Damn It!!! That's Twice!!!

[30-06 lover]

So I put my gun up for sale about three months ago. I get a couple hits, but a friend of a friend tells me he want the rifle. I fugued it would better to sell the gun to someone I know than a complete stranger. He tells me he just needs to get his money together and he will buy it. Two weeks roll by and I give him a call. He says "Well I just can't afford it, and to top it off I thought about it the day after we made the deal and I knew then I just didn't want it." *** you waited two weeks to tell me you didn't want the rifle??? I am trying to sell the gun other places! Whatever...so I thought about keeping the rifle, but thought "No, I just don't love the gun, so put it back up for sale." I put it up here and on other sites for sale. I got few hits, but one guy said to take it off the market it was sold...so I did. I called him and he says he has the money and we are all set. Well I go to his house with the gun and he checks it out and he was IN LOVE. Then it got weird...he hadn't paid me any money yet and said "I can write you a check is that okay?" He already agreed to pay cash so I said cah only. He responds "Okay, but I'll need my check from work to clear first, so in a couple day I will have the money. By the way I have two questions. Can you just leave the rifle here until I can get you the money? You know where I live so it is not like I am going to steal the gun, I just want to take it to the range tomorrow? The second question do we HAVE to do the background? It is a waste of money and I don't want to wait ten days for the rifle?" Okay dude...No I am not going to leave my gun with someone I don't know, who hasn't paid me and is asking weird questions. Second...Hell yes you have to do the background. I don't know who the hell you are! You can be a freaking rapist for all I know. The background is going to happen! I wasn't that harsh but I did say there was no way I was leaving the rile without money or background through a dealer. Don't get me wrong, I think my state's laws are dumb, but that is the law...anyway He got Pissed and I do mean Pissed. I really think he was on some sort of drug considering the way he snapped! He screams at the top of his lungs "What MF-er! You don't F-ing trust me???!!! Get the F out of my house! Needless to say the deal with that guy is off. So this is now twice I have tried to sell this gun only to have two people back out or go nuts. I am going to give it one more try, and see what happens...

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

Selling firearms can be a pain in the butt. Not only do you have to deal with all the annoyances that comes with selling things in general, but you have the added flavor of Federal and State regulations to complicate the process.

I try my best to make good choices on the firearms I buy, because I loathe the process of getting rid of them. Sure, I could trade or sell to a gunshop and make it easy, but they will rape me by not giving me anywhere near what the firearm is worth. I understand they can't sell for new, and need to make a profit, but the dealers around here are totally out of line.

Thus, the only option to get a fair price is private sale.

 

[Gun Geezer]

Background Check?

What background check? I have sold several guns on-line and never done a background check and sure as heck did not use an FFL.

If it is a private non-FFL sale, why bother? Is there a law I am missing somewhere?

 

[BozemanMT]

He's in California, it's the law, all transfers through a FFL. (which is bucks again)

For most things, I'll take a check, esp gun guys.
For guns, it's cash only and I pay cash only for mine too on private deals.
it's only fair.

 

[Geno]

Been there & Experienced That Too.

I finally determined that many of the gun dealers here were blatant liars regarding their turn-around price. For example, I sold Gander Mountain a 1911 for about 60% of purchase price. They justified the low cost in that they will only be able to add 10%. I waited a few days and returned. They were selling the pistol for $50.00 less than I had paid, or 90% of original cost. Well, liars lie; cheaters cheat, and thieves steal.

Regarding selling here or else where, I have experienced that as well. How could anyone simply be willing to leave the gun with them before paying? Sounds like you made a good decision; they guy was a nut-case.

Doc2005

 

[sacp81170a]

Several gun stores in my area will take guns on consignment, meaning that the listed price will be what I'm asking plus some sort of nominal fee for doing the paperwork and background check, typically $25 or so. Dealers like it because they don't have money tied up in inventory, and I like it because I know whoever buys it has had a background check. The buyers usually like it because they can get a decent deal. Background checks for private party transfers aren't required in my state, but if I don't know you or you don't have a CCW, I'm not likely to sell you one of my guns, cash in hand notwithstanding.

You might check with some of your local gunshops about such an arrangement. It's why I frequent the more specialized local dealers instead of the big boxes and chain sporting goods stores when shopping for "goodies".

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

a 1911 for about 60% of purchase price. They justified the low cost in that they will only be able to add 10%. I waited a few days and returned. They were selling the pistol for $50.00 less than I had paid, or 90% of original cost.

I've never sold a firearm to a dealer for this very reason. The first time I was given a "price" from a dealer, I was totally offended. I questioned him on that, and he just shrugged his shoulders.

