[tojones]

I stopped in to a local gun shop this morning while waiting on mom to get out of an eye doctor visit. They surprised me by having a few milsurps. First one was a Factory 26 SKS in excellent condion. I thought great! Then I saw they wanted $399 for it. Not so great. I asked about the M1 Carbine next to it. $795 with most of the finish gone. Stock was decent but didn't look at it close at that price. I then noticed Japanese rifle. Probably in vg condition. No mum and bubba'd with a scope mount tapped and drilled and screwed to the receiver. $180. I couldn't help but tell them that the collector value was nothing since someone drilled and tapped it for the cheap scope they attached to it. One of the guys working there agreed quickly. He pointed me to a 91/30 for $99. All matching refurb. Nothing special. I then noticed that the bolt although matching had basically no wear on the bolt head/face and the bolt handle had been shortened up, though still straight. So I walked out of there with a soft case for my AR and left the milsurps for someone else.

 

[Bill-Rube]

That is too often the scene. Makes you wonder what people are thinking...

I have yet to figure out the pawn shop guys and how they arrive at pricing/values.

 

[tedley2]

Beater Mosins....

....for $150 [91/30], no cleaning rod, no finish. These folk got to be kidding...I also love how they try to sell bubba'd rifles for outrageous prices.

 

[AlamoCity]

I have such a similar experience around here that I've found myself passing up pawn shops that I used to check in on. I bet most of these pawn jokers get online and see the inflated prices at auctions and think they too can make a killing.

I just once, want to find an outstanding (steal)deal at a pawnshop. I guess I'll have to be patient and keep an eye out.

T

 

[vintovka]

In California add a $25 dros fee, the cost of a gunlock, 8% sales tax, a 10 day+ wait, and your thumbprint

 

[cpw]

I have such a similar experience around here that I've found myself passing up pawn shops that I used to check in on. I bet most of these pawn jokers get online and see the inflated prices at auctions and think they too can make a killing.

I just once, want to find an outstanding (steal)deal at a pawnshop. I guess I'll have to be patient and keep an eye out.

T

Plus, a lot of people thinks they are getting bargins when they purchase from a pawn shop. So they pay the price.

 

[tojones]

I tend to pay a little more than I should for guns I want, but I don't see many bargains locally on any type of guns. I see fair prices for new stuff but not on milsurps. I did see a nice Mauser north of here that was a fair price, not a bargain, but fairly priced for the condition and so forth. Only hitch was that I had just bought my AR and didn't have the funds to grab it at the time. At least these local guys are consistent. They pretty much all have the same prices, give or take 20 bucks here or there.

 

[Guest]

In California add a $25 dros fee, the cost of a gunlock, 8% sales tax, a 10 day+ wait, and your thumbprint

One of the reasons why I don't live there...

 

[Bucko]

In California add a $25 dros fee, the cost of a gunlock, 8% sales tax, a 10 day+ wait, and your thumbprint

I remember those days and it is one of the things I do not miss at all about California. In Virginia it is a whopping $2.00 background check fee, can't remember sales tax but it's gotta be less, no triggerlock or proof of gunsafe, no waiting (handguns too), no fingerprint. The only thing that is required that was not in California is a second proof of residence along with drivers licence. I use my concealed carry permit ($50 for 5 years). Also with the permit there is no limit on handgun purchases per month.

 

[FlipFlop]

Pawn Shops

I'm lucky to have two pawn shops close by that have sold me some milsurps at very good prices simply because they didn't know the real value of what they had. They more or less consider milsurps as junk and glad to get rid of them.

 

[Spetznatz]

It is getting to where all the shops around here price their milsurps at or about the same price as the Remchesters.

 

[ArizonaBeagle]

I'm lucky to have two pawn shops close by that have sold me some milsurps at very good prices simply because they didn't know the real value of what they had. They more or less consider milsurps as junk and glad to get rid of them.

One good reason to keep stopping in pawn shops is just because of that. ^^^^
Sometimes it helps to ask what they have in the back that's not on display and
ask if they want to clear up some space. Every now and then they will surprise you.

 

[rocker98]

One good reason to keep stopping in pawn shops is just because of that. ^^^^
Sometimes it helps to ask what they have in the back that's not on display and
ask if they want to clear up some space. Every now and then they will surprise you.

I do concur.

Gary

 

[Pahtu]

Pawnshops

Local pawnshop keeps an eye out for things I like to collect =+) I have bought a few items from them.....=+)

Pahtu.

