AR Pricing

[Mencius]

Ok, I have never really been into AR's much, more into the M14 and AK styles. However, a lady my wife works with is wanting to sell a couple AR's her husband had (he passed 4 years ago). I think I might pick one or more up if she is not completely crazy with the pricing. Also, I don't really know the pre-hysteria pricing and was wondering if there are some general guidelines such as Colts - $1500 to $2000, etc.

Could someone give me just a very general pricing guideline of how much different common brands would be worth pre-hysteria? I don't want to overpay and I also don't want to short-change her.

I realize this is something of a big and possibly difficult question. Please flame/delete if necessary.

 

[Pensfan]

I would think the price range would be completely dependent upon the make/model of the ARs. Pre-hype prices were between $700 and $3000 again depending on the make/model.

What lower, upper, custom vs stock, etc.

 

[mljdeckard]

Before the panic, you could easily get a &W M&P Sport for less than $700. You could find a Colt 6920 for about $1000.

I THINK, that in six months or so this will be the norm again. There will be a resolution on legislation. (I'm predicting little to no action.) Backorders will be filled, the market will flood.

 

[Tomcat47]

So far I have seen maybe a 20% increase in AR's in my area and most stay sold out.

I have however seen AK firearms triple in price in this area....rediculous!

I seen P mags for AR tripled in price at one place .... I laughed that one off and left their store!

 

[Pensfan]

I agree with your 6 month prediction as well. I have never really been into ARs much myself, but if we get through this attack and the prices come down to normal again, I think I might grab one just to have it myself.

 

[Skylerbone]

Before the craze, an inexpensive AR could be had for around $700. Walmart was selling base model Colts for $1075. A monolithic upper Colt could run you $3,000 in some areas. Pretty tough to say without knowing exactly what she has.

Price wise, it would be fair warning to inform her that at present she can likely make a healthy profit if she is willing to invest the time and effort to list them for sale but nothing is a guarantee. For your part, decide what you feel is fair, be honest about your intentions (hopefully not to buy low then sell high) and look up some MSRPs for general guidance. What you are comfortable spending or offering is up to you but not worth bad feelings.

 

[Tomcat47]

I bought 2 AR and 1 AK after the election and some mags and ammo ... now I wish I had gotten more mags ..... , more ammo, oh ! and more AR's ....

 

[Teachu2]

If you don't want to short-change her, you would have to pay current market price - not what it was three months ago or will be a year from now.

If you don't want to over-pay, wait for the panic to end.

If you want to take care of the widow, help her list it on GB or have her consign it at a local gun shop (she'll probably pay 20% to do so, but she'll still net more than pre-panic price).

NOW is the time to sell.

 

[Mencius]

Yeah, I was not even really interested in getting one until the wife, who obviously knows I am into guns, tells me her co-worker had some ARs she is looking to sell. I will get one of them if I can get it slightly below the pre-hype price.

You are right, though. I don't want to take advantage of her. I plan to buy it and keep it, I am not looking to flip it or anything. I actually don't have anything in 223 at the moment and thought it might be fun to have.

And, current market price is only what she can find a buyer willing to pay. If she has ever even heard of GB or knows a gun shop that will consign I would be shocked. I consider it a mutual benefit, I get a decent price on a gun and she gets more cash than if she went to a pawn shop.

 

[Teachu2]

Yeah, I was not even really interested in getting one until the wife, who obviously knows I am into guns, tells me her co-worker had some ARs she is looking to sell. I will get one of them if I can get it slightly below the pre-hype price.

You are right, though. I don't want to take advantage of her. I plan to buy it and keep it, I am not looking to flip it or anything. I actually don't have anything in 223 at the moment and thought it might be fun to have.

And, current market price is only what she can find a buyer willing to pay. If she has ever even heard of GB or knows a gun shop that will consign I would be shocked. I consider it a mutual benefit, I get a decent price on a gun and she gets more cash than if she went to a pawn shop.

How is paying a widow far below market value because she doesn't know any better NOT taking advantage of her?

 

[Cosmoline]

In today's market I think the fair market price, where the AR's are actually selling, is around $1800 for a Colt and $1200 for a second-tier brand. Custom guns may go for upwards of $2000 if well done with DD or other components. That's down from the height of $2500 or more a few weeks ago. I suspect it's going to come down more and level off by the summer or fall as supplies return. But it's unlikely to come all the way back to the old pricing. Colts are liable to stay at least 1300 or 1400 for a used LEO carbine.

To be fair to a naive seller, you'd probably be best directing her to consignment sales at a gun store. I don't think you're obliged morally to pay her the outrageous high end of panic prices, but FMV has gone up for sure.

 

[Quentin]

Whatever you do, treat her well. She probably needs the money and your wife works with her so don't sour their relationship. I'd help her get a good price for them and if you want to be the buyer of one, of course work out a deal that's acceptable for all of you.

No way to know what the FMV is now until you find out the specs. Hopefully they're complete rifles, frankenguns will be hard to ID when it comes to the bulk of the parts.

