midtennpawnstar
Member
I have been working at a pawn shop for several years now.I get to handle some very cool guns......and i'd love to hear about what you have found at a pawn shop when it comes to guns.
feel free to post pics id enjoy seeing them
Buying guns at pawn shops
- Thread starter midtennpawnstar
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I have been working at a pawn shop for several years now.I get to handle some very cool guns......and i'd love to hear about what you have found at a pawn shop when it comes to guns.
feel free to post pics id enjoy seeing them
I like browsing in pawn shops, the things I like to look at an once in awhile buy are used, depending on the shop, less exspensive then brand new.
what I look for in pawnshops, is something that needs work, most of the times out of what some shops call the AS Is shelf, those can be more interesting then the brand new items.
what I look for in pawnshops, is something that needs work, most of the times out of what some shops call the AS Is shelf, those can be more interesting then the brand new items.
Shadow 7D
Member
Um, the part where they try to stick you for so much cash that your looking at selling plasma.
Do yourself a favor, sell a used gun for less than I can buy the same thing new at BudsGun online.
Don't mean to rant but damn man, I have seen junk that pawns shops are selling at gold prices, I mean rusted shut beaters that cost more that the same gun new.
Now that said, thanks to the internet, locally, pawnshops aren't the best deal, the only great deals are in misidentified guns, and those are few and far between.
Do yourself a favor, sell a used gun for less than I can buy the same thing new at BudsGun online.
Don't mean to rant but damn man, I have seen junk that pawns shops are selling at gold prices, I mean rusted shut beaters that cost more that the same gun new.
Now that said, thanks to the internet, locally, pawnshops aren't the best deal, the only great deals are in misidentified guns, and those are few and far between.
KingMedicine
Member
I go to a few pawn shops and always check for deals, just normally around here they are way over priced.
Arkansas Paul
Member
I do a lot of looking and very little buying. Every now and then you'll find something good though. There are a few around here that have fair prices regularly.
jiphillips
Member
I've seen examples of both sides of the extreme. Bought a Glock 10mm with 2 magazines in unfired condition for under $500, the only thing missing was the box. Saw a beautiful WASR for a great price, walked away from it because the barrel was so bent you couldn't see light out the other side. Saw a nice Steyr S9, just like the one I was packing at the time, but the lock was messed up and they didn't have a key for it. In this area most pawn shops just pull out the recent edition of the gun price guide and put the same price the full time gun stores do.
sappyg
Member
the best pawn shop in my area is also the best gun dealer. they have a great selection of everything you could possibly be interested in from Heym doubles to wacked up beater 22s.
no pics yet but one of the last rifle i bought there was a beautifully grained #1 in 45-70 that has had a real good trigger job and shoots lights out. i passed on a very nice #3 in 44 mag. because i just couldn't get with the asking price. you never know what they can pull out of the safe there.
no pics yet but one of the last rifle i bought there was a beautifully grained #1 in 45-70 that has had a real good trigger job and shoots lights out. i passed on a very nice #3 in 44 mag. because i just couldn't get with the asking price. you never know what they can pull out of the safe there.
jcwit
member
I've made a few super deals at PS's, I do not limit myself to just guns tho, Cameras usually are a super buy, especially SLR film ones, band instruments can really be buys if one has knowledge about good professional instruments. I also check out the jewlery and have gotten good buys on diamonds, but then I have a jewler friend that appraises them for me N/C.
Shops I deal with have a 3 day return, no questions asked, 14 day warrenty.
Shops I deal with have a 3 day return, no questions asked, 14 day warrenty.
macadore
Member
I have never found a deal at a pawn shop I could not beat somewhere else.
