WhoKnowsWho
Member
I needed a rear sight for a Taurus PT99, Gunbroker had it and had it cheaper than anywhere else. Sure, it was used, but it looked great and was great when I received it. The site did what I needed it to do.
Gunbroker sucks.
- Thread starter proud2deviate
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dogtown tom
Member
Of the three "big" sites: GunBroker, GunsAmerica and Auction Arms, the one I use least is GunsAmerica.
In my experience way to many guns aren't even for sale or magically sold in their store the day before. Too many dealers who don't update their ads or respond to questions. Searching GA is a joke with their new redesign, definitely a step backward.
I'll take GB or AA any day. Getting a good deal depends on what your looking for. I can see more Browning Hi Powers in one viewing of GB/AA than I'll see in a year here in Dallas. And the prices are better..........way better.
In my experience way to many guns aren't even for sale or magically sold in their store the day before. Too many dealers who don't update their ads or respond to questions. Searching GA is a joke with their new redesign, definitely a step backward.
I'll take GB or AA any day. Getting a good deal depends on what your looking for. I can see more Browning Hi Powers in one viewing of GB/AA than I'll see in a year here in Dallas. And the prices are better..........way better.
Boba Fett
Member
Yeah...and a zombie promotional thread combined with a zombie capitalism bashing thread at that.
MinnMooney
Member
Well, you've managed to pull the very worst facets of GunBroker.com out of a very well thought-out auction site. Congrats.
How about quit belly-aching and look at GB.com for what it is. It is :
One of the largest on-line brokerages catering to gun owners.
One of the best - No, THE best - and well-thought-out ways to sell and buy firearms.
The go-to place for finding out values, availability and conditions of most any firearm or accessory.
The reason that there is a large "Shipping conditions" than description is because they've been burned in most every way possible so they are finally covering their butts.
Some of the ads are retailers with brick & mortar bldgs who put thousands of new items up for auction. It would take forever to describe the item fully so they refer the looker to the mfg'rs website for an exact description.
If you really don't like the GB.com auction site then .........................
How about quit belly-aching and look at GB.com for what it is. It is :
One of the largest on-line brokerages catering to gun owners.
One of the best - No, THE best - and well-thought-out ways to sell and buy firearms.
The go-to place for finding out values, availability and conditions of most any firearm or accessory.
The reason that there is a large "Shipping conditions" than description is because they've been burned in most every way possible so they are finally covering their butts.
Some of the ads are retailers with brick & mortar bldgs who put thousands of new items up for auction. It would take forever to describe the item fully so they refer the looker to the mfg'rs website for an exact description.
If you really don't like the GB.com auction site then .........................
MinnMooney
Member
from Powderkeg - post # 13 :
Why was the seller/sender using an FFL holder? I've sold many handguns, rifles and shotguns. I send them personally via UPS or USPS to an FFL holder but never use one on my end.
If the buyer gives me the name of an FFL holder who refuses to accept a firearm from a non-FFL holder, I ask him to select someone else.
from Silverlance - post #18 :
Here!! Here !!
My sentiments, exactly.
Why was the seller/sender using an FFL holder? I've sold many handguns, rifles and shotguns. I send them personally via UPS or USPS to an FFL holder but never use one on my end.
If the buyer gives me the name of an FFL holder who refuses to accept a firearm from a non-FFL holder, I ask him to select someone else.
from Silverlance - post #18 :
Here!! Here !!
My sentiments, exactly.
Kimber45acp
member
Gunbroker is the best gun auction site around (because of the quantity and variety of users-instead of ghost towns like the other auction sites) and there really aren't any improvements that can be made to it (version 4 is horrible-stick with v2).
Attacking gunbroker is like attacking life. Sure, many people in life are too lazy to give an intelligent response to a question, and many try to scam people with insanely high prices, BUT the ignorant need practice at running an auction, and both the ignorant AND that scammers need to be knocked back to reality, and they help give motivation to the SMART/honorable people to create intelligent auctions, to stand out.
