doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com turn around in the gun market ?????

The seller is from Northridge CA. With that in mind he is probably still suffering from post earthquake syndrome. You know; The condition where $1,000 and $1,000,000 look the same and it's probably due to seismic jitter!!
Oh: And I just returned fom the land of fruits and nuts and anything is possible out there!
Jim

The other side of the coin, though, is that the consignment seller who starts his auctions at a penny and no reserve does provide a pair of useful services: he moves product and his auctions do provide an empirical value for a particular gun, thus providing data which help establish (or confirm) what the market value for that make, model and caliber is.

The problem of deducing what the value is, is not so great in more common guns say, for example, a Remington 870 or a Winchester 94. There's a lot of them in all sorts of condition and caliber and determining a good starting price is relatively easy. On the other hand, the value of an obscure European maker's old sxs (or a Winchester M21 Duck) is harder to determine from comparable sales, because there just are not that many comparables. That, in turn, is a function of there being fewer of that gun to begin with and, perhaps more importantly, fewer people interested in buying that gun. In that regard, then, the consignment seller's penny-no reserve auction will shake out some value and move the gun. There are contexts where moving the gun is a prime consideration, say, e.g., closing out an estate.

It might be unfair to the seller, who might take a loss, but one has to determine whether one is into guns and shooting to be buying and selling guns at a profit, or because you like shooting and guns. If it's P&L, then getting attached to a favorite gun and getting bent out of shape over taking a loss and not having a favorite gun is irrelevant. Said another way, you have to decide whether you're in this for profit or fun.

I don't care if you're into "liking, collecting and shooting guns" or "in it for profit", a loss is a loss and it's not FUN! Just ask the $1,000,000 gun guy that was the basis of this post and he'll explain it to you.

SxS

The market for SxS shotguns will continue to diminish as time goes by. Just look around and observe how many young guys looks for SxS shotguns at local shops. Where I frequent only older retired guys are interested in them. The demise of this type of gun will be accelerated if there is comprehensive and far reaching non-tox shot mandate.

This fellow in California rarely sells a gun under its retail value because hundreds of people look at his offerings every day. He isn't shamming the buyers with reserves and high starting prices. He is selling these guns at their true market price, something other dealers and individual sellers are not doing. The people who consign guns to him do not expect to get retail for their guns. That is why they consign them to that gentleman. He writes great descriptions, takes good pictures, and sells every gun he advertises. Criticize him all you want. I wish he were situated near my home so he could sell my guns.

I bought this gun a couple of months ago while I was reading the MACINTOSH book on Foxes. A very nicely preserved 20 gauge with shootable dimensions.

Chokes measure out to .035 and .021, Extra Full/Imp Mod. Kind of tightly choked for a Skeet Gun.
After extensive patterning at 20 (18 inch patterns at 22 yards), 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 yards, and a dozen rounds of Skeet using RST Lite 9's and Spreaders, I've played with pitch and LOP using shims and washers as well as strap on pads, high gun, low gun, you name it. After all this and considering my inability to sell this riflechoked double, I've made an appointment with one of the finer gunsmiths on the west coast to have the chokes opened to something more Quail friendly. I'm thinking this Fox could soon be wearing chokes more closely resembling Mod/IC .016/.009

$2,499 shipped insured saves this vintage double from the choke reamer.

p.s. I may not sell a lot at $1,000,000 but it wouldn't take very many sales before I could retire.

First thing I'd do would be to clean out all BC's.

The only people I see looking at SxSs in local shops are those who are looking for "sleeper" guns - used, often on consignment and very underpriced.

You'll find brisk SxS activity, both browsing and sales, at serious places such as William Larkin Moore, G&H, NECG, Robin Hollow and several other upmarket places.

SxSs can be steel-compatible and many are.

Pumps and autoloaders will always outsell SxSs just as Fords will outsell Jags.

A variation on this magazine cover theme, except no dogs will be harmed. Fear the grim reamer.

Time is a big factor in negotiations, in selling guns it's how fast do you want to sell it?

You want it gone right now and need the cash? it's going to price low.

You want top dollar, it's going to take time to find that right buyer. ESPECIALLY in high dollar SxS's, the market is much smaller.

You still can't get more than what's it's worth (by definition) but you can get the top of the range if you are willing to wait.

I think the marketplace has a lot to do with how fast something sells also. You want to sell a $400 gun, you can sell it 2 days, you want to sell a four thousand dollar gun, it's going to take time, there's just less market for a four thousand dollar gun (of any type) and fewer possible buyers.

these are all generalities of course. A well priced well shown ten thousand dollar gun can sell in one day if the right person walks in. It's just that the chance of that is less.

and
EVERYTHING is negotiable.