Why has it been so brutal trying to sell lower tier air rifles on here lately? Is everybody in here just looking for fx and daystates? Lol there’s got to be some newer airgunners in here looking for something other than high end rifles. 
Classifieds
- Thread starter HubenK1Sniper92
- Start date
I’m interested in entry level rifles too. I just assumed the classics are either selling out with no need to advertise, or perhaps they are being posted on a different site? What is the best place to look for classic guns like Weihrauch springers, etc? Surely, not eBay 
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I sold a couple of lower end guns recently, and they went quick. To me they were guns which just didn't fit my wants or needs. So I priced them quite aggressively since I knew I wasn't going to shoot them and I just wanted them gone.
With prices of everything so high these days (and the promise to go higher for a while at least), we likely at least 4 groups of buyers:
1) Those folks with available money to spend who will buy the top tier guns new, regardless of the fact that so many of them are easily pushing $3k now;
2) Those who are doing O.K. financially and are serious about their shooting, but just can't or won't spend $2-$3k on a new top tier air gun. But they feel a lot better when a good used gun is discounted 20% or more on the classifides.
3) Those who really want to get into airguns but have to scrimp and save up before they can buy their gun.
4) Those who would love to try airgunning, but even at a very reasonable price it is just too much of a luxury now with the cost of other daily living expenses so high.
We have likely lost a lot of buyers in groups 3 & 4.who would have bought lower tier air rifles before, but now with consumer prices so high it is either taking longer to save up for the purchase, or the purchase has had to be placed on the back burner since food, rent and gas takes up all of the available cash now, and play money is limited or non-existent.
To most air rifles are not a necessity and we will likely continue to see a drop in non-essential spending for a good while to come.
With prices of everything so high these days (and the promise to go higher for a while at least), we likely at least 4 groups of buyers:
1) Those folks with available money to spend who will buy the top tier guns new, regardless of the fact that so many of them are easily pushing $3k now;
2) Those who are doing O.K. financially and are serious about their shooting, but just can't or won't spend $2-$3k on a new top tier air gun. But they feel a lot better when a good used gun is discounted 20% or more on the classifides.
3) Those who really want to get into airguns but have to scrimp and save up before they can buy their gun.
4) Those who would love to try airgunning, but even at a very reasonable price it is just too much of a luxury now with the cost of other daily living expenses so high.
We have likely lost a lot of buyers in groups 3 & 4.who would have bought lower tier air rifles before, but now with consumer prices so high it is either taking longer to save up for the purchase, or the purchase has had to be placed on the back burner since food, rent and gas takes up all of the available cash now, and play money is limited or non-existent.
To most air rifles are not a necessity and we will likely continue to see a drop in non-essential spending for a good while to come.
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Having bought and sold almost entirely used from the forum I can say it has been weird lately. The "inventory" has been sporadic and I noticed that guns stopped moving at "normal" prices and people were either having to relist and keep lowering or mark NLA and wait for another time. I have also noticed that guys also seem to be buying from only each other. I have noticed even myself being willing to pay more or "normal" price from one of my friends selling on the forum or someone I have known, spoke to, have a relationship with, and being wiling to pay less for higher risk transactions. I have been watching who is selling and who has been buying and this trend has started to jump out at me.
I don't own any "classic" guns but I have noticed that the inventory has dropped. Speaking to a long time air gunner friend of mine with lots more experience, he sees the Impacts for example is the gun he would sell due to it being the Honda Accord in a way of PCP, but he would not drop his Prod on the forum ever. Maybe guys are just feeling this way now. Inflation for all of us and the costs of daily is for sure affecting many parts of any hobby from access too supply and when you do you over pay from vendors. Most I think are in a "let me shoot what I got and keep my kids feed and happy and gas in the car" mentality and weather the storm.
I just hope that people can have some relief in the next year, covid and all the yuck that came from that to now the terrible prices of fuel and basics for care. The baby food issue is absolutely terrible and I feel so bad for those parents just trying to find formula and paying 6-7 dollars a gallon of fuel just to do it. That person will just struggle to even think of buying and enjoying an airgun of any kind. Their minds are elsewhere.
I don't own any "classic" guns but I have noticed that the inventory has dropped. Speaking to a long time air gunner friend of mine with lots more experience, he sees the Impacts for example is the gun he would sell due to it being the Honda Accord in a way of PCP, but he would not drop his Prod on the forum ever. Maybe guys are just feeling this way now. Inflation for all of us and the costs of daily is for sure affecting many parts of any hobby from access too supply and when you do you over pay from vendors. Most I think are in a "let me shoot what I got and keep my kids feed and happy and gas in the car" mentality and weather the storm.
I just hope that people can have some relief in the next year, covid and all the yuck that came from that to now the terrible prices of fuel and basics for care. The baby food issue is absolutely terrible and I feel so bad for those parents just trying to find formula and paying 6-7 dollars a gallon of fuel just to do it. That person will just struggle to even think of buying and enjoying an airgun of any kind. Their minds are elsewhere.
