Why is selling a gun so hard?(Rant)

[Keane]

Gah, I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm really at the point where I don't think its even worth selling any anymore, I'll just stick to keeping what I've got...

Its sort of a shame too, the reason I wanted to sell this, is because I'm getting into suppressors, and wanted something I could suppress. So now I know I most likely won't shoot it as much even more!

 

[Rix]

Well when I have more money I'll certainly be interested in buying a shooter Luger.... through all legal channels.

 

[tattoo]

I guess when you sell something, in this economy, that people REALLY want ( newer carry gun, no safe queens,) Its got a better chance of going away than an oddball that isn't in 90% or better. Quality sells but once you step down in condition the buyers fade away fast.

 

[jordanvraptor]

I've had a few flakes as well. Even had one that ranted on another board after he said he'd take it then started to renegotiate the terms. No money had changed hands so I was answering questions on the original post and he gets all in a tizzy. I realize all prospective buyers want to get a good deal but someday they might be sellers and should respect the seller's price.

 

[RVTECH]

It seems gun dealing is easier in some areas than others. Here in the 'Eastern' part of Oregon the people I encounter when dealing seem to be more in tune with what they want or are looking for. In the last year or so I have known of about 15+ gun deals (including mine) that went well between all participants and everybody went away happy. About half of theses deals were trades among a group of people who know each other or "friends of friends".

 

[elsullo]

I answered a guy's specific "gun wanted" ad and offered him a ridiculously good deal because I was in a hurry for cash. He was excited about the deal, and I turned down other offers while we endlessly figured out a time and place to meet. THEN he pulls out because his wife was annoyed at how much gas he was burning! Sheesh! He knows who he is.

My issue lately is with BUYING guns. Two different sellers have just vaporized after telling me they would get back to me with a price---and the guns are still for sale! One guy was anxious about me coming to his home, but was also afraid to come to mine. He wanted to do the sale at a GUNSHOP, but I resist paying useless dealer transfer fees, and we have yet to even agree to which dealer to use! I have cash and a CCL but nowhere to go! I even offered to have the State Police Blue Form with me so he can do a telephone background check on me. He said he'd get back to me, about ten days ago. That gun is still for sale too.

Even a prominant dealer on this board found it just too much trouble to even quote me a price---on a gun that I was trying to ORDER from him! Maybe I don't even need any more guns. Have cash, will travel.....................elsullo

 

[Weebs]

I sympathize with a lot of the horror stories I've read in this thread.

I have an active posting WTS/WTT with a specific list of guns that I would want to trade for. Yet I'm constantly getting offers for stuff not on my list. Not a huge deal, but I know at least 1 of the people that replied (offering me a really bad deal) became upset when I rejected his offer (I was very polite about it). Its very comical to me that people think that if you're selling anything right now you're automatically desperate to make a deal.

Another thing that doesn't sit well with me was having a deal worked out and being thrown a curveball when you meet up to consummate the deal. One situation that sticks out in my mind was being offered a gun and agreeing to meet up to trade. After inspecting my gun, firing it many times to check for accuracy he agreed that he would like to trade. Then he asked how much cash I would be willing to throw in. This was news to me... I really wanted his gun so I begrudgingly offered some money (keep in mind that my gun was worth more than his). He turned down my offer because he wanted more cash than I was willing to offer. I wasted a good 1.5 hours with him that day and came away empty handed. I was kind of upset that he wouldn't give me the respect to either ask for cash ahead of time and also upset that he'd ask for cash period!

 

[Keane]

Heh, I just had one on another trade (a .38 snubby for a .357), that made an offer for a trade, and the guy said after I asked for info that his WIFE wouldn't let him!

Geesh, get your ducks in a row before making an offer I'd say...

 

[HappyRoman]

In current times, Money is hard to come by; Spending it, means getting maximium value. An extra few hundred dollars would allow many to have things that they would not ordinally have and discressionary income is almost all gone..

Selling now, means alot of ads, (all sites) below book published values, or extremely popular items at a bundle deal..

Good luck selling, keep the faith.. SR

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

It also helps to keep an open mind. I had a WTT a Ruger SIngle Six response to my "S&W 10-6 for sale" and that was not something that I was looking for. But I knew that a friend of mine was looking for a S.S., so I hooked him up. Worked out great. Met somebody new, helped out a friend, all good.
Except now my kid is eying that 1960's Single Six and wondering if my friend would trade him for "his" 1990's vintage Single Six.

