Moving and need to get rid of guns!

karim0028 · November 18, 2014, 11:37 AM

**this is not a solicitiation to sell***

Hey Guys,

Im moving outta the country for a couple years and have two glocks (Gen 3, 19 & 26) i need to get rid of....

Whats the best way to sell them? Ive got a one way ticket in 12 days and i cant take them with me....

Whats the best way to get rid of them and not get taken on the price?

Would appreciate input, bc im pretty sure the dealers will rape you on the price...

Thanks!
H

AK103K · November 18, 2014, 01:42 PM

Why not leave them with someone you trust, that way you have them when you get back?

carguychris · November 18, 2014, 01:58 PM

My advice is to find a dealer who does consignment and is willing to send you a check wherever it is that you're going.* The dealer will usually charge a consignment fee of 5%-25% of the final selling price, but you'll generally get more money this way than selling the pistols to the same dealer for cash, as most dealers typically pay only 1/3 to 2/3 of the retail value.

Be aware that most jurisdictions require the same paperwork, background check, registration, and/or waiting period (as applicable) to reclaim a consignment gun as they would for the purchase of a new gun. However, if you don't believe there's any chance you'll need to reclaim the guns, this is probably not a factor.

*Foonote: Since you're leaving the country, I'd suggest leaving a couple of postage-paid self-addressed envelopes, just to ensure that the dealer doesn't mangle the postal code or address format.

g.willikers · November 18, 2014, 03:11 PM

Just sell them to a dealer and be done.
The possibility of a long distance hassle isn't worth the small difference in price for selling them any other way.

Model12Win · November 18, 2014, 04:06 PM

I'd try and hang on to them if I was you. The value of guns isn't going down. Do you not have anyone who can keep them for you for a while?

carguychris · November 18, 2014, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Model12Win

The value of guns isn't going down.

However, for a pair of popular modern Glocks, the value also isn't likely to significantly go up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Model12Win

Do you not have anyone who can keep them for you for a while?

Barring some sort of unforeseen ban, the OP should be able to easily replace them if/when he/she moves back to the United States. State laws don't always make it easy for someone else to store your guns, and there are all sorts of conceivable long-distance hassles that could occur (recipient unexpectedly has to move, he/she has a falling-out with the OP, his/her new spouse doesn't like guns, his/her state of residence enacts a WA-style UBC law, house is burglarized and guns are stolen, etc). All this potential trouble over only a couple of easily replaceable guns?

Besides, if they ARE banned, the OP likely won't be able to easily and lawfully reclaim them anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by g.willikers

Just sell them to a dealer and be done.
The possibility of a long distance hassle isn't worth the small difference in price for selling them any other way.

Despite my earlier advice, this may be more practical, particularly considering that we're talking about only two pistols that are very commonplace and aren't particularly valuable.

vkeith · November 18, 2014, 06:20 PM

If your state/municipality allows it, you could try selling them as a private party sale at a local gun show. Before you even consider doing so, check of the legality of doing this where you live. In Tennessee, it is perfectly legal for private party sales, but the laws where you live may be different.

Of course, this also depends on having a local gun show before you have to move. If it's not legal, and/or there isn't going to be a gunshow before you move, consignment or an outright sale to a dealer are likely to be your only choices.

If you are willing to post the state you live in, I'd bet someone here could tell you if private party sales are legal or not in your state.

**Frank Ettin** · November 18, 2014, 07:17 PM

The OP apparently has 12 days in which to sell the guns. That severely limits the amount of hassle he can deal with and the amount of time and energy he can put into the project. The guns are also common, modern Glocks produced in very large quantities and models already superseded by new models, so they're unlikely to have any collectors value.

Unfortunately, needing to do something quickly and making the best deal are mutually exclusive. In the OP's place, I'd sell the guns quickly to a dealer for whatever I could get and not look back.

kilimanjaro · November 18, 2014, 09:55 PM

Given 12 days, and a bazillion Glocks out there, just consign them or sell them to a dealer.

Put the money in the bank for your gun budget when you come back.

Blindstitch · November 18, 2014, 10:37 PM

What state are you located in?

**44 AMP** · November 19, 2014, 02:43 AM

Seems kind of last minute, but I don't know the situation (nor do I need to)

Another option, if its possible, is to simply find a dealer who will store them for you. And how much they would charge. Consider that the $400 GLock of today might be a $600 or $800 Glock in a few years, not because of an increase in value, but because of a decrease in our money. SO, even though replacement a couple years down the road might be possible, what will it cost you then?

