Newspaper gun prices

[sawdeanz]

Sometimes when I browse the newspaper classifieds I am confused by the listed prices. Mostly on newer production guns I see prices at or above gun store prices. For example an LCR in the paper might be like $500 when they are selling it for $450 at the store. There aren't even an extras. I see this with used glocks, and other newer pistols. Collector or surplus guns seem to sell for around the going rate. Why is this?
My guess is that these people are selling the gun for more than its worth because they paid more for it than the market is now selling it at. I mean I know guns hold value well, but what is the incentive to pay more for used?

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Some people will pay a premium to get a gun "off paper". I really don't see any advantage.

Also, old myths about handguns needing "registered" or even being illegal to buy still abound. I seen people bid a $30 gun, like a break-top H&R revolver, up over $200 at auctions.

 

[rule303]

Lots of people think there are waiting periods and registration, and will pay to avoid it. Same reason the "private sale" tables at gun shows are $50 or so higher on common guns. I invited a friend of mine to the range, and he was really nevous because his handgun isn't "registered". He seemed to think the gestapo was going to check his papers at the door. Thank the media, and TV crime shows.

 

[rcmodel]

Why is this?

Because a lot of uninformed people buy guns on impulse at inflated prices at gun shows, or stores.
Then want to get all their money back when they sell it.

Also, a lot of panic buying went on plastic during the last presidential election craze.
Now they need to pay the rent, or the credit card company, and don't have enough money to do both.

I am not convinced there is very much "no paperwork" thought going on with most of the adds I see.

On the other hand, I have a friend who buys new guns at Cabala's, shoots them until the novelty wears off, then sells them in the paper for more then he paid for them.

Again, no thought of them being "off paper" by the suckers he reels in.
They just don't know any better.

rc

 

[Trent]

Our local paper doesn't allow advertising firearms in the classifieds.

 

[ChileRelleno]

I can vouch for some folks wanting firearms with no paper trail and more than willing to pay a premium.
One is a customer/acquaintance of mine, who I sold a AR too, he is very much a Conspiracy Theory/Fear Your Government type.
He will only buy FtF and very often finds his firearms via the classifieds, and is more than willing to pay a little more.
He also pays only cash for ammo if bought at a store.

I'm kind'a a conspiracy theorist too.
I DO NOT believe for one second that the Alphabet Gang doesn't keep their own records of every NICS background check. They're keeping track of each and every sale.
Not like they don't already do, in a sleight of hand way, by making FFL's keep the 4473s.
However, I do not particularly care, and buy via both private & FFL sales.

 

[Gunnerboy]

The one advantage that being a manager at a newspaper has, when theres a good deal in the classifieds im generally one of the first to know.

 

[rromeo]

It's not just in the newspapers. My local gun site has a lot of overpriced guns for sale, and the good deals are usually from FFLs advertising. One member actually complained that the board owner let FFLs advertise guns on the site, because they were selling new guns cheaper than some used guns.
I suppose some people just don't know. They buy guns for MSRP at Bass Pro and Gander Mountain, so $550 for a used Glock may seem like a good deal.

 

[medalguy]

Yeah, I think it's mostly ignorance. Who reads a newspaper any more anyway? Not the average person. Circulation is dropping like a rock lately. Many of the advertisers in newspapers are just hoping they'll reel in someone who doesn't look at on-line ads and doesn't visit gun stores regularly, and they can make a tidy profit by selling a gun to someone who really doesn't know current pricing.

Same thing applies to so many threads in the various forums about gun prices at gun shows-- they are just too high compared to on-line sellers. With the internet, we can easily compare prices from sellers all across the country in a matter of minutes, and determine where we can get the very lowest price on any given gun at any given time. With all of this information, it's easy to say that X firearm at a gun show in Hoboken is too high because I can get it from Y seller in Yakima for a lower price. But all bets are off if the buyer looking at that gun in Hoboken isn't connected to the internet and has no idea about the seller in Yakima.

 

[gbran]

You'll also see used guns at gun shows priced higher than new guns in stores. I guess there are suckers born every minute.

 

[jonc]

whenever i list guns for sale on the classifieds I usually list 100 bucks higher than I want. That way people can call and bargain! Only maybw 10% of the time will someone pay my asking price and i've sold probably 15 guns in the last 4 years

 

[Ash_J_Williams]

Some people will pay a premium to get a gun "off paper". I really don't see any advantage.

Also, old myths about handguns needing "registered" or even being illegal to buy still abound. I seen people bid a $30 gun, like a break-top H&R revolver, up over $200 at auctions.

I see this too. Auctions are crapshoots. People paying hundreds for an antique gun they claim works (an auctioneer's claims are as useless as a toddler's explanations of quantum physics, as if you purchase it on their word and try to dispute it after being the winning bidder, you're paying for it either way). People paying nothing for a vintage S&W top break because they couldn't verify that it worked, though it might (by nothing, I mean $15, then again, the transfer fee was $35), and on the opposite end, auctioneers handing over NFA pen guns because they assume they're the same as antique firearms. Ridiculous.

 

[exavid]

If you could buy or sell firearms on Craigslist or eBay then the prices would be a bit more consistant. Lots of people who don't do much if any shooting or folks who bought a firearm and decided they didn't like shooting will ask for whatever they paid for the piece and usually they paid more than they had to in the first place. Undoubtedly ignorance of the market value. A lot of folks think some rusty piece of iron is worth as much as it was when they bought it.