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FROGO207
Member
I will look at the local shops around here. At times there are deals to be had for sure. I have seen the local dealer that will try to sell junk at new gun prices and surprise----he only lasted a couple years before going out of business. Now the ones left are most often reasonable priced but there were some high price guns that did not move. Might in the future if they drop prices to a reasonable level on those particular ones. I average 6 or 7 a year if the price is fair from one particular broker. I don't mind paying what the firearm is worth as everyone needs to make a living and I understand that. I think that some dealers do not know how to set a fair price for a used gun using the resources available. I have purchased a couple Ruger Blackhawks, An M1 carbine (underwood), several hunting rifles and a buttload of reloading supplies---all at good prices for the time purchased. I am sure I will do a lot more business with these pawn brokers in the future.
midtennpawnstar
Member
Thanks for the responses and i do agree some pawn shops do gouge the prices on used and new guns and its usually when there is not much competition from what i've seen.....My boss who has been in the pawn business for over 30 years now knows little to nothing about guns especially new production guns......i have self appointed myself to handle the gun transaction from pawning and buying them to selling them to customers. I also occasionally buy something to fix up when we buy a gun that could use some TLC. The whole thing with my pawn shop is that we are competing with local gun shops and big stores like Dick's so i price things to move....one of our best sellers are new Glocks that we sell for 499 plus tax and tics (this is not for the newest gen 4 Glock however) and we cant keep them on the shelves. Other than that we sell a ton of used guns from Lefever shotguns to used hi point pistols and everything in between.
Never have the time to cruise 'em. The prices usually turn me off too. But I did find a helluva score in this Enfield, got it for $150. It was filthy dirty, was missing the rear sight and had a scope mounted on it, but after cleaning it up I realized it's a genuine No.5 Mk.1 Rifle, a "Jungle Carbine", in excellent shape. It's the real thing, not a manufactured copy made from a No.4, and it's all matching numbers too, except the magazine. Bought a rear sight for $30, a correct sling for another $15, refinished the wood, and it's gorgeous now! Made in 1947, one of the last ones made. I could use a few more scores like this one.
burrhead
Member
A couple of yeas ago I bought an 181/2-inch Mossberg 500 Marine Coat at a pawnshop for $150. It has a big rub mark on the barrel but functions perfectly. I put a heat shield on it just to cover the booger on the barrel. So I’ve got a good shotgun for repelling boarders that looks good for less than a $175. What’s not to like.
mljdeckard
Member
I wouldn't say I frequent them. In fact I don't think I've been in one in years. I don't crave guns in the abstract, in that I would walk into a shop to see what I could find. When I buy, I'm looking for something specific, and I don't usually find the specific thing I'm looking for in pawn shops.
I suppose there are a few things at the bottom of the list I could find at a pawn shop, 870 and 10/22 frames to customize, an old bolt-action .22 and a 20 ga for the kids, an AK of some flavor or other if I feel I just need to get one, stuff like that.
As for their prices, I regard pawn shops as the ultimate free market indicator. Pawnbrokers control both the buying price and the selling price, it is entirely their success if suckers pay too much, and entirely their fault if they take a bath on something. This is why I love watching Pawn Stars.
I suppose there are a few things at the bottom of the list I could find at a pawn shop, 870 and 10/22 frames to customize, an old bolt-action .22 and a 20 ga for the kids, an AK of some flavor or other if I feel I just need to get one, stuff like that.
As for their prices, I regard pawn shops as the ultimate free market indicator. Pawnbrokers control both the buying price and the selling price, it is entirely their success if suckers pay too much, and entirely their fault if they take a bath on something. This is why I love watching Pawn Stars.
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I have found that some pawn shops have good prices from time to time.
S&W model 10 nice shape for $250
Savage 110 .270 w/ scope and sling for $275
Win. 94 1969 manuf. $150
High Standard sentinel $80
Ruger 10/22 butler crk. heavy barrel and Hogue stock $150
You just have to know which ones to hit and what you are looking at.
S&W model 10 nice shape for $250
Savage 110 .270 w/ scope and sling for $275
Win. 94 1969 manuf. $150
High Standard sentinel $80
Ruger 10/22 butler crk. heavy barrel and Hogue stock $150
You just have to know which ones to hit and what you are looking at.
