What's the deal with TX?

[TX OMFS]

In the SA to Austin corridor I like McQueeny Gun Club. I haven't found any other in that area I care for all that much. I don't know San Marco's or Kyle, though.

 

[birddog]

Some folks want to customize their pistol with stippling and all sorts of aftermarket parts, springs and doodads to make it just perfect for them.

And then they don't seem to understand why it isn't just perfect for EVERYBODY, and wonder why they can't get all their money back for it.

Folks do the same with cars. And get butt hurt because you offered them what the car is worth minus the doodads you intend to remove if you buy it.

 

[GoPappy]

Folks do the same with cars. And get butt hurt because you offered them what the car is worth minus the doodads you intend to remove if you buy it.

And motorcycles too. A certain segment of the Harley Davidson folks moreso than others. They buy a bike and add thousands of $$ worth of chrome, trinkets and doodads, and then can't figure out why they can't get all of their money out of it when it comes time to sell.

 

[IT4me]

Private party transfers without paperwork = $$

 

[Southpaw]

Private party transfers without paperwork = $$

I haven't found I pay a premium for FTF sales here in Texas. Not saying some don't charge because of it, I just wouldn't pay more for a gun because of it.

 

[Younggun]

Private party transfers without paperwork = $$

Seems to be completely incorrect, in my experience.




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[Sam7sf]

Private party transfers without paperwork = $$

Yeah I don’t see it. I found it pretty easy to haggle.

 

[BuzzinSATX]

How does one "somewhat" move?

Compared to how I moved 40 years ago, I "somewhat move" every day...and dang glad I still can!

 

[Texasjack]

This argument pops up at least 4 times per year, without fail.

First, the seller has the right to ask whatever they want. If the price is too high, it won't sell. A seller would be foolish to start with a low price - it gives you no where to go to make a deal.

Second, everybody wants to find that guy selling his Dad's old NIB Colt Python for $50 because he doesn't know any better. The fact that you don't find that is simply because it rarely happens in the real world.

Third, some people are just stupid when it comes to selling things. I've seen people that wouldn't drop a price by $1 to make the sale. I suspect they spend their lives frustrated and unhappy, but maybe they're just delusional enough that it doesn't bother them.

Finally, I give you a piece of advice that my lawyer charged me a lot for many years back. We were discussing the price of a house and he said, "Forget all the research and factors, at the end of the day a house is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it." Same holds true for guns. If someone is willing to pay a stupid price, then that is the value of that gun.

 

[WT_Foxtrot]

"Forget all the research and factors, at the end of the day a house is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it."

Exactly! Can't tell you how many times I've said that exact phrase only to have real estate "appraisers" tell me that a property is not worth what someone (and sometimes multiple someones) else is already willing to pay. Maddening......

 

[gshayd]

Unless a gun is a piece of unobtanium I don't pay new prices for a used gun. Like I told the store when they sold my oven out from under me I had paid for. They offered me a new display model that had been scratched. I told them if I wanted a new scratched model I would get one and scratch it myself. They had to send a truck all the way to Dallas to get a new one in the box. A gun is used when you take it out of the store.

 

[deemus]

Greetings fellow gun enthusiasts,
I somewhat recently moved to the fine state of Texas. The state from which I came is circling the leftist drain straight into the sewer as fast as the Chicago crooks and their down state cronies can get it there. Many freedoms that Texans take for granted are new to me. Suppressors, Class III, SBR's, AOW's and all the other ATF regulated goodies are now available to me.
What is also new to me is the prices I am seeing in the used firearm market. I understand that a seller has the right to charge whatever he wants. What I don't get is who the hell is paying these prices? I just saw a newer model S&W 629 complete with "Hillary Hole" going for $950 FIRM. That's over $200 more than what you can get a BRAND NEW one for online. The same gun would be $500-600 at my LGS back in IL.....and then you could haggle a bit. I recently sold a couple sub compacts for what I thought were decent prices but possibly the guy buying them thought they were dirt cheap and I was an idiot for valuating them so low?
Maybe I'm just used to dealing with straight shooters that are less inclined to overprice an item in the anticipation of hagglers and lowballers. Is this just the way it is down here? Feel free to comment. I just needed to vent. Maybe I'll go check TGT again and see if anyone has come to their senses yet. RANT OVER. P.S. I'm looking for a decent LGS in the Austin to San Antonio corridor. Who do ya'll like?

