New member, first time gun owner, gun builder and attempting to sell for the first time (help/advice needed)

[red442joe]

I would be careful with that. There seems to be two kinds of buyers. Ones that don't want to insult a seller with deep haggling... so seeing a "that guys dreaming" price tag on an item... they will simply pass it over since it's not even in the realm of being in the ballpark of what they might be willing to pay.

The other is... they don't care what you "say" you want for it. They will offer a sub basement price, hope you don't get much action on it and decide to cut bait and take whatever you can get.

If most of the serious buyers are passing over your listing because your pricing is unrealistic... those bottom feeders are very likely the only action you "will" see (and probably what they are counting on).

Just sayin....

I can see that too...
Might even be guilty at times....

Joe

 

[Member 34319]

Not doubting your experience at all. I think getting a bit mixed up in the replies is selling whole vs parts and what type of "losses" I might expect. You made it clear parting out would likely be the way to go and that makes complete sense. I'm on board with that. As for the never fired, I can easily put 60 rounds through it, even record video of it, to prove everything functions and does so properly. I'm not sure if the never fired aspect matters less when selling brand new parts or not though compared to selling a whole rifle. If it matters just as much I could still test fire it to prove functionality then disassemble it for sale.

Considering some have the "pics or it doesn't exist" mentality I will upload pics of it later today.

Don't shoot anything through it. Then the parts are technically used. Most of the parts will sell at a much lower loss if they are new and in their original box. You might not get your money back on your rail, simply as it is in the attachment pattern that lost. It would be similar to trying to sell someone a brand new HDDVD player. You might get half of what you paid for it, that's if you included all of the keymod accessories with it, maybe. No one wants it anymore. I'm not even sure if anyone even makes it anymore.

 

[lwarner]

Take it completely apart and sell off the parts individually. This should also help selling the lower as you'll no longer have to deal with the WA laws on selling and buying an "assault rifle".

Otherwise, take what you think you want to sell it for and divide it by 2, that's what your likely going to be able to sell it for.

Exactly ^^^

Also: welcome! As someone who hasn't ever shot your first ever build you should know that it isn't uncommon to need a little break in or tweaking. Sometimes you can play with things like spring/buffer, for example… I'd say you are PROBABLY right that it'll work fine, but you are also overconfident. I've built plenty and I sure wouldn't offer any guarantees on an unfired rifle even though they all work great now.
A consumer buying a 1k rifle has the shop he purchased from and the manufacturer to fall back on in the event something isn't quite right.
I agree with Reno among others here.

 

[Nate_88]

Okay folks, this is my big response. I could only do little ones from my phone today because I was busy. I've included pictures below I just took of everything that I have at my location, with the rest being in storage.

As for all the comments, thank you so much to the community for all of the helpful replies! What I am seeing in the comments is a lot of people recommending I attempt to sell the rifle in two parts; as a complete upper and as a complete lower. I am seeing some say it having not been shot is a negative because then even I can't tell perspective buyers that I know it works. Others are saying the value in the upper is in it being "new" in that it hasn't even had a single round go through it.

I think a lot of commenters are thinking, and it might be my fault, I'm not sure, that I think I can just sell this rifle build as a whole and someone is gonna come offer $1,000 for it. Or, that I think I can make back 90-100% of what I bought for it no matter how I sell it. That is absolutely not the case. If I didn't before your comments, I most definitely recognize now the fact that odds are longggggggggggggggg that I sell it complete. I'd be competing against new $600 budget and $1,xxx name brand complete rifles that come with manufacture warranties.

Mentioned in here and somewhere else was the possibility of checking with some gun stores, like DJ's in Bothell (coincidentally I got the lower through their FFL) and seeing if there is any interest in a consignment sale. It's also worth mentioning that a lot of people read "first time builder built his AR15" and might have assumed I did things I didn't in order to build it. I bought a complete upper from BCM and a stripped lower from Aero. I put the LPK into the lower, connected the lower and upper, slid in the pivot pin, put the buffer tube into the stock, connected the stock to the rifle and I was done.

If proof of the lower being functional is needed/recommended to not turn off interested parties but the upper should stay virgin, then I can most likely find someone with an AR who I can attach my lower to their upper, fire some rounds and confirm it's functional. Similar to how if I needed to prove the whole thing functions in order for an interested party to pay, I could go a range and prove its functionality.

As for what I will do. I put a feeler out to a family member into guns and he said he knows someone interested in buying an AR, so we'll see if I get extremely lucky. If that doesn't work out I'll call/visit DJ's and ask about the consignment option. If that doesn't work out, I think it makes most sense to create a post in the classifieds section for my complete upper (including all KeyMod accessories), a post for my complete lower and a post with the list of accessories (minus the mags & coupler due to WA laws) with prices and see if there is ever any interest. As I get messages and responses I will be able to gauge how accurate or inaccurate my pricing is of said items.

