Stupid question: Why ‘Trade’ versus ‘Sale’ in classifieds.

[ma96782]

I responded tho a WTS/WTT ad, an Ishapore 2A1 listed at $425. I contacted the seller to see if he'd be interested in a Savage 69 RXL ex-cop shotty. I had a hunnerd bucks into it. He said "sure", but we were 100 miles apart. We made arrangements to meet at some common location. In Kali there's a 10 day wait, so you have to make 2 trips, Still worth it to me... but the Kali DOJ has a "Delay Delivery"clause if triggered. That ended up happening to me and the seller had to ship to my local FFL. Added another $135 to the deal, shipping & DROS. I still came out OK, but it would have been a killer deal for me other wise.

I responded to another WTT recently. Auto Ordnance Thompson for an FN49. It's still cookin. PAX

I hear you.

You should be thanking your politicians and voters of your area. They can sleep better at night because you've been denied your 21st (or whatever number >1) firearm. Yeah....imagine the lives that were saved.

Hey, all firearms owners are potential killers. And all women are potential _______. Rrrrright? Sarcasm intended.

IMHO.....
Unfortunately....things will get worst with *UBC. And new proposed legislation where there is "no time limit" for the authorities to approve/disapprove or finish a BGC.

*Note that: Your scenario, use to be conducted, without an FFL (or the Govt) sticking their nose into your private transaction.

Aloha, Mark

 

[pdx1]

Because one mans trash is another mans treasure...

 

[Knobgoblin]

Your money is funny, but barter is smarter.

I make money at work, if I need more money I work more hours.
I buy between 1 and 4 guns a month, occasionally I skip a month and sometimes I go nuts in one single day.
It's always cash. When I trade ,it's not always a "win " value wise. But I get cooler stuff in the trade game, because I have cool stuff for trade. This is where the grownups leave the kids behind. Because we've been in the game longer.

And I don't think a mossberg with brown plastic on it is worth "$400 cash, $600 trade value ".
Not every deal has to be a comeup.

 

[RVTECH]

Anyone who was trading back then knows it was pretty awesome pre-SB941.

Yep - I averaged 5-7 guns a year either buying, selling or trading (up or down), or included in other deals as well for non-gun stuff.

SB941 was a solid kick to the you know where for me.

The best way I can describe my emotion when Brownstain signed it into law was not unlike that of Ricardo Montalban quoting Cpt. Ahab from 'Moby Dick' in the final scene of 'The wrath of Kahn'
Personally I said something much worse when in private with friends......

 

[CLT65]

Because one mans trash is another mans treasure...

Very true, and I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. When you have something that you're tired of and don't value so much anymore, you're willing to trade it for something that really strikes your fancy, even if the monetary value is less. If you're on the other side of that equation, all the better for you.

I'm in a little different place myself. I really don't like the bartering/dickering game. A lot of people do, but I just don't. I've never been into high-dollar guns, but have had a lot of different stuff over the years. I can't think of anything I really want, and have more than I need. Trading just doesn't appeal to me. It doesn't bother me to have something I don't use that just sits in the back of the safe, so I don't care to trade for something unless the trade was in my favor.

I do have a rifle that a friend of mine really wants. He's offered to trade some pretty nice stuff a couple times, but 1. I like the rifle and don't want to get rid of it, 2. what he's offered in trade I don't really care for, and 3. I wouldn't feel right about taking advantage of a friend.

 

[No_Regerts]

Some guns are hard to find so maybe they are willing to wait for that specific one?

I get that, but hoping someone has the gun you want and wants your gun, seems too complicated. I'd just trade money and cut out the variables.

 

[WTC]

I get that, but hoping someone has the gun you want and wants your gun, seems too complicated. I'd just trade money and cut out the variables.

I'm just a hopeless romantic. Now excuse me while I get out the Ben and Jerry's and fire up "Sleepless in Seattle"

 

[Member 5605]

Many cash is tight but inventory is deep.

 

[gmerkt]

Example - I currently have a gun up for trade or sell and trade offers have vastly outnumbered cash offers.

Because lots of potential traders don't have any money.

the guy had a California license only. After researching the ORS, I found that there was no requirement to have a state id. Just a government issued photo id and proof of residence.

If this in reference to the AR10, the problem wouldn't be with Oregon law but California law. Bringing an AR10 into California has been illegal for years; maybe a good reason why the guy was willing to give such a favorable trade? If you bought the AR10 new, there's an audit trail.

Because one mans trash is another mans treasure...

Sometimes this. It's been my experience that trading is a device for some people to unload guns that are sub-par for one reason or another. They can't sell it for money, so they try to flog it off in a trade. Like trading in a worn-out car.

I've been buying and selling guns for my own use since 1965. I can think of only one occasion where I did a trade. Back when I was about 22 years old. We both had dogs to get rid of, we traded dogs. It's much more agreeable to me to just use money to buy what I want, when I want it. However much value money has lost over time, if you make the conversion from gun to money, then buy what you want again soon after, you're buying with like for like money. So there's no loss there.

I have traded guns for silver coins and bars before.

