A recent thread had a grandson taking a pre-wwII Colt 1911 into a gun shop with the owner ready to offer a couple hundred dollars for a $3~$4,000 gun.


Do you think this is ethical to take advantage of someone like this?

Would you do it personally?


Do you think a store should?  Bear in mind that most people would rely on the store for it's expertise.


Should the burden be entirely on the seller to know what they have?

I sold off a guys collection through an FFL about 10 years ago.
Stuff was used but maintained, Widow was thrilled, kids who had zero interest in helping UNTIL the cash was delivered and THEN the bitching started. Youngest son had some "Friends" that wanted to buy the pistols off  paper but she ws not having any of that...

He had a WELL USED Perazzi that he paid $6K for, the action fell open when the lever was released. The stock was  factory custom to his spec. We got $1800 for it after 2 years of trying.

I went to 4 gunshows and took a bunch of guys to her house to get this done.
After all was said and done, I received the Safe for free and an S&W 41 7" for $300.
He paid $275 for it in the 70's.

If I figured out the hours involved I could have bought the safe and gun at retail but she's a nice person...

The problem with ripping ignorant people off is that I would know if I ripped them off or not.


I just couldn't live with myself like that.

I would rather not have the gun and just give the person my money then live with that guilt that I ripped someone off.


SGatr15

I think that it depends on the circumstances.  If a person goes to a gun shop to ask the owner's professional opion of what the gun is worth, the shop owner has an ethical obligation to give him an honest assessment.  I think that it is similarly unethical to low-ball someone selling a gun in the immediate aftermath of a death in the family.  In nearly all other circumstances, I believe that it is the obligation of the seller to do some basic research about the firearm that he is selling, and if he stupidly wishes to sell me a $3,000 gun for $500, that is his problem.

Having worked in the gun business, I have seen many that will do this, but word spreads amongst the other dealers, and they eventually reap their karma.

Bad things happen to people who do bad things.

Count on it.

Ethics is something that should be _understood_ in a business concerning deadly weapons.

The bad karma could be fatal.

If someone's willing to sell for a bit lower than the item is worth, well, fine, maybe they just need to get cash quickly for Christmas or something -- I bought my first 1911 in exactly that way.  If someone doesn't have a clue as to the value, and you lowball them, that's just plain wrong.  Tell them what it's worth, offer a fair price below that, and be done with it.

After Sept. 11th, a few of my neighbors wanted to buy guns from me.  I sold a few to them for what they were worth, not at a fear-inspired ripoff price.

Education is expensive. Sometimes it pays to educate yourself rather than pay someone else for that privilage.

Before you shop or sell anything you should find out what it's worth.

Most Americans can negotiate a price to save their life. And you certainly can't negotiate if you don't know what something is worth.

So the rule is: Never ask someone the value of something if they have an interest in buying it.

And rule two is: Everything has a price and a value and the two aren't necessarily the same.

My first rule of business is let the seller name the price he wants.... because many, many tiems it is far less than you are willing to give.

However I have on many occasions had someone say $300 and I say "Its worth more than that, how about $500". And I name a price where its still a good money making deal for me but they gte a decent price.

Why? Because that same person will remember that and be more willing to either bring you more stuff or buy from you in the future. In the long run that few $$$ extra I could have made on the deal will be payed back more in extra business with that person and the good word of mouth.

If the person OUGHT to know better - like some SEAL-team wannabe poser, who's always trying to impress people with his gun knowledge, but doesn't actually know shit - I wouldn't have too many sleepless nights over it.  

However, to rip of someone who simply doesn't know - like a kid with his grandfather's guns, or a widow or someone like that, is just wrong, and I wouldn't do it, nor would I have respect for anyone who did so deliberately.  Plus, I think in cases like that, if you actually try to help them, and point out the real value - they will likely STILL give you a really good deal, and you can feel good about yourself.


To me, it's ALMOST like finding a wallet with money in it, and a business card.  You could certainly keep the money and throw the wallet away, and nobody woudl be the wiser (except you) - but when you do return a wallet, the person will often give you a reward - and even if not, their gratitude might get you out of a few years of purgatory (if you're catholic, that is ).

Well it's nice to see all the honest people

Id offer what it was worth minus a fair profit. Fair profit is the subjective part. I want a clear conscience when I meet God.

I always try to be fair.

What goes around, comes around.

The shop owner should tell the kid what its worth, I would be really pissd off if that happened to me espically if the gun was his grandfathers. Just like Terrato said "what goes around comes around"

Id give a person a fair price if they didnt know it, might be abit low, but Im not going to screw someone over.

Sorry, if i have some old baseball cards, i'll look up the prices.  If I have gramp's vintage anything, i'd get them looked at.


I don't see a big issue with trying to nail this kid... its his own fault, and he'll never figure it out.  This is compounded by someone trying to do business!  He needs the profit.

Do you folks go to tag sales?  (err yard sales, garage sales, etc)  If you find an absolute STEAL, do you inform the seller that the item is marked much too low?

I thought not.  And them bastards put signs up everyone asking you to come look at their stuff...


- BG

Depends on the situation. There is a local gun shop that likes screwing with the less enlightened, I wouldn't mind sticking it to them if I had the chance. As far as everyday occurences go I would say no. I've been screwed over before on a militaria deal and it isn't a good feeling when you find out about it.

Quoted: A recent thread had a grandson taking a pre-wwII Colt 1911 into a gun shop with the owner ready to offer a couple hundred dollars for a $3~$4,000 gun. Do you think this is ethical to take advantage of someone like this? Would you do it personally? Do you think a store should?  Bear in mind that most people would rely on the store for it's expertise. Should the burden be entirely on the seller to know what they have?

If he's selling it for 'a couple hundred', he bought it for half that...

'Fair Price' is decided by the seller, if it's a $400 gun to him, it's a $400 gun...

I have a $280 made-in-Germany PPK and a $350 Beretta 92 to say for it, so far...

There are a few gunstores/people I would savage as bad as possible if I could.