Need a Reality check re: Classifieds....

[MrTrolleyguy]

I need a reality check folks. To me it seems as though our classified forum for Guns For Sale or Trade has slowed down....

This is not a complaint!

Maybe it is me. There use to be so many great offerings....I had to hold myself back from posting the "I'll take it!"

I picked up a ton of great guns on the forum this summer and fall. I was on a roll.


Maybe it is a good thing. I am out of money. I've gotten rid of most of "the other brands". Kept all but one Colt. Wall to wall S&W pretty much.


My lgs have been slow in the last two months. The big surge seems to have petered out. AR 15 are cheap again. The bricks of .22 are showing up. But they (lgs) are not seeing many older pre-IL revolvers showing up.

Anyone else seeing a slow down?

Joe

 

[alwslate]

By slow down do you mean the lack of one minute sales to the same
few user names?

 

[MrTrolleyguy]

By slow down do you mean the lack of one minute sales to the same
few user names?

Thanks for asking Alwslate,

That is not the issue at all. I think that problem has been well addressed.

I guess it is two parts. 1- I am hearing locally at lgs that business has slowed down in the last few months so there are even fewer used guns for sale. 2- On our classified Guns for sale forum there is also fewer guns for sale that would generate that quick buy it now or it is gone reaction.

Both of those make we wonder if there is a regional or national slow down. Hence the question, Anyone else seeing a slow down?

 

[O2Guy]

I know what you mean. I listed a gun and it took 48 minutes to sell.

 

[SAFireman]

I think that it has a natural up and down cycle. It is probably a bit slower right now due to so many of us being out in the field (deer season has just started in a lot of places). I would bet that you will see an uptick when a lot of folks have a few days off from work and they want some away time from the relatives.

This has always been a great place to do business and I am grateful to Lee and all the other mods that help keep it running the way that it does.

I have zero complaints about the classifieds....well, except that I haven't been able to buy a RM or pre-27 for less that a grand

Good luck Trolley

 

[pharmer]

I'm closing in on 62. I've got more than enough guns for this and maybe another lifetime. I can't think of anything that is a "must have", not even close. I might buy a $500 AR 15 but I have 3 already. Only thing I will definitely buy is 11K .22lr (2 cases of Wallyboxes) when it's $.04/rd in the spring. Most of the new guns are made of a sort of "disposable" construction and I am certainly not a fan. Joe

 

[ColbyBruce]

I have not sold a gun off this forum in well over a year. I believe my S&W 57 is still in the classifieds from over a month ago, but all I got from the ad was three P.M.'s telling me I was a horrible photographer, two low-ball offers, and a few trades for things other than what I had expressed interest in.

About every four to six weeks I get a P.M. from the same person wanting to buy my son's brushed nickel S&W 2214...a gun I do not own.

I enjoy browsing the classifieds because something unusual might pop up. I can't think of anything I want real bad, but then maybe I just haven't noticed it yet.

 

[MP1983]

Mr.TrolleyGuy,

How long have you been collecting, and what are your main interests in S&W's? (i.e., frame size, finish, grade quality, etc.) I am assuming you're primarily into revolvers (like me ).

Just asking so I can provide a better response.

 

[ralph7]

I'm closing in on 62. I've got more than enough guns for this and maybe another lifetime. I can't think of anything that is a "must have", not even close. I might buy a $500 AR 15 but I have 3 already. Only thing I will definitely buy is 11K .22lr (2 cases of Wallyboxes) when it's $.04/rd in the spring. Most of the new guns are made of a sort of "disposable" construction and I am certainly not a fan. Joe

I'm in about the same boat as you, even agewise.
Hope you're right about the future .22 pricing!

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

I noticed it as well. Your guess is as good as mine. The reason I'm not buying is bills or lack of depending on the definition.

 

[pharmer]

Hope you're right about the future .22 pricing!

Right now the manufacturers are working 3 shifts making rounds. They won't flood the market to keep the price high, sort of like gasoline. Soon as it starts to sit they will dump what's in the warehouse, cut production (watch OPEC next month's meeting) etc. Fortunately, nothing large stops quickly. Joe

 

[mojave30cal]

For me, I've sold more guns than bought so I could pick up
some grail S&W's on my bucket list such as a post war
transitional 38/44 HD 4" bbl in blue, and a 1915 nickel Triple
Lock which I got off this forum.

With the holidays coming and Christmas just around the
corner, I've stopped buying guns so I'll have some $$ for
Christmas gifts, etc. It's tough to pass on guns that are
nice and priced right. I guess I'll have to wait until the first
of the year to start buying again.

 

[MrTrolleyguy]

Mr.TrolleyGuy,

How long have you been collecting, and what are your main interests in S&W's? (i.e., frame size, finish, grade quality, etc.) I am assuming you're primarily into revolvers (like me ).



Just asking so I can provide a better response.

Okay, since you've asked.

I got my first gun in 2007. I have only been collecting for two years. My interest is mainly in wheel guns and mainly Smiths. I do however have 8 very nice Colts. I have in the safe a row of about 8 semi-autos. Kimber, Kahr, Colt, Glock, Springfield.

Eighty five percent of my collection are S&W revolvers from 1957 to present. Calibers, missing just a few: 327 Federal and everything over 44 mag. Barrel length from 1 7/8 to 8 3/8. From model 31-1 up to 29-2 Multiples of 36, 37, 649, 60, 19, 66, 625, 686, 629, 27-2 and 28-2. Performance Center guns, eight. I look for Comp carry guns and professional, expertly modified revolvers. What I am most proud of are the seven 27-2s and a 5 inch pre-27.

