Where Are The Good Deals????

Bow-N-ArrowDude · January 2002

I just found this site less than a month ago. I am a pretty avid user of another auction website that is pretty similar in appearance to this one. I use it quite often because of all the GREAT deals I have found and made.When I found this site, I was so inspired because I thought I could now be able to get great deals on guns and ammo...things you couldn't purchase on the "other" auction site. WHERE ARE THESE DEALS? It's a wonder anything gets sold on here! The prices are the same, if not HIGHER, than what I could get retail at local sporting goods or department stores.To be very honest, I am quite dissappointed.Yours very truly,Deal Hunter

MFI · January 2002

I think most dealers put items on here that are either very tough to find or items that they just cant sell in their shops. It doesnt make too much sense for them to give their items away on here then incur 10-20 dollar auction fees and go through the hassle of packaging and shipping items.

salzo · January 2002

It has been my experience, that if you are looking for something new, and can find it at the gun shop, you are better off going there. However, I have found some used, hard to find items on the site that I could not find elsewhere, and have been very happy with the price. I am always looking for left handed guns, and the I am lucky if the gun shops I frequent have one lying around. On this site, I have founfd a few good deals on lefty guns that I was unable to find locally.

Happiness is a warm gun

He Dog · January 2002

I will back buddies Saxon and Salzo on this one. Not everything in every gunshop you walk into has a "steal me" price tag on it, and the same is true here. There are some deals but you have to be patient and diligent. I also have watched the other auction site for itmes I am looking for and I don't see more bargains there than here. Besides this one has the boards.

hunter280man · January 2002

It looks like you have only been a member for a few hours, hard to judge a sight that soon isn't it? Besides your profile tells me your not just looking for "A" deal.

I eat my road kill!!

idsman75 · January 2002

Okay, the deals are there. you just have to spend some time looking and waiting. I got a NIB Para-Ordnance Stainless P-13 for $500 with a stainless factory hi-cap magazine. I got a NIB Kimber 7mm Magnum stainless heavy fluted barreled rifle built on a synthetic stock for $300. I could keep listing them but I won't. I suspect that I've saved around $1000 using this site.You just have to look, browse, be patient, and learn to sort through all of those darn CZ auctions that clutter up the pages. It can be tedious but it pays off.

offeror · January 2002

I've been canvassing my area gun shops to see how they feel about the web in general and gun auctions in particular. The concensus seems to be that they're not very interested because they have overhead, and they don't feel they can compete with the discount web stuff. But then, they don't go to the gun shows oftentimes for similar reasons. It is my feeling that Gunbroker may be about where eBay was near the beginning. Everyone is still learning how to do this. Sellers are learning what sells, and how to price. Buyers are learning what something should cost. Transfer FFLers are still figuring out what to charge. It is my strong feeling that -- while there will always be the mass marketeers on auction sites (whose countless auctions and re-listings with no bidders I always ignore) -- the deals are going to be in good used guns, out of production guns, surplus items, harder to find stuff, and new stuff that is sold nearer to wholesale, without the middleman. The other thing that happens on these sites is that stuff that used to seem rare and expensive will suddenly become plentiful and cheaper, because when the whole country is selling their goods, there can be a lot of things that used to be rare in your part of the country. The thick-headed ones are the sellers that try to go for their usual profit margins. I have a strong suspicion that auction merchandisers are making their money on volume, not mark-up. It may take Gunbroker a little while yet to build up its membership and settle down to a more eBay-like, realistic tone.

"The 2nd Amendment is about defense, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member."

Pelican · January 2002

Last several items I listed (ricks2) I started at a penny. How much cheaper can I go. I know, free and I'll pay the shipping!! NOT!!!!!!!!

"Audemus jura nostra defendere"- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Don't let yer mouth write a check yer body can't cash!

offeror · January 2002

Pelican --Assuming you're saying good products didn't sell and there was no reserve on them, I have a feeling we are not yet at the point where we have enough buyers who have found Gunbroker. eBay has the advantage of attracting everybody with an interest in practically anything. Here, we need those who regularly, or at least occasionally, buy & sell gun related stuff. Unlike eBay, it looks like some big dealers got here first. Personally, I look for value, not nine new Charter .38s and fourteen HK G3 Carbine clones priced higher than at the local gun show. And I must tell you that if I were not a seasoned eBayer already, the business about hassling with FFLs fees at both ends plus shipping would be intimidating. Hopefully, the rule will become that seller pays his own FFLer to ship. I wouldn't want to see the buyer stuck with the whole chunk, because then they'll bid lower before losing interest in an item. Still, we need the non-dealer sellers. The garage sale guys, the guys selling stuff out of the closet, the attic. The real finds. We need 'em.

