I was checking out a display at the Pima county fairground gunshow in AZ this last weekend. Nice display of Armalites and Rock River Arms AR15's. I notice this kid who says to the seller that he wants to buy an AR15 but his parents don't want him to have one. The kid is 19 and he plans on buying a used Olympic Arms plinker from another dealer for $550.00 because he just wants to shoot the rifle for 6 weeks before he goes in the service.
He has it in his head that he can become an expert marksman if he just spends 6 weeks shooting this gun. He asks the dealer of the Armalites and RRA's if he could get 60-70% back of his money if he shoots the gun for a couple of weeks just to learn how to shoot.
The dealer says he could probably get all of his money back on a good gun if he holds it awhile but he is not in the market of renting guns and would not buy it back from the kid as used. I slide up to the kid and tell him that he would be better off buying the Flat-top 16" Rock River Arms gun laying on the table at $669.00 than a used gun and I tell him that out of 3 Colts, a DPMS, and a RRA gun that I own, the RRA is one of my favorites.
Let's see, RRA 16" flattop with accessories that the kid has to buy, 6 weeks of shooting what ammo he can afford, how much can the kid abuse the gun in 6 weeks?
I give the kid my phone number and tell him to call me in 6 weeks and if he doesn't abuse the gun too bad I will buy it from him at a price I will set that will recover 60-70% of his money for him. I have already notified my FFL dealer friend that I have this kid who may want to get rid of a 6 week old AR and someone I work with has been asking me to help them locate a good deal.
I am going to offer the kid about 60-65% of what he paid as he was asking and attempt to get the gun for under $500.00. I am anxiously awaiting his phone call.
By the way, later on I walked by the dealer and he called me over to thank me for helping him with the sale. He didn't want the kid to get in trouble with his parents, but at 19 the kid is an adult and has already enlisted in the service. I feel I am giving the kid a chance to recover some of his money and it would cost him as much to rent an AR at the range as much as he wants to shoot in the time period he has. I also told him that if he held the gun he could probably make a profit on it but the kid just wanted to use it and get rid of it before going into the service.
Hope he calls me. I might even keep it, but who needs 6 AR's?