 

[fromotoc]

Is easy. Sometimes ya gotta be patient, and sometimes the local boards are not the place to sell a specialty item. You might have to put it up on Gunbroker or another such site to maximize the money you'll get out of it. It involves shipping, but it is a piece of cake. You just take it to an FFL (after you've received payment, of course) and they send it off, pay the FFL their fee and you're done.

 

[Contract_Pilot]

I went this weekend to pick up 2 SKS's seller and I agreed to meet at a local General Aviation airport.. it was a 2 hour flight from PDX for me I get there "Small GA airport" guy calls me back after 1/2 hour wait and says firearms are not allowed on airports and backed out. I told him they were allowed and if he did not want to meet as agreed I have a courtesy car avaiable and I could meet off airport. He said "NO" knowing I am going to take it back to the airport?

It's ok to to take firearms on private planes "not on airlines or in secured areas of the airport" Most GA airports your not in the terminal but at what is called an FBO. I have done it many times and even once the line guy who fills our planes with fuel bought a nice stainless 45 the guy brought just in case I may have been interested.

I would rather fly, I hate driving on the highway... to many crazy pill poppers on the road. I can make it anywhere in Oregon in about 3 hours or less.

I have even taken some sellers on an airplane ride.

It was a fun day otherwise I had a nice 4 hour round trip flight..

Steven Rhine

Chicago Tribune Article


Member Baja Bush Pilots

 

[wavo]

I'm not sure why selling a gun is so hard. People are weird, and people (even if they like guns) get weird about guns. I just wanted to say to those of you who feel discouraged and want to say "oh to **** with it!"...please DON'T!

I was going to post a rave about the classified section on this forum. In just a few months I have bought a sweet SKS, my dream handgun, tons of ammo, sold some ammo, missed out on some other deals and still thinking about buying two rifles that I don't need, but want. I say be patient. Let the low ballers and flakes fall to the wayside and us real buyers will come through....even if it takes some time.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

About 4 months ago I was trying to sell a .357 Ruger NM Blackhawk in 97% condition for $285.00. I too had several emails from people in Washington wanting to do FTF sales ib Washington. I did not even reply to them. I finally managed to sell it a month later and $20.00 less to someone from Oregon. Oh well at least I didn't loose a huge amount on the sale from what I origionally paid for it.

 

[pencap]

Awhile back I posted some SW 9mm receivers for sale on Sturm. I only wanted to sell one, but two buyers jumped on it at the same time, so I 'sold' two. Well, one paid, one flaked.

Since they sold so fast and for so much money I called SW back the next day to get the rest of their receivers- they were sold out.

I'm kindof glad that guy flaked but it irritated me nonetheless.

 

[tionico]

I've found that being complete and thorough in the listing helps a lot. Then, when triflers come on with crazy offers I can simply cut and paste the text of the advert and sent it back to them. Stating clearly to whom, on what terms, and where you will/won't sell eliminates misunderstandings, too. If you will only sell F2F in one state, say so. If you will ship elsewhere, but ONLY to an FFL dealer, say so.
(by the way, Federal regulations do NOT require every gun shipped to be shipped by an FFL dealer.... private parties may ship across state lines, but ONLY to FFL holders. Some carriers limit options to non-FFL holders, however. US Mail does not, but often requires proof of the identy and address of the FFL dealer to whom it is being shipped. Won't ship pistols, though.... which seems odd to me, but hey, they never asked ME).

I've bought and sold a number of guns, one on here, the others on some online auctions. So far, I've been VERY satisfied with the results, going both ways. Gotten some screaming deals, I think.... and gotten very fair prices for what I've sold, too.