Just like life, the ocean of ridiculous auctions and lazy/stupid behavior on gunbroker, helps motivate the creation of the honorable sellers. The ridiculous prices of some people helps motivate the creation of an honest marketplace. There's no way to fully get rid of the scammers/liars etc. Just like life, you learn through experience to be WISE and to notice things.
After reading the original post, I concluded that the original poster just needs to spend more time on gunbroker getting to know the ocean of auctions that are how there and how to USE them to his advantage.
Attacking gunbroker is like attacking life. Sure, many people in life are too lazy to give an intelligent response to a question, and many try to scam people with insanely high prices, BUT the ignorant need practice at running an auction, and both the ignorant AND that scammers need to be knocked back to reality, and they help give motivation to the SMART/honorable people to create intelligent auctions, to stand out.
Just like life, the ocean of ridiculous auctions and lazy/stupid behavior on gunbroker, helps motivate the creation of the honorable sellers. The ridiculous prices of some people helps motivate the creation of an honest marketplace. There's no way to fully get rid of the scammers/liars etc. Just like life, you learn through experience to be WISE and to notice things.
After reading the original post, I concluded that the original poster just needs to spend more time on gunbroker getting to know the ocean of auctions that are how there and how to USE them to his advantage.
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Steve 48
Member
I guess I have been lucky. Out of the 25 guns I have bought from Gunbroker or Auctionarms, I got them for 1/2 the price in the guns stores and in great condition.
MattTheHat
Member
Man, not me. I've purchased maybe a dozen guns from GB. They were all close enough to being as advertised, but were definitely on the high side of what I could have gotten them for locally (if they'd been available at the time). Since they weren't available locally at the time, I didn't mind paying a bit more. I don't think I've ever gotten a single item from GB at less than "market" value.
For instance, I'm tossing around the idea of picking up a Taurus PT1911 in .38 Super. I can get one online, shipped overnight to my dealer, BRAND new, from Davidson's (Gllaryofguns.com) for $512. All the ones I see on GB are at least $529, PLUS shipping. Many of them listed are significantly higher.
Like anything else, I try not to buy anything without checking a couple of sources.
-Matt
GunsAmerica Fan
Member
That's the thing, the "thrill of the auction" is false, the same bull**** you deal with at pawnshops when you go into get a good deal. You always get screwed and either waste your time, or pay too much. GB doesn't even allow you to snipe like ebay. It resets at 15 minutes after the last bid. I'd rather classified ads where you get to ask the seller what he'd take and not have to wait to be outbid by someone who isn't even legally allowed to have the gun, which happens on gun auctions all the time. GunsAmerica does have auctions btw so I'm not just saying this because of that.
w_houle
Member
How about this: Bid according to what you're willing to pay. Period. Don't wait until the last minute and play beat the clock with me
because I bid early and bid my max, and don't get all pissy with me because you finally 'beat' me in the bid war but are now the winner of an auction that went more than you are willing to pay. I don't take second chance offers due to sore winnersDr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 13,146
I'm not sure I get the "wading through stuff" idea - I don't see the need to wade through anything - I search for specific items, and can usually find what I'm looking for. If the seller's terms and/or description aren't up to snuff to what I want, or they don't respond to my question, then I move on - that's their loss. It is indeed a bit annoying to put the extensive shipping terms above the actual description, but I guess they have hhad such a problem with buyers balking, that they feel they have to do this - not that big of a deal; just scroll down a bit. :dunno:
The ONLY thing that irks me, and irks me a LOT, is that GB and other similar sites essentially put their stamp of approval on a FRAUD of sorts, or a borderline/arguable fraud, as follows:
1. Seller advertises that the auction is a NO reserve auction.
2. Seller sets a minimum starting bid - this IS a de facto reserve - of course it is - that what reserve means - the minimum selling price which allows you to pull it and not sell if it doesn't meet your criteria (in that case, zero bids). That's what a reserve is, no matter what you CALL it.
3. That's a fraudulent statement, to say that it's a "no reserve" when in fact it IS a reserve auction, and GB lets them do it.
The no-sniping/ 15 minute extension rule is a GOOD thing, for the most part - but I can see both sides of that argument, I guess.
