I have purchased and sold rifles, pistols and shotguns on gunsinternational, gunbroker, gunsamerica and texasguntrader. Before the internet I bought a lot of guns at pawn shops as well. I've never had a complaint from a sale or a disappointment from a purchase. However, I am very careful and vett every seller (and sometimes buyer). If at all possible I conduct business on a face-to-face basis and insist on meeting in very public areas such as large parking lots. Texasguntrader is a great place to buy and sell but I estimate that 5 to 10% of the ads here are scams. If ever you see "for sale in Texas" with no associated city on the ad, you can almost be sure it's a scam. Be very careful on this site!

Good luck.

 

Understanding what your gun will actually sell for is the first priority. If you're not realistic on price they'll never sell irregardless of the selling platform. Once you know the number local sales, and message board groups are the way to go in my opinion. Cheaper for you (no seller fees) and cheaper for the buyer (fees and taxes).

I've had great luck here on SGW, and through a few other boards. I also participate in a local board where I can deal with folks that are in my home state for person to person sales.

A really comprehensive set of photographs, great description, and solid communication should make the process simple. Knowing how to vet buyers and sellers is also very helpful as there are a lot of scammers out there.

 

Consign the guns to a reliable FFL who specialzes in the type of guns you wish to sell. Let them take care of all the negotiations and paperwork. Let them know the bottom line on the guns. Well worth the commission they charge. Don't jack up the price to cover the commission fees. As mentioned, be realistic on price. Avoid shipping. As a non FFL unlicensed person you can't ship via UPS or Fedex. You also can't sell a long gun to an out of state person directly as an unlicensed non FFL. You need an FFL on the other end.

 

Between selling to the shop or consignment, money-wise consignment; if the major factor is to move it quickly, sell it to them. Difference? Consignments where I am typically run 25% whereas you'll get maybe 60% for the outright sale.

 

These folks have very reasonable commission on consignment guns: Welcome To DAWSON ENTERPRISES

 

For me, it’s my local gunshop. 10% commission no headaches for me, no shipping hassles!! He calls when he has a check ready for me.

 

You are fortunate. Around me everyone wants 15-25%.

 

same issues for me. 10 high grade collector quality Merkel rifles and shotguns.
I had three in 28 gauge that Sold FAST.
other 7 were reclaimed after a year on consignment at a nationally known FFL, and were on guns international.
a few low ball offers were rejected.

they are now all headed to Rock Island Auction, for their big December sale. at 74 years old next month, I bought half a dozen commodity 20 gauge guns to give each grandson a gun from grandpa after I teach (taught) them how to shoot clay targets. no need to burden a child with a 4000-11,000 dollar gun they will neither appreciate, shoot, or want to take care of...
the auction houses move guns but you give up about 15-20% in total charges and other variables.

one of mine was once sold with description of nonworking ejector.. when it was an inertia type second shot on selective trigger... and the description was not changeable once published.

we are going to europe with the money raised. a couple of times.

YMMV.

 

Put them up her first for a week or two. If they don’t move them, put them on Guns international. Just be honest with yourself when you put a valueon them.

 

It is most definitely a buyer's market right now, so you'll need to be realistic with selling prices. Look at used gunbroker prices to get the best idea of current market value for common guns.

 

People want trade in prices is the biggest issue, and while that may be realistic for a buyer, it certainly is not for the seller. Put in other words, it does not appear to be a two way street.

With both Browning and Berreta adding upwards to 20% on their new pricing. If you are selling right now and absolutely don't need the money, it would be wise to exercise some patience until people realize the cost of a new gun has increased.

 

Guns international and gunbroker are probably looked at by more people on a daily basis. Selling there for a newbie is very difficult. #1 reviews, if you don't have them, potential buyers will just move on. UNLESS, the price point grabs someone's attention. To high, move on. To low, what's wrong with it. Good Luck.

 

I’d put them up on You’re local gun club bulletin board first, and price ‘em to go, not to give away, but to sell. Secondly, consignment, with a local firearms dealer. Hopefully You’ve got a relationship with someone in the area. You’re going to pay a percentage regardless of where they go, so locally sounds like a lot less hassle. I suspect I’ll be in a similar situation in the future.
Good luck.
Bob

 

You'll lose your rear at a gun shop with a straight sale. Usually at most 60% of what they can sell it for is what you'll be offered. Used guns you get a portion of the already lowered value. Pawn shops usually give less. You lose more on fancier stuff, because it's not often their clientele buys nice guns. The perk with both is instant payment.

Guns international and Gunbroker are the 2 biggest online sites. The latter has become a bit of a rip off with all their fees. You then have to deal with shipping.

Guntrader, local ads, and so on can work, but you have to watch for scammers. Tire kickers and lowballers will drive you mad. It's best to vet who you sell to, but there's really not a good way to do so short of asking to see ID.

Gun shop consignment is the best compromise. Don't lose as much, and someone else deals with the hassle. Finding one that will consign depends where you are.