Again, thank you for all of your advice and recommendations. This has been a great first interaction with the NWFA community. Besides that one tangent that got very meme-y. Lol. Something about eggs, idk. If you have any more tips, advice or recommendations I'd still love to read them. If not, y'all have been helpful.

 

[lwarner]

Here is a different perspective. The value of owning any firearm is greater than the sum of it's parts. It gives you freedom from tyranny and the right and ability to defend and protect yourself. You can't sell that only give it away. Are you sure this is what you want to do? I know if I built my first gun I'd be proud as a peacock and want to show it off to my other gun buddies, and shoot it to compare to the others. I'm competitive by nature so I'd want my build to be better than stock and would keep tinkering until it was "just right". Of the guns I own my favorites are the ones I've made mine with different pieces and parts including figuring out the loads they like best.

Great post, I love this perspective

 

[Certaindeaf]

The magazines I'm fine with, eating ~$50 isn't an issue.

Are you assuming the AR is worth 5/600 bucks parted out or complete?

I mean, if I disassemble it and sell it (brand new, never used, open box) for 80% of the MSRP I'm making more than 5/600 bucks. Complete lower (lower, ambi catch, LPK, trigger guard) for $199 instead of $267. Upper (I imagine I gotta discount it more cause it's KeyMod and not M-LOK or just throw in the KeyMod accessories for free) for $600-$699 instead of $762, stock + buffer + end plate for $120 instead of $157 and the charging handle for $70 instead of $85. So that's ~$1,000 of $1,271.

Now that might sound optimistic, and it easily could be, specifically with the URG and it being KeyMod. However, new Aero stripped lowers are still $120-$135 new. Magpul STR stocks are $85 new. Raptor ambi charging handles are $95 new. BCM 16" URG's with 15" handguards are $780 new. Aero LPK's are still $50 new. So everything I bought 5+ years ago is either the same price or more expensive now. You're telling me if I list them, never used once, for legit savings I won't sell them until they are listed at 50% off? I'd have to sell the brand new URG for $350 when I paid $762 and MLOK BCM's are going for $780 new? What gun builders are gonna see a brand new BCM URG for ~$100 off and say "nah"? Getting a complete $267 lower for $68 off? I'm genuinely asking if the second hand buyers market is THAT stingy and only makes an offer if you list parts for 50% of their value. Specifically new parts, not "8,000 rounds used" or something.

You're really overthinking this. The number of grey hairs this must have caused you I'd recommend tossing it in the creek and calling it good.

 

[spookshack]

I'd buy that rifle just for the A2 grip.
















No, not really……

 

[fredball]

Welcome Aboard

 

[Knobgoblin]

This kid Nate is refreshing. Came in here all brand new and just ran the gauntlet like a champ. Way to go, roll with the punches.

 

[Mikej]

This kid Nate is refreshing. Came in here all brand new and just ran the gauntlet like a champ. Way to go, roll with the punches.

Kind of thinking like that myself! It takes all kinds of folks to make a great forum. We got 'em!

 

[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[kmk1012]

This kid Nate is refreshing. Came in here all brand new and just ran the gauntlet like a champ. Way to go, roll with the punches.

Pretty well spoken for a new one though, very well taught on laws, uppers, lowers, and more. I'm impressed as this is the best, most informed new member in recent history.

 

[kmk1012]

Pretty well spoken for a new one though, very well taught on laws, uppers, lowers, and more. I'm impressed as this is the best, most informed new member in recent history.

Meaning, my skepticism is very high lately.

 

[Nate_88]

Pretty well spoken for a new one though, very well taught on laws, uppers, lowers, and more. I'm impressed as this is the best, most informed new member in recent history.

Thanks for all the love y'all.

I'm a long time tech enthusiast whose spent his fair amount of time on Hardforum. My style is to do serious research on parts, make the purchase and build the PC's myself. With a preference of always finding the best bang for buck parts. That's likely the reason for my well being well spoken. If you're experienced on one forum you're experienced on them all.

I've also spent a lot of time consuming gun content, from video games to watching shooters on YouTube who use guns, review guns, and when preparing to buy the AR I watched a ton of AR15 how-to's in order to learn as much as I could. All of which contribute to my basic understanding of the laws, parts and so on. I'm that guy who researches a ton, dives into the forums to ask for opinions and then makes the purchase. Basically the same thing as this post except I'm trying to sell this time, not purchase. Lol.

 

[thebigbaby]

Meaning, my skepticism is very high lately.