 

[benenglish]

Unless a gun is a piece of unobtanium I don't pay new prices for a used gun.

I agree. Unfortunately, as a kid I fell in love with a certain bolt action that was not a commercial success. Less than 300 were made. They are, metaphorically, made of unobtanium. I reckon I spent double or triple what each was worth to get my three, and those prices were all at least five times what they cost when new.

Call me an idiot but I have the world's best reference collection of that particular firearm.

Which is a firearm nobody bought and nobody cares about.

Maybe I should re-think that challenge to call me an idiot...

 

[PinnedandRecessed]

**** Original Post UPDATE ****

I have found that "gun culture" can be very specific to your geographical location. Certain types of firearms can be in much higher demand/higher cost depending on location. The firearm landscape here in Texas is a bit different than what I have experienced back in the northern midwest. Many of the guns I enjoy are only on the used market. In IL it is illegal for pawn shops to sell firearms. (*I found/bought an excellent Winchester 9422 at a local TX pawn shop*) It is also illegal to sell a firearm to anyone without checking with the state police to make sure their FOID card (another issue entirely) is valid. Many good points have been made here on TGT. The free market will always ebb and flow and there will always be unrealistic and/or opportunistic sellers/buyers out there. I typically roll my eyes and scroll on but for whatever reason a week or two ago I decided to say something. Lastly, I totally agree that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. I admittedly have overpaid a couple times to get something that I just had to have right then. I think most of us are guilty of that at least once or twice in our lives.

 

[LaVbRef]

I agree. Unfortunately, as a kid I fell in love with a certain bolt action that was not a commercial success. Less than 300 were made. They are, metaphorically, made of unobtanium. I reckon I spent double or triple what each was worth to get my three, and those prices were all at least five times what they cost when new.

Call me an idiot but I have the world's best reference collection of that particular firearm.

Which is a firearm nobody bought and nobody cares about.

Maybe I should re-think that challenge to call me an idiot...

Just curious.......what is it?

 

[Southpaw]

Just curious.......what is it?

This!!!!!!

 

[benenglish]

Just curious.......what is it?

The Wichita Mini Bench Rest. I have two bare actions and one complete rifle. According to the best information I have (which isn't terribly reliable), total production was 147.

Instead of boring everybody with a 10,000-word essay on my collection and my dealings with Wichita (there's a lot to talk about but only bolt-action rifle nerds would care), I'll just post a picture of the action:

When the bolt is closed, the shroud fits flush with the back of the action tube, making for a very short action just 5.25" long. It's heavy, though, being 1.375" in diameter. You can see a schematic here.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

There's no such thing as over priced.

You want.

You buy.

Or not.

No one 'makes' you pay more than you think it's worth.......

If however, you have 'buyer's remorse' for what you paid, tough - you shoulda done your homework......sucka!

 

[benenglish]

If however, you have 'buyer's remorse'...

The only times I've had buyer's remorse was when I spent too little money.

I spent over $3500 for my Nikon F5 back when I couldn't afford it. It was the best 35mm SLR in the world when I bought it, even though it's probably worth $100 today, if that. I still have no remorse. Just holding that tank of a camera in my hand, knowing how perfectly it performs every task I ask of it, and how many wonderful events it helped me document, fills my heart with joy.

OTOH, I've bought second best a couple of times because I couldn't justify in my mind the several hundred extra dollars to get that last little bit of performance. In those cases, I've sometimes regretted it.

The lesson I take from all this? Don't settle and you don't get buyer's remorse.

 

[gshayd]

I agree. Unfortunately, as a kid I fell in love with a certain bolt action that was not a commercial success. Less than 300 were made. They are, metaphorically, made of unobtanium. I reckon I spent double or triple what each was worth to get my three, and those prices were all at least five times what they cost when new.

Call me an idiot but I have the world's best reference collection of that particular firearm.

Which is a firearm nobody bought and nobody cares about.

Maybe I should re-think that challenge to call me an idiot...

The heart wants what the heart wants