A couple of the larger area pawn shops get tables at the gun shows here. They have a wide assortment, about half of which could be called junk - old Iver Johnson and Rohm revolvers, Raven and Jennings .25s and .32s, and various shot out, worn out, or broken S&Ws and Colts. Occasionally, you can find a gem at a good price, but you have to know what you're looking at.
brandon_mcg
Member
i voted no even though my last gun purchase came from a pawn shop and it was only the first time that i had been in a pawn shop looking for guns. got a great deal the week before Christmas.
MikeG
Member
I've found a Swedish Mauser M-96 for $100, and a Brazilian M1908 Mauser for $90.
You guys are going to the wrong pawn shops. I've worked in one for a few years now and we price stuff to move. We don't have much competition though. Just Wal-Mart and another pawn shop across town whose prices are through the roof. I cringe when people come to my shop and say they bought a gun from the other guy for twice what we would sell it for.
An example: A customer brought me an old Glenfield 30-30 a few weeks ago. I would sell one of those for probably $180 and that's in great shape. Someone had taken this one and, don't ask me how, put what looked to be a Winchester 94 stock on it. So it was all screwed up. Then they told me they had given close to $400 at the other shop for it...
Back to my point; we're not all price gougers. Just have to find the right shop.
An example: A customer brought me an old Glenfield 30-30 a few weeks ago. I would sell one of those for probably $180 and that's in great shape. Someone had taken this one and, don't ask me how, put what looked to be a Winchester 94 stock on it. So it was all screwed up. Then they told me they had given close to $400 at the other shop for it...
Back to my point; we're not all price gougers. Just have to find the right shop.
midtennpawnstar
Member
Amen Brother! I like nothing more than making somebody a deal on a gun then they will come back talk shop with me and more than likely buy another one.
jcwit
member
And right there is why I cruise the PS's. I even have a couple that tell me to let them know as soon as I wish to see something. They know I'm a buyer, not just a walker. They have someone waiting on me even if they need to get somebody out of the office.
Furncliff
Member
A new pawn shop opened up near me about 6 months ago. The first time I walked in I knew I could frequent their store. They had built beautiful Cherry gun cabinets across all the walls of the gun room. Glass doors and great lighting. All the rifles and pistols are available to fondle as you wish, there's someone always in the room, but you can pick up and examine anything you wish. I like rim fire, and they always point out the new rifles when I come in. A month ago I bought a Remington rifle and couldn't get it to run for me. They told me to return it and they would refund the purchase price.
788Ham
Member
My buddy and I were in a PS awhile back, just looking around. We ended up by the gun counters, just gawkin' around, when I saw this nice little Beretta pistol. Twice I had the salesman take it out so I could look at it, Beretta 1934 .32 auto { actually a 7.65 mm}, two mags and the original Italian Air Force holster. They had it marked for $300, I talked him down to $175 OTD and I walked. God only knows how long since that dude had been cleaned, barrel is very good, springs throughout were lousy! Ordered springs for the whole pistol, Wolff Spgs., took it to my smithy and he replaced all of the springs, I'd done the mag springs. Shoots like a champ!
When I started at the shop, I knew little about guns but grew up with them. Now, after handling them everyday, it's my number one hobby. And there's nothing better than a nice, knowledgable customer. I love to talk guns. Heck, I'll knock $25-$50 off something even if they don't ask for a discount just because I enjoyed the chat. Pawn shops get a bad rep for price gouging and sleazery but I help a lot of people make it to payday with eough groceries and diapers and get to have some fun while doing it.
Onward Allusion
Member
Pawn shops are a crap shoot. Sometimes you'll see a used Heritage RR for $250. Other times you can find a 2nd gen Sigma for $175. One of the better deals I found was an unfired NEF Pardner Pump in 20 ga with walnut furniture for $100.
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