Fired vs unfired gun resale value

[Opie]

If a gun has not been fired since the factory I would normally give the lowest retail price I can find online just to save the sales tax and shipping. If it's "like new" but has been fired I would probably pay about 80% of the best retail price I could find.

Once it starts getting holster wear and scratches you start falling under 75% of new value depending on the gun. It takes a lot of abuse to cause significant wear to a modern firearm.

 

[pute62]

I just made an offer on Wyatt Earp's,unfired,Glock 17 from the Ok Corral shoot out. I already have the Springfield 45 that Doc Holliday used.

 

[Woobie]

I just made an offer on Wyatt Earp's,unfired,Glock 17 from the Ok Corral shoot out. I already have the Springfield 45 that Doc Holliday used.

See, I heard it was an XDm. You should probably ask Churchmouse to be sure.

 

[calcot7]

See, I heard it was an XDm. You should probably ask Churchmouse to be sure.

Yeah, I think he was actually there!

 

[MohawkSlim]

Firing is irrelevant. You'll see people all the time say things like, "Round count is about 200 rounds." The bottom line is it doesn't matter how many rounds have been fired because there's no little clicker on there that counts. Guns don't have odometers or hour meters. The buyer may believe the arbitrary number you claim or he may not. There's almost always no way for him to prove it.

However, when he investigates your claim by visually inspecting it, sniffing the chamber, coonfingering the hell out of it at the McDonald's playland, etc., he might notice things like wear marks and fouling. Powder leaves residue. Metal rubs metal and little shiny lines appear in places.

Cleaning and lubricating your gun is probably much more important to the resale value than how many rounds you fire. Some of these guns will get wear after a box. Some will take thousands of rounds to show any wear at all. It's pretty easy to look at a gun and tell how well it's been cared for.

I hand people guns several times a day and the vast majority of them want guns that are pretty. They don't like scratches, dents, dings, marring, etc., on the finish. They want guns that look new. The more they're spending, the prettier they want their gun. Shooters don't care but, then again, shooters aren't going to pay top dollar for a used gun. They're also not going to carry an XDS .45 so keep it pretty as possible. Shoot it, clean it. Oil it. Put it back in the case.

 

[chezuki]

Firing is irrelevant. You'll see people all the time say things like, "Round count is about 200 rounds." The bottom line is it doesn't matter how many rounds have been fired because there's no little clicker on there that counts. Guns don't have odometers or hour meters. The buyer may believe the arbitrary number you claim or he may not. There's almost always no way for him to prove it.

This. I sold an M&P Pro in the classifieds which I purchased used and then personally put over 6000rds through . A couple months later it was listed again claiming "less than 500 rounds fired". The ad even used the pics I posted in my original WTS ad.

 

[1775usmarine]

Clean your guns before selling or trading makes a big difference to the potential buyer. If I se a dirty gun I will always assume they beat it up and ask a much lower price.

 

[Gun Collector]

As a collector, I usually buy older stuff. But I frequently get folks that have "New" stuff they want to sell. I don't care how careful you are: There are always ways to find out how "New" something is.

Most folks are lazy and don't think it thru. As 1775usmarine stated: "Clean your guns before selling". Great advice. But even clean guns leave clues. Those of us who look at guns frequently know what I mean. For those who don't know, I'm not telling. That way when you try to sell me that "only fired once" firearm and I can tell its got hundreds or thousands of rounds on it, the advantage is with me.

 

[Ddillard]

I'd rather buy a gun that has a proven round count than one that sat in a storeroom waiting for its liberty run.

 

[churchmouse]

Yeah, I think he was actually there!

Geez fellas I can hear you.....

 

[Woobie]

 

[churchmouse]

Yeah yeah yeah............

 

[RonaldusMagnus]

Technically every gun is already fired. Most I have purchased are still dirty when new.

 

[indiucky]

Yeah, I think he was actually there!

Watching it from a rocking chair...You have to realize that was 1881 and Church was no spring chicken at that time....I remember him yelling from the porch.."Ca'tridge guns??? By Jove back in my day we used atlatl's like real men...Chipped our own points from flint and chert..."

Then he called Doc Holliday a sniveling coward for using shotgun when a real man would have used a flint tip spear...And then he took a nap...

 

[1775usmarine]

I can't reply to your fs ad but I've got a (redacted) I would trade plus boot. It has been fired about 20 times so I can't say it's new never been fired.

Attempting to deal outside of the classifieds and under 50 posts will get you in trouble.

 

[RonaldusMagnus]

Yes it has. Emailed me and told me to pay up first.

 

[wtburnette]

Yes it has. Emailed me and told me to pay up first.

Either pay up or put in the time. 50 posts doesn't take that long and it lets you get a chance to become a part of our community and also lets us get to know you.