"The 2nd Amendment is about defense, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member."

offeror · January 2002

Pelican --Assuming you're saying good products didn't sell and there was no reserve on them, I have a feeling we are not yet at the point where we have enough buyers who have found Gunbroker. eBay has the advantage of attracting everybody with an interest in practically anything. Here, we need those who regularly, or at least occasionally, buy & sell gun related stuff. Unlike eBay, it looks like some big dealers got here first. Personally, I look for value, not nine new Charter .38s and fourteen HK G3 Carbine clones priced higher than at the local gun show. And I must tell you that if I were not a seasoned eBayer already, the business about hassling with FFLs fees at both ends plus shipping would be intimidating. Hopefully, the rule will become that seller pays his own FFLer to ship. I wouldn't want to see the buyer stuck with the whole chunk, because then they'll bid lower before losing interest in an item. Still, we need the non-dealer sellers. The garage sale guys, the guys selling stuff out of the closet, the attic. The real finds. We need 'em.

"The 2nd Amendment is about defense, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member."

Bow-N-ArrowDude · February 2002

Well...I did get a "fair" deal the other day. Bought 7 boxes of .28 gauge shotgun shells for a "fair" price. I say fair because I can get .28 gauge shells cheaper than what I paid....but only in skeet and #9 shot target loads. These were 7-1/2 shot which I much prefer for small game hunting (and since my daughter will be using them a heck of a lot more than I will).I guess I can only concur that I must be patient. And, also, Ebay is probably much more popular than Gunbroker, so, naturally, there is more available to choose from.As for auctions here starting at low prices...yeah...I've seen them...with reserves. And then again, if I see something with a low start/no reserve...chances are it's probably something I'm not interested in (or nobody else is if it doesn't sell).A very prime example...Otis Elite Cleaning Kit...found one on here...BIN for $99....go to Otis Website...buy it there...$99. Go to local gun shop....$99. Naturally, I'll support the local guy if I am going to have to pay that price.Hopefully, Gunbroker can/will get as big as Ebay and people will be able to snag some really great deals on guns and accessories. Damn shame Ebay restricts weapons/accessories...although I have made some "contacts" for specialty items for weapons even though they weren't listed there and made outright purchases "offline" from Ebay members.Appreciate all the responses.Yours very truly,Troy

Gordian Blade · February 2002

Having bought a few things on GB, I can give you my opinion on what works well and what doesn't. First, what does: Things that are hard to find in my location, like pre-ban magazines, are perfect for GB. True, you need to be careful not to buy junk, but I got a 20 rd mag that I wanted for a discontinued rifle at not too outrageous a price. The extra cost of shipping was not too bad.I also bought some ammo here, but in retrospect it's easier to buy common ammo from Cheaper Than Dirt because they accept credit cards without extra charge and ship immediately if they have it. (And I got a free scorpion knife too! )Guns themselves are another matter. The one firearm that I bought on GB was a model that none of the local dealers could get for me, so one of them was willing to act as the receiver. If they could have gotten it themselves, they wouldn't have wanted to be the middle man, which I can understand. I wanted that particular one at a fair price, but I wasn't aiming to save big money. There have been "bargain" guns I've seen on GB that I might have bid on (like one of those surplus Romanian training rifles), but when I considered the hassle of lining up a dealer to accept shipment and paying the transfer, shipping and handling charge, I decided it wasn't worth it. Suddenly the bargain rifle wasn't such a bargain. I think the relatively high overhead of GB and the legal requirements (ship to FFL only) for a used firearm transaction will always limit that part of the market. If you know somebody with a FFL who will always accept whatever you buy on GB for a reasonable fee (like $15 or less), then you're in a better position than I am to shop GB for bargain guns.

pops401 · February 2002

I've bought a lot from GB. All good deals I think,as I feel that I know what is, and what isn't a deal.What doesn't work for me is RESERVE. I don't even look at one that says reserve. If you want a price for something, start it at that price. If you want to play games, and waste my time doing it....see ya. sorry, but that's my feelings. pops

Matt45 · February 2002

The way I look at it is, if everytime I complete an auction, everyone walks away happy and feeling like the money was well spent, or you got a fair price, it's a deal.

Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!

Pelican · February 2002

You be right LTS. Ya know I run what I call "gunsmith specials" ya know needs a part or just don't want to function right. I used to tinker with that kinda stuff but guess I am gettin' lazy in my old age. I start 'em at a penny with no reserve and have not had any problem selling 'em. Some I make a tad on, some I break even, some I lose a tad. What the heck, if a guy can get a gun for 40 or 50 bucks that is worth three times that after he tinkers with it, he ought to be happy and I'm happy cause I got some if not all of my money out of it.

"Audemus jura nostra defendere"- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Don't let yer mouth write a check yer body can't cash!

Iconoclast · February 2002

Patience is a virtue. I have spent a lot of time over the last 4 years watching prices in the items that interest me. Sometimes there are bargains, sometimes I eml URLs to friends to share a laugh because the seller is so transparently mercenary or clueless, most of the time I skim right by. But bargains there are, and sales there are (altho in my non-firearms specialty, the market is notably more active on another site [sorry admin, I'll list here when it becomes better]).

Where Are The Good Deals????

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