Need some advice on selling a gun

[piller]

I am in need of some advice. A cousin of mine just asked me to help her sell her old Weatherby Mark V that she hasn't shot in about 20 years. She has some health problems and can no longer handle that much recoil. I don't know where to start. I have looked at Gunbroker and they have a listing for one about like it for $950, but it is not in as good of shape. If I put it on here in the classifieds and sell it for her, am I allowed to stand firm on the price, do I have to ship it to a FFL holder, and what else do I need to know? I don't have pictures, but it is a Mark V deluxe made in Japan with the Maple wood spacer between the main stock and the Rosewood tip, factory recoil pad, long barrel (I didn't measure it), it is in .270 WBY, and in good shape. The bluing is not worn off anywhere and there are 2 dings on the stock that are smaller in diameter than a pencil eraser. I will get pictures if I can be the one to sell it for her. I have never sold a gun before other than in private transactions between friends.

[alnitak]

Any gun transaction out of state has to go through an FFL. If your transaction is in state, for rifles you do not have to go through an FFL and can ship directly to the person. (Sections B2 page 176 and B7 page 177 of the NFA)

Would seem to me that the originator of a classified ad can always change their asking price, until an offer is accepted. Generally, that is to lower a price if it doesn't sell at the initial asking price, but I have seen cases where the price is raised.

[piller]

Thanks. I will need to get to her place and get some pictures of the rifle. I have seen on Fjestad's site that I can pay a very modest price and get the blue book value. I will do that before I list it for sale. Once I get the blue book value, I can talk with her and find out the price range she wants.

[Streetstar]

$950 for a Japanese W'by seems to be ballpark , more or less , also like anything else, depends on the motivation of the buyer ---- On Gunbroker, sometimes people get caught up in the heat of the auction and may end up paying a bit too much --- but hey, if its something you want and can afford, - who cares, I never judge

If you gotta ship it, you ship to an FFL, I believe that's in state or not -- then upon delivery, the buyer does the 4473 and all that stuff at the FFL holder --- its up to the buyer which FFL they want it shipped to, I use a local pawn shop that charges me $20 per transaction

Face to face, its cash = gun, I always get a copy of their ID anyway , and if someone seems a little squirrelly, I suggest we do a 4473 transfer through my pawn shop connection or a local gunsmith I frequent.
But if its a forum member here and a regular, i'd feel confident doing a face to face cash sale without all the hubbub I think

[piller]

Thank you. I appreciate the help. Now to talk to my cousin.

[mod71alaska]

Getting the purported Blue Book value of your Weatherby is a total waste of time. The value is out of date no matter if the blue book is current. Blue Book values generally are low anyway and primarily used by dealers with potential sellers who walk into their shop to lowball them out of their valuable firearms.

Go to Gunbroker.com and look up the exact rifle you have in the COMPLETED auctions section. Doing this will give you what your model rifle ACTUALLY has sold for in the last 90 days....and didn't sell for which is just as useful. Make adjustments up or down for condition variables if you feel it's necessary.

Generally, most guys who sell a rifle on the Forum at least deduct the GB commission from the asking price, and sometimes a little more because you're selling to a fellow Levergunner. That is entirely up to you. Personally, I have had nothing but exceptional transactions selling rifles on this Forum. I have made many new "Levergunner friends" and much prefer selling on the Forum to GunBroker, although I have sold rifles there, too. Since this is a lever gun forum, it has been my experience that bolt action rifles generally are more easily sold on GB. But certainly give the guys on the Forum a first shot.

The keys to a good sale either here on the Forum or on GB are good photos, accurate description, and very good communication between the parties.

I hope this helps you. Good luck!

[Blaine]

Heck...start high, and work your way down....There's a lot of money around Dallas, advertise locally. That is a niche, high value rifle, and someone might have always wanted one

[Pete44ru]

Per Federal Law, it's legal for any citizen to ship/mail/etc a long gun to any FFL, for an out-of-state transfer/sale (get the $$ + S&H first), w/o going through an FFL on the sender's end, provided the receiving FFL agrees beforehand to accept from a non-FFL (You or her).

There is NO legal requirement to go through an FFL, on either end, for a shipment to someone residing in the same state as the seller.

I regularly use USPS Priority Mail, since the gun can be insured w/o disclosing the parcel's contents (legal) beyond whether or not the contents are "flammable, explosive, hazardous, perishible, or fragile" (I always claim "Fragile").
USPS is slow, but sure.

