I would like to hear peoples suggestions and experiences with selling custom rifles, because I am not doing any good. This is the first time I have ever tried to sell one, I have reached the time of life where I want to own less, not more.
The rifle in question is an unfired custom Borchardt. It is currently listed on Gunbroker with a starting point and reserve of $4,800. I started at $6,000 and have been reducing the price $200 each time I relisted. The only nibble I have had is from some guy who wanted to argue about whether I should require shipment to an FFL.
This is my second selling attempt, the first was to consign it to Cabelas for several months. They listed it at $8,000, intended to sell it for $7,500 and to give me $6,300. After a couple of months I had them reduce both their asking price and my number. My actual documented parts and labor cost to have the rifle built 10 years ago was about $5,400 without sights. If you counted things like going to Chico, CA to choose a stock blank, that number could be significantly higher. Although I I was overcharged by the gunsmith, I bought the starting point varmint rifle right, so it all evens out.
I talked to Rock Island Auction company about putting it in one of their auctions, but without looking at it, they wanted to set a reserve price of something like $2,000 and I wasn't going to risk that.
So where and how do you get out of these rifles without taking a painful loss? Or is this going to be like fine art, only valuable after I am dead?