You might be further ahead just to pay for a couple years storage. depending on how much it is, of course. And when you get back, you can still probably sell them, if you want...

Just a thought.

carguychris · November 19, 2014, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

Another option, if its possible, is to simply find a dealer who will store them for you. And how much they would charge. Consider that the $400 GLock of today might be a $600 or $800 Glock in a few years, not because of an increase in value, but because of a decrease in our money.

The following factors would have to be considered...

Whether the OP actually returns to the United States as planned.
Whether the conceivable difference in value will be eaten up by the storage fees before he/she returns.
The future exchange rate of the currency in the destination country vs. the U.S. dollar, which is even more unpredictable than the inflation rate of the dollar itself.
What happens if there's a dispute with the dealer, or the dealer closes up shop on short notice? The OP may get little or nothing, particularly considering the potential legal costs vs. the limited value of the two guns (equal to ~3 billable hours of a good attorney's time, and probably less than a round-trip plane ticket back). This risk also exists with a consignment, but the risk greatly increases the longer the guns are there.

Not worth it IMHO.

**Aguila Blanca** · November 19, 2014, 10:23 AM

Ordinarily I'd suggest consignment rather than outright sale to a dealer. But ... the 12-day window has to be considered, as does the fact that the OP will be moving out of the country. That complicates things.

There's a small gun shop a few miles from me. I frequently stop in on Saturdays just to chat and look for anything new and of interest (and affordable). Over the past two or three MONTHS I have been seeing pretty much the same used handguns in the display cases. I happen to have a .38 Special revolver on consignment at a different gun shop. Both the shop owner and I think it's priced very reasonably -- it has been there for at least three months, and the shop owner says only a couple of people have even asked to look at it.

The boom is over, and sales are very flat. If these guns are left on consignment, how is the FFL supposed to get the money to the OP? International transfers are a nuisance, and even if they use Western Union (which is probably the easiest way), there's a fee of approximately 10 percent of the amount transferred. And the consignment commission is typically (around here, at least) 15 percent. So we're looking at a total overhead of 25 percent to sell a couple of easily available firearms. Plus, there's no way to predict how quickly or how slowly they may sell.

Is it worth it? Because they are readily available, they won't (can't) sell for a premium. IMHO, if the OP wants or needs to sell them before leaving the country, he should just sell them outright to a local FFL and be done with it.

Skans · November 19, 2014, 11:14 AM

Offer them for sale here at a really good price. Something half-way between what a dealer would pay you (roughly 50% of what they are worth) and what they are actually selling for on gunbroker. Lower the price a little bit each day until you have it sold.

Require immediate payment by postal money order so that you can quickly ship the gun(s) to the Buyer's FFL. You can easily make this happen in the next 12 days. I've completed firearms sales within 3-4 days of winning an auction. Be prepared to provide Buyer with your personal information so he/she can verify that you are not a fraud. Also, be prepared to forward detailed pictures of YOUR gun to any potential buyer, with the buyer's email address written on a piece of paper and physically placed over the gun you are selling.

Madcap_Magician · November 19, 2014, 11:26 AM

Why can't you just store them stateside until you return?

Technosavant · November 19, 2014, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Ettin

Unfortunately, needing to do something quickly and making the best deal are mutually exclusive. In the OP's place, I'd sell the guns quickly to a dealer for whatever I could get and not look back.

I think this sums it up.

While there's a price at which anything will move, the higher the price, the more specific you are being in looking for a buyer. The more specific the buyer, the longer it is likely to take to sell them.

At less than two weeks you can't even begin to expect you'll find someone willing to pay near new prices for them. Maybe if you knew somebody who wanted one. I'd say post them here but your newness of membership won't let you have access to the classifieds section. You could try Armslist or some other similar online classified ad system, but even then you have to know it is highly unlikely you'll get a good deal for you out of them in that short span of time.

I might say to try something like that, but only give it a week or so... once you get within a couple days of having to leave, then at that point you'll need to sell them fast, which means a dealer... which means you'll get less. If you can't store them, the lost value is going to have to get taken as a loss- just chalk it up to what the opportunity is costing you and don't look back.

Theohazard · November 19, 2014, 01:49 PM

I would just give them to a friend or family member to keep until I got back. But, while that's legal on a federal level (provided that person isn't prohibited from possessing firearms), that may not be legal in the OP's state. That's why it would help to know which state he or she is in.

Snyper · November 19, 2014, 06:27 PM

Quote:

However, for a pair of popular modern Glocks, the value also isn't likely to significantly go up.