I had bought a pistol from a local dealer. Shot it the next day 50 rounds exactly, didn't care for it. Wanted to trade it for something else. I know it isn't new, and I knew I would take a hit on it. It isn't new anymore and I know that. But 50%? C'mon. It's not like the dealer didn't know how new it was. It was also a pistol in high demand at the time. It could almost pass for brand new except for breach face which gets that ring from shooting (which even new guns have from test firing). He gave me that BS about how he can't sell it for much. Uh huh, yeah right. On a different occasion, I tried to sell a rifle to a different dealer. Same situation. I wasn't bothered by the price, but what got me the 2nd time was the BS that they can't sell it for much more than what they're offering. It was as if they both read it from the same page.


Must be a standard line of BS in the business. All the local shops around here have used pistols for only $50 less than brand new. And most of these are significantly more used than what I tried to trade in, or what other people I know have tried to sell. It seems that "grading" your pistol only counts when they are buying it to devalue it. Yet, they're selling much more worn pistols for nearly new. There's no grading system in place to regulate their sale price.


Hey, vote with your wallet I say.


I like the smaller shops. The real junky ones that often are home to a gunsmith. They tend to be more practical and fair. They aren't looking to steal from you, but instead do business.


Anyways, sorry for the hijack.

 

[evan price]

You think this is bad try used cars. The rule of thumb in any used transaction involving selling/trading is "Buy Low Sell High". Did you really believe that your gun was only worth 50% of its purchase price? Sounds like you did not do your homework to see what comparable guns are selling for.
I buy & sell used cars all day long. I try to get them as cheap as possible and sell for big return on my investment. Look at it this way. If I shell out $1000 for a car, I fully expect that after my expenses in cleaning it up for resale, advertising, any needed repairs, etc, I will make at least $1000 profit. Preferably more! Otherwise I might as well take my cash and put it into the bank earning interest. There is no point risking my capital to make 10%..I could get better in my investment portfolio!
My most recent deal: Bought a ten year old Camry from original owner with 90,000 miles on it for $1500. Took it home, washed/waxed/detailed/Armour All everything, new spark plugs & accessory belts & changed oil & air filter, rotated & rebalanced the tires, put it in the paper. Sold it for $3500 within 48 hours. Nice return on my weekend investment. Turns out the guy I sold it to is a dealer who said he'll put it on his lot for $4999.

"If it don't make dollars it don't make sense/cents"

 

[gezzer]

Cash talks, hold nothing for promises, cash now or get lost. First money wins, the way of successful sales.

Friends are the WORST customers.

 

[rbernie]

Consignment.

The dealer gets their cut (usually 15%), it's sold thru a FFL, and best of all you don't have to deal with the inDUHviduals trying to buy it.

 

[Surefire]

Second the recommendation for consignment. Our dealer takes a whopping 25%, but at least I don't have to deal with the buyers. I've ran into too many nutjobs that explode if you tell them that you insist on following the law and going through all paper work and waiting days. Let the dealer handle the irrational buyers...

 

[tulsamal]

Local areas tend to have hot and cold guns. Some type of older S&W revolver that might move in seconds nationally may just sit on your dealer's shelf with no attention. If I wanted to sell a gun that was at ALL special, I would sell it on gunbroker, etc. You get the much bigger pool of buyers.

I know there has to be some good people buying guns there because I do! Goes for auctionarms.com and gunsamerica.com as well. The transfer at the other end will have to go through an FFL so that lets you off the hook. Then demand a Postal Money order in payment and most of your worries should go away. Why pay a dealer to show it to a few dozen people when you can put it on a national site and have hundreds or even thousands look at it?

It's a rare gun that I buy somewhere besides the internet anymore. Very rare.

Gregg

 

[Aguila Blanca]

This is why, IF I were ever to sell a firearm, I wouldn't sell a firearm. I would turn it over to the gun shop/range where I shoot and do all my transfers, and him deal with the weirdos. Life's too short.

But folks are like that. It happened to me much like that, but over a car. I had it parked at the mother-in-laws wuth a For Sale sign in the window, because she lived on a main road with a lot of traffic. Couple of days later I get a call from a guy who just HAS to buy the car. He hasn't driven it, he hasn't even sat in it, because I didn't leave the keys, but he said to consider it sold. So I arrange to meet him there at 6:00 the next evening.

I'm there at 6:00. He's not. Nor is he there at 6:15, or 6:30. At 6:30 I call the number he left, get his father, who says the guy went out with some friends and he (father) has no idea where he went or when he might be back. Hmmm.

At 7:15 there's a knock on the door. Not the guy. One of my wife's high school students, saw the car as he drove by and wanted to look at it. So we look. Then we go for a drive. Then he makes me an offer I can live with, and he seems like a good kid, so we shake on the deal and arrange to meet in two days to do the paperwork.

I go back inside to finish my tea and conversation with the mother-in-law. Around 8:30 the phone rings. It's the guy. Guy #1, that is. He said he was on the way over. I told him not to bother, the car was sold. The guy went ballistic. Started yelling and swearing and threatening to call the cops, said I was backing out of a contract, yada yada.

Unbelievable. People are very strange.