Where Are All The Buyers At?

[arakboss]

S&W rebates are making for some great deals.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

True there is a lot of good stuff for sale just nothing that I am interested in !

Yep....I see lots of neat and or good guns and such here for sale...
Just not too many that I like well enough to go through the hassle of buying.
Andy

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

At the LGS, purchasing new guns for the same price less the "buyer pays" transfer fee.

I don't know why but tons of used guns are priced at or above what you can get them for new ! I think you just have to add "RARE" or " UNOBTANIUM" to the add and the 50% markup is totally justified lol .

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Well it is rare....after all it is the only one that I own or have for sale....
Andy

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

The added cost of the BGC and the hassle of the wait is a deal killer for sure. I am just focusing on what is in my safe and enjoying .

 

[oremike]

For me there has to be a need, want or at least interest tempered with cost and effort to be a player. I'd drive 8 hours for an $800.00 left handed Randal 1911 but might not drive 2 hours for a cheap AR.

 

[reverendALC]

I am an indiscriminate buyer, and I'll buy literally anything that's a *great* deal, even if I already have it. I found a plain jane ar15 at a pawn shop and snagged it for $375 after a little haggling, even though I've got many already. I got a keltec PF9 on GB for $150 even though I've already got four 9mm pistols. I snagged a 1943 Turk mauser for $300 recently also. I'll literally buy anything that goes bang, for a great deal.

I only check the classifieds once every month or so here so I'm certain that I miss out on the best deals… but im not constrained by personal affinity or interest, and I've never made a purchase here. My two LGS have better deals on random used guns

 

[arakboss]

The added cost of the BGC and the hassle of the wait is a deal killer for sure. I am just focusing on what is in my safe and enjoying .

This is especially true on lower dollar firearms. It really sucks to pay $30 in transfer fees to buy a $40 lower receiver.

 

[Capn Jack]

For me it boils down to: Do I need it, or just want it?

After looking in the safe yesterday.....Where would I put it?

 

[reverendALC]

Whenever I do transfers (they're $40-50 round here), I try to move 2-3 firearms with that fee. It takes some of the sting out, but I have better luck tacking some GB purchases onto an existing transfer.

And when my safe got full, I got another. And then another. God willing, I'll get another yet.

 

[Cape_hunter]

I wouldn't mind buying if.....
There were firearms listed that I was interested in.....
And the BGC for private sales went away.....
And......If...the item I wanted was for sale the same time I had money....
Andy

That's where your group of friends come in handy
You know those buddies you had long before my birthday in August of 2015.

I buy as I see the need or want.
I don't mind losing a few $$ for the right trade or deal if my want is greater then values. If that makes sense.

What I do dislike are those that want NIB prices for their used items and used prices for your NIB item. Lol

 

[Mikej]

True there is a lot of good stuff for sale just nothing that I am interested in !

The added cost of the BGC and the hassle of the wait is a deal killer for sure. I am just focusing on what is in my safe and enjoying .

This is pretty much me. I've got guns in the back that I should pull out and fondle, wipe done, run a patch through just for the heck of it.
The cluster-flock now is a disincentive to buying, period. There's probably a couple of handguns that IF they came up at a can't-pass-it-up price I'd snatch. but when does a nice, older, Browning High Power come up? We wanted to get a Springfield Ronin in 9mm for Wifey. Got room for those. I might just be done if the dims get their wet dream though.

 

[Capn Jack]

My brother and I joke back and forth about, "He who dies with the most toys wins".

Now @ 84, I realize that, he who dies with the most toys...is dead.

 

[reverendALC]

IF they came up at a can't-pass-it-up price

It seems that classified used to be:
"I need money, so please help me get money by buying my used guns for great prices"

and now it's more like:
"I'm doing this for YOU, making MY super special, worth a million dollars firearms available for purchase at high prices, which you can happily pay because… you're welcome"

I miss the olden days.

 

[Bobbygun]

My brother and I joke back and forth about, "He who dies with the most toys wins".

Now @ 84, I realize that, he who dies with the most toys...is dead.

You do have to wonder about the effect the aging of the "super gunowners" (different thread) will have on firearm prices. I know quite a few old guys that have extensive firearms collections, but not many young guys that do. (I'm not saying they don't exist.) In my family, guns generally get passed down to the next generation. Sadly, it seems like each next generation gets a little less interested in firearms or are interested in different types of firearms. I myself have inherited a gun or two that I've never fired. This lack of interest seems especially true with regards to reloading. I'm not all that old yet, but I can see a time when I will just sell all of my reloading equipment and supplies since none of the next generation in my family have shown much interest.

Passing stuff down is an easy answer. However, when my mom offloaded her old slide projector and the family slides to me a couple of years ago, I showed the slides to my family. Well, I didn't recognize a lot of the people/places in the slides. My wife didn't recognize most of them and my son was bored to tears. I'm sure the son will be thrilled when I offload them to him someday. He will be happier to get guns, but some of them won't have much sentimental value to him.

 

[nwslopoke]

I've sold a bit on here. Usually pretty quick. Priced low to move on the new thing I want. Certain models are hard to come by, like CZ P-07 at the time. That sold quick. I think some people want to sell but don't want to get rid of the item at the same time.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Something to consider when thinking of where are all the buyers....

At the past few gun shows that I have been at...
I have seen some good prices on nice vintage hunting rifles...
Rifles like Pre-64 model 70's...Husqvarna Mausers...1950's Remington 721's / 722's and 1970's Remington 700's....
Good rifles..at good prices.....yet they sit.

I know none of the above are particularly rare...but even at a good price...they just don't sell.
Popularity plays a role here...they just ain't as popular as they once were here in my neck of the woods...sad to say.

I love vintage bolt action .22 rifles....those too are seldom seen at today's shows or here at NWFA.

I post the above...
'Cause many of the guys I shoot with or have shot with...own these types of guns...and being that they are older...
When they are gone...even if their guns are of a good brand and shape...
I kinda doubt that they will sell fast or even be desirable for trade in's,
Andy

 

[Bobbygun]

'Cause many of the guys I shoot with or have shot with...own these types of guns...and being that they are older...
When they are gone...even if their guns are of a good brand and shape...
I kinda doubt that they will sell fast or even be desirable for trade in's,

Exactly the point I was attempting to make a couple of posts above. My son and his friends don't appreciate the same things me and my friends do. I remember once asking my daughter (about 8 at the time) if she would like to shoot one of grandpa's old Winchester gallery guns. Her response: "Not really." She was more interested in the Ruger Charger.

 

[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Plain AK for $3000 cuz it's "rare". A handgun worth $600-$700ish for $2400, many common used guns advertised at 120-150% of NEW price. I don't understand how anything sells on here tbh.

To be fair though there are some users that have ads with totally fair prices. It just seems like most are way, way, overpriced. Especially "custom", "rare", etc. Just because it has some weird paint job or skulls on it does not increase its value by 100%, for me it makes me not interested in it at all.