Best Source for Pricing Used Handguns

[Luckyforward]

Does anyone here have a resource, website, manual, etc. that suggests prices for used handguns?

Thank you -

[KahrMan]

The best thing to go to gunbroker>advanced settings and look at closed auction. That why you can what similar guns actually sold for not just what people are asking. 

[xsubsailor]

You can always go this route. Deduct 10-15 % from the value in the book.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022286720

[gregintenn]

19 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

The best thing to go to gunbroker>advanced settings and look at closed auction. That why you can what similar guns actually sold for not just what people are asking. 

What he said^^^

[gregintenn]

13 minutes ago, xsubsailor said:

You can always go this route. Deduct 10-15 % from the value in the book.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022286720

There is a lot of useful information in that book, but not accurate gun pricing.

[TomInMN]

If you post here what you're interested in valuing, we could take a crack at it. A million monkeys, with a million type writers, and 30 seconds. We'll get you numbers, for sure!

Seriously though, you could also call your local shops and see if they'd be willing to help you out with finding a reasonable valuation.

Edited April 17, 2020 by TomInMN
Typos. And more typos.

[Ronald_55]

It all depends if I am buying it from you or selling it to you... 

[TomInMN]

9 minutes ago, Ronald_55 said:

It all depends if I am buying it from you or selling it to you... 

Yeah, if you do decide to go the Blue Book minus 15% route, let me know, will ya?

[gregintenn]

Post ‘em up. We’ll take a stab at it.

[DaveTN]

3 hours ago, KahrMan said:

The best thing to go to gunbroker>advanced settings and look at closed auction. That why you can what similar guns actually sold for not just what people are asking. 

 

2 hours ago, gregintenn said:

What he said^^^

Yep

[Grayfox54]

The Blue Book is out of date the moment its printed. If you're trying to sell and the buyer/dealer breaks out the Blue Book, walk away. He intends to screw you. He just wants to make it look legit and is banking on you not knowing the facts.  

+1 on closed Gunbroker auctions. The best way to go. 

[TomInMN]

1 minute ago, Grayfox54 said:

The Blue Book is out of date the moment its printed. If you're trying to sell and the buyer/dealer breaks out the Blue Book, walk away. He intends to screw you. He just wants to make it look legit and is banking on you not knowing the facts.  

+1 on closed Gunbroker auctions. The best way to go. 

I wouldn't say they're trying to screw you, but it shouldn't be the only source. GunBroker is another great resource, but (especially with guns for which condition is a major factor) it can also have its shortcomings.

A gun in great condition might have terrible photos, or some condition issues might not be apparent. There might only be one or two competed auctions returned. If so, do they represent the high end of the market, the low end, the middle? Also, it's a national audience so unless you plan to actually sell on GunBroker you need to take into account the fact that your local market might not be accurately reflected by GunBroker auctions. (For better or worse.)

[leroy]

Ive been watchin this a bit... I'm an old gun collector myself... When it comes to gently used, lovingly cared for guns; it all depends on the " willing buyer - willing seller " relationship.  Gunbroker, nor any other source of info can't tell ya anything other than ballpark numbers on used firearms.  It all hinges on the buyer-seller thing.

Some folks like Smiths, and will give a premium for em.  Some folks like Colts and will give a premium for em.  It all depends on the buyer n seller. 

Ya can find out about glocks, sigs, CZs and the other soulless junk on gunbroker...  Ya need to go other places for " real " collectable pricing... My favorite place is Cherry's Fine Guns.  They are a great place to start the hunt.

Thus endeth the lesson.

leroy

Edited April 17, 2020 by leroy

[Erich]

Gunbroker may be the favored market value standard, BUT it depends on if/where you plan to list and sell them, or if you just want insurance values.

If its non sale valuation, GB all day long. But if you plan to sell, where and what it is determines how you'll do compared to GB value. Unless its very desirable, rare, or hard to come by, generally you tend to only get GB values when selling on GB.

Listing locally or an online forum, you will likely mean a modest discount factor like the mentioned blue book. Online forum folks tend to be....shall we say... cheap bargain hunters 

[gregintenn]

16 minutes ago, Erich said:

Gunbroker may be the favored market value standard, BUT it depends on if/where you plan to list and sell them, or if you just want insurance values.

If its non sale valuation, GB all day long. But if you plan to sell, where and what it is determines how you'll do compared to GB value. Unless its very desirable, rare, or hard to come by, generally you tend to only get GB values when selling on GB.

Listing locally or an online forum, you will likely mean a modest discount factor like the mentioned blue book. Online forum folks tend to be....shall we say... cheap bargain hunters 

If it'll bring X on gunbroker, it's worth X.

[RED333]

7 hours ago, leroy said:

Ya can find out about glocks, sigs, CZs and the other soulless junk on gunbroker... 

busted a gut in this one, soulless junk

Yes I do have a few pieces of " soulless junk" but it is my junk and I know what it is worth.

[TomInMN]

42 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

If it'll bring X on gunbroker, it's worth X.

I would say it's worth X minus risk factor, minus hassle factor.

[gregintenn]

49 minutes ago, TomInMN said:

I would say it's worth X minus risk factor, minus hassle factor.

Right, but it does give one something realistic to start with.

[TomInMN]

38 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

Right, but it does give one something realistic to start with.

Absolutely.

It's a matter of finding all the data points you can, comparing them against each other, and deciding which are more credible/ and applicable than the others.

[DaveTN]

2 hours ago, gregintenn said:

If it'll bring X on gunbroker, it's worth X.

Exactly. Or it will get you an offer.

Also, it’s not unusual to see a range like $400-$600 or $800-$1200 for the same gun, in the same condition.

Condition is a big factor. Another forum member and I were talking about a gun that was described as “excellent” that was anything but. That’s why unless it’s a current gun that’s “like new” I try to use quality pictures. Just because a gun old, doesn’t mean it can be in crappy condition and passed off as “excellent” because of its age. I was a very good-looking young man, but no one describes me as “very good looking for his age”.

If you have a guy that wants a blue S&W Model 19 because that’s the gun he carried when he first became a cop, or a Model 15 because that’s what he carried as an MP, he’s going to value that at a value higher than most forum members would be willing to pay.

If you have a guy trying to pass off a 686 Post lock for $800 because that’s what pre-locks are bringing, he may get it if he finds someone that doesn’t know that is more than new, and the prices he is checking it against are pre-locks.

I figure that if my gun doesn’t sell within 2 weeks on here; my price is too high. So, I pull them or reduce my price. GB adds a lot of cost with shipping and transfers. Not much was selling prior to this virus, it was a real buyers’ market.

[leroy]

3 hours ago, RED333 said:

busted a gut in this one, soulless junk

Yes I do have a few pieces of " soulless junk" but it is my junk and I know what it is worth.

Me too Brother..!  Got a pile of em of several flavors... They are like a hammer or handsaw ta me... Useful, but utilitarian n expendable... HEHEHE... Smiths, Colts, n Rugers are where its at..!

The " soulless " stuff needs usin too... HEHEHE...

Hammerin leroy..,