I have listed for sale on Gunbroker several of my guns and only recieved minor intrest. Is the market for used guns that bad? Am I overpriced? I had listed the folowing guns,
HJ Hussey 12 bore, Garbi Model 100 12 bore two barrel set, Perazzi MX20 with long barrels, all very nice guns in excellent shape and only recieved a few replys.
You would think with all that stimulas money people would be buying.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=143422148

You might need to shoot it about 5 thousand dollars worth then relist it.

Very nice gun and case. I know nothing about this maker and this may be the deal of the century, but too rich for my blood. Oblama has already started to re-distribut my wealth!!!

Oh and I forgot to mention I have a Winchester Model 21 with 32" vent rib barrels and custom stocked for sale and only recieved two calls.
So if you can look at them on Gunbroker and tell me what I am doing wrong? Am I overpriced?

Buyers are in a holding pattern - none trust the economy.
Some years ago, I lighten my gun/rifle load and now down to the bare bones of a cabinet.
Perhaps, there's still a market for Colts, Winchesters and Parkers tho'?

If you have a nice gun, like the Hussey, clear pictures would help. Lots of guys put on bad pictures that cover up flaws. I think the recent Julia auction could be generalized as older collector guns selling better than real good guns that are still in production.

The custom stock on the M21, especially the Monte Carlo, hurts that gun badly, narrows the market. The replaced barrels on the Hussey hurts it too, but that's a nice gun.

Clever use of the non-ad forum to pitch your stuff, however.

Two reasons

First, the gun is highly over priced
Second, you can see that a gun is there, but not much else


John Boyd

I would have to agree with Daryl, those pictures of the Hussey, show the label very nice, the pictures of the gun are lousy, dark and blurry and there should be more. For someone to spend that kind of money, lots of clear, close-up pictures.

It looks to me like a lot of auctions I pass over - guns that might have the right name but have serious issues (replacement barrels or stocks) that the seller prices as though they didn't.

Not to mention your description is also short on words. for example, in your Hussey auction you fail to mention the poor case colors and red stained stock that you know it has.

It reminds me of buying a house priced at the top of the market, yet it has flooding in the basement and 30 years of neglect throughout.

This is an example of the reason I look at places like Gunbroker but rarely buy anything. $10,000 for a re-worked 2nd or 3rd tier maker? If Gunbroker charged someone everytime they listed a gun a lot of these "wishful thinking" listings would go away. I also think all auctions ought to start at $1.00. Barrett Jackson now does this with cars and a lot of the past abuse has gone away.
Jim

It is a buyers market. You will not get top dollar for mid range guns right now. Either put them back in the safe or be prepared to cut your prices deeply to sell your guns in this market. Cash is king now and those with cash want much more bang for their buck than what you have. You might get near your asking price in a few years it the economy gets over Obamam and this redistribution of wealth.

Have to agree with KY and others,gun is priced to high,pictures are not good and will alwasy hurt the possiblity of a sale.In addition thou, like many other "non discressionary" items (Luxury Cars,Fine Watches,Guns) there are lots of buyers with cash but only for deals that they can hold onto till better times come.
Better to put money in GLD,SLV, USO until the "community organizer in chief" and his socialist band of merry makers are done destroying the dollar,country and freedoms.

The overall gun market rose superficially in response to one segment that is doing well [serious social firearms].
Any available money is going to ammo and black rifles/pistols.
Cash is king now,so nows the time to get a trapdoor springfield while everyone is looking the other way.
Fine doubles appeal to a very narrow segment,and then only if it has name recognition.Anything American should still do well because of this.

I just returned from my table at a local gun show. I had four doubles out, hunting rifles, colt revolvers and kimbers. My daughter's medical bills force sale of some of my guns. I sold my m1 garand and that was it. I got looks and stories from older gents on the doubles, but I guess there is no market for them here in NE Texas. I suspect we doublegun enthusiasts buy from and sell to a very small, discriminating niche of the market. No one appreciates the art, beauty, and hand workmanship in these old guns it seem like. Emphatically yes the gun market is down. My 2cents.

redoftx

I think the collectable gun market has paralled the housing market in a number of ways. If you look over the last 10 years the prices climbed much more than the general rate of inflation. Those who were buying more for an investment than for the shear joy of owning a high grade gun began to dominate the market and were buying guns at prices that were previously unheard of.

Once the housing bubble burst and the stock market collapsed so did the investment grade gun market. I can't prove it, but I suspect that most of the buyers of these guns are in the near or post-retirement age range. They saw the value of their homes and any stock portfolio collapse. Trying to sell those guns bought for investment purposes for less of a loss than selling off deflated stocks makes sense. But trying to realize the inflated prices is probably unreasonable.

