Marking up Off-Roster Handguns?

[nbirnbaum2]

I fully admit I buy off roster guns as investments. Then again I very rarely sell my firearms.

[scott_kart]

You see at this point in time, the only choice to get an "off roster" handgun is to depend on somebody who has an "exemption" to the roster, very limited, so it it is a sellers market, nothing even close to a "free market". There are still some great guns on the roster and that is the way it is until the roster is overturned. Personally, I hope to be out of the state before that has any chance of happening, but I will always support the fight against the roster in CA.

[SheepDog78]

I fully admit I buy off roster guns as investments. Then again I very rarely sell my firearms.

I haven't sold a single one of mine, and probably never will. You can never have too many guns, should the SHTF.

On the OP's point, the real value of anything is only what somebody is willing to pay for it. Would an original Picasso painting be worth millions of dollars to you? Probably not, but to somebody, they are. Supply and demand is a very dynamic thing, and changes all the time.

Take muscle cars. Why are original Shelby GT500s so expensive? Because there aren't that many of them, and very hard to come by.

I don't place an ounce of blame on the sellers who list used off roster guns for more than they cost elsewhere. If somebody is willing to buy it at that price, that's what it's worth.

[AGFNTB]

Oh thank goodness for this post!!! I thought for sure a week was about to pass without another one of these, and then I'd have to pinch myself to see if I was still alive.

^^^ This

[dyson]

Remember, you can always buy a different pistol......hmm maybe not always (forever) tho.

[pterrell]

Both the BHP and 92fs are battle proven handguns. Either should do very well.

As for marking up off roster guns, that's capitalism for you. People mark them up and they sell at that price. My plan when I leave the state is to sell my off roster guns for exactly MSRP. If they sell, great. CA keeps a couple non-roster guns and I can go to a free state and buy another one. If they don't sell, then I have that much more to pack up in a moving truck.

Of course, not everyone has the same attitude as me.

[Oceanbob]

+1000 on the BHP.

I bought 26 off roster handguns and I paid a premium to SSE them. Hence the higher price if I decide to sell something. Unlike PPTs (private Party Transfers) we paid sales tax as well.

So, a handgun that we paid $850 for is going to $900 bucks really gouging or out of line?

No.

[dyson]

Msrp is actually a mark up

[JTROKS]

One of these days I'll leave this state and sell my off roster guns at price I can find it at the new state I'll live in. Shoot! By then, I hope it won't be, but the way it's going mostly everything will be off roster in California. Just looking at Ruger MK3 22 pistols and all the recent guns that dropped from roster I say get what you can now.

If guns on sale are priced too high for you don't buy it. My wife keeps asking me when I'll sell some guns I don't shoot. I think it's a good idea to post an ad then show it to my wife. For example, Colt King Cobra-exceent condition with original case and manual - $5,000.

[nbirnbaum2]

I haven't sold a single one of mine, and probably never will. You can never have too many guns, should the SHTF.

On the OP's point, the real value of anything is only what somebody is willing to pay for it. Would an original Picasso painting be worth millions of dollars to you? Probably not, but to somebody, they are. Supply and demand is a very dynamic thing, and changes all the time.

Take muscle cars. Why are original Shelby GT500s so expensive? Because there aren't that many of them, and very hard to come by.

I don't place an ounce of blame on the sellers who list used off roster guns for more than they cost elsewhere. If somebody is willing to buy it at that price, that's what it's worth.

I sold 1 92FS... only because i had 2 of them and an m9. I haven't sold any of my off roster stuff.

[Ronin2]

Some people (not all, but some) are charging ridiculous prices for a gun simply because its "off roster." It left kind of a sour taste in my mouth. I understand supply and demand,...

Then you know that you simply don't have to buy.

but when you've got people charging almost $400-$500 what a gun retails for

WRONG. There is NO RETAIL price for off roster guns in the state of California... they are off roster and can not be sold anymore. MAYBE never again..

No one owes you anything because you are late to the party. That's on you.

[Dr.Lou]

Retiring and moving to Nevada was a great decision for several reasons, but 2A freedom was at the top of the list.

[orangeusa]

The price is the price; if your not willing to pay the price move on.... If I wanted to sell a GEN4 Glock 21C at $900 when it is available in Texas for $450 that is what I want to sell it for.

If you dont want to pay my local (CA) price you can buy it in Texas or move on.

You are not obligated to buy just as they are not obligated to sell.

pay the price or move on.

You are quoting from 'Taken'.

OP: Beretta 92's are half the price of a Browning (or less). I sold my Browning because mags were DOUBLE the cost. Granted the grip was slightly thinner than a Beretta. But it didn't have DA, which I like (striker dudes will jump in here).

The Browning had that horrid mag disconnect. I had a handful of 92's at that point and couldn't justify keeping the gun.

Nothing bad about the Browning, other than their cost.

.

[Octaviob]

You are asking your question as if those are the only two 9mm you will ever or can ever own. Buy both and a dozen more j9mm's just to be sure. What you really should be asking is in what order to buy them if you are buying new.

In regard to buying used off roster at a reasonable price you have to do the following:

1) know what a good price is and what you are willing to pay
2) everyday spend time searching on several websites besides Calguns
3) commit to buy immediately. I don't know how many times I hesitated and let a good deal get away.

There are decent deals out there but they are not going to fall into your lap. As they say, chance favors the prepared.

Best deal I have gotten in the last month is a Springfield XDm 3.8 inch compact, 9mm in the case will all the accessories including the factory mags in like new condition for $390. I had to travel 20 miles outside of my 60 mile limit to do the PPT but I got what I was looking for. If you are in a hurry and are willing to pay the premium to get it right away then the market will stay where it is. The less people buy, the price will follow to its new price point. There exceptions but you have to look and look and look and ...

[orangeusa]

Pretty good advice there. Especially about buying more. I am serious. You cannot find out what you love or are not a fan of in a single range rental session. You CAN decide what pistols you dislike...

You are asking your question as if those are the only two 9mm you will ever or can ever own. Buy both and a dozen more j9mm's just to be sure. What you really should be asking is in what order to buy them if you are buying new.

In regard to buying used off roster at a reasonable price you have to do the following:

1) know what a good price is and what you are willing to pay
2) everyday spend time searching on several websites besides Calguns
3) commit to buy immediately. I don't know how many times I hesitated and let a good deal get away.

There are decent deals out there but they are not going to fall into your lap. As they say, chance favors the prepared.

Best deal I have gotten in the last month is a Springfield XDm 3.8 inch compact, 9mm in the case will all the accessories including the factory mags in like new condition for $390. I had to travel 20 miles outside of my 60 mile limit to do the PPT but I got what I was looking for. If you are in a hurry and are willing to pay the premium to get it right away then the market will stay where it is. The less people buy, the price will follow to its new price point. There exceptions but you have to look and look and look and ...