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Old April 2, 2024, 06:40 PM   #1
liv4spd
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Where do you all shop for used handguns?

What is the best website for used handguns? I noticed that Gunbroker rarely has good deals.
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Old April 2, 2024, 08:44 PM   #2
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Gunbroker is an auction site.

I used to shop for used handguns at gun shows, but in my area, those have essentially gone away, and likely will never come back.

I still look at the used guns in local gunshops. Don't expect great deals, but sometimes, you find one here or there.
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Old April 3, 2024, 12:03 AM   #3
Mike P. Wagner
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I feel pretty lucky - my local gun shop/range has pretty good prices. Their prices are as about the same as the best prices I can find anywhere online (when you include shipping and FFL fees).

I have only been to a couple of gun shows, and their prices were surprisingly high.

In the past, I bought a CZ 52 and a Schmidt Rubin K31 from aimsurplus, and they were exactly as described.
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Old April 3, 2024, 07:28 AM   #4
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Gunbroker is a sales platform that has both auctions and straight sales with the "buy now" options. If you look for rare collectibles, the internet sales platforms offer a considerably wider range of guns in a week than local gun stores offer in years.
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Old April 3, 2024, 08:12 AM   #5
jar
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There are quite a few sites now for used guns, far too many to list. But Classic Firearms and Simpson's and Cabela's Used Guns and Collector's Firearms and Joe Salter and J&G, and Gunsdotcom and ...

Should get you started.
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Old April 3, 2024, 09:04 AM   #6
Jim Watson
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I just scan the shelves at local stores.
I have only once ordered a used gun from out of town to be shipped to a dealer here. It worked out well, the gun is a fine shooter, but I still worry about exaggerated advertising.
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Old April 3, 2024, 03:02 PM   #7
Hawg
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I got a really good deal on a S&W 10-5 off of one of the S&W forums a couple of years ago but most of the best deals have been at my LGS.
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Old April 3, 2024, 04:22 PM   #8
Nathan
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Quote:
What is the best website for used handguns? I noticed that Gunbroker rarely has good deals.
Well, I find the opposite. Not the best deals, but good fair deals.

I find local stores to be way off on pricing and have a marketing strategy geared towards customers who don’t care if they are paying an extra 30% over fair market value.

If you scour the forums, I think you can find great pricing on custom guns, hopefully to your liking, and both high/low prices due to lack of seller knowledge of a real market values on the rest.

I also find local sales in the parking lot to have a wider price band. That said, I’d hate to drive 2 hrs to find out he didnt take pics of where it fell out of the truck bed onto the road!
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Old April 9, 2024, 01:17 PM   #9
KyJim
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I've bought mine in a hodge-podge of locations. I've bought some from a local dealers, a couple from online dealers, a couple at gun shows when I used to go to them, and through another forum where private sales are allowed.
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Old April 9, 2024, 06:19 PM   #10
FITASC
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www.gunsinternational.com is not an auction site; local gun stores; local pawn shops
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Old April 10, 2024, 02:27 PM   #11
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Our local pawn shops have some good deals. The clerks don’t really know the value of some of the older stuff, so the prices can be pretty good.
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Old April 10, 2024, 04:24 PM   #12
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You can always make an offer at a pawn shop. As a general rule they are trying to double what they paid for it, so use that as your guide. Almost all the gun shops I go to only have new guns, nearly all black polymer. Only recently are starting to see small stainless revolvers making a comeback. Gone are the days when I used to press my nose against the glass to wantonly gaze at Model 29s, 27s, 19s and K-22s. Troopers, Diamondbacks and Colt 1911s.
Now I watch/ search gunbroker for what I’m desiring, mainly looking for true penny start auctions. Or a low buy it now price. I have watched for up to a year for a specific model. That’s actually a good thing, because once you see 10 of them go for crazy high money, you’ve run out of people willing to pay that and get one at a reasonable price.
Guns International is usually very high priced. I have also emailed several sellers there and said, Ok, I’ll pay that price, but never heard back from them. It is a good site to find antiques in great condition but you’ll pay big $$. I was looking at a Winchester collection once and asked the owner where he found his 1895 Russian contract, 7.62x54R. “Guns International “, he said, “And I paid through the ass for it.”
I look at a lot of online gun auctions on Proxibid and Hi-bid (aptly named) but you have to read the details of each auction carefully. In addition to the hammer drop price is a buyers premium (15 to 27%), a handling fee to pack and ship it, shipping fee and sometimes an FFL fee at both ends. You rarely get a good deal, but sometimes, especially if it’s local (in your home state) and you can go pick it up. Make sure they say they offer shipping, not everyone does. It is a source of amazement at what some people pay for guns.
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Old April 11, 2024, 09:01 PM   #13
Nathan
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Gunbroker. You have to have options and patience. There are good or at least decent deals. I bought a 629 for $700ish.
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Old April 13, 2024, 08:08 AM   #14
L. Boscoe
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have had good luck with Guns International, Gunbroker not so much, and the best deals in a neighboring town's big gun shop that is famous for offering peanuts for your pistol. I bought a Springfield 45 from them, shot it for two years, and sold it to another dealer for what I paid for it.
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Old April 26, 2024, 08:11 AM   #15
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I used to shop on Armslist until they starting charging a fee. Fair enough, I just didn’t want to pay for access. I cruise Florida Gun Trader (being a Florida resident) sometimes but most of the sellers are asking considerably more than what the gun is worth. Good or even reasonable deals are rare.
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Old April 26, 2024, 03:03 PM   #16
The Verminator
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Gunbroker is the best chance to find a good deal.

You just have to put the time in and use common auction tactics.

I'm in the process of getting rid of guns, not buying, but I still love to shop.

I enjoy seeing what my favorite old guns are selling for now.
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Old April 26, 2024, 09:17 PM   #17
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I just stop by "my" local shop a couple, three times a week. They have one full side of a kiosk, about five cabinets full of used guns. At the end there is a case I call the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" case.

Some people say their prices are high. On the other hand they have stuff nobody else has, especially classic revolvers, which are really the only thing I care about.

You gotta be there to catch them. They don't hang around long. I'm sure not the only person who knows about the place. If I see something I'm interested in, I'll put it on "hold" while go to the mens room. Layaway is my friend.
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Old April 26, 2024, 11:08 PM   #18
ballardw
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The last four pistols I bought from local auction sites. These do things like estate sales, used police equipment and others.
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Old April 27, 2024, 02:11 PM   #19
Ricklin
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Cabela's

My local Cabela's was the source of many of my unbelievable gun deals. My Colt Army and Navy was 25 bucks. They thought it defective...
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Old April 28, 2024, 12:06 PM   #20
Electrod47
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Check out Mixup98 on Youtube......Pawn shop finds in Southern Nevada are pretty good.
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