Ever lose your cool in a shop?

[NoobCannon]

The other day I had to take my Enfield into pawn for some extra income until my schedule picks back up, and I didn't want to drive two towns over to get the money(the whole cost of fuel vs. value battle) so Dad and I decided to give a closer, local pawn shop our business.

Now, I bought this Enfield from another pawn shop for roughly $300, and I know for a fact that they're going for just a smidge more than that online currently, but I wasn't expecting to get anywhere near that amount. So I bring it into the local shop, set it on their counter, tell them I need a loan on it, tell them a bit about it. What do they offer me?

Well, first they didn't want to take it, saying that nobody wants old rifles like that nowadays Riiiiight. Then they said they'd give $75 for JUST THE BAYONET. I was very insulted. I grabbed my rifle and I left. On the way out I muttered things that were most low-road.

We took it to the pawn shop I bought it from, two towns over, and $150 without even having to haggle. I probably coulda gotten more, but I don't want to owe more.


Anyone here ever get so insulted with what people have offered you involving your weapons that it just made you lose your cool? I know my old Enfield isn't much, but I know full well what it's worth, as well as what to expect out of value. But an amount that low.....That wasn't right.

I was reminded of the episode of South Park where Cartman says his mom does certain things to him because he couldn't get an Ipad...

 

[Eric F]

your tale has more to do with money than the gun. He offered you a price so he could sell the gun and make a profit if you did not return. So Be It. Nothing to get upset over.

Now I did go to this local store and after doing all the paper work he jacked the price another $300 on this high end pistol I wanted. I was very upset and called a local FFL I knew at the time who inturn gave me a number to an atf agent. Long story short an investigation opened up and he was charged with several felony offenses. Yeah I lost my cool but he tried to rob me.....

 

[NoobCannon]

The other pawnbroker offered me a price he could sell at, too. I bought the very same rifle from that man for $300, bought a bayonet online and the buttstock cleaning kit, and threw it all in when I pawned it. But the first pawnbroker didn't even want the rifle. He just wanted the bayonet.

 

[hso]

Loosing your cool in a situation like that is a sign of immaturity. They were either ignorant of the value of the firearm or they knew their clientele better than you did and didn't want to risk anything on it. As long as they didn't insult you personally you had no reason to loose your cool.

 

[Robert]

It is a PAWN shop. They will always low ball and try to get something for nothing. They do not stay in business paying fair market value. Some more than others, as you have seen. Or maybe he quoted you the price just for the bayonet because he didn't want to have to deal with it. A kind of "go away" price if you will.

But the first pawnbroker didn't even want the rifle.

And? You can't force him to buy it. Maybe he was just not interested in it.

 

[R H Clark]

Two things here,
1.You aren't selling your gun,it's a loan so don't expect to get much from most pawn shops.

2.NEVER PAWN YOUR STUFF!!!!!! They charge outrageous interest and prey upon the poor.Take that anger and use it in a positive way.Promise yourself,you will never have to pawn another thing.Do without some things so you can save some money in a bank account for emergencies.

I'm telling you this from experience.I lost some nice,and priceless to me things to pawn shops when I was young and stupid. 25 years later I have a years income set aside for emergency.I am not rich by any account and only earn a relatively low income.I just learned a valuable lesson. I rerely even shop in pawn shops because I can get better bargains elsewhere.

 

[PRM]

It is a PAWN shop. They will always low ball and try to get something for nothing.

NEVER PAWN YOUR STUFF!!!!!! They charge outrageous interest and prey upon the poor.

Last time I saw this it turned into a flame war. That's how they make their money ~ no argument there. I personally agree with the above statements and that is why I don't do business with them.

 

[Alex23]

You lost your cool in a pawn shop over a low-ball offer on a rifle?

As hso said, that is a sign of immaturity. The market will bear what it can bear. That's not personal so deal with it.

 

[mgmorden]

Indeed - don't pawn stuff, but I have sold things to pawn shops before. Typically just stuff that I didn't want to deal with the headache of selling privately (afterall - if you're selling to a pawn shop, it's basically a 10-15 minute ordeal and then you're done with it).

They're always going to lowball, so basically go in high-balling yourself. Last gun I took in I really only wanted $150 out of, but when they asked how much I wanted I told them $300 (because if I started at $150 I'd never actually get it). Long story short, I ended up getting $225 for it.

At the end of the day though, its a business transaction. If what they're willing to pay isn't what you're willing to take then just go elsewhere - there's no sense in getting your feelings hurt or causing a scene.

 

[InkEd]

Sounds like you you should have pawned the bayonet at the first place and the rifle and other stuff at the second place.

 

[303tom]

Pawn shop, ain`t no way, I know the guy that owns the one here, I like him alright but he is a crook, I have bought a few guns from him but he knows I know him to well, so I usually get a pretty good deal.