SO far, only one deal on here, though. Most of what I've seen on here is either not interesting to me or overpriced. So, I simply don't ask... except, sometimes, if I really want a particular piece I'll PM and say "hey, I'm interested, but not at that number. Would you consider this other number? If not, OK, no hard feelings, and no pressure. But I'm just not ready to go that high.....". On the auction sites, I've even asked about an extended payment plan...... most have said "no problem, but THESE are my terms, I've been burned a few times, and so this is what I will do. If that's OK, we're on. Otherwise, not interested". Fair enough. ALL the cards are on the table, face up. No surprises. One time I asked for payment extensions, he said "no thanks", I said fine.... and went to work scraping up the money before the auction closed. I bid, and won... and mailed him a bank check the next day. I'm glad I did, as it was a SWEEEEET gun at a near-giveaway price. But, if I'd not been able to scare up the green, I'd not have bid. Simple enough...... for some, they add 3 or 4 percent for credit card payment. I don't like that... so I either pay with certified funds or don't bid. Until I find that one thing I simply can no longer live without.... and ONLY could pay with plastic. Then I have to figure the three percent is part of the price of the gun..... and I will still have to like the price paid that way.

Yes, dealing in guns can be a challenge... particularly with all the stupid government red tape and restrictions. What part of "shall not be infringed" includes this nonsense?

 

[madcratebuilder]

I went this weekend to pick up 2 SKS's seller and I agreed to meet at a local General Aviation airport.. it was a 2 hour flight from PDX for me I get there "Small GA airport" guy calls me back after 1/2 hour wait and says firearms are not allowed on airports and backed out. I told him they were allowed and if he did not want to meet as agreed I have a courtesy car avaiable and I could meet off airport. He said "NO" knowing I am going to take it back to the airport?

It's ok to to take firearms on private planes "not on airlines or in secured areas of the airport" Most GA airports your not in the terminal but at what is called an FBO. I have done it many times and even once the line guy who fills our planes with fuel bought a nice stainless 45 the guy brought just in case I may have been interested.

I would rather fly, I hate driving on the highway... to many crazy pill poppers on the road. I can make it anywhere in Oregon in about 3 hours or less.

I have even taken some sellers on an airplane ride.

It was a fun day otherwise I had a nice 4 hour round trip flight..

Steven Rhine

Chicago Tribune Article


Member Baja Bush Pilots

I think most gun owners are misinformed about gun laws. Just like this Luger. It's a C&R, the seller could have mailed to any C&R holder, or crossed state line to FTF with C&R holder.

 

[Keane]

Thats correct, it MAY have been covered by C&R, and if anyone had mentioned having a C&R, I would have looked into it.

HOWEVER, because of the lack of markings, I was unsure of the manufacture date, and couldn't be positive it was made more than 50 years ago. I assume it was, however I wouldn't be able to convince the ATF of that.

 

[tionico]

From what "ve researched about C&R, and what it covers, if the gun is a TYPE that was designed/manufactured before a certain date (or a type for which ammo is no longer made in the US, but that doesn't hit the Luger pistols) then C&R is OK. BUT-- the gun has to be an EXACT replica of the older one. A modern one with the new safeties and other "features" mandated these days, but looks like the old ones, won't qualify.

In thinking about WHY so few people really know the gun laws, I believe it comes down to this: for so long, government and media have instilled into "we the people" that guns, in and of themselves, are EVIL, and thus those who have/use them are as well. Thus there is a strong undercurrent of fear and loathing concerning them.,.... thus, let ANY firearm be seen in public and there is certain to be a dozen cell phones put into service to summon law enforcement... and most times the cops come running because, in order to assure "action" the callers will invariably declare the one with the gun is "menacing, waving it about, threatening", when all that is happening is the guy is holding it in his hands and showing it off to a friend. And so, we the people have been trained to enter panic mode whenever firearms are involved.
Hey, I was looking at a weapon on Gunbroker, and the seller is not a FFL Holder. He claims he MUST ship it though a local FFL holder, who charges for this service. This is completely wrong. ANYone who can legally possess a given firearm can lawfully ship it.. but ONLY directly to a FFL holder. Even UPS and FedEx get into the panic mode, neither will ship a weapon with ground service from a non-FFL holder, but will if the shipper is a licensee. Tell me now, which situation poses higher risk of identification and pilfering: Joe Schmo pitting his used Ruger in a re-used shoebox with no identifying markings on it, or Joes Gun Shop (bold letters on the return address) putting the shipping label on the factory carton from Ruger with all the lettering on it?

It will take a lot of work before guns again assume their rightful place in the eye and mind of the public... not that long ago they were as American (and as common) as apple pie. Nanny state government and compliant hungry media who know on which side the bread lies the butter........