The only market I follow closely is Lefevers. In that venue I have seen a good number of medium and low grade guns come to market with inflated prices. However, the real high grade guns in the hands of collectors (versus investors) has remained scarce.

The H.J. Hussey is not a second or third tier maker. It considered by all who really know English guns to be a "London Best". That said, your pictures leave something to be desired and the replacement label on the case does not enhance the value. The price is a bit high especially in the current market. Hang on a bit, advertise your guns on GunsAmerica or GunsInternational & see what happens.

Just My Humble Opinion......George

Geez George:
This wouldn't have something to do with your above post now would it?
http://www.gunsamerica.com/964609517/Gun...L_SET_CASED.htm

From what I have been told Purdey,Boss,Woodward and a few of the other makers are considered Tier 1.
Jim

No offense, but a lot of these guns are priced high here in the USA

example#1 vintage doubles website.
steven grant side lever built on a phillips TRIGGER plate action.......fairly rare on this side of the pond.
http://www.vintagedoubles.com/inventory.php?sort=4&process=fullview&gunID=1146

7400.00 for a sleeved gun, it is a consignment gun and kirby charges 15% to sell for you but this gun will probably not sell anytime soon because 7400.00 is way over priced for this market condition.

here is an original example of the same gun in england
http://www.gmackinlay.com/gun_pages/1787.html

with original barrels and in really good shape priced at 3150.00 pounds at todays rate that is 5138.00 USD plus shipping over here and the wait. quite a savings but with the risk of buying sight unseen.

quite a difference in price points that concern originality and condition.

if any one wants close ups of the English item for sale, I have some of it I can email.

it's my logic anyway, I am in the market to buy right now but I am looking in england at this point.

H&H

Hey from what I see I think my prices are close. The Garbi 100 with two sets of barrels in the maker's case for $4850,that gun is no longer made by Garbi. The Perazzi MX 20 with those long barrels, well maybe I should come down a little and it's as new. The 21 with vent rib 32" barrels are rare, I agree you have to like the stock, but there is enough wood to cut it down if you do not like what you see.
And the Hussey is a real nice gun. I agree my pictures suck bad. But I look all over the web. In England they consider Hussey a very desirable gun and priced accordingly.I just beleive not many people here in the U.S. know much about this maker.
I mean would negotiate on all of them.

Maybe George will buy it ?

Sorry

I was speaking of the English gun, I have a little experience with US made guns about zero with Spanish guns.

I agree, people are not familiar with the Hussey name

Guns, again, like luxury autos,high end watches/jewelry, at good prices,or no reserve auctions are selling.
Guys like this are selling guns for strong money every week:
http://www.auctionarms.com/search/auctions.aspx?&ad=jackthedog
Julia did over $13 million (including the Poulin auction) in the middle of the Maine Woods !
http://www.juliaauctions.com/
I go to or phone bid at lots of auctions,I was at a auction in the middle of of "nowhere" Vt/NH mid week trying to grab a luger rig (42,1939)for a good price along with some other items from a Vets estate to flip last week.The luger was worth 16-1800,I took it to 1700 (1870 with the vig) and was bumped to over 2k as someone wanted it more.There was a Nazi HJ (Hilter Youth) flag, with 4 mouse holes that brought over 4 grand to a stunned antique buyer crowd.The market is there,perhaps birfurcated but lots of of good pictures,no reserve real auctions bring deal seakers and sell guns (or ..)

PALUNC,

If your 21 does not sell on GB, please shoot me an email at bledbetter@ntelos.net

I have a friend that might be interested in your 21. He is SD bird hunting this week and will not be able to view the GB auction until he returns.

I am a big fan of Tom Smith's stocks as is my friend. I have 2 Model 21's Tom stocked as well as a Perazzi. Great stocks made by a true gentleman.

Thanks,

Bill

If you are looking at asking prices or reserves or starting bids (with zero actual bids), you are fooling yourself. I look all over the web, too, and most of what I see is overpriced and not moving. That's my observation on the market, not on your specific guns.

Of course the gun market is down. Tons of spending power vaporized in the past year.

About the Model 21's. I checked on Gunbroker and saw many Model 21 listings and not a single bid.

Seller's need to be realistic. Other than the hope of appreciation, what makes a Model 21 worth more than $2,000?

On the other hand, there is a brisk market for quality guns under $1,000. I picked up a stunning Iver Johnson Special Trap and a gorgeous pre-war Ithaca 37T.

I am in the market for great guns between $500 and $1,000 but I see no reason to spend more than that on anything right now.

Ad to that the potential ban on lead shot in trap guns and there is every reason for the market to be down.

