Is anyone starting to see some decent prices on used guns?

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I found an old 870 Wingmaster with beautiful patina at a local gun show for $200. I don't really know if that's a great price or not but I fell in love with it and was happy to pay the price.
 
It's been my experience that a lot of folks want more for their used guns than you buy it new. I guess the fact that they touched it increased its value.
 
I've also noticed that many used guns seem to start with asking prices the same as new ones. No one is going to sell me a used Bushmaster AR with a few Chinese accessories for more than I'd pay for a new Colt 6920. Just ain't happening, and that's probably why I rarely buy used except from a LGS.

I don't care who you are - I'm probably not paying more for your used gun that you "broke in for me" than I would for a new one. The only exceptions are things that are hard to come by. For example, a good S&W revolver without the internal lock - I'd pay more for one of those in excellent shape than I would for a new one with the lock.
 
I see some incredible buys on new guns on the Internet but most of the used guns I'm seeing are more than the new ones.
And if a bargain does happen to pop up, it's gone within minutes. Apparently some people just sit on the classifieds all day.
I'm just thankful that I bought most everything I wanted in the 80s and 90s before the competition got so stiff.
I did buy a Ruger 77/22 All Weather with a cheap scope on it for $325 a few months ago. I was happy with that.
 
I think a lot of people are going to hold, especially the ones that overpaid. Nobody wants to dump a good for a quarter of what they paid for it in two years.

I did, and still do, expect to see MSRPs continue to drop on all mass produced SD/HD/SHTF/Tacticool stuff as companies try to overcome the lagging demand. This should inevitably knock the used prices down as well. I think you are already seeing it. We had Glock trade ins in Dallas last week at $275.

That being said, for the stuff I am interested in, rifles with bolts and wood stocks, nice lever actions, revolvers, etc. will probably see an increase. I got some ridiculous deals thru the panic as people were selling off stuff they never used and hand me downs in order to buy an AR15 before Obama grabbed them. Thats over and it is back to collectors wanting actual nice rifles and handguns. The producers are also not mass making much of the nice stuff anymore to add quantity. So my guess is the quality stuff will actually see an increase in price over the next couple of years.
 
I think the deal right now is on new guns. Especially service pistols, pocket nines and ARs. Kind of suppresses the used gun market because they sell for so low that no one want sot dump them.
 
I think many of the shops are trying to get top dollar for their product. If they were selling ARs for $1100-$1200 a year ago, they can't bring themselves to sell them for $800 now. Same with ammo. The prices (cost) may have gone up 10%-15% over the last few years, but their prices (retail) remain near panic levels. Once the retail prices go up it's hard to sell them for much less. Of course, the quantity sellers price to market. The smaller guys still want full retail even though demand is down.
 
I think I saw a new Colt AR-15 for $595 online yesterday. Didn't really pay attention since I am not in that market.
I am seeing some Tokarevs popping up online and am thinking I really need something that shoots that caliber.
 
larryh1108 said:
I think many of the shops are trying to get top dollar for their product. If they were selling ARs for $1100-$1200 a year ago, they can't bring themselves to sell them for $800 now. Same with ammo. The prices (cost) may have gone up 10%-15% over the last few years, but their prices (retail) remain near panic levels. Once the retail prices go up it's hard to sell them for much less. Of course, the quantity sellers price to market. The smaller guys still want full retail even though demand is down.
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It's called nominal rigidity. And I agree with you.
 
I just picked up a rough, but serviceable inglis bhp that is nfa exempt for the stock for 750 (minus the stock). Think that was a good pickup. Then there is the p226 for under 500 that's been "well used" that isn't a bad deal. Seeing a few savage hog hunters in the 450 range... not bad pricing, but not great yet. Ar's are dirt cheap out here though.
 
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