When selling an airgun – How to choose JOY over pain

[JungleShooter]

When selling an airgun – How to choose JOY over pain

Which type of person are your in our airgun universe?
Besides the collector species, there seem to be two other types:

(A) Shooters.  [/b]Buys a gun. Shoots it until it breaks, or until he finds a gun that’s more interesting.  |  Spends much money on pellets and air.

(B) Modders.  [/b]Buys a gun. Tries it out. Says: “Hey, it shoots great.  Let's take it apart.”  |  Spends much money on performance parts.

In the end though, they are both the same: They get what they pay for: (A) The shooter really doesn't buy pellets, instead he pays for the JOY of shooting pellets downrange, (B) the modder really doesn’t buy parts, instead he pays for the JOY of tweaking and making the almost impossible reality. They’re both happy. They get what they pay for.


Now...., when the modder wants to set the price for selling one of his modded guns, he could be asking – “How much did I pay for the parts I put onto this gun – what are they worth?”

However, maybe even more to the point he could be asking – “How much did I pay for the joy of modding and tweaking – was it worth it?”

And if it was worth it – he could sell the gun without a feeling of loss about not getting all the money back that the parts cost. Because it was really the joy of modding he paid for. And he had plenty of joy.... (the buyer of a modded gun does not get any of the joy of modding, because it’s all over, the tweaking is done, the excitement is gone...).



So, I’m trying to understand the airgun universe correctly, and here it seems just like gravity we have a general principle that governs our airgun world and how we derive joy from our guns. Something like this(?):

(A) The shooter pays for shots, (B) the modder pays for mods. 

(A) Pellets and (B) parts are just a means to an end. The joy of shooting and the joy of modding.


And when the day of selling a gun rolls around (because the wife keeps insisting “No more unless you sell some!”) both type (A) and (B) can remain happy if they don’t expect a high resale price for what they paid for – because with much joy the shots have been fired, and with equal joy the mods have been installed....

May you find joy this day. We have an awesome hobby!

Matthias

 

[Sfttailrdr46]

Matthias,

  The pain of selling an air gun comes from the buyers who look to buy a used AG for way less than its true value. Many used guns are either are discounted for well under new gun prices and prospective buyers will still look to pay even less than the asking price for a quality rifle. At times these tire kickers will wait for the listed item to either relist at a later date or make an offer just before a listing expires. Rarely will they accept the asking price and will often ask for extras to be thrown in to sweeten the already fair deal. Worse yet they will brag about what a cheap price they paid for a used premium AG. 

[Rat Sniper (AKA: PaulT58)]

Matthias,

  The pain of selling an air gun comes from the buyers who look to buy a used AG for way less than its true value. Many used guns are either are discounted for well under new gun prices and prospective buyers will still look to pay even less than the asking price for a quality rifle. At times these tire kickers will wait for the listed item to either relist at a later date or make an offer just before a listing expires. Rarely will they accept the asking price and will often ask for extras to be thrown in to sweeten the already fair deal. Worse yet they will brag about what a cheap price they paid for a used premium AG. 

Thanks for calling me out, Don!  LOL! 

[Mole2017]

Then there's the pain of hearing what someone threw out because it was "broken"...my friend almost ditched his Daisy 22SG because it wouldn't pump up. Fortunately, he brought it to me first to fix up for him. He only paid $25 when he bought it new, but he was surprised to hear people would now happily pay over one hundred for it (or the similar 822), used!

[Sfttailrdr46]

Not you Paul.  If I am going to give away a rifle it will be a gift to friends or family 

[avator]

Matthias,

  The pain of selling an air gun comes from the buyers who look to buy a used AG for way less than its true value. Many used guns are either are discounted for well under new gun prices and prospective buyers will still look to pay even less than the asking price for a quality rifle. At times these tire kickers will wait for the listed item to either relist at a later date or make an offer just before a listing expires. Rarely will they accept the asking price and will often ask for extras to be thrown in to sweeten the already fair deal. Worse yet they will brag about what a cheap price they paid for a used premium AG. 