The ONLY thing that irks me, and irks me a LOT, is that GB and other similar sites essentially put their stamp of approval on a FRAUD of sorts, or a borderline/arguable fraud, as follows:
1. Seller advertises that the auction is a NO reserve auction.
2. Seller sets a minimum starting bid - this IS a de facto reserve - of course it is - that what reserve means - the minimum selling price which allows you to pull it and not sell if it doesn't meet your criteria (in that case, zero bids). That's what a reserve is, no matter what you CALL it.
3. That's a fraudulent statement, to say that it's a "no reserve" when in fact it IS a reserve auction, and GB lets them do it.
The no-sniping/ 15 minute extension rule is a GOOD thing, for the most part - but I can see both sides of that argument, I guess.
blue_ridge
Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2009
- Messages
- 222
Gunbroker, like Ebay, has a ton of items and therefore much of it is crap. Same thing if you go to a gunshow, flea market etc. But gunbroker (and ebay) give you tools so you can bypass 90% of that rif-raf.
Use the "smart search" tools. I usually select "used" items under the item condition menu because I'm usually not looking for one of the 5000 ads where dealers are selling retail items. I always click the "exclude reserve price" button. Hey, if you can't start the auction at your minimum price, I don't need to waste a week waiting to see what that magical price might be. I often will select the category "Modern Firearms" or "Collectible firearms" too. Then, if I know what I'm looking for, I set the minimum price of my search high enough to eliminate ammo, parts.
For example, let's say I'm interested in M1 Carbines. I type "M1 Carbine", then click on the "exclude reserve price" and item condition - used. Then I set the minimum price at $350 and maximum price at $800. This is low enough I'll see the "beater" M1's and no higher than my spending limit. My search returns 85 items. Not bad. I notice some guy is selling M1 receivers for $500 but I am only interested in whole guns. So I go back to my search terms and say "words to exclude" - "receiver". This way nothing with "receiver" in the title shows up. Now my search has a total of 72 items. Not bad, easy to manage and it is all decent looking M1 Carbines to browse.
Use the "smart search" tools. I usually select "used" items under the item condition menu because I'm usually not looking for one of the 5000 ads where dealers are selling retail items. I always click the "exclude reserve price" button. Hey, if you can't start the auction at your minimum price, I don't need to waste a week waiting to see what that magical price might be. I often will select the category "Modern Firearms" or "Collectible firearms" too. Then, if I know what I'm looking for, I set the minimum price of my search high enough to eliminate ammo, parts.
For example, let's say I'm interested in M1 Carbines. I type "M1 Carbine", then click on the "exclude reserve price" and item condition - used. Then I set the minimum price at $350 and maximum price at $800. This is low enough I'll see the "beater" M1's and no higher than my spending limit. My search returns 85 items. Not bad. I notice some guy is selling M1 receivers for $500 but I am only interested in whole guns. So I go back to my search terms and say "words to exclude" - "receiver". This way nothing with "receiver" in the title shows up. Now my search has a total of 72 items. Not bad, easy to manage and it is all decent looking M1 Carbines to browse.
Erik M
Member
I am in the process of getting my C&R license, and I have a friend whos father had a type 1 ffl. None of us deal with gunbroker. I have had him order me things from Bud's. The only reason I will buy from Bud's is that if an issue comes up im only about an hour from thier retail location. I dont trust ebay, so I dont trust broker.
who wants me to take them snipe hunting?
who wants me to take them snipe hunting?
Onward Allusion
Member
Ain't that the truth! v4 is over engineered.
Kimber45acp
<SNIP>(version 4 is horrible-stick with v2).
Kimber45acp
<SNIP>(version 4 is horrible-stick with v2).
GunsAmerica Fan
Member
Yea lmao, you bid your max and the guy who can't even legally own the gun outbids you, then he doesn't pay of course, because he didn't know he couldn't own it. You walk away without the gun, the seller walks away with a bunch of wasted time, and who wins anything?
Why would you bid your max anyway? On ebay you can use a sniper and all the people don't get a chance to bid who just wanted to bid that high because you did. Auctions aren't good for guns. Everyone knows what guns are worth, and like people say here, there are no steals on GB, or online for that matter anyway. Unless you are looking for something used, unique or collectible that your local dealer doesn't have, BUY IT FROM YOUR LOCAL DEALER. You'll never pay too much and you'll help a guy that is supporting our freedom and risking his whole livelihood on it.
