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What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:31 pm
by SpiderPig
I'm looking to buy a used gun and I've found listings on Armslist that are ridiculously higher than just buying a brand new gun. For example:

Glock 23 at a gun shop: $540, Private seller: $650
Henry AR-7: Gun shop: $250, Private seller: $350
Ruger Blackhawk: Gun shop: $480, Private seller: $525

Am I missing something about these guns in particular or are people thinking that there's some kind of run on common firearms?

Also, at one of the gunshops I visited today, someone behind the counter was ranting and railing against gunshows and supporting universal background checks. I was pretty pissed off so I just left rather than let my eye catch something I wanted.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:35 pm
by Thunder71
Supply and demand.

Have you seen Ruger 10/22's on the market? I picked up a new one from Gander for $225, I see the same one listed online for over $300 used. Granted, it's the first 10/22 I've seen on the shelf in a long time, I just got lucky. :D

But... why are 90% of the AR's DPMS? :?

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:56 pm
by Dave Timm
It's because people are willing to buy at those prices. Almost every single one of our products has been for sale lately online for on average just under double to sometimes triple the retail prices. It's a sellers market and will be until people either stop paying those prices, run out of money, or sellers run out of product. It's actually gotten a little better but not much and people are still paying way to much but sellers are happy to do it.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:06 pm
by XDM45
Thunder71 wrote:Supply and demand.

Have you seen Ruger 10/22's on the market? I picked up a new one from Gander for $225, I see the same one listed online for over $300 used. Granted, it's the first 10/22 I've seen on the shelf in a long time, I just got lucky. :D

But... why are 90% of the AR's DPMS? :?


Bill's in Robinsdale had one in when I was there on Sunday.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:08 pm
by JustPlainT
I wonder how many of those posts are people remembering what they could have had in January and are wishfully hoping someone is going to jump on it anyway.

My bet is a lot of them aren't getting sold, because after the January price spike people "know" their stuff is "worth" that inflated rate, and buyers are starting to see they can wait this storm out and get retail prices eventually.


Now, the issue of ammunition is another thing entirely. Could be a very long time before we see it back on the shelves and staying there longer than half an hour.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:10 pm
by Squib Joe
Much like gun shows, I think the Armslist crowd inflates the price because they expect to have to haggle down to the "real" price

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:24 pm
by Thunder71
I like the ones with $400 SKS's looking for:
"PREMIUM trades only!!! Don't waste my time low-balling or offering your POS trades!!!"
"Will trade for Les Baer 1911 plus cash on YOUR end!!!"

Not only are they asking a lot, they are becoming dumb arseholes.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:43 pm
by XDM45
**** SPECIAL TODAY ONLY *****

1,000 rounds of .22LR for $100,000.

Any takers?

As I've said before, you can ask whatever you want and no one is required to pay it.

It's dumb, but there are people that will pay it. For example, good luck finding some .22LR right now. IF you can find it, prices will be higher due to supply and demand. If you find it and you want it, you can either pay the price or not. If you don't, someone else probably will because the demand is high and the supply is low, so no skin of the seller's nose. If you don't have any ammo and you want it, you have those choices. If you are like me and have plenty of it, you can choose to purchase more or not. My .22LR is on back-order for 2 months from Cabella's. Yeah, I want it, but I could get it 5 years from now and still not be out of ammo, so I'm fine.

Desperation is expensive.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:12 pm
by SpiderPig
People are certainly free to ask whatever they want. I just thought it odd how inflated prices are for used vs. new. I guess there's a lot of wishful thinking priced into many used guns right now and a few are willing to pay. I guess I'm happy for both buyer and seller in that situation since they each get what they want.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:19 pm
by XDM45
SpiderPig wrote:People are certainly free to ask whatever they want. I just thought it odd how inflated prices are for used vs. new. I guess there's a lot of wishful thinking priced into many used guns right now and a few are willing to pay. I guess I'm happy for both buyer and seller in that situation since they each get what they want.


Yeah, pretty much.

Ever watch The Suze Orman Show's "Can I Afford It?" segment? The stuff people want to buy and at the prices, is crazy.

Many people do stupid stuff with money.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:57 pm
by grousemaster
XDM45 wrote:**** SPECIAL TODAY ONLY *****

1,000 rounds of .22LR for $100,000.

Any takers?

As I've said before, you can ask whatever you want and no one is required to pay it.

It's dumb, but there are people that will pay it. For example, good luck finding some .22LR right now. IF you can find it, prices will be higher due to supply and demand. If you find it and you want it, you can either pay the price or not. If you don't, someone else probably will because the demand is high and the supply is low, so no skin of the seller's nose. If you don't have any ammo and you want it, you have those choices. If you are like me and have plenty of it, you can choose to purchase more or not. My .22LR is on back-order for 2 months from Cabella's. Yeah, I want it, but I could get it 5 years from now and still not be out of ammo, so I'm fine.

Desperation is expensive.



Each week fr the past 4 weeks I've been able to buy bricks retail. Yea, I did have to call ahead and definately felt like I "won" when I bought it....but it's out there if you're savvy enough.... ;) Now I at least have a couple thousand rounds to feed my two 10/22's and Apache Nylon 66

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:33 pm
by Rodentman
Suze Orman is hardly an authority on financial matters and the whole show is staged just like all other scripted reality shows. She's got more money than Mitt Romney and still she wants more. Pure greed. And she doesn't spend any money. Sure.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:08 pm
by Le Pistolero
A simple explanation. Yes, these guns are selling. Reason?

Some people are willing to pay a lot more to avoid the background check.

:shock:

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:02 pm
by LarryFlew
When they ship it to your FFL you get the check anyway.

Re: What is it with people and gun prices right now?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:03 pm
by yuppiejr
Econ 101, low supply - high demand.... more likely people are willing to pay inflated prices because they are fearful bulk ammo sales will be regulated, or they are afraid black rifles/high cap magazines will be banned. When the legislation blew up locally and those that were going to get in to the market likely did I expect the slowdown really started.

.223 is still rare because you suddenly have a lot of people running around with new rifles that need feeding... and .22 because it's cheap to buy in large quantities and practical for practice or small game hunting/survival stockpiling, etc..