 

[X-Rap]

I have a rule I've been able to live by for the 30+ yrs I have been buying guns on my own and that is, they are not a source for money that I may need in desperation. This simply means to me that pawn and low ball sales in parking lots so I can make payments on something else won't do.
I know some guys who say they will never sell a gun, I have no problem turning a gun for a profit so I can buy something better or maybe in another 20 yrs. downsizing if my kids or grandkids aren't interested but selling so I can make a payment or need pocket money won't happen, I'm not rich but I have done a little planning.
My son let a couple guns that his grandpa and I gave him when he was newly enlisted and married:banghead:in the Army and it still pisses me off when I think that he let himself get behind the eight ball that bad.
I shop at pawn shops and drive hard bargains so I know that they deal with a huge margine and I would fall into that catagory of not caring to buy an enfield, nothing personal.

 

[Mike1234567]

Pawn shops... a rip-off?? NO!! You can't be serious!!

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

While I would never pawn off my things, I love it when others do. That's how I got my Mauser. They wanted $400 for it, and after some haggling, walked out the door with it for $128 bucks! Oh yeah...

Sorry you had to deal with that, but it is a pawn shop.

 

[Cosmoline]

Most pawn shops are ruthless and predatory, so it's never a surprise to see them try to low ball people. With interest they charge it's better to bypass them completely and just sell the firearm for cash.

 

[Mike1234567]

Pawn shop prices around here FAR exceed "market value". I cannot even BEGIN to list all the folks who've been ripped off by them... both pawning... and buying. I just don't understand it......

 

[WNC Seabee]

Loosing your cool in a situation like that is a sign of immaturity. They were either ignorant of the value of the firearm or they knew their clientele better than you did and didn't want to risk anything on it. As long as they didn't insult you personally you had no reason to loose your cool.

+1. Nothing to get cranky about.

 

[Owen Sparks]

I hate dealing with emotional people.

 

[Eric F]

Volcan???

 

[NavyLCDR]

Sounds like you you should have pawned the bayonet at the first place and the rifle and other stuff at the second place.

That was my first thought.

You lost your cool in a pawn shop over a low-ball offer on a rifle?

As hso said, that is a sign of immaturity. The market will bear what it can bear. That's not personal so deal with it.

That was my close second thought.

I've gotten decent deals at pawn shops, and saw some things that made me laught, but certainly nothing worth getting mad over.

Saw a beat up Mosin Nagant rifle in a pawn shop. It was missing the front sight! Guy wanted $300 for it! I said, "You know, I can go down to Big 5 and get one of these for $90, front sight included..." Guys says, "Yeah, but it won't have 'THE ORIGINAL' leather sling with it like this one!".... Did I get mad, no. Just shook my head. The comedy value was worth the 10 minutes of my life that I will never get back.

 

[flip888]

I lost my cool a couple months ago when i drove 2 hours to a gun store because they told me over the phone they had in stock currently, a 6" blued gp100 for a reasonable price (almost impossible to find around here). When i got there the same man i talked to on the phone happily said "oh we dont have any ruger revolvers, but im sure we have something else you might want". On the phone he confirmed he had at least 1 in stock and even gave me a fake price. I talked to the manager and wrote the owners a letter.

 

[mgmorden]

I lost my cool a couple months ago when i drove 2 hours to a gun store because they told me over the phone they had in stock currently, a 6" blued gp100 for a reasonable price (almost impossible to find around here). When i got there the same man i talked to on the phone happily said "oh we dont have any ruger revolvers, but im sure we have something else you might want". On the phone he confirmed he had at least 1 in stock and even gave me a fake price. I talked to the manager and wrote the owners a letter.

That's the problem with some shops. A lot of "gun folks" are looking for something specific - they don't just "need something" to fill a job.

I have that problem when I go into shops sometimes and I'm looking over everything, and they ask if they can help. If I say I'm looking for something specific (example: a 6.5x55 Swede) they'll either have no clue what I'm talking about, or they'll start showing me something like a .30-06 that "will work better". When I try to explain that I already have 2 .30-06's (and a .308, and a .270 . . .) at home and don't just need a good trust hunting rifle, I get blank stares.

 

[Lex Luthier]

My sympathies for your hopefully temporary lack of liquidity, but you have a money problem not a pawn shop interaction problem.

Eat rice and beans for six months. Work until you have at least six months expenses put away, and when you get back on your feet, take a new tack in the way you invest in things. While I am not inclined to dispatch any of my stuff, there may be a time when an extra 500.00 or 1000.00 may be necessary to keep gears moving. In those cases only, there are a few items which have been wisely acquired which, while they are very cool to have around, are definitely on the potential DON'T NEED list. Everything is a commodity with a sliding value dependent on the laws of supply and demand.

My prayers for your financial security. It has happened to all of at one point in our lives before we learned how.

 

[Mike1234567]

"Decent deals"?? Where do you Live, LCDR??

 

[1KPerDay]

I lost my cool a couple months ago when i drove 2 hours to a gun store because they told me over the phone they had in stock currently, a 6" blued gp100 for a reasonable price (almost impossible to find around here). When i got there the same man i talked to on the phone happily said "oh we dont have any ruger revolvers, but im sure we have something else you might want". On the phone he confirmed he had at least 1 in stock and even gave me a fake price.

Now that's just plain dirty.