gun shows are full of people trying to sell used guns for new prices, nothing new there, and there are impulse buyers, fools with too much money burning a hole in their pocket and suckers born every minute willing to pay as much for used as new, they don't know any better, or are to lazy to put in the time and effort to find a better deal. the best deals I've seen at gun shows take place in the parking lot. JMO.
Gun shows are what you make of them, some very good deals but if you don't know how to talk and negotiate they will seem to be high at first. I bet they don't like self proclaiming "experts" telling everyone in the show not to buy there and pipes in on every gun sale..taco boy please address the OP and stop arguing in GB's topic.
Greybeard your local gun stores support the shows, you can always take your gun to them for work or appraisal or just to see what the market is, in their shops before or after a show. They are the business owners of America that keep this country strong, ask several, get your info and be loaded for bear!
YET AGAIN FRANK? if you have something personal to say to me ( "taco boy" or "self proclaimed expert" ) do it privately in pm form, or better yet keep your BS to yourself! everyone especially me are getting tired of your cyber tough guy big talk. and I will post to whoever I please,so myob. I don't tell you where or how to post.if you think gun shows are gun NIRVANA good for you, I think they are full of rip off artists trying to take advantage of those that don't know any better. I have sold many guns at them (privately) and bought none. only thing I seem to buy at them are parts/accessories or sometimes ammo. JMO
GB, there is a big difference between Retail/New pricing in a gun shop and gun show and new Retail/New pricing on-line. Buds gun shop on-line is the cheapest in the USA IMHO for NIB guns shipped. Now you ask about getting an appraisal, an appraisal is what the guns are valued at, retail if sold at retail price. No one is paying retail for a used gun, especially a collector or a gun savy individual who follows the market, just like a Jeweler follows the Diamond market. If a used gun is appraised at $500.00, it will sell for $250-300 just like a used car, if it is not a unique firearm, 90% or better condition, and UNSCREWED with, broken, cracked, ect. BUBBA has normally has gotten ahold of something in a firearms collection and put the sling swivels in on an angle, cut the stock, drilled the receiver, cracked the stock and allowed a nice thick coat of rust to form. As NG so clearly points out about, "gun shows are full of people trying to sell used guns for new prices, nothing new there, and there are impulse buyers, fools with too much money burning a hole in their pocket and suckers born every minute willing to pay as much for used as new, they don't know any better, or are to lazy to put in the time and effort to find a better deal. The best deals I've seen at gun shows take place in the parking lot. JMO." Deals can be had at Gun shows but you have to know what your looking for, or you can easily be had by one of the dealers.
Gun Broker is a great place to look for pricing BUT, you must look at what the guns have ACTUALLY SOLD for NOT what people have things LISTED for. This has and will remain to be a problem for gun broker and sales continue to drop. They can ask whatever they want, whether they ever sell the firearm, well that's another story. Unique guns will normally bring a premium and possibly the "appraised" value, but in our current economy it could take 4-12 months for a unique firearm to sell with national exposure on Gun Broker.
Pawn Shops and Gun shops normally buy used guns at around 30% of appraised value, just like a car dealer with used cars. If something is appraised at $1000, a pawn or gun shop will normally offer around $300-400 on it. They hold it and put it back out at $500-600 with the intention of ACTUALLY selling it and not just having inventory on the shelves that never sells.
Another on-line joke is FL Gun trader. 85% of the used guns listed have a price very close to retail price, it's a joke. Why pay $450 for a used Glock when you can order a new one which has never been screwed with for $499. Doesn't make sense to me.
This is my opinion with nearly 25 years of experience collecting, trading, buying, and selling firearms. No expert here, I learn from everyone and am fortunate to have two mentors with 50 years of experience to follow and follow the firearms market just like a guy buying and selling Gold and Silver.....
I have bought several rifles off of gun broker last year and most were listed retail and if you watch the sales they don't normally sell. Also place is loaded up with gun dealers and pawn shops. Both of the rifles I bought were from private owners and I paid almost 200.00 less than retail for brand new rifles. I guess it's a place where you can compare with retail stores but you can get some good deals if your not in a hurry. Gunboy I was always told guns don't lose value unless they've been abused.I tell that to my wife everytime I buy one.lol
