# Gander Mountain buying guns



## twomode (Jun 7, 2009)

This happened while looking around a few days ago at the store. 

I was fairly close to the gunsmith counter when a young soldier came in with a new looking XD case. He brought it in to sell it. My first thought was he probably needed the money to pay some bills or something and he probably didn't really want to sell it, but had to. I watched the transaction unfold. The GM guy took the case behind the counter in view of both of us, opened it, looked at the gun and the accessories, asked where the manual was (he had it at home) and then said "you know, the minute you leave a store with a new gun, the value drops in half". 

Now I'm a businessman. I don't buy used from customers, just not part of my business. And I know businesses are in business to make money. From my viewpoint the case, access., and the gun were in new condition, but after hearing that statement I couldn't help but feel the guy was about to get screwed. I wanted to approach him and top any offer by $50, but I didn't. Would have been a good deal for me, but not fair to him knowing he could get more, just not right away which was probably important. Maybe the kid didn't care, just wanted a few bucks. Like I said, I did not get involved in any way, I left before the end of the transaction, with a bad taste in my mouth from GM. 

What's the point? I still don't know. Maybe if a couple of you guys chime in I might be able to resolve this in my head. I'm a very soldier freindly, soldier supportive, soldier sympathetic guy. There's nothing more satisfying than secretly picking up a bar tab, a restaurant bill, or my favorite, paying for the meal for the soldier and family in front of me in line at a fast food joint. I'm not saying that to brag, just to let you know how I feel. Most good folks in Fayetteville feel the same way. 

What do you think?


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## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

It sucks, but any time a retail store buys a gun they'll offer about half of what they can sell it for. I've seen it at the big stores as well as the local shops. It seems unreasonable until you think about all the expenses that have to be paid from the sale of a relatively few gun sales per day - lights, rent, salaries, insurance, NICS check, etc.


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

Selling or trading a gun to a dealer is *always* bad for the seller/trader.

The dealer has to make money on the deal, that means he has to low ball the seller/trader so he can mark the gun up to a price that someone will pay and make a profit. There are very few occasions where one can come out on top of a trade/straight sale to a dealer, an XD won't be one of them.

The best thing you could have done is tell the guy that he can make more money selling it privately.

A middle ground is having it put on consignment at a shop (Gander doesn't do this IIRC) that's when a dealer sells the gun for you at a fee based "X" percentage of the sale.

I was in a shop where an employee offered a WWII Vet $750 for his 1944 USGI Ithaca 1911A1and had to put a stop to it. I offered the guy $1K for the gun and it's now in the safe. I couldn't let that guy get screwed like that. They had a Remington rand in the case priced at $1500 with papers so $1K was a fair price. The guy working the store was pissed, but the Vet was happy I kept him from getting the shaft after showing him the Rand.


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## The Goat (Jul 23, 2009)

Everyone has to make money, but I dont mind getting a great deal on a used gun. someone has to take the loss. better them than me.


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## SuckLead (Jul 4, 2006)

It isn't a great deal for the seller if he goes through a shop, which is why my gun went up on gunbroker. They _should_ appraise the gun, usually with the blue book of gun values. Then they have to see what they can actually sell it for. You'll loose $50-$100 on the sale right off the bat for the dealer's insurance to have the gun there. Basically, if you have a gun worth $300, figure on getting $75-$100 for it from a dealer.


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## twomode (Jun 7, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback guys, I know the shop has to make money, I let my sympathy for a broke soldier cloud my emotions. In retrospect, the best move would have been to intervene and bet the dealers offer. More $ for the seller, good deal for me, exept I didn't want the gun. Had it been a one of my next choices, I probably would have made a move. Thanks again.


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