Will someone with a blue book raise their hand?

[Dangerman009]

Hi everyone! I wanted to determine the value of my guns and was thinking of taking a couple of them in to one of my local shops to ask them. Then I came to my senses and decided I'd ask here first. Anyone?

 

[deadin]

Neither a shop or the "Blue Book" are good sources for evaluating what your guns are worth. Try searching closed auctions for selling prices (actually sold) on comparable guns and you will get a lot closer.

 

[Keb]

I can help if you wish.

 

[22-rimfire]

I have the current Blue Book as well. It is a guide. Tends to run a bit low on the "in-demand" guns. But it is a good place to start.

 

[gunnutery]

Good thinking on waiting for more accurate info before going to a gun store. I tried to sell some guns a while ago and gun stores would only offer $100 less than they're worth. I realize they have to make their money somehow but I wanted the most for my money.

 

[Jim Watson]

Knowing a book number is not going to force a dealer to pay you more for your guns. Blue Book plainly says they try for average RETAIL prices. If you want the most out of them you are going to have to sell them yourself, either face to face (you can advertise here) or on one of the auction sites... which will be a crapshoot for getting interest and bids.

 

[Oro]

Neither a shop or the "Blue Book" are good sources for evaluating what your guns are worth.

+1. Shops lowball - but they have to in order to make a living. And the "Blue Book" highballs. And lowballs. And sometimes it's right. It's just all over the place. Asking on forums (with pictures) or searching Gunbroker is much better.

 

[ginny225]

+2 go to gunbroker.com type your gun in search at top of home page then hit search when the page 1st comes up it will be displaying current auctions still in progress hit the blue arrow next to current auctions the scroll down to auctions ended within last 30 days and it will show you what was bid on particular guns and you can select the auction # in left column that refers to that particular gun and view if it was a succesful bid or if the reserve price was not met and it was relisted you can then select the next auction you can also see pictures of the gun and the discritption of that particular gun to match up with your guns condition and therefore find out in that particular instance basically what your gun would sell for. then you callme and let me buy yours for a lt less and i would be very happy. Montana Mike.

 

[Dangerman009]

Determining Values

Knowing a book number is not going to force a dealer to pay you more for your guns.

What I really wanted to do was determine the value of the five guns that I have should the opportunity to trade/sell arise. I know dealers always lowball their offers.

If you want the most out of them you are going to have to sell them yourself, either face to face...or on one of the auction sites...

I realize that. The problem is most of the people I know aren't really gun people, and the ones that like or have guns either aren't interested or are not in a position to buy/trade.

I checked on gunbroker last night and came up with starting points.

1. S&W 22-4 Thunder Ranch - Low serial number, +/- 1,000 rounds through it. Good condition. Cardboard box, pistol rug, all papers, lots of moon clips, original stocks, Hogue nylon monogrip. $650-750
   
2. CZ 75 Kadet - Complete pistol. Really good condition, one magazine, original pistol case, lock, "target". $450-500
   
3. Winchester 1300 Defender - Good condition, very small amount of pitting on the barrel retaining nut. Other than that no rust, no pitting. Box and (I think) papers. $250 - 300
   
4. Remington Nylon 66 - Good condition, no rust. Handling marks on stock, no dings. Accurate and reliable. No box, no papers. $400 - ?
   
5. Charter Arms AR-7 - Good condition. Handling marks on stock. One seven shot magazine and one 24 or 25 round ram line magazine. No box, no papers. Case for stock. $250 - 300

From the descriptions are these values good starting points?

then you callme and let me buy yours for a lt less and i would be very happy.

 

[22-rimfire]

Thunder Ranch Model 22-4; $650 if in as new condition
CZ-75 Cadet; maybe $500, probably more like $400-450.
Winchester 1300 Defender; $200 more or less
Remington Nylon 66; $300 more or less as you describe it; Blue Book lists them around $200.
Charter Arms AR-7; $100

 

[chuckusaret]

It is not what the gun is worth, it is what the buying public is willing to pay, and if there is no one that wants your gun its value is considered to be $0.00 to the buying world. Case in point---the S&W 22-4 Thunder Ranch have recently sold on Gun Broker for between $600 and $1200 which is above the appraisal value. I had a new NIB S&W 27-2 manufactured in 1965 that was appraised by a two local gun stores and a professional appraiser. The gun stores stated their was no demand for the model and was worth about $200-$250, the professional appraiser valued the gun at $800-$1,000, I sold it on Gun Broker for $1,400. Another thing, in my area, the buying public panicked and paid outrageous prices for guns after the messiah was elected and are now having a rough time trying to sell them. As an example, during the panic buying time Glocks were selling for as high as $750 at the gun shows, today NIB $465-$500. I attended a recent gun auction where AR15 (used) went for < $500, AK47’s < $500, a NIB Kel-Tec Sub 2000 9MM was pulled because it did not get the $200 minimum bid, the MSRP is $329.99. The gun market is presently in a correction stage and IMO prices will continue to decline.

 

[22-rimfire]

You're right about value. It is whatever someone is willing to pay. Gun shops will pay abut 50-60% of their perception of value and depends on whether or not they believe the gun will sell within a short time (30-days).

 

[bluetopper]

Gun blue books are written by people who write and sell books for a living......not sell guns.

 

[wyocarp]

yep, gunbroker is a great place to start.

 

[FROGO207]

I have purchased several guns from Gunbroker. I have also said what the @#$@ would any one pay THAT for that gun. You are the one who ultimately will say what you think the particular firearm is worth to you. If you find a good trade and will be happy with a different one for what you have into yours, by all means trade or buy it outright. All these sites do is give you a guide for what it may be worth to another average buyer, nothing more. As you bargain more you sharpen your skills and the deals will get better. Good luck

 

[Balrog]

You will not get $400 for a Remington Nylon 66 around here... they are $200-250.

The S&W 22 Thunder Ranch is probably going to be $550 at the most, maybe $600 if you find a sucker or someone who wants one real bad. A lot of S&W collectors will shy away from guns with locks on them.

 

[Phydeaux642]

The key with Gunbroker is, like others have said, look at the completed auctions and see what has sold and for what price. A lot of shops look at what people are asking for their firearms when they price their guns using Gunbroker which is way different than what they actually sold for.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Good thinking on waiting for more accurate info before going to a gun store. I tried to sell some guns a while ago and gun stores would only offer $100 less than they're worth. I realize they have to make their money somehow but I wanted the most for my money.

You are =never= going to get the best price for your guns by going to a gun store. The best they can offer you, and still stay in business, is 60% of what the blue book would be on any particular gun. They are not looking to buy it to keep/use it, they are looking to buy it to resell it, and have to cover any "gotchas" that might come up before or after their sale.

If you are selling a single gun or two, go to gunbroker or some such, or some local forum that will support ads for face to face sales. If you are selling a whole collection (say more than 15-20), then consider taking the entire lot to a gunshop or independent FFL. If they can spread their risk out among many guns, they can give you a better price.

And the "prices" you had listed from gunbroker ... were those prices on open auctions, or closed ones? Looking at the "open" auctions is of no value. Look at the -closed- auctions, in the last 30 days, where the gun has has actually -sold-.