I bet folks said the same about AR-15's before Sandy Hook

Theohazard · November 19, 2014, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snyper

Quote:

Originally Posted by carguychris

However, for a pair of popular modern Glocks, the value also isn't likely to significantly go up.

I bet folks said the same about AR-15's before Sandy Hook

AR-15s are at the same prices they were before Sandy Hook. Sure, the threat of gun control sometimes causes spikes in demand that temporarily raise prices, but they go back down pretty quickly. The post Sandy Hook craziness lasted longer than usual, but prices on AR-15s have been back down to normal levels for a while now.

Unless the OP comes back to the states during a gun-control-fueled gun buying spree, it's unlikely for his Glocks to be worth much more than they are now.

cecILL · November 20, 2014, 07:47 AM

Safe deposit box?

Sure Shot Mc Gee · November 20, 2014, 04:18 PM

+1 FOR cecILL's idea.

Snyper · November 20, 2014, 04:40 PM

Quote:

AR-15s are at the same prices they were before Sandy Hook.

Yes, because the price went back down

Right after Sandy Hook they rose 400-600%

Saying any gun price "won't go up" is simply guesswork

Theohazard · November 20, 2014, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snyper

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theohazard

AR-15s are at the same prices they were before Sandy Hook.

Yes, because the price went back down

Right after Sandy Hook they rose 400-600%

Saying any gun price "won't go up" is simply guesswork

I think you're missing my point. That price jump was a temporary spike due to panic buying. We're talking about prices permanently going up significantly in the next two years, which is unlikely.

**Aguila Blanca** · November 20, 2014, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snyper

Quote:

AR-15s are at the same prices they were before Sandy Hook.

Yes, because the price went back down

Right after Sandy Hook they rose 400-600%

Saying any gun price "won't go up" is simply guesswork

Where was I when this was happening?

Even at a 400% increase, that would mean that an AR-15 that sold for $1000 before Sandy Hook jumped to $5000. At a 600% increase, the new price would have been $7000. I don't think prices jumped anywhere near that much.

Theohazard · November 20, 2014, 08:45 PM

^^^ Good point. The most I ever saw was prices tripling in some places, which is a 200% increase. Where did prices increase by 400-600%?

November 18, 2014, 11:37 AM	#1
karim0028 Junior Member Join Date: November 17, 2014 Posts: 1	Moving and need to get rid of guns! this is not a solicitiation to sell* Hey Guys, Im moving outta the country for a couple years and have two glocks (Gen 3, 19 & 26) i need to get rid of.... Whats the best way to sell them? Ive got a one way ticket in 12 days and i cant take them with me.... Whats the best way to get rid of them and not get taken on the price? Would appreciate input, bc im pretty sure the dealers will rape you on the price... Thanks! H

November 18, 2014, 01:58 PM	#3
carguychris Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2007 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 7,523	My advice is to find a dealer who does consignment and is willing to send you a check wherever it is that you're going.* The dealer will usually charge a consignment fee of 5%-25% of the final selling price, but you'll generally get more money this way than selling the pistols to the same dealer for cash, as most dealers typically pay only 1/3 to 2/3 of the retail value. Be aware that most jurisdictions require the same paperwork, background check, registration, and/or waiting period (as applicable) to reclaim a consignment gun as they would for the purchase of a new gun. However, if you don't believe there's any chance you'll need to reclaim the guns, this is probably not a factor. Foonote: Since you're leaving the country, I'd suggest leaving a couple of postage-paid self-addressed envelopes, just to ensure that the dealer doesn't mangle the postal code or address format. __________________ "Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak* Last edited by carguychris; November 18, 2014 at 02:04 PM. Reason: added footnote

November 18, 2014, 03:11 PM	#4
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Just sell them to a dealer and be done. The possibility of a long distance hassle isn't worth the small difference in price for selling them any other way. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

November 18, 2014, 07:17 PM	#8
Frank Ettin Staff Join Date: November 23, 2005 Location: California - San Francisco Posts: 9,471	The OP apparently has 12 days in which to sell the guns. That severely limits the amount of hassle he can deal with and the amount of time and energy he can put into the project. The guns are also common, modern Glocks produced in very large quantities and models already superseded by new models, so they're unlikely to have any collectors value. Unfortunately, needing to do something quickly and making the best deal are mutually exclusive. In the OP's place, I'd sell the guns quickly to a dealer for whatever I could get and not look back. __________________ "It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper

November 19, 2014, 02:43 AM	#11
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,811	Seems kind of last minute, but I don't know the situation (nor do I need to) Another option, if its possible, is to simply find a dealer who will store them for you. And how much they would charge. Consider that the $400 GLock of today might be a $600 or $800 Glock in a few years, not because of an increase in value, but because of a decrease in our money. SO, even though replacement a couple years down the road might be possible, what will it cost you then? You might be further ahead just to pay for a couple years storage. depending on how much it is, of course. And when you get back, you can still probably sell them, if you want... Just a thought. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

November 18, 2014, 01:42 PM	#2
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	Why not leave them with someone you trust, that way you have them when you get back?

