Post “Pandemic” Prices

My hat’s off to you for making it all the way through this without falling asleep; I could not.

I’ll take your word for it.

Guy must not be very smart. I always make money when selling a used firearm. The key is to buy it at the rite price in the first place. I have seen those that speculate at the wrong time loose their shirts too. Pay attention (cough GOUGERS cough) you folks.

I don't expect prices on used guns to go down. We have seen this before, a buying panic occurs, and people predict that in six months or a year after the panic, used guns will glut the market and used prices will drop. I don't think I have ever witnessed that happening.

If anything, people sell their used guns in a private sale, and think their guns are worth a premium since there is no "paperwork".

I didn't watch. A $350.00 Glock doesn't do anything for me.

Mark_Mark said:

this is different, so many 1st time 2020 fear buyers who now feel safe and don’t want a gun anymore! I guided 2 Seattle 1st time buyers last year. Now their biggest concern is a bomb proof safe for their 1 gun. They will dump it.

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I dont see 1st time buyers selling off their firearms whether they feel safe or not. Even if, for the sake of argument, they do, they aren't going to sell it for about as much they paid if not more.

Styx said:

I dont see 1st time buyers selling off their firearms whether they feel safe or not. Even if, for the sake of argument, they do, they aren't going to sell it for about as much they paid if not more.

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I know I’m way overgeneralizing, but the typical first time buyer bought their gun through an FFL and probably has no clue how to sell it on the secondary market. I agree with Styx.

That being said, I’m seeing retail prices come way down. The $799 retail Gen 5 G19 is back down to $519 at the LGS. I don’t have interest in another Glock, but I tend to use that gun as a pricing barometer.

guyfromohio said:

I know I’m way overgeneralizing, but the typical first time buyer bought their gun through an FFL and probably has no clue how to sell it on the secondary market. I agree with Styx.

That being said, I’m seeing retail prices come way down. The $799 retail Gen 5 G19 is back down to $519 at the LGS. I don’t have interest in another Glock, but I tend to use that gun as a pricing barometer.

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I noticed that too. I bet I'll see some deals at one of my LGS, it's the only indoor range in the area and I can see panic buyers dumping some .40s or .45s they had to buy for something smaller and more fun to shoot, and the shop is happy to take tradeins.

Problem is the shop overcharges even used guns unless they really need to clear space, so the deals aren't fantastic, but occasionally there's a gem worth buying.

Be worth checking the local consignment shop in a few months too.

Economic indicators currently escalating show a lot of pushback on the idea of a glut of cheap guns on the market. When things seem to be getting worse, people buy guns.

1) Inflation, with $4 a gallon gas rumored before the end of the year.
2) Loss of rental amnesty.
3) Physical donations to thrifts and chariities show a significant downturn
4) Form 4999, which if approved forces a few million AR15 pistol owners to buy parts to make them legal.

Some may sell their firearm to finance short term cash needs, however, in the long run, and it's already been a year, cell phone plans, insurance, and health care that can be put off are what get the axe. You can eat with 4 missing crowns, avoid optional surgery, get a pay as you go phone, and drive like you don't have insurance, or gas money, because, you don't. The last two save over $200 + a month. No work, no health insurance yet hospitals won't turn you away.

And yet the businesses and stockholders taking it in the shorts are cowed by the current social system and won't say a thing. This has already affected tens of thousands of small business owners while the big boxes are getting the benefit. Do you see the trend? The rich get riicher, the poor are getting poorer.

Keep in mind our opponents are happy to win and rule over a pile of ashes. Whatever it takes.

guyfromohio said:

I know I’m way overgeneralizing, but the typical first time buyer bought their gun through an FFL and probably has no clue how to sell it on the secondary market. I agree with Styx.

That being said, I’m seeing retail prices come way down. The $799 retail Gen 5 G19 is back down to $519 at the LGS. I don’t have interest in another Glock, but I tend to use that gun as a pricing barometer.

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I agree. If they do sell their firearms, it will be back to an FFL for cheap, and then they will mark the price right back up (some states like mine require FFL involvement for f2f transfers anyway).

I still don't see any reason why first time gun owners who already made the mental decision to buy a gun and to have it in their home tucked away safe would wake up one day, take it down to a FFL or the like, and would sell it for a hundreds of dollars loss. They purchased their guns durring at pandemic prices, and now prices are coming back down on NIB guns. Speaking for myself, unless I was struggling for money, I rather keep the gun instead of letting it go for a huge loss.

Tirod said:

Economic indicators currently escalating show a lot of pushback on the idea of a glut of cheap guns on the market. When things seem to be getting worse, people buy guns.

1) Inflation, with $4 a gallon gas rumored before the end of the year.
2) Loss of rental amnesty.
3) Physical donations to thrifts and chariities show a significant downturn
4) Form 4999, which if approved forces a few million AR15 pistol owners to buy parts to make them legal.

Some may sell their firearm to finance short term cash needs, however, in the long run, and it's already been a year, cell phone plans, insurance, and health care that can be put off are what get the axe. You can eat with 4 missing crowns, avoid optional surgery, get a pay as you go phone, and drive like you don't have insurance, or gas money, because, you don't. The last two save over $200 + a month. No work, no health insurance yet hospitals won't turn you away.

And yet the businesses and stockholders taking it in the shorts are cowed by the current social system and won't say a thing. This has already affected tens of thousands of small business owners while the big boxes are getting the benefit. Do you see the trend? The rich get riicher, the poor are getting poorer.

Keep in mind our opponents are happy to win and rule over a pile of ashes. Whatever it takes.

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You paint a bleak future! But I mostly agree! Unfortunately. There is negative pressure everywhere plus a delta, beta, who knows what strain that will force lockdowns in some areas. Supply chains are fragile. Inflation is ripping. Gun prices might have bottomed right now and go back up. Hopefully it all gets better but I’m not overly excited.

If a serious fraction of first-time buyers don’t want to sell….

….many of their wives might pressure them to sell…
…as they realize that their town's streets have experienced Nothing like any scenes in the Road Warrior.

Some Nervous Surburbanites will calm down and sell up.
Most won't. You can often read about Grandpa's bureau drawer gun turning up from 50-100 years ago.

So what you are saying is we might see the price of a pistol come down to roughly the equivalent of 200 rounds of factory ammo?

I'm guessing that a lot of these 1st time gun buyers didn't buy them because they were scared; they bought them because they realized guns and ammo are a valuable commodity. They may not have been gun people before, but when they see panic buying of guns and ammo and hear all the talk of bans and gun control, they figure they better jump in.
Everybody wants to have something that someone tells them they can't have.
I don't see a glut of cheap used guns coming; used guns yes, but not cheap.

Right now I see near $4/gal gas and $0.39 9mm (online). Any handgun under $500 sells faster than a house around here. Prices on lumber/hardware are still out of sight and food is edging up. I see huge lots of canned foods being sold. On top of it all with Masks off and folks are openly blaming the left.
Sadly these were supposed to be our "golden years"

scott511 said:

Everybody wants to have something that someone tells them they can't have.

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This. Best sales promotion ever.