Jim: The dealers and other knowledgeable folks in the fine gun business that I know in the UK consider H.J. Hussey, William Evans, Stephen Grant and several others to be on a level of quality with those that you mentioned. Yes, I have one for sale with two sets of barrels and it is a fine gun. The name is not as well known as those that you mention but most definitely the quality is there. All of these makers outsourced for some of their guns. In some cases what you pay dearly for is the name.

As for jOe, he wouldn't be in the market for either gun.

Just My Humble Opinion......George

As a rule I'm not in the market for guns with replacement and or sleeved barrels offered at inflated prices....you guys get'um down where they ought to be and they'll sell.

Just My Humble Opinion......jOe

George:
My post wasn't intended to imply that Hussey was incapable of making a "London Best" or top quality gun. They certainly were as were many other makers. However Hussey also made guns at the lower spectrum which I've handled as I assume you have as well and as you said are just not that well known. I also agree that "The name says it all in many instances".
Jim

Over the weekend the MC's at an automobile auction in Chicago were asking the exact same thing. Although some cars were moving they commented that they saw more 'No Sales' then ever before and less money per car when the car did sale.
Similar to guns, some are moving very well go to any gun range around Pennsylvania, which are packed full every weekend and everyone has at least one 'Black' rifle!!

Is this the Hussey that was discussed here, or maybe another site, that has new barrels with Birmingham proof marks? It was common in the '60's to re-use the original ribs on the new barrels.

George L is right, with regard to a best gun, H. J. Hussey is not a 2nd or 3rd tier maker, and there's no shortage of buyers educated enough to know that in the US. That's not the problem. The problem is that most potential buyers in the US that ARE educated enough to know that and might otherwise be interested will also know that you have it priced at twice what it's worth, due to the replacement barrels by an unknown Birmingham maker. It is what it is, and wishful pricing won't change that.

That's what I was trying to say....

Well, for what it is worth, any gun that is worth receiving money for, deserves pictures that excite you to want to buy it. George L. your pictures of your gun for sale are not very exciting to see either. Both of these guns don't show up worth a hoot on my computer. Dark, out of focus and no pictures that show any details. Please, I am not picking on anyone here, just probably not saying it as tactfully as I could.

I agree, George needs help.

The pictures look burlesque to me...

I guess I can't understand why in 2009 anyone is 'obliged' to advertise a gun with fuzzy or darkly lit photos. For $100 you can buy a digital camera that produces decent photos. The even have settings that allow the camera to do all the adjustments automatically.

I love it the most when someone posts a really crappy photo and precedes it with 'I took these with my cell phone camera...'

Greg,

Particularly if you plan on advertising a $10k shotgun. Not to mention the 'film' is free. When I sell a gun, I'll take a hundred pics if I need to, to come up with a dozen that show the detail I want to show.

My H.J. Hussey was discussed earlier this year and the most definitive response was posted by OWD & I quote:

"Read the ad HoJo, It's a 2 barrel set, Yes - the original barrels are sleeved. But there is another set, 27", added at a later date. These barrels were made by Atkin, Grant & Lang. They own the rights to the Hussey name (that's why the new barrels have the Hussey name on them). So basically that gun has new barrels by the Maker." OWD

BTW: THe pictures of my Hussey show up fine on my computer, not professional but the best that we can do.

Best Regards, George

GregSY:
You know. Starting out the day with a big glass of prune juice might be just what the doctor ordered for you!!
Jim

Is the gun market down? In over 40 years, I have never seen the gun market go down. It is always continually on the rise. But good luck selling your guns.

Wow, finally the real answer.

Big glass of juice to start the day-o?? Huumm- if a glass of orange juice with Vodka is a Screwdriver, wonder what name we'd give a glass of prune juice with Vodka? We already have the infamous Bloody Mary, how about a "Messy Bessie"!!

ear tell that prew'n juice werks magic n yer dip-stick jammy.

I sold a double shotgun at Julia's and got less than 50% of what I expected. Yes they sold a lot of guns, however, many of the high end double guns did not sell. Go to their site and view what did not move.

Regards,

Max

Lot number ?
not doubting you just want to see what double it was that went so low.

I don't like to say it as the Perazzi looks like a nice gun, but to me it seems overpriced in today's market. I have been following 20 ga Perazzis with long barrels on the web for some time. Two, in particular, both new, an MX-8-20 with 29 1/2 "barrels and ordinary wood at $7250 and an MX-2000 with 32" barrels, parallel comb and fantastic drop dead wood at $8950. Both have factory screw-in chokes. Both have remained unsold, the first for over a year, the other for at least six months. Yours may be little used, but it is used. The Briley chokes and lighter barrels may appeal to some buyers, but others tend to avoid guns with non-factory mods. A used gun has to be priced significantly less than new to have a chance of selling when new ones are going unsold.