Source For Gun Values / Prices

[Montelores]

Is there a reliable on-line source for pricing guns? Gun Broker prices (maybe the "Buy Now" price)?

Gun Digest?

This is needed for pricing guns for sale, various makes and models.

Thanks -

Monty

 

[Uncle Howie]

Checking the SOLD prices on GunBroker can be helpful, if there are a number of guns like yours, which have sold recently. They can be helpful.

If there’s just one firearm like yours that has sold, you have to be more cautious… there is always the possibility of a shill bidder, or maybe just two guys who “had to have it...”

Just because one or two people (out of a national audience) were willing to pay that final price… doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to find another person willing to pay that much.

A lot of the “Starting Bid“ prices are just “pie in the sky,” and not really indicative of reality.

 

[Montelores]

Thank you, I haven't dealt with GB much. Thanks for the warning.

I looked at the "Buy Now" prices as a yardstick, not sure if that's reasonable.

Thanks again -

Monty

 

[Dan in MI]

On GB go to advanced search, check completed auctions, then sort by bids, high to low. Only use auctions that sold with bids.

 

[hittman]

I agree with Dan in MI.
Use completed auctions only. That’s what stuff REALLY sold for.

To me, the Buy It Now prices are many times highly inflated, like a “I wanna hit the lottery price”.

 

[Mauser9]

How about the Blue Book Of Gun Values. Are they very accurate? Have an older one which gives values based on condition. The book ain't cheap these days but might give a good estimate when buying or selling.

 

[diffy40]

I use True Gun Value site as a reference.

 

[Montelores]

Thanks, I'll look into True Gun Value and "completed auctions" on GB.

I subscribed to Gun Digest - $3.00 / month.

Monty

 

[mr surveyor]

How about the Blue Book Of Gun Values. Are they very accurate? Have an older one which gives values based on condition. The book ain't cheap these days but might give a good estimate when buying or selling.

I agree with the Blue Book of Guns being an excellent source of gun values (many thousands and variants of guns), but the ffl that used to give me his two year old copies for several years did explain those printed values were more geared to the ffl's cost to purchase the gun ... or top trade value. He said you could expect to get $50 to $100 additional in a sale of the average gun to an individual. I still have the 2008 and 2012 issues and they are 2200 - 2400 pages of info. Those books are just a guide and actually publishing wholesale values for guns of different condition grades. Still kinda cool.

jd

 

[diffy40]

Blue Book is ok as a reference but I've very rarely been able to buy at their listed prices and surely wouldn't sell at their prices. YMMV.

 

[contender]

I agree that the completed auctions on GB are a good resource, and using it wisely will allow a SALE.
As for the Blue Book,, several of us contribute to the RENE Price Guide for Rugers. That information is shared with every years publication of the Blue Book.

THE RENE PRICE GUIDE IS FOR BASED UPON WHAT ONE COLLECTOR WILL PAY ANOTHER COLLECTOR FOR SPECIFIC GUNS. CONDITION IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, AS ARE THE ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THE BOX(S) & PAPERS.

We do this annually, and try to be realistic in real world SALES,,,, not,, I repeat NOT what we'd like to sell our guns for. And CONDITION is also described in our Price Guide. Sadly,,, too many people think their gun is in better condition than it will actually grade out to be. They see the 100% condition number,, and think their gun is 98% or so,, while it'd actually grade at 90% MAYBE. Condition means a LOT.

 

[dweis]

I use True Gun Value site as a reference.

Yes indeed

 

[blume357]

I find it strange that no one has mentioned.... HERE. I think you might get a better opinion of what you could expect to get in a private sale from some of the experts here.

 

[GasGuzzler]

No book can adjust to the market quickly enough.

In "normal" times and for an older type collectible gun, a book could help some. For anything modern or in times like now with high demand, high inflation, and low supply, a book is useless.

Use COMPLETED items on GunBroker. To do so you must sign up for a free account and log in. Click ADVANCED SEARCH then COMPLETED ITEMS and search away. Also, VERY important you confirm number of bids. If the number is ZERO, count that price out. You can sort completed items by price but I prefer to sort by number of bids, high to low so I can determine why one gun got more bids than another. Bids are what you want as a seller.