Just sold one of my carbines and went to a gun club to have the transfer done, while I was there I brought my model 27 6"for appraisal, very good condition, was offered 425.00, that seems low considering the gun shortage, of course I denied the offer. anyone have any comments about this?
If you asked them to give you a price it would SELL for I agree, that is low. If what they were giving you is a price they would PAY for it in order to resell it, I would say it is in the low end of reasonable.
Resellers usually offer about 60% of what they think they can sell it for as a reasonable amount, but some won't offer more than 40% of what it may bring, and I ignore those.
Also seems to me in a state like New Jersey, the revolvers should bring a premium. I tend to agree that 850-1000 neighborhood would be a good selling point if the gun is 90% or better
That was not an appraisal. Like mentioned , that was the price they would pay and then sell it for double.
A model 27 is on about everybody’s wishlist.
David
You went to a retailer asking for a price on something they would buy and re-sell. You do realize they offered you more then your gun sold for when it was new? You got a fair offer but could have probably got a few more dollars if you had countered. Yesterday, I was in a LGS and saw a fella trying to trade into an AR with a 625 Mountain Gun in 45LC. He "wanted" $300 and was happy he got "about what he paid back in the day" according to his comment. Of course, I hung around and tried to buy it after he left, but it was going to go home with the owner.
The best way to find out what a gun is worth is to look on GunBroker and see what similar guns sold for. Be sure to look at the ones that sold, not the ones where to owner set the minimum price so high nobody met the reserve.
Like the others said most dealers are going to give you about 60% of what you could sell it for on GunBroker or some other trading forum. Its up to the seller to determine if the hassle of selling it yourself is worth the money. It is for me but I can understand why lots of people prefer to take the loss and sell to a dealer. I do not think dealers are ripping people off. They need to pay for the overhead of a store and still make a profit.
Last edited by Dave Lively; 09-18-2020 at 01:39 PM.
I too don't mind pawn shops or LGSs that buy low and sell high. They aren't twisting the seller's arm. It's up to the seller to know what items are worth, not the buyer. Watch a few episodes of Pawn Stars (yes I know it's pretty scripted) and you'll notice the store never offers a price...it's always, "What are you selling it for?" and work from there.
What I hate is stores that buy everything, then put "the good stuff" on GB or take it home, then stock their cases with overpriced common stuff. I don't expect to walk into a shop full of Registered Magnums and steel-frame 39s, but I do expect to run across rare guns...rarely. And nearly all of the stores in my area never let the interesting ones see the light of day.
What I hate is stores that buy everything, then put "the good stuff" on GB or take it home, then stock their cases with overpriced common stuff. I don't expect to walk into a shop full of Registered Magnums and steel-frame 39s, but I do expect to run across rare guns...rarely. And nearly all of the stores in my area never let the interesting ones see the light of day.
I'm sure that happens although I think most of the shops I frequent have favored customers who they know will want the more rare examples. If you develop a relationship with the owner/manager you can become one of those favored customers. May mean paying what some items are worth but if you want them that's often ok and occasionally there are still deals to be had. Has worked ok for me anyway.
One guy I've bought quite a few guns from often tucks away the nice stuff for himself, but eventually I'll have something he wants (sometimes just $$), and I'll eventually get the nice ones too.
I was more or less offended with that offer
I have four S&W revolvers, models 27, 25,17 and 986 m&p 40 two ar,s
ar10,ar15
think ill just keep them, all great guns
I agree that searching GB for knockdown prices is a good method of getting in the "value" ball park, but sometimes you are not really comparing apples to apples (yours unfired, GB's less condition) so you make adjustments.
Until you are actually ready to sell, everything is a guestimate anyway so here's an easier method. Get on guns.com, hit the appraisal button, upload your guns info and a couple of decent pics, and hit the send button. Within the next 24 hours (normally) you will get a written offer valid for 10 days, that includes shipping and insurance to them.
So....now.....you have a written offer that tells you very close to what and LGS/Pawn/FFL Retailer will offer you in cash. I have found these written offers to routinely run at 55 - 60% of the "real" sell value if you do it yourself.
You are not really out anything because all you have to do is hit the reply button on your e-mail when you get the written offer and type in "decline". That's it...they don't call or follow up or bug you with e-mails, they don't pass on your e-mail to every beef jerky dude out there.
Anyway..it beats dragging your gun(s) to a LGS, for a low ball that may "offend" you...My way you get your low ball in writing and can sell accordingly.
As far as Model 27 6"...check the pics of my 1980 - 98% 6" nickle....I would sell this gun in the $1400 to $1600 range to be in line with recent GB and other sold sources I use. Note their offer of $915 and their statement that $45 is shipping and insurance (reasonable to believe) so $870 or approx. 55% of $1600.
Of course I have never sold to them, or found out if maybe they renege on the offer after actually receiving the gun so I don't know, but hey....just another way of getting a number without face-to-face mis-communications and hurt feelings, etc.
...I put it on Gunbroker with a reserve price I can live with. If it's a desirable gun it will be bid above the reserve price. If it isn't, you don't have to sell if you don't get the reserve. Some people set a high reserve and get no sale and keep relisting it on the chance somebody will see it that wants it and bid the reserve or higher.