Why would you bid your max anyway? On ebay you can use a sniper and all the people don't get a chance to bid who just wanted to bid that high because you did. Auctions aren't good for guns. Everyone knows what guns are worth, and like people say here, there are no steals on GB, or online for that matter anyway. Unless you are looking for something used, unique or collectible that your local dealer doesn't have, BUY IT FROM YOUR LOCAL DEALER. You'll never pay too much and you'll help a guy that is supporting our freedom and risking his whole livelihood on it.
GRAYRID3R
Member
I Like Gunbroker and got some decent deals, picked up a Henry Big Boy NIB for $669.00 a few months ago and got this a couple weeks ago for $755.00 NIB
Item #: O1070A1CS
Description: CLT GOVT SER 70 45AP PST SS 7R
Manufacturer: Colt
Model #: Government Model Series 70
Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol
Finish: Stainless Steel
Stock: Double Diamond Checkered Rosewood Grips
Sights: Fixed
Barrel Length: 5"
Overall Length: 8.5"
Weight: 38 oz
Sugg. Retail Price: $950.00
Caliber: 45AP
Capacity: 7+1
Action: Single Action
# of Mags: 2
Item #: O1070A1CS
Description: CLT GOVT SER 70 45AP PST SS 7R
Manufacturer: Colt
Model #: Government Model Series 70
Type: Semi-Automatic Pistol
Finish: Stainless Steel
Stock: Double Diamond Checkered Rosewood Grips
Sights: Fixed
Barrel Length: 5"
Overall Length: 8.5"
Weight: 38 oz
Sugg. Retail Price: $950.00
Caliber: 45AP
Capacity: 7+1
Action: Single Action
# of Mags: 2
justashooter in pa
member
- Joined
- May 31, 2009
- Messages
- 358
gunbroker allows you exposure to lots of guns you will never see in real life, but can hold in your hand in a week if you know how to bid. i just sold a win54 in 30-06 on gb that had the finest walnut i've ever seen on a production gun. also sold a savage 29A, am have listed a remington 600 in 222 for a sunday finish.
gunbroker offers you stuff the local stores just can't.
gunbroker offers you stuff the local stores just can't.
Full Metal Jacket
member
=shameless plug.
dogtown tom
Member
At Davidsons the cheapest PT1911 .38 Super is:
$474.22 dealer cost.
+$25 Shipping
$499.22
+FFL transfer fee?
$512 total
Seems right, except he is required to charge you 8.25% Texas Sales Tax on that purchase. He is required to collect sales tax because he ordered the firearm from Davidson's. His transfer fee is not taxable.
Texas Sales Tax on that $499.22 brings your total to $540.40
Pay for it yourself at Bud's it's $510 delivered.
gmerkt
Member
I've used Gunbroker maybe a score or more times, but always as a seller. I'm extremely reluctant to buy anything that I cannot see first in person. Like a few other people have already opined, if you aren't in a hurry, it will come your way locally over time. If not, I didn't need it.
One of the problems I see with Gunbroker is that their only fee is the commission they get when something sells. If they charged a listing fee (like Ebay), perhaps sellers would be more motivated to start items out at a more reasonable price. Since listings are free on Gunbroker, sellers can list things at whatever jackass price they want, and get 50 relistings automatically. With that set-up, there's no incentive to start out with a competitive price. Sure, some listings do start with a competitive price, but many are inflated and perhaps the sellers are just waiting for a "fish" to buy it who doesn't know any better. With information so plentiful on the net now, fish are scarcer and farther between, hence we see those same listings, over and over again.