IMO, Don pretty much hit the nail on the head....
At the end of the day, the seller is not going to successfully set his selling price... the buyer will determine that.
Best thing a seller can do is include a bit of 'wiggle room' into his price.
When I began fooling with the "lego" guns (Crosman 13xx/22xx) it didn't take me very long to figure out that I would never get out of them what I put into them.
Same with the SynRod.
Now, if you are a successful and respected tuner you could make a buck or two.
If your plan is to make any money in the airgun business... you need to buy low and sell high without turning a wrench. That don't happen often.

[bantam5s]

If I went through the process of modding a gun into exactly what I wanted it to be I'm not selling it, I bought it for me and modified it for me so it's not likely anyone would want it anyways.
 I'll tell someone how to do what I did so they can themselves but they can't have mine.

[K.O.]

 Tire Kickers and such  hmmm... Got my 04 stang (98000 miles) with a bad scratch and a few small probs for just over two grand... the guy I got it from was a lier who said it was worth 3800 and that he was the second owner(was not) and was stupid enough to list it as ready to paint after spraying parts of it with rustoelum black paint( spent a week with gas and a rag rubbing it off)... Just had to ignore the guy talking and then tell him this is the real value after a careful inspection...

I wanted a Buccaneer I waited and what do you know I got one NEW for less than 300 and now a .22 for less than 300... I got a Clearance Maximus for 87$ NEW... with patience a .25 Mrod new for 377... an At44 long NEW 229... Son picked me up a Storm for 129...
Should I pay more for used...

All of those can be returned if the is a prob... used is as is... Mods cost but what is the skill and tooling of the Modder... are they the mods I want... if comes with the scope how was it treated... all sorts of issues with buying used and Modded...

I do not have a lot of money and do not need what I can not afford... So yes I will buy a Bargain...if it is something I want...

I have only picked up used pumpers Crosman/Benji... Do not like the issues of Buying USED...so do not generally...

So am I an arse for being a bargain hunter..? No because I avoid the sellers attitude by buying new with warranty instead....

So to me used as is no warranty and your want more than I paid for new and you think I am an arse for wanting about 1/3 off for no warranty...

So lets see $377 .25 Mrod 1/3 off is  about down to 250... and you are going to be Mad about that offer...so I do not bother... and I wait and watch the bargin gate and Craigs list well then I can evaluate it in person cause its local...

My point is just what is true/ fair value... 180 plus shipping for a used Maximus... More than new that way is it not... 

I do not think I am an arse but maybe others will... oh well...

CMP(good reputation) used Daisy 853 all along 1/3 the price of new...

Look at it from all sides...

[K.O.]

Oh,  could not resist an amazon 169 dollar urban NEW... was on sale for 199 and got a 20% discount...

[archellas]

Oh,  could not resist an amazon 169 dollar urban NEW... was on sale for 199 and got a 20% discount...

Kirby,
Fair conversation, to see BOTH sides. Yes.

But the best I can find an Urban now is about $275 (on Amazon) and as high as $329 - Original list ($399). You bought it for $ 169 (with all sorts of sales and deals going on) ..... so will you sell it to me for (as per your earlier post) at least 30% off that? That would be about $119! How about $100 even???

Obviously NOT!

Average USED price for an Urban is between $200-250 (depending on condition, content, etc.)

As a seller, one can set ANY HIGH price they want ... but will never sell .... If it's too cheap, I would worry about what may be wrong ... but that's me.

