SELLING FIREARMS THAT DO NOT FUNCTION RELIABLY - HOW MUCH TO DISCOUNT?

[rhino]

I've held onto a couple of pistol caliber carbines that don't work because I can't sell them to someone else as if they do. I think it's fair to try to sell them with the disclosure of the issues and discounting the asking price accordingly.

But how much? Let's say the gun that works is worth $500. The one you have malfunctions (e.g. failure to feed and go fully into battery) maybe 3-5 times for every 50 rounds you try to fire, which is a 6%-10% failure rate.

What would be a reasonable asking price?

I am not addressing the cowardly and deceitful practice of selling guns that you know do not work without disclosing that information. That has happened to me with at least two different guns over the years and it is not acceptable.

 

[HoughMade]

If either is a Marlin Camp Carbine in 9mm, they're worth $100. Where do we meet?

 

[T.Lex]

Yeah, if its an M1 Carbine, I'll totally take that off your hands for a hundo. You're welcome.

ETA:
IMHO, this is a classic "what the market will bear" situation. Complete disclosure of the issue means both parties understand the transaction. The money will be enough, or it won't.

 

[rhino]

If either is a Marlin Camp Carbine in 9mm, they're worth $100. Where do we meet?

Funny you should ask!

Actually, it's a Just Right carbine and a Kel-Tec Sub2000.

It's unlikely that a Marlin Camp Carbine would be as troublesome.

 

[HoughMade]

Funny you should ask!

Actually, it's a Just Right carbine and a Kel-Tec Sub2000.

It's unlikely that a Marlin Camp Carbine would be as troublesome.

Well, in that case, the deal's off.

I would guess that with a gun that was worth $500 functioning reliably, I would start, maybe about $75-$100 less with full disclosure and sell for not much more than $100 less, assuming that there's no obvious damage you can identify.

 

[rhino]

Well, in that case, the deal's off.

I would guess that with a gun that was worth $500 functioning reliably, I would start, maybe about $75-$100 less with full disclosure and sell for not much more than $100 less, assuming that there's no obvious damage you can identify.

Thank you, sir! That's the kind of guestimate I was seeking and agrees with my intuition.

 

[BugI02]

With work, can they be made reliable? If not, it would seem you'd be selling them for parts value, which in my estimation would be more like 20 -40% unless they were more of a collector piece

 

[rhino]

With work, can they be made reliable? If not, it would seem you'd be selling them for parts value, which in my estimation would be more like 20 -40% unless they were more of a collector piece

That's a good point to consider.

In the case of these two guns, I don't know. The Kel-Tec was returned to the factory twice and I sick of even trying with it. Whether it could be fixed or not? Who knows.

The Just Right does okay when it's whistle clean, but a gun that can't run when it's dirty is not a reliable, properly built gun.

 

[BugI02]

That's a good point to consider.

In the case of these two guns, I don't know. The Kel-Tec was returned to the factory twice and I sick of even trying with it. Whether it could be fixed or not? Who knows.

The Just Right does okay when it's whistle clean, but a gun that can't run when it's dirty is not a reliable, properly built gun.

Maybe sell that to a Kimber owner?

View attachment 67007

 

[Leadeye]

Depends on if the problem can be fixed, some guns just have bad designs that reduce the value. Do you know of anybody that has one of these that's problem free?

 

[d.kaufman]

What caliber is the sub2000? Gen 1 or 2? Ive got one thats a gen 2 and takes the g17 mags(9mm) and have run over 1k rounds flawlessly. I just got it back from the barrel recall, so im hoping that doesn't affect anything(not sure why it would). I have done some upgrades to mine. McCarbo trigger and springs and a stainless steel feedramp, but even prior to those upgrades it functioned just fine

 

[lovemachine]

When I saw the title of this thread, I was very curious why rhino was selling off his 1911’s.

 

[actaeon277]

My sub 2000 likes hot ammo. Otherwise it likes to stovepipe.

 

[bwframe]

I would list their specific reliability issues and sell them both for $50-100ish less than working gun price. Also would make the prices OBO.

I would list them separately (hate looking at an add, bumped dozens of times, to find a title item sold long ago.) You could always offer a package price in PM's to interested parties.


Personally, I've bought more than one "project." Some losers, but most turned into winners. As Act... pointed out above, sometimes solutions may be tailoring ammo to a finicky gun. Maybe a few thousand rounds later the finicky goes away?

It's also way easier to get out the big hammer , knowing you are working on a discounted problem gun. With the wave of PCC's and everything related over the past couple years, there is a lot more mechanical and know how solutions out there for tinkerers.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Alternate thread title: What's a poorly balanced club sell for these days?

 

[rhino]

Depends on if the problem can be fixed, some guns just have bad designs that reduce the value. Do you know of anybody that has one of these that's problem free?

Yes. Everyone else I know who owns a KelTec sub2000 has a gun that functions without issue! That's why I bought one in the first place.

 

[rhino]

What caliber is the sub2000? Gen 1 or 2? Ive got one thats a gen 2 and takes the g17 mags(9mm) and have run over 1k rounds flawlessly. I just got it back from the barrel recall, so im hoping that doesn't affect anything(not sure why it would). I have done some upgrades to mine. McCarbo trigger and springs and a stainless steel feedramp, but even prior to those upgrades it functioned just fine

It's a 9mm gen 1, G17 mags.

 

[rhino]

My sub 2000 likes hot ammo. Otherwise it likes to stovepipe.

Mine does that with all different kinds of ammo including 124gr +P Gold Dots.

 

[rhino]

I would list their specific reliability issues and sell them both for $50-100ish less than working gun price. Also would make the prices OBO.

I would list them separately (hate looking at an add, bumped dozens of times, to find a title item sold long ago.) You could always offer a package price in PM's to interested parties.


Personally, I've bought more than one "project." Some losers, but most turned into winners. As Act... pointed out above, sometimes solutions may be tailoring ammo to a finicky gun. Maybe a few thousand rounds later the finicky goes away?

It's also way easier to get out the big hammer , knowing you are working on a discounted problem gun. With the wave of PCC's and everything related over the past couple years, there is a lot more mechanical and know how solutions out there for tinkerers.

Thank you, sir! Detailing the problems is a good idea. I think I'll take them out and shoot them with someone who has a good camera.

If and when do sell them on INGO, they'll definitely have separate ads!

 

[bwframe]

Thank you, sir! Detailing the problems is a good idea. I think I'll take them out and shoot them with someone who has a good camera.

If and when do sell them on INGO, they'll definitely have separate ads!

I know it's not in your nature to be any thing less than overly honest sir. That said, I'm not sure you need to do a lot more than just state what you have found with these problem guns.

Another consideration on ammo. My experience has been that factory ammo is extremely dirty vs hand-loading ammo with the readily available clean powders available.