Lies and Liars - "Estate Sale"

[mohavesam]

The issue here is everyone who claims "estate sale" in advertising or gunshops claiming "from an estate"...

There are many context definitions of estate, but usually it refers to the total net worth of a person, including property, real estate, financial holdings, etc.
A yard sale is not an estate sale. Selling guns from a pickup box is not an estate sale.
Yeah, I know a double-wide and a dog run constitutes an estate in some parts, but I remain unimpressed enough to change.

There I was browsing about a very nice gun/sporting goods store (and not a shoe store posing as sporting goods), when a young man comes in with three rifles under his arm, looking to sell. The counter guy cannot make such a decision naturally, so a supervisor shows up and looks them over. All good so far.
-- a few days go by and I notice the store's website advertising 2 of those guns as "estate sale" guns. I go on down to see for myself (one was pretty desire-able, and the counter guy (different guy) tells the the backstory - that "they are part of a large estate of a grand ol' hunter who had many guns and left them all to his family..." and the backseat was never used, etc. :roll: :roll:

Normal lies of a salesman I know, but liars nonetheless. I don't like people who make themselves liars for the company's sake, call me the crazy one.

So back to "ESTATE SALE" issues - since when is a guy peddling a gun an ESTATE???

Kinda ranty I know, but it irks me. I am settling two proper, recognized estates of dead men, good men, and to me there is an impact for lying for profit in the end (I believe).

What say ye? Apathy toward the lie, or does it make you want the salesman covered in fiery brimstone, as liars should be? :evil:

 

[Colonel Daddy]

Standing with you!

 

[coach]

If it is from someone's estate, then I guess it can be called that.
I never pay much attention to any back story a salesman offers. Unless the back story is meant to increase the value. Then a lie is a lie.
I think the estate story is used to make someone think they are getting a special bargain just to puff up the sale.

 

[GunnyGene]

We have quite a few estate sales/auctions around here. Been to many of them, and they've always been thru a reputable auction house, or at the owners property. Never ran into the situation you mentioned, but would be very suspicious of it.

 

[eveled]

I agree whole heartedly with your statements. I hate to be lied to, but I also don't really expect a salesman to be telling me the truth. Always buy the gun, not the story.

 

[hvacmedic]

To me buying an "estate" item only means something special if I had some connection with that person. Other than than its just another purchase.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

If I go to what otherwise might be called a "yard sale" where the house is open to people wandering thru, with sales tags on everything that can be moved, and the overall appearance of the place is that of an old person who's left us, I'll go with the "estate" sale moniker.

Or if it's professionally handled (there's a local company who specializes in this type of sale), I'll go with that label, too. However, anything described as an "estate" item on an online auction site, at an antique or thrift shoppe, or that shows up in a gunshop, isn't likely to do much but arouse skepticism. Especially gunshops, a major source of bovine based fertilizer in my experience. Whether those claiming "estate" status will spend an overly warm eternity isn't my business. Life's too short to worry about some things, semantics often being one of them.

For me, at least...

Rick C

 

[rugerguy]

that is exactly what it is "semantics' you do NOT have to be "deceased" to liquidate your "estate", or have someone else do it for you,,,have seen, and have had all kinds come in our 3 different shops over the years and a member of the family is selling somethings to help Mom or Aunt or Grandmother,after the old man is put into a nursing home or rehab or "out to pasture" all semantics, gotta love the English language and see all that is PC today...pure 'unadulterated BS'

 

[Busterswoodshop]

Who cares what they call it .
Buy the gun , not the story behind it.

Then again the word " estate " does get more attention than " yard sale ".

 

[Specs]

Perhaps the young man inherited the rifles and is selling them.

 

[pete44ru]

.


FWIW, I've yet (since the mid-1960's) to buy a firearm, based on whatever story came along with it - I guess that's why I take commemorative firearms for what they are & what I can do with them.

I would also WAG that's the reason I don't care if the sale is an "estate" sale.


.

 

[ChiefMuzz]

Everything I sell comes from my "estate"
What that means to you varies by person.

 

[57springer]

I just look at the gun for what it is , value wise , the "estate " title does not mean jack.

 

[737tdi]

Does it not depend on whose "estate". Elmer's went for quite a pile. A few years back a great estate was sold here on the RF. I bought several from it. It really was a true estate sale. I have sold all of the guns I bought from that estate at a substantial profit. They were all 2 digit unfired, new in the box firearms. I really bought the .44 mag's to keep but then people started looking for some of these. I don't really care for garage/estate sales but when they are posted on here I pay attention. Elsewhere not so much, except for farm equipment then I tell them I will haul it off. I clean it up, blast it if necessary and resell. I make some fairly good money doing that.

Karl

 

[Jim Puke]

The guy could have very possibly gotten them from his family estate...he may have put them in the store on consignment.

Besides that...what difference does it make...buy'em or leave'em alone. I guarantee that if they had been a great deal, you would have bought them and not thought twice about where they came from or the story behind them.

And for that matter, you probably cannot get the straight scoop on a what distributor a new gun came from.

Good grief...

 

[mohavesam]

Umm.. its about the lie.

But thats OK. I figured most Americans are so apathetic to being lied to, most wouldn't even care much as long as the deal is good.
I had to walk away from that one.

 

[wunbe]

You apparently do not know for a fact that the guns in question did not come from an estate so you may have misread the situation.

Guns from estates do make it to ma and pa gun shops but you have to know reliably where they originally came from. You cannot learn that from the guys making the sales floor pitch, only from someone involved in or witting of the original estate sale.

I know of three cases in which major collections were sold a few at a time by small gun stores.

wunbe

 

[DA_TriggR4Ruger]

We have quite a few estate sales/auctions around here. Been to many of them, and they've always been thru a reputable auction house, or at the owners property. Never ran into the situation you mentioned, but would be very suspicious of it.

+1

 

[cadillo]

And I thought that I had thin skin!

 

[Colonialgirl]

I HAVE been in a Pawnshop/Gun Store when a Lady brought in a bunch of guns; Seems her husband had recently passed away and she wanted to UNLOAD all of his firearm collection as easily as possible, either by having the shop sell them on consignment or buy them outright. The Store owner had known the husband an did purchase them for a fair price.
SO there was an "Estate Sale".