Used gun sales, especially on run of the mill stuff are soft right now. Collectibles require that one person who wants it to show up. Either way, be patient, don't give them away, but also don't expect top dollar. Good luck.

 

When selling online, I think it's important to:

1. Have excellent, in-focus photographs. You need to understand the important areas of the shotgun to photograph, too. For example, the barrel markings and areas famous for wear or damage. For example, on Ithaca Model 37s, I like to see the condition of the receiver screws. Clean and sharp edges on the screws generally implies the fellow cleaning the gun knew what he was doing, while buggered screws are sign of the bubba. Show every defect and photoshop a little arrow to the dings. For fixed choke guns, I like a photo of a quick bore tester in the muzzle, to verify the choke.

2.Give all the relevant information in the text: gauge, chokes provided, barrel length, length of pull, weight of the gun, trigger pull weight, enough serial number to determine year of manufacture, and brief history of the seller and why selling. "I'm just a fella reducing my gun safe, not a dealer" is reassuring to me. I will be talking to the seller, so be available to all inquirers.

3. Have a good reputation on the website you are using. If this is your first sale, explain the situation and how you will confirm your legitimacy before money changes hands. I like to check people's background and talk man to man on the telephone. Texts are not enough.

4. I take USPS Money Orders sent by the US mail. If anything goes wrong, it's felony fraud. That's not a perfect solution, but it ups the ante for any sketchy actors.

I've had good luck on Gunbroker for over 30 years, but I am slow and cautious. Especially for things that are not shotguns.

I've had FANTASTIC luck here on Shotgun world and met some great guys. The moderators are fussbudgets and want you to follow the rules! Wait, that's exactly what I want! Let's follow the rules and have a good experience!

Look on gunbroker to find the going rates- the actual SELLING prices, not the asking prices! Then remember you'll be paying about 5% in fees, and state sales tax. It adds up. Then set your price here, with that in mind, and know that it's much less stressful than auction sites.

 

I've used Gunbroker, Guns International with no problems; now I much prefer GI. There was a local pawn dealer I have dealt with multitudes of times over the past 35 years to buy, trade, put on consignment, order, you name it. Wonderful relationship. Unfortunately, he is selling his business and retiring. There are usually regional websites to access for within driving distance, FTF deals or mail transactions. I've used those quite often with good success. There are also regional classified weekly publications (also on-line) which list firearms. I have occasionally picked up some good deals at public auctions and gun shows,
but I would not recommend setting up a booth to sell 6-8 field guns.

 

Believe me, I've even said it on here: neve sell shotguns, just but another safe. I'm not emotionally attached to these, nor do I shoot them. When I ran the compound interest over 30 years at 10% (assume stock market annualized growth), I figured out I would rather have the money invested.

The time has come for me to thing the herd, and I'm looking to maximize price garnered while minimizing time and expenses spent on selling.

I did a few searches and not much comes up on the best sales strategy, so I'm posting in hopes of crowd-sourcing some knowledge from the forum's vast collective experience.

I have 6 guns (this is not an offer to sell any of them, just a general description of what they are) that are current candidates for sale.

All are high condition but none are extremely valuable as all but one are fixed chokes. Only 1 is a target gun (so 5 field guns).

I have 3 semi-automatics, 2 over unders and 1 side by side.

They are mixed gauges: 2 12 gauge, 2 20 gauge and 2 28 gauge.

The subject of the thread is not the value of the guns; although, value is an important component (and I may ask about individual guns in other threads).

This thread is about where and when (i.e. methodology) to sell them.


Below are the options I have come up with, and I'm wondering if it's possible to offer the guns for sale through multiple outlets simultaneously (e.g. can I consign as well as post on SGW, for instance?)

1. SGW => Here of course! I get the feeling that target guns or higher-end semiautomatics would move pretty well but shorter-barreled, fixed choke field shotguns are not what most folks on here look for.

2. My Gun Club => There's a board where I can post the guns free of charge. I look at this board all the time. Sometimes guns move quickly but other times the guns hang around for months. I tend to think this is mostly related to being priced too high for a less than desirable gun. How long does it generally take to sell a gun locally and are local sellers difficult to deal with?

3. Guns International / Gun Broker => These are fairly well-known quantities. I've purchased plenty from these sites. Interestingly only 2 of the 6 Does one, generally, have a shorter time from initial posting to sale than the other?

4. Texas Gun Trader => I've never used this, but some on SGW have. It can be face-to-face, so I'm interested in this experience and how it differs from GB/GI. Was the face-to-face experience sketchy? Would you do it again? Is there an advantage (other than not have to pack and ship) over GB/GI?

5. Gun Show => Based on my experience, guns shows have changed: they're more oriented to the tactical weapons and pistol buyer. That could just be in my area. I have never been to Tulsa, but I always wanted to go. Are local guns shows worth it? Is Tulsa worth it as a first time seller of 6 guns? If I waited to Tulsa, I would miss out on the pre-hunting season rise in demand that happens, so I would need to hang on until then.

