How to sell a small collection

[Comrad]

I hope I am in the right place to ask this question. I am in NJ and need to part with several handguns and rifles and ammo. I've never sold anything and since buying is so difficult in NJ I am worried selling could also be a challenge.
I suspect going to a local FFL might get me 50 cents of the dollar but selling privately comes with costs of shipping and FFL fees.
I would appreciate any help and advice. I would be willing to travel by car to if selling in a neighboring state would be better. I know PA is a little better than here.
Thanks in advance and I hope this is the right place to ask, Since I am not actually selling anything in this message I didn't go to the classified section. Collection consists of S&W, Beretta, Walther and Colt. No junk. Ammo for all if that's legal too.

 

[AJ]

I hope I am in the right place to ask this question. I am in NJ and need to part with several handguns and rifles and ammo. I've never sold anything and since buying is so difficult in NJ I am worried selling could also be a challenge.
I suspect going to a local FFL might get me 50 cents of the dollar but selling privately comes with costs of shipping and FFL fees.
I would appreciate any help and advice. I would be willing to travel by car to if selling in a neighboring state would be better. I know PA is a little better than here.
Thanks in advance and I hope this is the right place to ask, Since I am not actually selling anything in this message I didn't go to the classified section. Collection consists of S&W, Beretta, Walther and Colt. No junk. Ammo for all if that's legal too.

Sell it on Gunbroker. Buyer pays the shipping and FFL fees. You pay a fixed payment to Gunbroker for using their service (fixed= percentage of sale price of the gun).

 

[Muss Muggins]

I hope I am in the right place to ask this question. I am in NJ and need to part with several handguns and rifles and ammo. I've never sold anything and since buying is so difficult in NJ I am worried selling could also be a challenge.
I suspect going to a local FFL might get me 50 cents of the dollar but selling privately comes with costs of shipping and FFL fees.
I would appreciate any help and advice. I would be willing to travel by car to if selling in a neighboring state would be better. I know PA is a little better than here.
Thanks in advance and I hope this is the right place to ask, Since I am not actually selling anything in this message I didn't go to the classified section. Collection consists of S&W, Beretta, Walther and Colt. No junk. Ammo for all if that's legal too.

Lots of trouble associated with private party sales out of state, and even in-state sales in the state where you live. Gun auction sites are your best bet, but it helps to have a friend with an FFL to cut down on expenses. The classifieds here are easy to use with a fairly known quantity of reliable purchasers . . .

 

[Comrad]

As I mentioned I am in NJ. I know it must ship to an FFL but who ships? Can I do it as a private person or do I need a local FFL to be the shipper?

 

[Arik]

You can do "buyer pays shipping".

The fastest way is to go to your LGS. But that also gets you the least amount of $$$$.

The second fastest would probably be consignment at the LGS. They typically add a % so you tell them how much you want to walk away with and they sell it for you. The down side is if you change your mind or something doesn't sell and you take it back you will have to basically go through the same hassle as you did the first time you bought it. Have to fill out the form and in NJ I'm guessing you'd have to get the permit again.

I'm not sure if you can drive your firearms to Pa. I think it still has to go FFL to FFL but I could very well be wrong about that. If you want I can find out for you today. Ammo you can drive down no prob. Also if you're interested I can give you a number to an FFL that typically pays good. It's not going to be a bank roll but they don't do 50 cents on the dollar......assuming you aren't selling a bunch of Jennings

If you post here (or other forums) it may be quicker than GB

I may be interested in some ammo
9/40/45
38/357
308/7.62NATO
223/556
7.62X39
303
7.62X54

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[AJ]

As I mentioned I am in NJ. I know it must ship to an FFL but who ships? Can I do it as a private person or do I need a local FFL to be the shipper?

Here in Florida we (the sellers) ship to the FFL. It keeps us from having to pay an FFL Dealer for nothing except giving a firearm that you have packed up to UPS. I use UPS as I get no hassles as I do out of FedEx.

 

[mtgianni]

In Montana I would advise you to spend $50 and rent a table at a local gun show. New Jersey? I got nothing that hasn't been said.

 

[BearBio]

I'm selling my collection of almost 50 years. I have discovered:

1. Vary ads from forum to forum. I have found S & W sell better on the Ruger Forum. Colts sell better here. etc.
2. Don't overload ads. Too many guns "shell shock" readers.
3. I run for a week or two then move on to something else.
4. Don't have too many ads running at the same time or run the same ad on too many forums. Gets confusing when (if) offers start coming in.
5. Regarding #4: Get a system in place.

Don't get discouraged! I sold (just yesterday) a set of Target Masterpieces on another forum. I got full price. I had run them here for 2 weeks without a bite. Sometimes it goes the other way.

