You have to love the absurdity of pawn shops

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I find it ironic that folks are happy to pay inflated prices to the local gun store but claim they are getting screwed if they see a price they consider high at a pawn shop.
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Not me.

I know which gun shops are overpriced.

Still, if a gun shop offers top-notch warranty service (as in I don't have to ship anything or fill out any paperwork), truly useful buying guidance, and the like, I do take that into account. Joe Loan Shark isn't going to do that.
 
You can find some good deals in some pawn shops... but for the most part they are just trying to shaft you.
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What pawn shop was the one you were referring to in your post, out of curiosity?
 
I see good ones that understand there is profit in volumne, and not so good ones that say "take it or leave it" on the prices.

Good one several months ago had a 95+% S&W model 19 for $450. they would probably have done a hair better. I wasn't in the market for one, and money was tight that month.

Bad one, a couple of years ago had a Win model 70, Classic Stainless Featherweight in .308

with actual rust on the barrel, dings and scratches on the stock and metal

for $750.00

firm.
 
A guy I know is even more absurd than that.

He has a Beretta 92FS he bought in 1989 and he wants $450 for it.

He has a Mossberg 500 12ga shotgun he bought in 1995(never fired) and want $400 for it. You can buy them new for $280 at WalMart.

His rational is that the shotgun has never been fired. Neither has the one at WalMart.
 
Two things to remember.

PAWN SHOPS MAKE THEIR MONEY ON THE INTEREST OF THEIR LOANS, NOT ON RESELLING THE 'COLLATERAL'

second, and a little bit less obvious, the only reason pawn shops have 'great deals' is due to the ignorance of the pawnbroker on the true value of the item. All things being equal, he will overprice about as often as he underprices. (okay, he may tend to overprice when in doubt) Guess what...the underpriced items sell FAST, leaving the shop full of overpriced guns. Hence it should come as no suprise that most of the guns you see will be overpriced.

If the pawnbroker says 'firm' on the price, no matter how overpriced it is, that is A) due to him knowing the Loan Holder is likely to come back and pay down the loan again, even when technically in default, or B) the gun has only been up for sale for a few weeks, he isn't going to believe the first person who walks in and claims it is overpriced and gives him a low offer. The situation may change if the gun has been there for a year or so.

Finally, there is always option C) Pawnbroker knows it's value, and knows it is overpriced. But pawnbroker knows it is likely a gun moron will come in and buy it anyways. In my experience, gun morons seem to think pawnbrokers are outside the law, and going to the pawnbroker means you don't have to get a gun license or register your gun (probably because gun licences, registering your gun, and crooked pawn brokers are constantly portrayed on TV, especially the Law&Order franchise) Pawnbroker knows he can spin an old hunting rifle off as a 'very illegal super sniper rifle' to certain types.
 
when i was 17(2 years ago) i went into one and they had a model 94 winchester with a stock way cut down for 50 bucks. i went back 2 weeks later when i turned 18 and the guy had slapped a new stock on it and was asking 400

i was a bit mad i already had one .30-30 but 50 buck plus 70 for a new stock i just wanted it for the deal
 
I wonder how many pawn shop guns end up in Mexico? They must be shipping the goods somewhere, because none of my local pawnshops ever sell anything.

I've personally witnessed a pawn&gunshop clerk buy a revolver (not a relic) from a stranger, without checking any ID. The only paper involved was the cash paid and the receipt (which the pawnbroker gave the seller). I don't know how that was legal & prudent.
 
Valuable businesses to all patrons

I love going to pawn shops to browse their guns and whatnot. I like how different each one is, and have gotten to know many owners and employees, nice/grumpy/blowhard/aloof/dopey - the whole gamut - through my regular visits, even in shops I haven't purchased from. Some shops tend to have better selections of guns, but I hit the ones with thinner stock, too, because you never know when a gem of a gun will show up. I've invariably been able to bargain, and multi-gun purchases always get their attention and loosen their prices considerably.

