You cannot unsee what you have seen...

[RVTECH]

Since I live under a rock most of the time someone please give me a 'summation' of this 'Gun Room' place - good or bad (in 25 words or less please)

 

[MikeE]

Since I live under a rock most of the time someone please give me a 'summation' of this 'Gun Room' place - good or bad (in 25 words or less please)

Bad. And crazy.

 

[PDXcollector]

I like going there just to check out all their guns. They have a huge inventory of all types, the last time I was there they were starting to stand their long guns along the floor as the racks are overflowing. Have you ever seen a hoarder's house?

The owner seems like nice guy and I've enjoyed talking to him a couple of times, but for whatever reasons (high prices?), he buys much more than he sells.

 

[Modeler]

You guys ever watch Pawn Stars? No reputable business is going to offer anything even close to full retail for any item they buy, even a firearm. How much is that gun worth? Sounds like he got around $450-500 out of it, depending on where the Bersa was priced. If it was worth $750-800 retail then that's a reasonable offer. Just because a shop offers a low price for a used gun doesn't mean they're bad people.

When we give people offers we preface it with "we buy at wholesale prices, our price is going to be lower than you can get private party, we're going to offer you much less than we're going to sell it for". If the person doesn't like the price we're offering then there's no hard feelings; I wouldn't sell the gun for that price either, generally. We direct them to other places (Armslist, NWFA) where they can find a buyer willing to pay the full value for the gun. Nobody walks away with hard feelings, except for that one guy who wanted us to pay full retail for his used gun....

 

[clearconscience]

I would say something to the guy. At least say he can get a better deal selling it online.
I would gladly be kicked out of a store to clear my conscience.
(Ie. my screen name)
I had people i know talk about trading guns in or going to a pawn shop and I always refer them to here or armslist at least.
I would want someone to tell me.

 

[MountainBear]

As a gun shop owner, I cannot offer someone more for a used gun than I can get the same gun for new. If I did, I wouldn't be in business very long. People need to remember that the moment a gun leaves the shop, it becomes used. It doesn't matter if it was shot or not. Again, a gun shop can't pay more for a used gun than they pay their distributor for a new one.
It is my policy that I will tell someone what I can or am willing to pay for their gun and I will tell them exactly what I am going to sell it for. No secrets is the best business policy. If a customer knows this information and is still interested in the deal, then all good. When a gun shop fails to educate or acts in an unethical manner, then we would like to think they'd go out of business. But when you look at the number of shops still around despite their reputations, that rule doesn't seem to apply.

 

[40calruler]

As he should have been. That was a pretty 'low' of the guy to even open his mouth inside the store. It's not an auction house. Like my own experience in a pawnshop I 'bit my tongue' and waited until the guy declined the $150 offer for the Commander and was planning on meeting him outside to make a reasonable offer but I missed him leaving.

I have done that a few times and it has yet to fail when they hear at least a couple hundred more from me.

 

[nehalemguy]

Since I live under a rock most of the time someone please give me a 'summation' of this 'Gun Room' place - good or bad (in 25 words or less please)

Warren Lacass (the owner) is the Michael Bloomberg of the Portland retail gun world.

Loud, opinionated, untruthful, knows what is best for you even if you know different.

E

 

[nehalemguy]

I saw a similar thing happen at The Gun Room. The seller was being offered maybe 50% of what his gun was worth. Another bystander/customer offered the seller a more reasonable price, and was immediately invited to leave and never come back. That was the last time I was in The Gun Room.

As much as I despise Warren and the Gun Room, I despise these types even more.

Back in the day 20 years ago when I was in the retail gun business we called these people "poachers" and they were always quickly shown the door. If they want to play retail gun shop owner, let them go start their own shop.

We always disclosed to the seller what we intended to sell a used firearm for based on our experience; not necessarily what the Blue Book said. Also we would give the customer a breakdown of their options.

Cash....50% of retail value.
Trade...60% of retail value.
Consignment (cash out)...75% of selling price.
Consignment (trade)...90% of selling price.

E

 

[Hill]

Way back in 1971 I went to a gun shop in Sunnyvale because I wanted to start competitive bullseye shooting. I was fascinated with it but wasn't making the money to participate. I didn't have the money for the High Standard Military I wanted but I did have a Winchester Model 12 in 16 gauge and a broken Colt double action .38.

They guy handed me my new High Standard and I'm sure he was happy to score a collectible Colt and a good shotgun.