Also, WA state law has simplified it. All sales must go through an FFL (even out-of-state sales) My LGS charges $75 to ship, package, transfer and insure a firearm. Just a cost of doing business.

 

[Bullet Bob]

It's actually cheaper for me to ship through my FFL than the local shipping store.

 

[thirdwheel]

Please forgive me, not trying to hijack the thread but my situation does pertain to the question. I have retired & moved into my RV and traveling full time. My state of residence is South Dakota (only a mail drop for RV'ers) I am now in Louisiana and will shortly head for the VA hospital in Iowa City Ia.. I have about 45 guns that equal a lot of weight to haul around. I can't display or play with them, it's time they go. My thought was Gunbroker, anyone see any problems with that?

 

[chief38]

Call your local FFL Dealer and he should be able to instruct you on Jersey procedures. He can ship to any other FFL Dealer in the Country assuming a particular State does not ban a certain gun. You can list on GB, this S&W Forum, etc. I am also sure they will take your guns in on consignment - but you will probably give up at least 20% for his commission. If that is not important to you, that would probably be the easiest way to dispose of them - assuming they are in great condition and are desirable models. If he feels they will sit too long, he probably won't be interested but start by talking to local FFL's.

 

[ladder13]

I would check with Lee Jarrett, jackthedog, folks like that. See what their fee's are and dump the whole load at once. They will get top dollar for your guns. They do the pics, marketing, shipping, dealing with buyers, etc

 

[raljr1]

My FFL in PA charges $35 to pack and ship a handgun. I cannot do it cheaper. Talk to a local FFL and see what he would charge you to handle shipping. List them here and on Gunbroker. ..set low reserves....the ammo, try some friends or local pawn shop. There may be some issues shipping ammo. I think you could legally drive them to an FFL in PA to do a transfer if a local PA resident wanted to meet you there to do so. Good luck.

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[BearBio]

Ammo is an issue. There are special requirements for shipping. Don't rely upon your shipper to know his own rules. For instance, the blond woman at the local UPS is really DUMB. She refused to ship an antique.
She told me she didn't know who BATF was and, anyway, they had no control over FFLs.

 

[Tom S.]

In my experience, you'd be lucky if the local FFL gave you $.50 on the dollar. On the other hand, they might give you a better deal selling things on a commission. The difference is they don't have to layout any money, and if something doesn't sell, they aren't out anything, so they should cut you a better deal.

If you sell via Gun Broker, you should establish a relationship with a local FFL to ship the items to out of state buyers. Personally, I feel GB would be a better way to go and net you more money as you will have a much larger audience than your local FFL is likely to have.

 

[AJ]

Seeing how the OP is in New Jersey, he should check with BATF. Here in Florida you are stupid if you pay an FFL to ship for you. He will charge an excessive fee (unless he is a buddy of yours and does it mostly for free). There is no law that says you must have an FFL to ship a firearm. The law states you must ship to a FFL Dealer. Here when we sell on GB, we pack them ourselves and take them to UPS and ship them to a dealer. Why pay somebody to do the work for me, I am not that lazy.

 

[Arik]

Here in Florida we (the sellers) ship to the FFL. It keeps us from having to pay an FFL Dealer for nothing except giving a firearm that you have packed up to UPS. I use UPS as I get no hassles as I do out of FedEx.

I don't know how you do it but shipping handguns through UPS is outrageously expensive. I did it once. Was charged something close to $100 because it had to go priority next day. Only option. When I give it to my FFL he charges me $40. I don't know what it costs him but to me $40 is cheaper than anything more than $40 so I go with that. Long guns are a different story



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[AJ]

I don't know how you do it but shipping handguns through UPS is outrageously expensive. I did it once. Was charged something close to $100 because it had to go priority next day. Only option. When I give it to my FFL he charges me $40. I don't know what it costs him but to me $40 is cheaper than anything more than $40 so I go with that. Long guns are a different story



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Because your FFL does not tell them it is a handgun. My friend is an FFL and he does not either.

 

[gman51]

Being you live in NJ I would let your LGS sell them on consignment. NJ has some crazy gun laws that I wouldn't even want to mess with. My LGS only charges me 10% selling fee for handling it all. I had a really nice Wilson Combat that I just had no lookers let alone buyers for. I put it on consignment with my LGS and he had it sold and cash in my hand in just a few days. You will come out way better on consignment than selling it to the LGS. Usually the LGS offer to buy is so unreally low it isn't worth your selling it to them.
IMO selling other than belly to belly can have to many headaches to deal with. I will not even consider selling other than B2B cash in hand or on consignment.

 

[Arik]

Because your FFL does not tell them it is a handgun. My friend is an FFL and he does not either.

I don't know what he tells them but being it's a gun store I don't see a rifle being as small as a handgun. But regardless, what he does have is an account with UPS which does save money. I know because we use them at work as well. Much cheaper when you have a company account

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