Though I've never pawned anything, and hope I don't ever have to, I understand and respect the financial service they provide. They provide an incentive to get pawned stuff back, and have better interest than the check-cashing / title loan places. Hope they weather this recession well and continue to build up their inventory of guns for me to browse through when it's over!:D
 
Hope they weather this recession well and continue to build up their inventory of guns for me to browse through when it's over!
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Normally during hard financial times they BOOM, I expect this one is no different.
 
I have, in years past, gotten some good deals on guns, probably the best was when I got a Beretta 84, in mint condition, for $300. Lately though, no, not even close.

I went to one recently, and they had an old, and in bad shape S&W model 28. About 50% of the finish was gone on one side, and about 70% was gone on the other. There were a bunch of scratches on the worst side of it too. The grips, the original ones, it appeared, were both repaired with gorilla glue. It seemed to function ok, and the rifling looked ok. He wanted $450!!

He had a couple of Jennings type junk semis, and an oddball 22LR revolver I had never seen before. It was very old, and there was no manufacturer's name on it as far as I could tell.

So I went over to the tools, and did pick up a set of combination wrenches for a good price. He had tons of socket sets and found a metric set that matched a set I've had for almost 40 years, and he gave me a good price on it so Igot it too. He had a new, or as far as I could tell, new, tool set, made by Channellock, they sell it at Sam's Club for like $68 every day. His price? $89.95!! I asked the guy waiting on me if he had a Sam's Club membership, and he said he did. I told him to go there and look at the price on that set, and he said, "Where do you think I got them from? I sell a couple a week!"
Don't people check the prices on anything before they buy it?
 
I had a pretty decent pawn shop I was dealing with in Ennis Tx. I bought a Thompson 1911, Marlin Model 60, and a handful of other treats.

I made the trip up there a few weeks ago(9 month layaway) to see what I couldn't live without. Everyone I knew and dealt with that worked there were gone. The only long guns on the shelf were a Model 94 for 699, a Mossberg 500 for 399, and a Remington Model 58 similar to the one I have and it was 499.

The handguns were all jiminez and started at 199, with the exception of a Taurus 9mm(I don't recall the model) and it was priced at 549.

So I guess I'll be searching for another pawn shop to replace that one.
 
I agree and disagree. I bought my sig at a pawn shop. I also bought my bow at one. At acadmey sports it was 300 i gave 150 for it. I only gave $300 for my sig p225. I have been offered 450 for it and turned it down. Some pawn shop owners do not know what they have.
 
I got a nice deal , Polytech Type 56 with the folding spike bayonet. It was $ 330 OTD and its worth $ 1200 market today. One of those best deals !
 
Hope they weather this recession well and continue to build up their inventory of guns for me to browse through when it's over!
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Normally during hard financial times they BOOM, I expect this one is no different.
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Longer duration bad times can result in the pawnbroker ending up cash poor and with too much inventory on the shelves and no way to move it effectively. Cutting prices can help, but if the economy is really bad, there are simply fewer people with discretionary cash that go shopping to look for bargains. Mild recessions are a good way to build inventory slowly without running out of cash. Hard recessions are not. At least during mild recessions, there is still enough of the population around with money and shopping to keep the inventory and cash flow positive.

The real cash boom for pawn shops with a recession comes at the end when folks reclaim pawned good and people start buying more. Of course, this can result in the problem of then becoming inventory poor and having folks complain about what a poor selection of _____ (say 'guns') you have.
 
He had a new, or as far as I could tell, new, tool set, made by Channellock, they sell it at Sam's Club for like $68 every day. His price? $89.95!! I asked the guy waiting on me if he had a Sam's Club membership, and he said he did. I told him to go there and look at the price on that set, and he said, "Where do you think I got them from? I sell a couple a week!"
Don't people check the prices on anything before they buy it?
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Of course not. It's in a pawn shop/Walmart/flea market/garage sale it must be a good deal!