Trading was a whale of a lot easier when we could do private transfers without mandated FFL "facilitation."

I know it's been done, but I simply cannot imagine doing an interstate trade on something like Gunbroker.

Trading ammo and primers is a different thing; makes sense especially in an era of scarcity.

 

[JuglansRegia]

Most of us are not willing to pay over $100 per 1K of primers, but we are willing to do some trading to balance out our supply.

 

[JuglansRegia]

I get that, but hoping someone has the gun you want and wants your gun, seems too complicated. I'd just trade money and cut out the variables.

we do that too, but a lot of us have way too much money tied up in guns, ammo and accessories, sometimes its nice to get something new without having to buy it all while getting rid of something you lost interest in

 

[echo1]

I get that, but hoping someone has the gun you want and wants your gun, seems too complicated. I'd just trade money and cut out the variables.

You must not be much of a horse trader and definitely nor Portagee. It's all in the iron and wood you've got for trade fodder, and what interests you. I'm a milsurp C&R type and keep a bunch of SKS for that purpose.The last great trade I did was 2 ratty (one Bubba) SKSs ($200 ea) and 2 Big 5 91/30s ($75 ea) for an SVT40, 300 rounds ammo, and spares. He was asking $1400, but paid $350 back in the day. Three years ago. PAX

 

[aksu747]

Trading is also a way of life, I find ammo in a caliber I don't shoot anymore I have a buddy I can trade it with for ammo I do shoot. Heck I even used to trade lunch items as child back in the school days. I've done a lot of trading over the years most of which was not firearms related(though they have been my favorite trades).

 

[Kyrsen]

If this in reference to the AR10, the problem wouldn't be with Oregon law but California law. Bringing an AR10 into California has been illegal for years; maybe a good reason why the guy was willing to give such a favorable trade? If you bought the AR10 new, there's an audit trail.

Not my meaning at all. I was simply pointing out that while most retailers tell you a state ID is required, it is, in fact, not. Just some form of government ID and proof of residence within Oregon. Then I proceeded to speculate why retailers operate the way they do.

 

[Knobgoblin]

A way of life indeed.
I actually would be just fine not "needing"
Money for day to day life. That's the way things are, and we're all trained to play that game. Let's watch the dollar fall for the next 4 years. Maybe these trade games will make more sense soon.

 

[Dozer99]

Over my life time I have traded cars, trucks, horses, a tractor once and a multitude of guns (before 2015). Trade works because it keeps the governments greedy little fingers out of our pockets.

It also works because you can always add a little to either end of the deal to smooth out the transaction. Most of the time when someone comes at me with "well what would you sell it for?" I can give them a price but I am more interested it what they might have of value (paper has very little value).

Just my 2 cents.

 

[RVTECH]

My favorite response is/was when I was selling something and the buyer made me a cash offer ( and I knew they really wanted what I was selling) was:

'Well Ok, I'll take it - but can you throw something in , anything in just to help me with accepting your offer' ?

Out of this question , after accepting an offer for something, I have taken:

Vehicles (that ran)
Nice guns
Loads of firewood
Booze
Junk
Etc.

And the funny thing is the offer i accepted was what I wanted anyway for the item!

Gotta play the 'field' !

And if all they offered was something junky I took it as it is a sign of respect that I was willing to do biz with them in the future.

'Old School' 'Horse trading' is becoming a lost art as far to many people only see money in dealing with anything.

 

[RVTECH]

Another 'Horse trading' trick is when YOU are making the cash offer you pull out the cash, count it out slowly, and try to get the seller to take it out of your hand. If he does you back off several steps and look away and wait for his response.

MOST sellers when they see and 'feel' the cash are unwilling to let it go and might say yes to your offer.

Unfortunately those who are aware of this trick will not take the money in hand and will usually back off and say no, but if they do take it you most likely made the 'deal'!

 

[warsteiner]

Seems like a lot of firearms trade ads are soliciting cash offers to avoid the no auction rule. But on the other side there are some great trades in parts/accessories or non firearms items.

 

[CLT65]

Paper money has a lot of value when you have to pay a mortgage, pay doctor and orthodontist bills, gas and food. Any money spent on guns and such is a relatively insignificant percentage of day to day expenses, so for me at least, any bartering really is just a game to play.

'Old School' 'Horse trading' is becoming a lost art as far to many people only see money in dealing with anything.

I think you are absolutely right. I've noticed that myself. Throughout history, and today in many other nations, bartering and dickering has been an art form, a way to establish a value for a product and come to a mutual agreement on a price. In the modern world, we've become accustomed to walking into a store and paying the price that rings up at the checkout.

Personally (just my opinion) I'm fine with that. I don't like dickering. I'm not good at it, and don't enjoy the game. When I go to a gun show (back when they existed) and there's a table full of stuff without prices on it, and the guy says "What's it worth to you?", I tend to just move on. It's not my game and I don't want to play. Nothing against those who do.

I absolutely hate buying houses or cars. You're pretty much forced to dicker on those, or you're a fool. We've bought two of each in the last 20 years, and come out just fine each time, but I hated the process, especially houses!