 

[zeebill]

Pawnshops are a gamble of time and it just becomes one of those things of do I have the time or don't I? Gun shows are good for laughs usually with the impossible to believe high prices on junk at times. It was 39 here this AM and I doubt you will see that in Cali so that becomes a trade off for the draw backs and as everyone knows we all have different opinions! Me I'll put up with the cooler temperatures and Milsurps and you guys in Cali can have the nice weather. Pluses and minuses to everything I guess!

 

[Heirmossy]

Yeah, I feel the same way Zee. I live in the northern most reaches of Michigan. We get 270 inches of snow in a typical winter but my milsurps and I enjoy it immensely.

 

[IBBG]

Shopping for good deals at pawnshops is kinda like shopping at a used car lot. You MUST know what you're looking at and looking for, what the going value is, what you're willing to pay, and what you're willing to accept. Be prepared to haggle and know when to just walk away. Caveat emptor applies but I haven't been burned on a pawn shop deal yet. I usually have limited funds and refuse to pay outlandish prices. I'm generally more like "How many guns can I get for X amount of dollars?" I'm not about to pay top dollar for the used scoped Saiga when I can get a new one for a hundred bucks more.
The places I've dealt with either rely on a big book or there are a couple of online sites they go to as they aren't extremely knowledgable about the overwhelming quantity of guns out there. For example: when I tried to pawn my Polytech M14, they wouldn't do it because they couldn't find enough info on the M14. They should have researched Polytech instead. They use the same sources when pricing things for sale and make "adjustments" for their local area. They all also suffer from SDS (sh*t don't stink) disease and believe their stuff is pure gold while yours is pure garbage. Over-pricing also helps them when haggling. They all use many of the same lines (and lies) when haggling price, most of which you can ignore. "I can get that much parting it out on gunbroker" (most don't have the time or knowledge). "I can get that much at one of our other stores"( maybe, reading the tag may tell you it came from one of their other stores, walk away). Or the biggest lie "I have more than that in it!" They generally have less than a quarter to a third of their asking price invested in it. I was told this about a $350 Chinese SKS that I offered $200 for. Two months later it was priced at $200. When I pointed out that it wouldn't function properly, they accepted my $175. They made a profit and were happy to see the gun go away. I ended up with a Factory 26 with an aftermarket 30 round mag (it was jamming the bolt open). The next gun show is the end of this month, I'll find a proper magazine there.
Sometimes you can get great deals on "sporterized", "Bubba'd", or broken guns that I find too irresistable to pass up (I love challenges and projects). Again, "know your product!". In the last 6 months I've found:
A $125 Mosin 91/30, $50 when I reminded them I could buy them all day long for $89 from Big 5.
A 1903 Springfield (not an 03A3), sporterized (stock cut down but not the barrel, barrel floated, rear sight removed and replaced with a Redfield peep sight, and re-blued. $150 and will put 5rds of CMP surplus in a group you can cover with a quarter.
A 1917 Mosin M91 in a synthetic stock, bent bolt kit, and scope mounts. Also $150 and after adding a $69 Walmart scope, it will do inch and a quarter groups with Brown Bear ammo.
And a "$670 for the lot" got me:
2 Arisakas, a T38 and a T99
a Marlin Ranger .22, same as the Model 80 and 81
a Ruger Security Six
a S&W Model 10
a Bernardelli 9mm
3 small revolvers, an "Eibar", a No. Amer. mini 22, and a Rohm
and 5 "pocket pistols", .22 and .25 cal, Raven, Lorcin, Jennings, etc.
This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is mine. In fact, my user name, IBBG, stands for I Buy Broken Guns.
So, know your product and have fun buying from pawnshops. Good luck!

 

[ArizonaBeagle]

IBBG...Good info in there on pawn shop bargaining.

You were really baggin' the bargains..
Then at the bottom of your post I got scared...

"Rohm, Raven, Lorcin & Jennings"

Sounds like a Law Firm and with those products, you'll need one.

(The only partner missing was "Stallard")

 

[IBBG]

Sometimes you have to take the bad with the good. All were tagged as broken but the 5 semi-autos were just missing mags or grips and the Rohm was a Burgo (Rohm RG10 in .22 short). Nothing wrong with it, they just couldn't figure out what it was. I can either replace the missing parts and stash them all over the house as home defense guns (to stall and irritate someone while I go for the big stuff) or turn them in for gift certificates if anyone ever has a buyback program out here.
But I am a certifiable "gun nut", so I'll probably just fix 'em and keep 'em as time and money allows.