Trade In or Sell Outright?

[Miclou]

Hey all, I have used the classifieds here to sell several firearms over the years, but with things getting busy lately, I don't have time to go through the hassle of a private sale currently.

In the South Sound/Pierce/Kitsap/Mason counties, is there anywhere you recommend to sell lightly used guns, or any places you would suggest that would offer fair trade in value? I would happily give up a portion of maximum value for convenience.

Let me know! Thanks!

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[ilikegunspdx]

Hey all, I have used the classifieds here to sell several firearms over the years, but with things getting busy lately, I don't have time to go through the hassle of a private sale currently.

In the South Sound/Pierce/Kitsap/Mason counties, is there anywhere you recommend to sell lightly used guns, or any places you would suggest that would offer fair trade in value? I would happily give up a portion of maximum value for convenience.

Let me know! Thanks!

Don't know about your area but I would find an ffl with high foot traffic that does consignments. You pay a percentage to them for the service and you do nothing except collect the $ after it sells. Don't overprice it would be my advise. Some FFLs will buy it outright but you may not be happy with their offer.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Consign and wait it out.
Nothings going for fair market value around here lately.

 

[Barfly]

Maybe find someone to buy everything from you all at once? Just a thought. It might make things easier on you.

 

[User 1234]

It all depends how desirable your item is, and whether you are willing to accept 2025 market value.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Had no problem at all selling guns recently. All via consignment. One took 3 weeks. The next three took 1 day. The one after that took 4 days. All at prices higher than advertised on this forum. I brought them in weeks apart and all sold one at a time. That's why I say put a fair price on it and if has lots of foot traffic they will sell pretty easily. If they are overpriced they will sit.

 

[echo1]

In years past I never sold any guns. Then in 2018-19 I couldn't pass on the plague buying frenzy, but I wasn't greedy and let my stuff go at recduced and/or realistic pricing. When SKSs where flying of the shelves at $750, I let mine go for $650 each or 3 or $1500. The 1st 3 fellas bought or horse traded for 10, and I let 3 Belgian A5s got for $750 each to one fella in NC, they'd had recoil pads installed, the FN butt plate removed and needed new barrels for steel shot.PAX

 

[NeoBlackdog]

There's a gal on GunBroker that goes by the user name Locust Fork. Look her up. She's one of their top 100 sellers and will get you top dollar for your guns.

 

[echo1]

Whatcha got? PAX

 

[Member 55555]

I have used "Lock, Stock & Barrel" in Simi Valley California. They take collections and put them on "GunBroker" at auction. They examine, research and photograph the items and start them at 1¢, but they always go for fair market.
They take 25%, which I believe to be fair.
I have bid on many of their auctions at, what I thought was a fair price, only to be out-bid.

 

[Sxsnuf]

There's a gal on GunBroker that goes by the user name Locust Fork. Look her up. She's one of their top 100 sellers and will get you top dollar for your guns.

I sold a tec 9 through her (Kasey) for 2x what people were asking on NWFA. The sellers here were getting 0 interest in their pistols and she sold mine in 10 days. Penny start, no reserve auctions, let the market decide what your item is worth. Can't recommend her highly enough! 10% commission is MUCH less than most.

 

[Sxsnuf]

I have used "Lock, Stock & Barrel" in Simi Valley California. They take collections and put them on "GunBroker" at auction. They examine, research and photograph the items and start them at 1¢, but they always go for fair market.
They take 25%, which I believe to be fair.
I have bid on many of their auctions at, what I thought was a fair price, only to be out-bid.

25%????
OUCH!

 

[Member 86767]

That 25% is interesting. We consign and sell a lot of guns on Gunbroker, that's kinda my end of the job. We package and ship and sell for 15%, gunbroker takes 6% etc. Those Lot, Stock and Barrel type places do get a premium because of their popularity on gunbroker, but do they get 10% more than us on everything, probably not. What did it cost to ship those guns to Simi Valley, CA, do you have to ship them, how would that work? I am sure not everyone will put your stuff on GB for you, it just happens to be something the owner has in his business plan where I work. Not usually a service from your locl mom and pop or pawn and gun.

We operate fairly small and we sell a lot of guns that belong to the shop, stuff the owner has bought, etc. The consignments we take on we are sure to discuss with the owner what his expectations are for price, and if the price reflects current market value. It makes things difficult sometimes, customers sometimes do not understand that most guns will de-preciate from new, even if they are unfired. If you are trying to sell your M1A SOCOM for example, you may be disappointed. They are still being produced, often go on sale at guns.com and other places, plus there are a zillion out there. This is the case with a large number of guns produced in the last 20 years. There are some exotic jewels in the last 20 years don't get me wrong, but they are the exception not the rule.

Classic and collectible guns are different of course, but these operate on their own rhythm as well. I call it the Mike Wolfe Syndrome. For example, I bought a Browning High Power C series exactly three years ago, new in the rug with papers from 1973 for $800, a great deal at the time, within six months the C series were going for twice that and T Series examples in similar condition could be almost three times that $800. Buuuut, and this is a big butt (haha see what I did there?), a year later they were back down to more like $1100 for the one like mine and they pretty much have stayed like that except when two junkies got to fighting over one on GB. Mike Wolf Syndrome, some big youtube gun guy "discovers" the BHP does a video and all the newbies, young guys and enthusiasts drive the price up. Three months later, prices stabilize and a lot of guys have paid too much, lost interest and don't understand why we can't put it on gunbroker and make his money back plus our 15%. Prices always stabilize to the lower number, not the higher one.

