Just had a very questionable gun selling experience. Any advice?

You didn't do anything wrong, so what's the issue? If he flakes out, your up $100.

As far as the LGS, I wouldn't do business with a shop that won't give you 75% of what they are going to sell them for, and be up front about it.

 

I don't see anything wrong, no laws or anything.
Taking a deposit on a potential gun sale is perfectly fine.

Me, I don't do sales with people I do not know, or know their reputation,
if those two are missing then a CC only, minus that I wont.

Why you ask?
Its more rare then a gold penny, but I would not want to sell a gun to someone legally that used it in a bad thing later.
I know its rare, but its just me, kinda like selling my old truck, passed on allot of money for my truck based solely because they
didn't respect the truck, and or I didn't like them. I know many are hey their money is green i'm good, me its just how I am wired I guess. But thats another story for DR Phil lol

 

Sounds like the same shop that I avoid like the plague even though its within walking distance of my house.

As for the guy asking about the sale, I dont think it's too weird.
He overheard them lowballing you and was interested. Pretty simple really. I've done it at gun shows,garage sales,swap meets,etc.
As long as he does the BGC,no big deal.

 

I would ONLY sell to him, not someone else. That would seem like he needed to find a straw buyer. It may be that he has something on consignment to sell first or is waiting for a CC permit to do the pistol purchase. I tried to sell to a guy ONCE who didn’t have a CC permit and left the gun at a store pending the BGC, which was 100 miles from home. He failed and I had to go it and have another BGC to get my gun back from the FFL.

 

I agree with @STUKA, likely a fella who knows pawn shops that low-ball, and lays in wait for someone who's got desirable items, and after they've been offered a bad deal, they offer a better one.
Done it myself as well.

 

Sounds like a win-win. I see nothing "shady" about it whatsoever.

 

Why didn't you just go right back into the LGS and do a BCG on the spot?

I don't see anything shady here … all you did was take a deposit, no transaction has occurred. If I was in the tall guys shoes and saw someone trying to sell something I'm interested in I'd approach you as well.

 

Nothing shaddy with that deal. You would get money you wanted and he would get the guns cheaper than the gun store would have resold them for. Shoulda ran back inside and finished everything up haha

 

Ive done the opposite saw some one bring in a firearm, and I bought it from the store minutes later if I recal, but was something I was looking for.

 

I think that particular store......might charge like $50.00, or more for the transfer. I'd be a bit creeped out if some total stranger came at me like that. Selling/buying from folks here seems different being there's the rating system and all. Did dude say how long you're supposed to hold the guns for him?

Money market Pawn on Powell at 120th or so charges $30.00 out the door.

 

Some years ago I was hangin' in a Portland pawn shop sniffin" around. A guy comes in with a fly rod, split bamboo, hand fashioned, (some guy in Dunsmuir) and in perfect shape. He asked the counter guy for $10 and they offered $5. He left with me right behind. I whipped a $10 out and handed it over, right in front of the pawn shop door. It's a beauty and I still have it.

 

Ya, it’s a little weird to take a deposit for a private transaction, but not super weird. As long as he pays the rest and passes a background check, I’d be fine with it.

The whole getting freaked out about the dealer offering nearly 1/2 the value for your guns. That’s called business. Most FFLs are in the business of buying low and selling high. What good would it do the dealer to buy your guns from you at market value? Where would they make any money?

 

Standard rate for a reputable dealer is 75% of potential sale price like I said.

They would probably resell those two guns for around $400 each, so the offer should be around $600 for the pair.

 

I've bought several guns over the years from people in gun stores that didn't like what they were offered by the store. Once the deal with the store is dead it's fair game. All it ever took was asking how much they were looking for out of it and usually it wasn't much more than they had been offered. Of course I've never been mistaken for bigfoot either though.

 

$700 for both!! Thats a smoking price!
I would have paid more.
No wonder the guy jumped on it.

 

I bought a gun case that way once. Fellow brought an AR into a gun store trying to sell it. Store owner had literally hundreds of ARs in the store - he'd just made a bulk purchase. He told the guy that he really couldn't give him a good price for it and didn't want the case at all. It was a nice case - not a Pelican but still really well made. Eventually the guy sold the rifle to the store at a sadly low price. On his way out I asked him what he would take for the case. He said he didn't know. I said I have $40 in cash right here. He said what about $60. I said sure. The case was easily worth $80 used - it was pristine and still had the tags on it. My friend the store owner didn't bat an eye. Just told us to complete the transaction outside the store. He's not shy - If it wasn't cool he'd have said something. So I think as long as the guy can pass a background check and doesn't say or do anything to make you think it's an illegal sale, go for it.