I do frequent the range and have north of 5K of hand gun ammo on hand.

My safe is about full. I am happy, very happy with what I have learned and acquired here on the forums. The one gun on my radar is a 632-1 Pro Series. However I doubt I'll be making any purchases until 2015.

I only know how many guns I have b/c I keep a spread sheet.

Oh, I have goofed up a number of times. I am trying mightily to stay out of the penalty box.

 

[rxbrew]

I went to a show this weekend and just nothing ther that caught my eye. I' m not a collector but an acuirrier(sp). Ist love as asmall boy were bolt guns mostly militart that was the only thing I could afford.Then my dad bought a ruger secrity six that I cutmy theeth on.Back in74 got my first relover a dan wesson 15-2 6 inch monsom.I thought it was a great revolver. Then I got into colt 1911, and clones building projects.theh I started doing paramilitart stuff(aks, ar, g3s, fal) that cooleddown went with a few more semi auto then got bit by therevolver bug.now into smihs an a few old colts.did I save marlinleaver, now I back to doing some bolt gunsmithing.it seems like a big cirle.i love to shoot and won't even go down the doodto my doubles, browning a-5.myproblem isi like them all. Everytime I think that I'm going to thin some things out so I sold collectot grade rugrer super blackhawk and a nise 4 inch 586 no dash nickle and now iregret. What showld I do?

 

[hoc9sw]

rxbrew,

What should you do? Use punctuation, paragraphs, and spell check.



I did get, and agree on the Security Six. Bought one in the early 80's, still have it, but .357 costs a bit these days (and hurts too much with my arthritis), so I fall back on the new .22 Compact a lot.

 

[Peak53]

I'm thinking that prices may have peaked withing the last 6 months or so, at least for the more common older Smiths. For a few years, it seemed like every time you looked, the prices were up again. I theorize that lots of guns were sold at a big profit, either flipped or those that had been held for years. Its yet too early to resell the guns that sold at premium prices and make any profit, so both the supply and the demand have moderated. Prices are still high, but no longer escalating monthly. Prices for more rare or desirable pieces are still going up, though, or at least have priced me out of the market. This may be the new normal.

 

[MP1983]

Okay, since you've asked.

I got my first gun in 2007. I have only been collecting for two years. My interest is mainly in wheel guns and mainly Smiths. I do however have 8 very nice Colts. I have in the safe a row of about 8 semi-autos. Kimber, Kahr, Colt, Glock, Springfield.

Eighty five percent of my collection are S&W revolvers from 1957 to present. Calibers, missing just a few: 327 Federal and everything over 44 mag. Barrel length from 1 7/8 to 8 3/8. From model 31-1 up to 29-2 Multiples of 36, 37, 649, 60, 19, 66, 625, 686, 629, 27-2 and 28-2. Performance Center guns, eight. I look for Comp carry guns and professional, expertly modified revolvers. What I am most proud of are the seven 27-2s and a 5 inch pre-27.

I do frequent the range and have north of 5K of hand gun ammo on hand.

My safe is about full. I am happy, very happy with what I have learned and acquired here on the forums. The one gun on my radar is a 632-1 Pro Series. However I doubt I'll be making any purchases until 2015.

I only know how many guns I have b/c I keep a spread sheet.

Oh, I have goofed up a number of times. I am trying mightily to stay out of the penalty box.

Thanks for the extra info.

Well, I wondered because I have seen a drop in the L-frames, and perhaps N-frames too, in the classifieds in the past couple of months...there was a pretty good roll there for a while when more seemed to be coming out. Maybe even the J-frames have dropped off some as well, but I don't follow them as closely. When I look at the guns here in the classifieds, it's usually for the sake out of curiosity.

I have bought four handguns here in the past 18 months or so though (three wheelguns & one "off brand" auto that rhymes with block). One was an L-frame 581-3 that I was actually looking for (wanted a 581 or 681 'cause I'm a sucker for fixed sights and I wanted another L-frame), and the others were the result of three unusual moments in my life that I actually had some mad money in hand to spend on a gun that I didn't have to put on lay-away or buy with plastic ..it seemed like on those three particular occasions something nice showed up here within a week (or less).

My LGS is like so many others..slim pickens in the way of S&W or Colt revolvers from back in the day.

I really don't buy many guns through the forum or internet...however, I started collecting in the 1980's so I had a good jump on the revolvers I had interest in and at this point am pretty settled with what I have. I have examples of I, J, K, L, and N-frames in S&W, and was lucky enough through the years to get about 95% of the ones that ever really peaked my interest (some have ponies on them).

You definitely have an excellent collection going, and your's is diverse enough that you should have no trouble finding something new whenever the itch begins to scratch (I know that feeling all too well). I especially like your attention to N-frames! A P&R N-frame is about the finest revolver ever made.

Happy hunting Joe!

 

[LostintheOzone]

Anyone remember the housing bubble? Owners walking away from their mortgages and foreclosed houses next door? Mortgage auctions on the courthouse steps every Wednesday? Real estate agents jumping out of windows?

Sell all of your pristine hand ejectors now and avoid the crash. The hour is late.

 

[35Rem]

A lot of guns being sold through facebook these days, too. A lot easier, as they are typically face to face sales. I run one with over 8,000 members.

By and large, however, I'd say most folks are about out of play money, nationally. The economy has been rough for quite some time

 

[rwsmith]

And price them...

Anyone remember the housing bubble? Owners walking away from their mortgages and foreclosed houses next door? Mortgage auctions on the courthouse steps every Wednesday? Real estate agents jumping out of windows?

Sell all of your pristine hand ejectors now and avoid the crash. The hour is late.

And price them to sell.