 

[psyopspec]

Whatever you do, treat her well. She probably needs the money and your wife works with her so don't sour their relationship.

This. Of course doing the right thing is doing the right thing. If that weren't enough incentive, well, I don't have a wife but have heard tell that if one does it's best to keep'm happy.

 

[justice06rr]

I would just pay the lady the fair value of the AR's, not the panic value.

For example, High-end rifles like Colt's, BCM, Noveske, DD, are around $1k-1500 depending on the model.

Mid-tier like Smith&Wesson, Rock River, Bushmaster, Spikes, would be between $800-1000.

Low-end like DPMS, Oly, DoubleStar are around $550-700.


Find out what brand AR's she is selling and get back to us. Hope you get one though!

 

[Adam the Gnome]

Hey Mencius, if you are in Texas a fellow member here is selling one in your range

 

[Litefoot]

Why does everyone assume that the seller, since she is a widow, can't take care of herself? No one lives in a hole. I'm sure she watches TV and is well-aware of the hysteria. She has Google. It's been 4 years since her husband's unfortunate passing. There's probably a good reason why she has waited until now to sell the AR's. And I don't blame her. But having said that, I personally would be willing to pay a premium to buy from another party that I knew and trusted. On the another hand, I would be willing to sell at a discount to a party that I knew and trusted. Either way, the OP's position is a good one to be in. Trusted seller; trusted buyer.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Before the panic, you could easily get a &W M&P Sport for less than $700. You could find a Colt 6920 for about $1000.

I THINK, that in six months or so this will be the norm again. There will be a resolution on legislation. (I'm predicting little to no action.) Backorders will be filled, the market will flood.

This!

2008 didn't have the AWB/mag scare but it did have similar effects on pricing.

AR prices have peeked and are coming down.

 

[btg3]

I've not closely followed AR pricing, but my interest was piqued, so I took a peek at a few of them and hope that the prices have indeed peaked.

 

[dab102999]

I would gladly overpay a friend or a neighbor in need for something. Just as if I loan a friend or family (and it stops their) money with the full intention of never seeing the money again....Now to overpay on GB is a little different story. I am only in my mid 40's but have been thru some pretty tough times and if it wasn't for family and friends would not be who I am today...

Now with that said you just have to determine is this just "someone your wife works with" or is this "someone your wife works with, who has been a friend of my wife, and is in a little tough time now"

You never know, she just may not want the guns around but would be more then happy to give you a deal cus she knows you like them.

I myself would print out a couple sheets with some prices off GB. (make sure they are ones with bids on them).Set a limit you want to give and let her decide which way she wants to go. But as everone else said if there is no major ban then prices will come down but it will be a while.

 

[Mencius]

I don't think she is hurting for money. We were out with her at the department party for Christmas and she was pointing out to my wife the brand clothes she was wearing. Apparently, it was an expensive outfit. My wife said she wanted some of that stuff. She also plays golf, etc.

I think she is more just getting rid of them because she does not shoot and wants someone who does to have them. My wife just started working in the department and this lady is my wife's preceptor (mentor) in the department. This is a small town and, actually, her late husband was my really good friend's uncle.

Thanks for the ballparks. I think it is going to be more like I show up at her house, take a look, and either buy or don't buy. They work at the hospital and apparently one of the surgeons is showing some interest too. I will wait and see what he does. If he buys them, obviously, I won't, if not I will go in and see what she has and what kind of pricing she is looking for. I might even call the surgeon if he passes and see what his thoughts were.

 

[Quentin]

I've not closely followed AR pricing, but my interest was piqued, so I took a peek at a few of them and hope that the prices have indeed peaked.

Nicely done, BTG! Not many people bother to figure out those heterographs. Or, these days, English in general.

 

[Skylerbone]

Two few people learn to little about the language they claim too love sew much!

 

[Girodin]

Backorders will be filled, the market will flood.

Based on what some places are quoting for back order times they are well past six months out. Certain makers, such as LaRue and Spikes (I was interested in a compressor) were more than six months back ordered pre hysteria. A few newer entrants to the market were already claiming they were a year+ back ordered at shot show.

I do think we will see what we saw post 2009. That is to say I mostly agree with your predictions. Things will calm down. There will be saturation and guns/lowers/etc on the secondary market (of course we will have to see how such sales are affected if at all). Those that overpaid will feel silly. Hopefully the lesson will be learned and in times of plenty they will stock up, leading to there being even more guns, mags, and ammo out there.

Of course if I was clairvoyant I'd be retired on my stock portfolio.

 

[Hacker15E]

I've not closely followed AR pricing, but my interest was piqued, so I took a peek at a few of them and hope that the prices have indeed peaked.

50% of the Americans I know could not spell the words in this sentence correctly.

 

[KTXdm9]

Easy solution, go online and the going price is for her rifles. Tell her what that number is, and what you are willing to offer. She might want to sell to you anyway, to avoid the hassle of an online transaction for a few extra bucks.