Best way to sell collectibles?

Lizzie Borden said:

I apologize if this is the wrong forum for this.

It's starting to look like I'm going to have to start selling my collectible firearms - four rifles (all milsurp) and two handguns. I know about the Gun Broker auction site, but are there others I should know about?

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any local auction houses that handle guns?

Live auctions tend to raise more money

I would think that the rifles would sell here on the forum classifieds pretty quickly and they can be shipped by you to a licensed dealer via the post office.
Based on your member "handle" I would have thought you were in Fall River and selling a used hatchet tho...

I have one of the Savage lend-lease rifles, they’re pretty neat pieces of history. I got mine years ago for 99 bucks after seeing an ad inside in my morning paper for them at Big 5 sporting goods. Now they go for a lot more than that .

As the others have said, you’ll probably find a quality buyer faster here posting in the for sale threads than dealing with either high-commission low-reach local stores or the occasional film-flam artists trying to pull fast ones on GB. (And I would’ve even considered throwing my hat in the ring for the model 10...if I didn’t already have a model 13 .357 and model 64 .38 .)

Good luck finding buyers for those nice specimens, and stay safe!

Everything you listed are sought after and fairly 'mainstream' where I live. (Central United States, not in Idaho.)
It can be an effort, but a Gun Show is a good place to find a varied stream of gun buyers; you being the seller. If you don't want to suffer the inconvenience or just don't feel like sitting for a weekend eating concessionaire food, you might find someone who does have a table and you more or less trust. (State laws will have say in this, but I don't think Idaho to be overly restrictive.) If you do the Gun Show option, just remember to price your items 10 to 25 percent higher than you really want. "Dickering" is more than just normal, it's a sacred part of culture.

Selling on consignment is always an option, even if it requires some travel to a suitable business. My very best wishes to you.

milsurpguy said:

Sell them one at a time, on gun broker during the plandemic.

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Other than our esteemed OP would have no selling feedback history at all.
How much creednce would you have in a GB seller with 0 feedback and offering up delectable creampuffs?

Elkins45 said:

It costs you nothing to list them in the classified section here

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She will just have to wait until her participation time and comment count hit the required number to allow posting there.

Now, back to @Lizzie Borden, it might be worthwhile to ask the "sporting goods store" if they would ship, as an FFL, arms you sold, and what charges that would incur.
Consignment sale costs can be high, 20-30%.

I saw a similar Savage at a recent gun show tagged to $1050, Russian SKS still command a few more kroner than PRC ones. So, there's a potential fat dime or two in play with these.

Lizzie Borden said:

That day will come. I'm increasingly inclined to put them up for sale on THR - it's more like selling to family.

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And there is no fee for doing so. By the time you add up the GB fees, FFL fees, shipping costs, etc. that can take away a nice chunk of money so you need to factor that into your pricing.

Lizzie Borden said:

That day will come. I'm increasingly inclined to put them up for sale on THR - it's more like selling to family.

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Having both bought and sold via The Trading Post here, it really is for Face-to-Face transactions.
You get to know the person buying through the back and forth via PM (called "Conversation" under this forum software).

For out-of-state on the long arms, you can ship to the buyer's FFL (several threads on this and its ups and downs). Handguns you have to take to a local FFL to send to the out-of-state FFL.

Which makes FTF so much simpler in many ways. I used to always set up the meetings at BBQ joints so as to have something else at the destination. Although, I've made other arrangements to suit buyer or seller.

Around here, any guns, ammo or reloading gear is bringing astronomical prices in live auctions. Guns have been for years, before the craziness. I'd be inclined to check around for any auction houses nearby and see what policies they have.

Auction houses are worse than online auctions - they'll take at least 15%

Could be... I've never checked, but it seems like most guns I've seen sell in live auctions end up selling @ 25-30% above sanity.

Lizzie Borden said:

I would have to answer with "Absolutely none."

That day will come. I'm increasingly inclined to put them up for sale on THR - it's more like selling to family.

I had them ship my Burnside back to the previous owner - their charge was $40 - but that's not an FFL required transaction.

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Build your gun broker street credit by selling ammo. People fall for fake on liNE gun shop scams. Also if a seller sets up gunbroker pay the customers have the protection of the credit card companies.

At this point in time I would recommend finding a ffl dealer who would be willing to sell on a commission base on GUNBROKER. By commission I mean no more than 15 percent of total sale price.

Forget in person sales, just let the auction get you TOP DOLLAR, not what an enthusiast will give.

At thos point gunbroker is the best Avenue.

The small LGS I use to sell my guns on consignment offers the gun for sale in his shop and at the same time lists it on Gunbroker, if he feels it's the best strategy. I give him the option to sell however he wants. However, he will ONLY list it on GB if that's what I ask him to do. Whichever way, it doesn't change the commission he charges, which is 20 percent, which is worth it to me to have him deal with with everything and all I have to do is wait for the check to come in the mail.

wiscoaster said:

The small LGS I use to sell my guns on consignment offers the gun for sale in his shop and at the same time lists it on Gunbroker, if he feels it's the best strategy. I give him the option to sell however he wants. However, he will ONLY list it on GB if that's what I ask him to do. Whichever way, it doesn't change the commission he charges, which is 20 percent, which is worth it to me to have him deal with with everything and all I have to do is wait for the check to come in the mail.

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My small town LGS (small as in only open Saturday and Sunday afternoons) does the same except he only charge 10%. I set a base amount and he goes form there; he sold my G19 Gen 3 for $100 more than I initially thought.