Blah blah blah, GET A GUNBROKER ACCOUNT and track CLOSED auctions, track how many guns like yours are selling on one day or a another. If you type in active auctions your firearm and 142 pages come up, you do NOT have anything special. Maybe shoot the ones you have more, spend more on ammo and less on a new one. Pay $800 then have $400 worth of fun with it, then sell it for $400, it will probably sell at that price, and you will have gotten your use and fun out of it.

I am talking to myself more than anyone but I do work at a gun store and I see the heartbreak every week at least when a guy thinks his Thompson Contender with one oddball barrel is worth $1500 "because two guys were asking that for theirs" on GB.

Nuff said by me.

 

[echo1]

Many newbs think their stuff is gold because they paid too much. You have to be realistic if you want to move items. I never sold any guns I picked up, but back during the plague panic buying frenzy, I couldn't help myself. When SKSs were flying off the shelves here in Kali for $750, I priced mine at $650 each or 3 for $1500. Within 2 days of posting on Calguns I sold or traded 10 to 3 fellas (3 went to a guy in exchange for a Luxembourg FN49 he was asking $2400 for). After the initial surge, I moved singles over the next 18 months 15 total in a couple years, most C&R, some dupes and parts builds. Since I'd had my rifles for decades, I didn't get hurt. Don't be greedy with pie-in-the-sky expectations for run of the mill iron. If you paid too much to bad for you. PAX
Some of the ones that went away

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Many newbs think their stuff is gold because they paid too much. You have to be realistic if you want to move items. I never sold any guns I picked up, but back during the plague panic buying frenzy, I couldn't help myself. When SKSs were flying off the shelves here in Kali for $750, I priced mine at $650 each or 3 for $1500. Within 2 days of posting on Calguns I sold or traded 10 to 3 fellas (3 went to a guy in exchange for a Luxembourg FN49 he was asking $2400 for). After the initial surge, I moved singles over the next 18 months 15 total in a couple years, most C&R, some dupes and parts builds. Since I'd had my rifles for decades, I didn't get hurt. Don't be greedy with pie-in-the-sky expectations for run of the mill iron. If you paid too much to bad for you. PAX

And many people think theor gun is worth a fortune just because they own it. Fe recently a guy said he bought a Winchester lever action for $2900 and it's worth $18,000 because it's the rarest caliber. Well you can search online and find 5 of them in similar condition for $2800-$3100 (I did just that). There is what people think their gun/other property is worth, and then there is the real-world market value (ie what other people will pay for it). Sometimes they are no where close to the same. And if you are selling a gun the only thing worth paying attention to is the actual market value, not some imaginary value.

And there is of course what a gun is worth to you personally, which of course can be different than its market value. Fe sentimental, unique history that you care about but no one else really does, really hard for you to replace that exact gun, etc.

 

[Miclou]

I'm convinced no one even read my post.

I don't have a collection to offload, I'm only selling two. I don't think my guns are worth a premium. I am simply asking for recommendations for somewhere to sell or trade them fairly.

I even mentioned I am fine with forgoing value for convenience.

Why respond to a post when you're not even bothering to respond to the post?

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I'm convinced no one even read my post.

I don't have a collection to offload, I'm only selling two. I don't think my guns are worth a premium. I am simply asking for recommendations for somewhere to sell or trade them fairly.

I even mentioned I am fine with forgoing value for convenience.

Why respond to a post when you're not even bothering to respond to the post?

What chu talkin bout Willis? Most posts answered your question directly and gave you options. Why the hell are you whining? Maybe you should figure it out in your own if you don't take the advice of many wise posters above. I learned a lot reading their posts personally and I appreciate those responses.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

I'm convinced no one even read my post.

I don't have a collection to offload, I'm only selling two. I don't think my guns are worth a premium. I am simply asking for recommendations for somewhere to sell or trade them fairly.

I even mentioned I am fine with forgoing value for convenience.

Why respond to a post when you're not even bothering to respond to the post?

I sold two guns through Locust Fork, separated by about a year. One, uno, 1 at a time. She'll take what you've got and do it as good as any and better than most.

 

[echo1]

Hey all, I have used the classifieds here to sell several firearms over the years, but with things getting busy lately, I don't have time to go through the hassle of a private sale currently.

In the South Sound/Pierce/Kitsap/Mason counties, is there anywhere you recommend to sell lightly used guns, or any places you would suggest that would offer fair trade in value? I would happily give up a portion of maximum value for convenience.

Let me know! Thanks!

I'm convinced no one even read my post.

I don't have a collection to offload, I'm only selling two. I don't think my guns are worth a premium. I am simply asking for recommendations for somewhere to sell or trade them fairly.

I even mentioned I am fine with forgoing value for convenience.

Why respond to a post when you're not even bothering to respond to the post?

Your time is too valuable to waste on your stuff so you ask the guys lend you a hand, so you don't have to figure it out for yourself, correct.

Do it yourself, you don't care if you take a hit. PAX

 

[Catfishmoon]

I do not know about the South Sound, but I would suggest Sound Loan In Everett if you can go farther north. I have only used them as a buyer, but it is my favorite store in the Puget Sound area for used firearms and they have a lot of consignments.