Cheers

[bear air]

This is a great post and puts the whole buy, sell thing into perspective. As a buyer of course I want the best darned deal there is out there. As a seller and beginning to learn how to work on my marauder and armada there comes a fair amount of emotional attachment to the process not to mention the price tag of the parts. I have already come to realize that I will not sell either of these two guns, ever point blank. For one they are built by me, two I have time, brainstorming and the actual hours of working on them and testing them, and three I have gone ape you know what crazy on purchasing aftermarket parts for them which we all know isn't cheap by any means and if your like me and Im sure you are you work hard for your money. And you put those three aspects together it equates to a lot of emotional attachment to said gun(s). In fact I'm going to upgrade my upgrade soon. I just purchased a cothran valve for the armada and I'm going to get it shooting 70fpe with jsb 33.95 gr pellets. Along with that comes more aftermarket parts lol. I've also learned through this whole experience that before I go out and buy another airgun I need to think it through and see what upgrades are available because its gonna happen, that is just how I am.

[fwbsport]

I buy without the intent to re-sell.  If the gun poses specific problems I can identify and fix then I'd rather do it myself.  I can say the HW 50 models are the most fun to tinker with perhaps beyond the warranty's coverage(!).

I don't really buy to modify, but now that I know the techniques of doing it on various guns--especially those cherry HW50s in ALL calibers--I can't help myself.

I sent back an R7 near the end of last year because it was getting harder and harder to cock.  I could see the problem: it was the ball bearing lock.  It was rusted and as I used the gun the lock bar over the rusted bearing would gall and then not open.

Funny thing is when I sent it back Air Venturi did not display the best customer service over the phone.

Never had a send back before the R7 except for an R10 or R9 in .20 where the barrel arrived bent.  Sent that back in 89 to get, Guess what? The FABULOUS R1!

Get an R1 and you'll NEVER look back.  All my other air rifles are more complicated or finicky or too expensive to take out in the field.

[K.O.]

Ask me how many air rifles I plan on selling..

To you used price for an urban is what it is... I do not need it... me I will not pay more than what I paid for one new... you base your price off current new price which fluctuates... I am not in a Hurry so will wait for a sale... and the ability to return or have fixed...

Guess what 6 month ago I sold my 1982 Sivlverado for 400 dollars could have got twice or more than that easily... but the guy wanted to fix it up... had a it a lot of years and work done with and to it...  small dents but not on cab or bed... needed rear end work but had one spare... gave the vett aluminum intake and better set of heads as part of the deal...


anyways Knew of the guy second hand... known to be the kind of guy that helps others in many small ways... is on disability...

Point is I liked the guy... so yeah if I like ya 100$ Urban just maybe... but I rarely sell things... Some trading and mostly giving or keeping.. and all my air rifles belong to my kids..

Oh he Brought by my old buddy he now has the heads intake and a slightly more aggressive cam... new windshield Rally rims with trim ring and a bunch of other stuff...and more to come...

everybody has their way of doing things...

[anti-squirrel]

Bottom line is if you try to sell for more than what another buyer is wiling to pay, you're not selling.  Much like a neighbor of mine claims his Grand National is worth $20k.

I told him point blank he wouldn't ever be able to get over $7000, so no matter his claim to being worth $20000, the car is literally worth $7000 tops.

So in airguns, the millisecond it changes from new to used, it depreciates.  I don't care how much tuning, tweaking, or modding goes into it, it is losing value.  Much like when I see a "tuner" car and somebody is asking new-car prices... Sorry, nope, ain't gonna happen.

So- for me, I am neither a modder nor a shooter nor a collector.  Airguns are tools, but like any tool, I strive to improve performance so it becomes a better tool.  And when it comes times to part ways with the tool, it ends up bequeathed to somebody who needs such a tool and thus I give it away.

[Roadworthy]

Do some people really SELL their airguns?  I must be doing something wrong.  I bought another gun cabinet.

[JungleShooter]

Do some people really SELL their airguns?  I must be doing something wrong.  I bought another gun cabinet.

Thomas, but what do you do when no more gun cabinets fit into the room?!? 

[K.O.]

Build another room..

[lizzie]

I am definitely a shooter. When I buy a gun, I want one that is good quality, and has already been tweaked and broken in.
I like traditional style and looks, and buy for pleasure and for practical purposes (pest control).