How to price a rifle?

[Waterfowler75]

Reposting from another thread as I put it in the wrong forum apparently….

I want to sell a decent quality rifle but I’m not sure how to price it. First response on original thread was to keep an eye on Gunbroker. I’ll look at that site.

It’s a solid and accurate rifle, it’s just too much gun for me. (300 mag). My searches don’t show many equivalent models.

Secondary question- what’s the best way to avoid getting ripped off in a remote transaction?

Thanks for the advice in advance.

 

[RockAndSage]

Gunbroker for realistic market pricing, USPS money order for 100% certainty of not being ripped off. Price the gun at 30% below market value if you want it to move fast.

 

[Axlrod]

So the advice you were given, was to get pricing from GB, and you haven't. Now you want more/different advice on how to price it??

 

[Waterfowler75]

So the advice you were given, was to get pricing from GB, and you haven't. Now you want more/different advice on how to price it?

Correct, seeking all options. GB has nothing comparable in the last few weeks, and was a single reply of advice before thread was deleted.

 

[Waterfowler75]

Gunbroker for realistic market pricing, USPS money order for 100% certainty of not being ripped off. Price the gun at 30% below market value if you want it to move fast.

Thanks I’ll keep. Checking GB.

 

[Axlrod]

Correct, seeking all options. GB has nothing comparable in the last few weeks, and was a single reply of advice before thread was deleted.

Ok so go to GB and then Advanced search then completed. This is real world what someone paid. Take emotion and opinion out of the equation.
Or post on GB with good pics, you will get what it's worth.

 

[OneShot]

I’d just google the gun you’re trying to sale and add “for sale” in your google search. I’ve had guns I was listing to sell come up on multiple forums and it gave me an idea what it was worth.
What gun are you looking to sell?

 

[Waterfowler75]

I’d just google the gun you’re trying to sale and add “for sale” in your google search. I’ve had guns I was listing to sell come up on multiple forums and it gave me an idea what it was worth.
What gun are you looking to sell?

This is good advice thanks. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this or GB. Lots to learn. Typically I would have a friend that was a dealer sell it on consignment but he’s not taking anything in right now due to a slow market. (According to him).

It’s a Bergera premier highlander 300 mag. Too much gun for me. Afraid of it. lol.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

USPS money order for 100% certainty of not being ripped off.

They aren’t 100% unless you allow time for the bank to truly verify it, there are forged money order scams and the banks will revert the funds if it turns out to be fake even if they initially accept it.

 

[Machingeaneer]

There are multiples of the same rifle in several different calibers that have been listed and sold on here. If you're gonna list it here I would use those as your starting point.

 

[Halligan]

I’m interested in the how to not get ripped off question as well.
As it pertains to pricing, lots of good advice so far but this is my system.

Price= replacement cost + cost of alterations (then adjust for demand)

Using my 1970’s M70 for example (bought used, 100% bluing)

$500 (buy) + $450 (stock refinish, glass bed/float, recoil pad)= $950

Based on demand/customer, the range will be $750-$1k resale. Some guys who do their own work won’t value it based on a pro doing it, but others will. Then you have the fanboys of the particular model, and those who could care less.

At the very least the formula gets you in the ball park, or helps you find a price floor for the minimum you should take without getting too nuanced.

Note that repairs don’t get included, as they are to retain baseline functionality

 

[Q_Sertorius]

The rifle is worth whatever someone else is willing to pay. There’s no absolute value.

That’s why doing the GunBroker Advanced Search and Googling for the same model to find completed sales is the only way to have a ballpark idea.

I would never expect to get anything close to full value for mods or add-ons, unless they are exceptionally desirable and hard to find.

You also have to account for taxes, fees, shipping, etc.

For instance, an average smith may charge $150 to thread a barrel. If the unthreaded new rifle sells for $500, you probably won’t get $650 for it on GunBroker. Especially not when the buyer has to pay sales tax and if you expect the buyer to pay for shipping. The buyer will probably have a $25-50 fee from his FFL as well.

But you might get $650 TYD for it on the Classifieds here. You’ll have to eat the $50 shipping cost, but you will get most of your money back.

As said in the other thread, I’ll happily take a check or money order from someone. If someone wants to go to the trouble to forge a USPS money order and deal with the consequences of committing a federal crime, that’s a risk I am willing to run on a typical rifle sale.

On other sales, I have also used Zelle or Venmo if I had a good phone conversation with the buyer and felt like I was dealing with a decent person. The required involvement of an FFL to do the transfer also gives me some piece of mind as a seller.

 

[5MilesBack]

I sold an O/U shotgun a few years back on here. The buyer was very careful and wanted FFL to FFL shipping, so he paid for that. Then he chose a local to me FFL and I took the gun to him. The FFL checked it over, called the guy to let him know all the details, and the guy did an immediate PP F&F transfer to me for the gun. That pretty much covered both of us from a scam.

But I've also sold a few and shipped directly to the buyer's FFL without issue as well. But there's always a risk involved with non ftf transactions.

 

[alexnelon]

I would never expect to get anything close to full value for mods or add-ons, unless they are exceptionally desirable and hard to find.

And in most cases, "mods" are automatically detrimental to the value of any thing. Nobody cares about a $150 recoil pad and I don't trust ANYONE's bedding/lapping/tuning jobs no matter how much you paid for it.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

And in most cases, "mods" are automatically detrimental to the value of any thing. Nobody cares about a $150 recoil pad and I don't trust ANYONE's bedding/lapping/tuning jobs no matter how much you paid for it.

Absolutely agreed. Most rifles will sell for more the closer they are to unaltered state.

With one exception, where I messed up and left the expensive aftermarket bottom metal on the rifle when I listed it, I always try to put the rifle as close to original state as I can before selling it. I have a bag of original recoil pads, bottom plastic, OEM magazines, sling swivels, and stocks in my closet for this purpose.

But, if I was selling a “RokSlide Special” on RokSlide, I would list the price for the complete package and then list the price for the “bare factory rifle.”

I think a seller is almost always better off removing any recoil pads, stocks, scopes, bipods, etc. If it has no future use for me, I try to get half or 2/3 what I paid for it and move on.

 

[wyosteve]

If it's a commonly available gun (which it seems like your's might be), you'll have to price it somewhat below retail, otherwise someone will/can just go and get one usually without the hassle of shipping, paying a private seller, etc.

 

[Waterfowler75]

Wow lots of good responses and ideas overnight. Thanks everyone.