Well for lack of a better word, I'm "adjusting" my inventory of shotguns. Plan to sell two 12 gauges and replace with a 20 (preferably a Beretta 686 SP1 with 26" barrels).

One is a Beretta SP1 field model with 28" barrels. Bought new about five years ago, babied and maybe out of the safe about three times, with less than a total of 100 rounds fired. The second is a Benelli Montefeltro Field in wood with 26" barrel purchased new less than a year ago. Shot one round of skeet with it. Have original boxes and paperwork for both. Always cleaned before storage and kept in a humidity controlled safe.

Looked online for book values and find a subscription is needed to access. Since its a one time deal for me, prefer not to do that. Have been to two local dealers and even though they are as new, both offered a little less than half of the purchase prices. Also imagine they've probably have gone up a bit since then.

Realize used prices vary and don't want to gouge anyone, just want a price that's fair for both buyer and seller.

Any resources available for me to check?

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The Gold Standard for values is to determine how much an interested buyer has recently (not whenever) paid for the same item in the same condition.

That can be done via surfing guns-only auction websites (gunbroker, gunauction, gunsamerica, etc, etc) for samples that have actually been sold recently.

Keep on mind that "asking", "reserve", and "buy-it-now" (BIN) dollar amounts are not values - they are simply what some seller wants for their item.

With the high demand & low supplies of firearms these days, I would first (try to) buy what you want, then sell off your unwanted guns - at auction, you might be very surprised at the dollar amounts the buying public will pay for most (not all) guns.

You can subscribe to the Blue Book of Gun Values online for one month for about $4.

Doesn't seem like a huge investment, to me anyway.

The answer you want is the completed section of gunbroker. That's about your only option if you don't want to pay.

Well worth your 4 bucks. It's a starting place anyway. 4 bucks is nothing in the money you are talking about. Surely don't base it on what a gun store offers you.

Also would tell you very little. I can't imagine the online version is more up-to-date than the printed books. Even before the current run on guns, the Blue Book was often outdated, unrealistic or simply wrong. The Blue Book's greatest value is as a handy reference for basic facts/specs about guns. The price data is nearly worthless. I say this as a former pawnbroker who always kept the latest copy of the Blue Book on his counter for all to see and use.


If you really want to know what a gun is "worth" put it up for auction on Gunbroker or some other site with a low opening price and let it rip. You'll get your answer in a few days. Honestly, I've been shocked by what people are willing to pay lately.