Why does everyone think their guns are worth a fortune?

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hometheaterman

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I check local gun classifieds often looking for something that will catch my eye at a decent price and it seems like guys always think their guns are worth a fortune. Now I don't expect to find an amazing deal from every post but it seems like I hardly even see decent reasonable prices much less a deal. I've seen maybe one or two deals posted on the site. Seems like guys think their used 870 Expresses are worth $270-300. Now I can't remember exactly what they cost at Walmart but last I remember seeing one it was under $300. Their Savage non accu trigger Model 10's and 11's you see every once in a while for $300 but often for $350-370. You can buy a model 10 at Walmart with the accu trigger for $400. The ones with the accu triggers people seem to think are worth $500-550. Once again you can get these for $400 with the cheap Simmons scope at Walmart. When it comes to Glocks people seem to want $500 or so for one stock. They are like $525 at local gun shops for a new one. Others seem to have added night sites and a holster and think they are now worth $700. Seems like the 10/22's often the sellers want over $200 for the basic one or at least around $200. You can get them for $197 last time I checked brand new at Walmart.

Anyone else notice this? So why do these people think their guns are worth a fortune? Seems like almost every gun I see for sale the price is almost what a new one would be and the used ones are often an old model lacking features of a new one or like the new ones but beat or scratched up. Every once in while I see one like new but once again it's usually still around the same price. Now I've seen a deal or two but it just seems like the majority of prices are crazy high. I've got friends that hunt and have bought and sold guns and they don't want to pay near these prices for them nor do I. In fact several of them have sold their guns and not gotten near these prices for them either. However, usually they end up just selling to someone they know instead of posting it online.

So is there a reason for prices to be this high? Do these guys actually sell these things?
 
It's not just guns. Go price used computers. There is nothing funnier than someone trying to sell an old PC for more than a current model would cost, justifying the absurdity with an, "I paid NNNN." Yeah, and today you can get a better model for NNN brand new.
 
I have found that ANYTHING I want to sell is a piece of junk I should just give away and ANYTHING i want to buy is solid gold.
 
Ehh I really only have one gun that is worth a lil bit of money, its a fulton sxs shotgun from the 20's, it was grandpas and ill never sell it. Well lets see i have a steven sxs also probably could get 150 for it, along with two well used mossberg that would probably fetch 100 bucks apeice, an sks that i could sell for like 150. a Stevens buck horn that would go for about 75. a Howa 1500 in .30-06 might get 250 for it, and beatup ithca 37 20ga again about 100-120. thats about it. But then again I have uses for these guns and they are not kept as safe queens so im not worried about that stuff. maybe if all guns got confiscated and I was able to hide these then maybe I could get alot of money for them.
 
I've noticed the same prices. I hope folks are expecting to be offered significantly less than their asking price.
 
There was a local gunshow this weekend, and the prices on Ar's seemed to be nearing reality, but the prices of ak's were still crazy. Same way with local shop. All I can figure is they have too much in them, and instead of reducing the price of their used ak they are just willing to sit on it. Bad for business really, as it keeps me from either buying one of his off the shelf, or transferring one through him out of fear of insult. Getting back to the gunshow, if you walk around these things, and you have an apple in your mind you want to compare at different vendors, it amazes me the differences in prices, looking for a pistol, the same exact model was going for anywhere from 329-450 depending on the vendor.
 
mine is old & used and is worth less:(

theirs is special and worth more cause its....well, its theirs:scrutiny:

if you honestly want to sell a gun check completed sales on GBer and see what people are paying.
that is more relevant then what you want for it.

when making a purchase i try to look foward to its retained value.
if spending a bit $ more today ges me more in 5 or so years, do it.
plus you have the benifit of shooting it all that time and getting your money back.
S&W vs charter arms or taurus. check it out and the smart money is on the smith.
 
What's the line I read in someone's sig line, something to the effect of;

Overheard at gun show: "Are you wanting to buy that priceless family heirloom or are you trying to get rid of that rusty piece of junk?"

I won't sweat people for being optimistic in their selling prices, I'm a capitalist. But any commodity on this planet is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it. It's one thing to start high in your asking price. It's another to actually get upset when people bargain you down.
 
They're hoping to find a sucker who will overpay without realizing it--this happens constantly on all types of items on eBay, so why not guns?
 
There are occasionally sane people who advertise their used gun for 10-50% of new price; what gets me is the near constant ads offering $170 Hi-points brand new, unfired for $350-400, or brand new $200 Mossberg Mavericks for $300-400. Makes me wonder if these people are just fencing for felons?
 
There are a lot of people who will pay a premium for a used gun from an individual so there will be no paper trail.
 
Legitimate collector's items aside, in a word: Greed.


In a market where folks are selling their guns in order to pay for groceries and the other necessities of life (there is a whole lotta financial hurt'n out there), any seller is hardly in a position to demand unrealistic prices with used firearms flooding into the market as they seem to be. Anyone asking more for a used firearm than what this market will actually bear is in for a very long wait and the market will eventually educate them in that regard.

With what folks are asking for their used (and sometimes abused) guns, I find it preferable to simply spend a little extra (or less in some cases) and just get a new one that hasn't been the subject of someone's WECSOG project.
 
Something else to think about....... If I sell you my gun at a bargain price, you get a real deal on it... what happens when I try to buy one back ? You have to be careful how you price an item, once it leaves, its hard to replace.
 
I will only buy used guns that I can handle and inspect before even discussing price. I don't even bother looking at the price they are asking for used guns because I am going to haggle. I could give two craps what they think it is worth because I will not budge from what I am willing to pay.

I also won't buy used unless their is a significant discount over new or that gun is no longer available new.
 
People who spend hard earned money on things like to think whatever they're buying doesn't depreciate. ;)

You should see the raised eyebrows when the annual Glock Days sale comes around and cops are told what their used Glocks are worth in trade on a new one. :what:

Of course, they don't mind paying a low price for a new one ... :rolleyes:
 
I could see someone trying to sell a WASR-10 AK for $600 now when they purchased it during the Obama frenzy. Of course they can be had for $400 or less.
 
What if you acquire a gun, add improvements like aftermarket sights, have the action cleaned up, have the trigger improved all by a reputable gunsmith and essentially double your cost in the gun. These improvements are real but not necessarily visible nor appreciated by a potential buyer.

Should the seller just give these enhancements away?

I don't think so,

TB
 
twice barrel: said:
What if you acquire a gun, add improvements like aftermarket sights, have the action cleaned up, have the trigger improved all by a reputable gunsmith and essentially double your cost in the gun. These improvements are real but not necessarily visible nor appreciated by a potential buyer.

Should the seller just give these enhancements away?

I don't think so,

TB
Click to expand...

Nobody is saying anything of the sort from what I've read above.

The market bears what it will. If an owner invests in their gun by making alterations/modifications/enhancements that no one else desires or values, then they will likely see no return on their "investment".

If the cost of the "enhancements" is not recoverable in the current market you are also free to refrain from trying to sell it.
 
Exactly. It's almost not even worth going to gun shows anymore because I can drive 10 minutes down the road to LGS and buy new for the same price or less.
 
Maybe I'm weird, but I generally took the blue book value and took off 20% as a starting price on my "for sale" guns. :)
 
If an owner invests in their gun by making alterations/modifications/enhancements that no one else desires or values, then they will likely see no return on their "investment".
Click to expand...
That's why. People see guns as investments, so when they sell it they expect a return. That may be true for some collectors pieces but not for someone's pitted 10/22. I figure the loss I take on a gun as the rental fee for X years worth of shooting enjoyment I had with it.
 
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