Did I get screwed? Well, both of those guns were out of my then father-in-law's estate - his duck gun and the Colt from who knows why. They apparently had worth but they had none to me - you couldn't buy 16 gauge shells and I couldn't fix the Colt. But I used that High Standard to shoot in matches from San Francisco to Camp Perry, even an invitational to try out for the US Olympic Shooting Team.

Now, I bought a new stainless mini14 in 1985 for $212. If it was sitting around and some jerk had been prowling my house while I was at work with my wife and little boy inside I'd take a Bersa for it if my wife could keep it on the couch and shoot the jerk if necessary and call it a fair trade and then some.

The morale of this story kiddies is that YOUR perceptions do not make a reality for anyone but you, and leave both the kid and the gunshop their respective realities. The shop might make a little profit - that's why his doors are open. The kid may be able to rest knowing that his responsibilities are better seen to because that's what he's supposed to do.

does anyone know the kid's situation? The kid who supposedly got reamed?

What's the retail for the Bersa? I don't even know but I'd imagine it must be about $250. The kid got a Bersa and $100. or $350.? I'm not seeing this a such a bad trade - especially if the M14 was from the days when they didn't shoot straight.

 

[semperfi68to70]

No one can cheat you or screw you over unless you help them do so. If you are depending on a used car dealer to educate you on the value of the car you are trading in, if you buy steaks from the door to door salesman who has them "left over" from a delivery or you take your father's World War II bomber jacket to a pawn shop and expect to get what it is worth; you are an idiot.

I have absolutely no sympathy for the guy with the Mini-14 nor do I hold the gun shop in disdain for doing what they are there to do, and that is to make money. I owned a gun shop in Southern California for several years and my policy was this: If you have a gun to sell, tell me what you want and what price will satisfy you. If you want the gun appraised, that will run $75.00 and you will receive a complete report on your weapon with values in different conditions. But I was not there to do free appraisals and that is just what many "customers" were looking for. If I were to ever have a by stander speak up while I was making any kind deal or sales pitch to a customer I would ban that individual from my shop forever. That never happened, but that was my policy.

You have the right to not to do business with anyone you choose, but you are probably kidding yourself if you think this doesn't happen all the time in just about any business. The customer probably left happy, the gun shop will probably make money and that is called free enterprise. Arm yourself with knowledge of your gun, car, diamond ring or house before you sell it and do the same thing before you buy anything.

 

[RVTECH]

Loud, opinionated, untruthful, knows what is best for you even if you know different.

Next time I go to Portland I'll make sure to go there for the entertainment value!

 

[nastybynature]

If I see a gun shop outright lie or really try to screw someone, I couldn't keep quiet and they would not have to invite me to not come back as I don't do business with crooks, even if they are white collar. (Unless you count Verizon, Comcast, DirecTV etc. I am sure there is some white collar criminal activity somewhere in these org's as they are just too big to not have it IMHO)

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Next time I go to Portland I'll make sure to go there for the entertainment value!

Just ask to see their line of Glocks! They'll do the rest!

 

[JRuby]

Many years ago I did my own stupid thing - I had a pre 1911 colt that was chambered fro 38ACP - took it to a gun shop and they told me it was not safe to fire - this gun was probably in 90% condition - tjey offered a Stallard in 45ACP and I was dumb enough to take it. That gun I traded was in excellent shape - I chalk it up as one of life's lessons.

 

[RVTECH]

Just ask to see their line of Glocks! They'll do the rest!

I take it they are not fond of Glocks.

 

[Certaindeaf]

How 'bout that bama care! lolz

 

[nastybynature]

I take it they are not fond of Glocks.

Or they are and he isn't. ;-)

 

[Jim Colvill]

I stopped into The Gun Room on a whim, since I was in the neighborhood off a morning of shooting. Lots of wood and steel (a plus in my book), he hates plastic handguns and will happily show you a book of failures and injuries (not a deal breaker). Beaucoup milsurps (yay!), outrageous prices for those milsurps (deal breaker. They have a very pretty M1 Garand listed as "new and unfired match grade" for $5000 (ouch). I asked about cerokoting a pistol and was quoted $400 and a month's time to do it. (maybe I'll just retouch the wonderful eastern European paint job). I did purchase a bore snake and a box of .45acp for a $75 hit. Not the best price on ammo. but hey, it is what it is. The parrot is cool.

 

[outontherange]

Warren is an interesting feller... They never take import mark rifles, but saw a few last time I stopped in.. Scored a Riot ordnance marked shotgun for cheap there years ago but that was it.