One of the problems I see with Gunbroker is that their only fee is the commission they get when something sells. If they charged a listing fee (like Ebay), perhaps sellers would be more motivated to start items out at a more reasonable price. Since listings are free on Gunbroker, sellers can list things at whatever jackass price they want, and get 50 relistings automatically. With that set-up, there's no incentive to start out with a competitive price. Sure, some listings do start with a competitive price, but many are inflated and perhaps the sellers are just waiting for a "fish" to buy it who doesn't know any better. With information so plentiful on the net now, fish are scarcer and farther between, hence we see those same listings, over and over again.
dogtown tom
Member
You have to be kidding. I've bought and sold dozens of guns on GunBroker and have never been outbid by someone who didn't follow through (you can check the feedback left by the buyer & seller), nor have I ever had a buyer not beat the door down rushing to get payment to me. If you have any real experience buying or selling on GunBroker you would know this.
Uh......do you have any idea how auctions work? You bid what you think the item is worth (that's called your maximum). If you bid more than the item is worth JUST TO WIN....great! Sellers love that.
Don't sell anything on ebay do you?
I've got news for ya......nobody gets denied the opportunity to bid on Ebay. The majority of Ebay auctions are SEVEN DAYS LONG. At any time during those seven days you are free to bid as much as you want. So called "sniper" software for Ebay is useless against a bidder who puts in a bid HIGHER than what you authorized your so called sniper. Everyone thinks if they wait until the last thirty seconds they'll get the item cheaper. If you've set your sniper to bid $50 in the last second, I'll still beat you by bidding $51....because I placed that bid SIX DAYS AGO.
Riiiiiiight....
That's like saying books aren't good for reading. If GunBroker was the big waste of space you believe it is, it would be belly up by now. GunBroker allows little part time FFL's like me to sell my guns to the entire USA. GunsAmerica wishes it had half the traffic/page hits of GunBroker.
No, they don't. All you have to do is see the same ad on Guns America for the last two years to know that a lot of firearms dealers have no clue what a gun is really worth. Gunbroker is not imune to this, and those guns remain unsold. A gun is worth what someone is willing to pay. Period.
Really? Have you ever bought a gun online or off GunBroker? I'm an FFL in Texas, I don't have a retail storefront, nor am I a stocking dealer. I do transfers. Where do ya think my customers find the firearms they have shipped to me?
I'll tell you where....out of the last hundred transfers I processed:
0 from GunsAmerica
2 were from Auction Arms
3 were orders placed by me at customer request with a distributor
17 were from gunforums (THR, GlockTalk, AR15, etc)
26 were from online gunstores (Bud's, Impact, Cabela's, CDNN, etc)
52 were from GunBroker
WalMart is one of my local dealers. I buy as much ammunition as I can from them. If you mean the local "mom & pop" gunstore? Sorry, I don't reward rudeness, ignorance, AND high prices.
You make this statement about buying from local dealers..........but you want everyone to patronize GunsAmerica? Are you aware that GunsAmerica sellers aren't all local to where you live?
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Boba Fett
Member
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Very nice tom. Well said.
Very nice tom. Well said.
GunsAmerica used to be an interesting site, but they took a dump a few years ago with the new software and format, and I've not used them since.
Bought several nice guns thru Gunbroker. No problems. Maybe I'm lucky, maybe I'm not stupid, I dunno. If the piece is worth what I want to pay, and no one outbids me, I take it home. Not too hard to understand.
Bought several nice guns thru Gunbroker. No problems. Maybe I'm lucky, maybe I'm not stupid, I dunno. If the piece is worth what I want to pay, and no one outbids me, I take it home. Not too hard to understand.
I got in on the tail end of this and am not going to read every post right now! What I will tell you that barring a few transactions, I have purchased quite a few firearms at less than market price for my area, most at surpriseingly good deals. I sometimes feel bad asking my local brick and mortar guy for a copy of their ffl so I can send it off and get a firearm transfered to me that they have priced too high.
I do my research(much of it on the auction sites, and other places) and sometimes offer the local merchants the chance to earn my business.
At times they say they just can't do it, and other times they may get put off thinking I am just some joe/schmo trying to bend them over, usually the latter. However, I AM THE MARKET!, if they don't get it to bad for them.
I do my research(much of it on the auction sites, and other places) and sometimes offer the local merchants the chance to earn my business.
At times they say they just can't do it, and other times they may get put off thinking I am just some joe/schmo trying to bend them over, usually the latter. However, I AM THE MARKET!, if they don't get it to bad for them.
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