November 18, 2014, 04:06 PM	#5
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	I'd try and hang on to them if I was you. The value of guns isn't going down. Do you not have anyone who can keep them for you for a while?

November 18, 2014, 06:20 PM	#7
vkeith Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2012 Posts: 108	If your state/municipality allows it, you could try selling them as a private party sale at a local gun show. Before you even consider doing so, check of the legality of doing this where you live. In Tennessee, it is perfectly legal for private party sales, but the laws where you live may be different. Of course, this also depends on having a local gun show before you have to move. If it's not legal, and/or there isn't going to be a gunshow before you move, consignment or an outright sale to a dealer are likely to be your only choices. If you are willing to post the state you live in, I'd bet someone here could tell you if private party sales are legal or not in your state.

November 18, 2014, 09:55 PM	#9
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	Given 12 days, and a bazillion Glocks out there, just consign them or sell them to a dealer. Put the money in the bank for your gun budget when you come back.

November 18, 2014, 10:37 PM	#10
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	What state are you located in?

November 19, 2014, 10:23 AM	#13
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,458	Ordinarily I'd suggest consignment rather than outright sale to a dealer. But ... the 12-day window has to be considered, as does the fact that the OP will be moving out of the country. That complicates things. There's a small gun shop a few miles from me. I frequently stop in on Saturdays just to chat and look for anything new and of interest (and affordable). Over the past two or three MONTHS I have been seeing pretty much the same used handguns in the display cases. I happen to have a .38 Special revolver on consignment at a different gun shop. Both the shop owner and I think it's priced very reasonably -- it has been there for at least three months, and the shop owner says only a couple of people have even asked to look at it. The boom is over, and sales are very flat. If these guns are left on consignment, how is the FFL supposed to get the money to the OP? International transfers are a nuisance, and even if they use Western Union (which is probably the easiest way), there's a fee of approximately 10 percent of the amount transferred. And the consignment commission is typically (around here, at least) 15 percent. So we're looking at a total overhead of 25 percent to sell a couple of easily available firearms. Plus, there's no way to predict how quickly or how slowly they may sell. Is it worth it? Because they are readily available, they won't (can't) sell for a premium. IMHO, if the OP wants or needs to sell them before leaving the country, he should just sell them outright to a local FFL and be done with it.

November 19, 2014, 11:14 AM	#14
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	Offer them for sale here at a really good price. Something half-way between what a dealer would pay you (roughly 50% of what they are worth) and what they are actually selling for on gunbroker. Lower the price a little bit each day until you have it sold. Require immediate payment by postal money order so that you can quickly ship the gun(s) to the Buyer's FFL. You can easily make this happen in the next 12 days. I've completed firearms sales within 3-4 days of winning an auction. Be prepared to provide Buyer with your personal information so he/she can verify that you are not a fraud. Also, be prepared to forward detailed pictures of YOUR gun to any potential buyer, with the buyer's email address written on a piece of paper and physically placed over the gun you are selling. Last edited by Skans; November 19, 2014 at 11:55 AM.

November 19, 2014, 11:26 AM	#15
Madcap_Magician Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2009 Location: MN Posts: 668	Why can't you just store them stateside until you return?

November 19, 2014, 01:49 PM	#17
Theohazard Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2012 Location: Western PA Posts: 3,829	I would just give them to a friend or family member to keep until I got back. But, while that's legal on a federal level (provided that person isn't prohibited from possessing firearms), that may not be legal in the OP's state. That's why it would help to know which state he or she is in. __________________ 0331: "Accuracy by volume."

November 20, 2014, 07:47 AM	#20
cecILL Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2001 Location: central IL Posts: 769	Safe deposit box?

November 20, 2014, 04:18 PM	#21
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	+1 FOR cecILL's idea.

November 20, 2014, 08:45 PM	#25
Theohazard Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2012 Location: Western PA Posts: 3,829	^^^ Good point. The most I ever saw was prices tripling in some places, which is a 200% increase. Where did prices increase by 400-600%? __________________ 0331: "Accuracy by volume."

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