Used handguns and their prices
 

Can someone explain why the price of used firearms (especially handguns) tend to be hardly anything less than their brand new counterparts?

A well made handgun can last for decades. A very good handgun commands a price because of its quality. The Colt name and S&W name adds value because of their history of quality.

Of course, the prices stay high because there's always some criminal, er, politician, who wants to ban them too....

One word covers it...

That's one thing that I really like about guns, they don't depriate $4000 when you walk out the gunstore with them. Buy a car for 30K and drive/take care of it for 5 years and it's worth 9K. Buy a gun for $1,000 and shoot/keep it clean and in 5 years it's worth pretty close to $1,000.

Actually, it's more like buy a gun for $1000, take good care of it, keep it 5 years, and now it's worth $1500. Good quality firearms do not DEpreciate in value, they tend to Appreciate in value. Better than 401k's have in the past 6 months, anyway........:eek:

Don't forget supply!!!

I could not have said it any better - nice... :)

I would also say it depends very much on the model of the gun.

Take a CZ75, just for instance.
Mine is from 1986 and works perfectly. I payd 80 Euro for it at my local gunsmith. Dead cheap, because it is a very widely spread weapon and the gunsmith just wanted to get rid of the load he bought from a security company.

Now take a Sig 210.
A very fine pistol, and very precise.
Not to be bought very often unter 1000,- Euro.
Since this pistol is not produced anymore.

Take a Sig-Sauer 226 or 228 or even a 220. These are also not so cheap on the used market, but not extremely expencive either. Somewhere in the mid range.

I also found it depends on the time of the year.
If you want to sell a gun, and you are trying it at the wron time of the year, you could end um making a big loss.
Choose the correct time and you could get a very good price on it.
Same of course when buying a used firearm.
You can end up paying too much, but you can also get a real bargain, if you are patient and watch the market.

Here in germany, we also have the market of shortly deceased gun owners. I know this sounds really cruel and impious, but according to the german gunlaw, the legal heirs if they are no gun owners, have to sell or get rid of the weapons within 4 Weeks.
Therefor every now and then you get real bargains there.

+ 1 shooter!

Firearms are tools. Most are quality tools for a specific task. Some are best described as works of art. The craftsmanship that goes into them is much admired. Think of them like a Rolex. Specimens from the 50's and 60's sell for more than their original retail price.