical drop boxes immediately and everyone should know that they are gone.
For things of obvious but unsure value (firearms, jewelry, collectable glassware, and so on) you should secure, document and organize them as quickly as you can. Cell phone photos are fine, but the more organized things are the easier they will be to deal with
Fully agree with posting photos here asking for advice on general value, you will also likely receive offers should you do that. If you do be sure to check out the members profile for Feedback score before you agree to any offers