5. Local Gun Shop Consignment/Sale => Is it better to sell or consign, monetarily speaking?

6. National Gun Shop Consignment/Sale => I have dealt with a national gun shop that specializes in shotguns on a consignment basis. The final value of the consignment sale was less than the valuation to outright sell the guns to the shop. It was a lesson that I learned, and I can't say it was pleasant, but I did cash the check (so it wasn't all that bad). Are there recommendations other than Jaqua's or Cole's?

7. Pawn Shop => This would be an immediate, cash-in-hand transaction, so I'm wondering how much less do pawn shops offer, generally, than gun shops when purchasing shotguns? I have purchased things from pawn shops, but I have never sold anything to a pawn shop.

8. Flea Market => I put this on here as I have read about 'flea market finds' on this forum. Is there enough buyer traffic at a flea market to justify the time and energy of setting up a booth?


Thanks in advance for your help and advice. I'll let you know how it turns out!

You have covered the bases. Selling to a shop will give you the least return on your investment. The bulletin board at your club, likely the best return.

SGW is a great place to sell. There are also private FB groups on the down low. Those are best face to face only.

Flea markets, only if you plan to give it away. People go to flea markets to pay rock bottom prices.

Price your stuff reasonably. Unless its collectors territory, your used one is not worth as much as a new one. Gunbroker finished auctions are a good guide on realistic prices.

 

Texas Gun Trader and local gun clubs offer the best return to the seller is my experience. SGW works well for shotguns. Others have provided sound advice. I will add that the seller should be cautious of who and how they sell.
Require a Bill of Sale.
Require a valid LTC or in state Drivers License.
Sell at the police station parking lot.
Photograph the BOS which has been completely filled out. (Lay your ID and buyer's ID on the BOS and photograph it. )
Print this at home and
Maintain a notebook of those Bills of Sale with photos.

Several FFL dealers have said I am very careful and require more than Texas law requires.
Better be careful than to regret a sale as the man in Las Vegas is doing now.

 

NONE is necessary in Florida, and if you tried to photo MY id, the sale is off. NO reason to requite a CCW, nor a BOS; stop helping the antis with that line of thinking; totally over the top

 

Auctions starting at a penny on GunBroker typically bring the highest amount as long as it's a desirable gun. Lots and lots and lots of high quality pictures cannot be stressed enough. Being reasonable with shipping fees can help. I find it a real put off when I recognize someone trying to pad their sale price by $25-$50 above normal shipping charges.

 

90% of above is very good advice—-Pat McCarthy at Dawson’s Enterprises is as straight a person as you’ll ever find—- big gun shows ( Tulsa, OGCA, etc ) are good— don’t waste time at small shows. In my experience, GI is much, much better than Gunbroker. Good pictures & description are very important. For example, aPerazzi buyer will want a picture of the top lever position when the gun is closed. An English gun shopper wants chamber measurements & detailed pictures of proof marks, etc.— local gun clubs are also a good resource. For example, shooters at a trap club may also be interested in a hunting or sptg clays gun. Above all: 1) go where the buyers for your gun will be, not low-ballers ( flea markets, pawn shops). 2) look at you gun from a buyer’s perspective & give description & price accordingly

 

Appreciate everyone’s responses!

This weekend I went to a local gun store, located inside an indoor range.

They passed on every one of my shotguns because they were ‘sporting shotguns’ (i.e. non-tactical).

Interestingly, they had a huge number of used guns in inventory and readily told me that they were having issues selling anything that wasn’t chambered in 9mm, a 1911 or a revolver.

Also: the employees asked me if I had a Sig P320 to sell before I even told them what I had. They will not take 320s due to safety concerns (they did have some still for sale, though?).

The store also used gunbroker sales history to determine the value of the firearms they purchase (they offer 40 cents on the dollar), not the blue book.

The advice they gave me was look for face-to-face selling opportunities to maximize the sale price.

I’m planning a trip to Cole’s next weekend for some gunsmithing, so I’ll see what they have to report and post here.

 

What are the safety concerns with the P320? Somehow I've missed that/those concern/s.

 

I am in the same boat. My local shops have no interest because they arent selling anything that is not tactical or prepper-ready, whatever that is. My local shop just shut the doors. He took very good photos, lots of them, and did penny starts on all of them on gun broker. If I had the answer I would love to share it with you all but my hefrd is still way too large also and I have no idea what to do. All the best and good luck to all.

 

LGS focus is on tactical- that is where the volume is. Do not go there!!!
You wouldn’t sell apples to a meat market.

Sell on shotgunworld, trapshooter.com, clay bird ranges, TexasGunTrader.com, etc.
Hope this helps😊

 

You can post it on Texas Hunting Forum too. I've had good luck selling items there.