With a set of good pics and a full description/disclosure posted on a gun auction site like gunbroker, you/she can put it in a one or two week auction starting @ $500, with a hidden reserve of the gun owner's choice (or no reserve at all), and sit back to watch the action - most of which usualy occurs in the last hours.

These days, it usually costs about $40-$45 to ship/mail a gun across the Lower 48.

.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Per Federal Law, it's legal for any citizen to ship/mail/etc a long gun to any FFL, for an out-of-state transfer/sale (get the $$ + S&H first), w/o going through an FFL on the sender's end, provided the receiving FFL agrees beforehand to accept from a non-FFL (You or her).

There is NO legal requirement to go through an FFL, on either end, for a shipment to someone residing in the same state as the seller.
I regularly use USPS Priority Mail, since the gun can be insured w/o disclosing the parcel's contents (legal) beyond whether or not the contents are "flammable, explosive, hazardous, perishible, or fragile" (I always claim "Fragile").
USPS is slow, but sure.

With a set of good pics and a full description/disclosure posted on a gun auction site like gunbroker, you/she can put it in a one or two week auction starting @ $500, with a hidden reserve of the gun owner's choice (or no reserve at all), and sit back to watch the action - most of which usualy occurs in the last hours.

These days, it usually costs about $40-$45 to ship/mail a gun across the Lower 48.

.

That is the federal law for sure, but you should check state laws. Some states require even an in state transaction to go through an FFL.

As for determining the value, I do like mod71alaska suggested. Go to GunBroker's completed auctions to see just what folks will actually pay

[Pete44ru]

.

True enough, Steve - but I was advising the OP, who it looks like is posting from Texas.

Texas doesn't have any such requirement for using an FFL for an intrastate transfer, does it ?



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[bdhold]

Take it to a gun show and walk around with a For Sale flag - you'll get whatever you want.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

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True enough, Steve - but I was advising the OP, who it looks like is posting from Texas.

Texas doesn't have any such requirement for using an FFL for an intrastate transfer, does it ?



.

You're right and I should have caught the so. Dallas addy.

[piller]

I hadn't thought of the Gun Show. I have looked up the price on Gunbroker and it has been about $200 more than the blue book value. My cousin is taking pictures of the rifle, and I will post here on the for sale section as soon as I get them. It also has an older Leupold 3X9 scope with a Leupold base. The scope is clear and the view through it is very sharp. I did notice that the .270 Wby Mag is not a really common caliber.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I hadn't thought of the Gun Show. I have looked up the price on Gunbroker and it has been about $200 more than the blue book value. My cousin is taking pictures of the rifle, and I will post here on the for sale section as soon as I get them. It also has an older Leupold 3X9 scope with a Leupold base. The scope is clear and the view through it is very sharp. I did notice that the .270 Wby Mag is not a really common caliber.

If it were me I would remove the scope or put a cheaper scope on it. you hardly ever recoup the scope value selling it with the gun.

[.45colt]

If You have a Cabelas not too far away,I would See what they would offer for it.they have a bunch of Weatherbys and many 270's for sale around the country.http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/search.c ... y&x=21&y=9

[vancelw]

If You have a Cabelas not too far away,I would See what they would offer for it.they have a bunch of Weatherbys and many 270's for sale around the country.http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/search.c ... y&x=21&y=9

Cabela"s usually offers half or less of what it's worth. Every once in a while you hear of someone getting a decent amount, but not often. One friend got over retail for a gun he traded in???? Over 170% of the best offer he got at the gun show. But that's rare.

[.45colt]

And if they "lowball" an offer whats to lose?.You walk away..... last month We were up at the one in Dundee Michigan and the new gun section was pretty thin. the used Gun Library was slammed. worth a try.

[piller]

There is a Cabela's not too far away. I will give them a try since I have nothing to lose. As soon as I get the pictures, I will post here. If anyone here is interested, PM me and I will give you the phone number so you can deal directly with my cousin if you wish. Once I have the pictures, I will put it in the for sale section.

[vancelw]

And if they "lowball" an offer whats to lose?.You walk away..... last month We were up at the one in Dundee Michigan and the new gun section was pretty thin. the used Gun Library was slammed. worth a try.

Don't take it as a personal affront. My comment was directed to the OP. If he tries to sell it to Cabela's it might be better to hit them in the summer or late fall when they're buying up for hunting season.

[.45colt]

"Don't take it as a personal affront" No Worries Here Bro. . Cabelas is buying and selling guns like mad.We went to the one in Columbus Ohio last week and it was the same way there.