No, that's not a joke - it may be funny - but it's not a joke. There are a ton of people out there who firmly believe in one or all of those venues it's automatically a good deal. Some retailers take advantage of that. I personally have no problem with that since it is morally wrong to let those that stupid keep their money.
 
One of our main streets downtown had four or five long-established pawn shops on it. Over the last year they've all closed down.....not moved, gone! This is a Navy town too, thought there'd be lots of business for them these days.
 
If they are all gone, then it may have been a zoning issue.
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Yeah, as it regards zoning cities are often as hard on pawn shops as they are 'gentleman's' establishments. Regardless of actual issues with the businesses in question, or what the residents think of the issue.
 
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In my life I've probably used 4 or 5 different pawn shops to pawn item/s.
(Sometimes you just need some quick cash TODAY)...

I recall three different ones, (in three different states)
where the clerks/owners were pretty rude and condescending
and it made me feel dirty and ashamed to have to barrow
money from those few guy's establishments.

I figured their rudeness was because they probably get
a high percentage of low end crack head types
in the door all the time and they figure everyone is like that.
Meaning, a lot of their customers where rude to them all the time,
so they developed a bad attitude towards all customers.

I have to say though, I did deal with one guy repeatedly in the 80's (2 brothers actually)
who where honest fair and treated everyone with respect and didn't make you feel
like a low life, or ashamed because you needed some extra cash.
(I always pawned one of my nice handguns or some high end gold stuff)...

Just like any other industry, your going to have the good and bad.
Pawn shops serve their purpose and they are in the biz to make money.
If you run across a shop you don't like, or you feel you are being treated unfairly...
simply don't shop or barrow there anymore.

Pretty simple really, but don't think all pawn shops are bad guys, because they are not.

As a result of being treated so well at the one shop I mentioned above.
I purchased some nice tools for my biz back in the day.
All at fair prices, for top of the line equipment. :)
 
Pawn Slops

Most of the guns i see at pawn shops in my area are grossly overpriced. I was looking for a Ruger P95 and saw one at a pawn shop. He had one new blued steel with box and two 15 round mags for $429.00. i asked if he would take $300 and he had the audacity to laugh at me. When i told him he was asking retail price for a pistol i could get anywhere for 300-329 he told me to go there and get one then.
 
I've personally witnessed a pawn&gunshop clerk buy a revolver (not a relic) from a stranger, without checking any ID. The only paper involved was the cash paid and the receipt (which the pawnbroker gave the seller). I don't know how that was legal & prudent.
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No different than most gun shops would handle it.

I think they do have to do a 4473 when the gun is redeemed though.
 
I don't routinely go into pawn shops. I do on occasion visit them just out of currosity. I find they are a mixed bag in terms of pricing. If they have a lot of firearms for sale, they are generally priced at the market rate. If they don't have many, they are either junk or they move lots of firearms quickly. You need to visit more often than I do to get a feel for a pawn shop. There will always be a couple in your city that buys firearms and sells them quickly.

In the old days, you would see literally piles of old handguns in a case for sale. To me they looked like trash, but to some they are a potential gold mine if you take the time to sort though them.

Knowledge of the general pricing is critical because you can pay full retail for a gun or other nugget you might find and not realize it. Or you may get a great deal.

I'm told that if you need an extension ladder, go to a pawn shop. They accept them no questions asked if they have no markings on them.

The last gun I purchased at a pawn shot was a 4" Colt Diamondback 22. It was a nice gun and I got a good price on it. I traded it on another gun within a month. That was probably a mistake from a pure financial perspective, but I got a NIB Colt Trooper Mark III 22 and the gun shop got a 98% gun they could sell very easily for more than the Trooper. The game is always to sell, make your money, and invest in something else. Sounds great with guns, but in practice it is fairly difficult to make more than a few dollars for your efforts unless you have held a gun for years.
 
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