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You have to be willing to take a hit to move them. Can’t be avoided right now especially with super high shipping costs.
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New people often ask about what gun they should buy. I usually don't bother with those threads, but when I do, I advise buying used.
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I think Coyotegod has nailed a large part of the issue. For quite a while I saw a trend where people were trying to sell used guns (especially FX and Edgun air rifles) at prices which were close to that of a new gun. That trend has clearly run its course. When you add in the change in how easy it is to read a members feedback (Yes, it’s still there, but now you have to work to find it) then you get this tendency of people to buy and sell to those that they know or are at least familiar with. Add in the current inflation level, especially the price of gas, which affects everyone, and people are pulling back from certain discretionary purchases, air rifles being one. These are the people in category 3 and 4 from TMH’s list above.
Add all that together and you can see why the used market for lower end guns would be cratering right now. In addition, given the lower prices for these guns new, there is simply less room for the used price to show a meaningful discount from a new gun. A 25% discount on a FX Impact ($2200 new) is $550. That’s real money for most people. A 25% discount on a Beerman R7 Springer ($399 new) is $100. For many people that is also real money, but may not be worth the inherent risk in buying used versus new. This is especially true if one is buying the gun from an individual who is completely unfamiliar to you.
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Pellets are hard to find especially the JSBs. So why guy a PCP you don’t have ammo to use? Also certain parts from fx have been out of stock for a while, so project PCPs are also on hold.
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It also depends on the gun, too. If it’s gotten a bad rap due to problems shared by many early on when it first came out, it’s not going to sell. With what everyone here has said, I can almost guarantee people(buyers new to pcp’s) are doing their research both in market value for used and quality of item so as to get the most for their dollar.
A marauder for example, if I see the sellers introduction at the start of his sale mention words as “barely used” and “totally stock” I already know $375 to $400 is about what he’s going to ask in the end of his post. If I see $450 and over I think to myself “good luck with that”.
Some guns I don’t even bother on reading the description, like the air speed, as I know of all the problems it had early on when they first came out, and manufacturer’s support wasn’t there.
I think problematic guns, if purchased, are going to be sold either to the totally clueless, or someone with good tech skills with $$ to burn and wants to take on a project to see if the gun and its flaws can be addressed
A marauder for example, if I see the sellers introduction at the start of his sale mention words as “barely used” and “totally stock” I already know $375 to $400 is about what he’s going to ask in the end of his post. If I see $450 and over I think to myself “good luck with that”.
Some guns I don’t even bother on reading the description, like the air speed, as I know of all the problems it had early on when they first came out, and manufacturer’s support wasn’t there.
I think problematic guns, if purchased, are going to be sold either to the totally clueless, or someone with good tech skills with $$ to burn and wants to take on a project to see if the gun and its flaws can be addressed
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A lot has to do with shipping cost , a used $$250 gun plus shipping becomes $300 Or buy new for $350
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While the classifieds here are very good for both buying and selling ( I have done both) I don't think this is the best place for "low end" stuff there are other sites that have a higher number of the say under $800 range stuff. However when a good PCP can be had in the $600 range now it doesn't leave much room on the low end to get under that in a meaningful way to make it worthwhile for many people. I have found some great deals here but also on other sites so you need to keep track of things at multiple sites to find the best deals.
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This right here. It's got to be worth shipping it.
I had some leftover slugs and stuff I sold a while back, and wish I hadn't as I priced them "shipped" without checking. 4 boxes of .22 nsa slugs cost me $26 to ship...
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Ouch, sorry to hear that; good for you though on following through on your word. Shipping and gas costs aren’t funny. Definitely factors for me purchasing items these days.
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If I was going to buy a lower tier air gun I would buy new not used. Perhaps that's just me.
Getting slightly off the subject I've often wondered why the classifieds here are always full of PCP guns and related stuff but rarely do I see any spring guns for sale.
Getting slightly off the subject I've often wondered why the classifieds here are always full of PCP guns and related stuff but rarely do I see any spring guns for sale.
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Might try looking at some of the other air gun forums. I have been on a few and there are far more springers and lower cost PCP’s on their classifieds and their discussion forums seem to contain more content pertaining to those guns.
I have only been at this air gun thing for a short time but it seems a lot like the archery world. A few brands dominate forums and sales and the other makers live in the shadows of those who cast the largest marketing effort. As with air guns the other bows are just fine. They may be short of some features but for the average shooter or those on a budget (who isn’t these days) they perform just fine.
I have only been at this air gun thing for a short time but it seems a lot like the archery world. A few brands dominate forums and sales and the other makers live in the shadows of those who cast the largest marketing effort. As with air guns the other bows are just fine. They may be short of some features but for the average shooter or those on a budget (who isn’t these days) they perform just fine.
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We used to have accountability on here that helped with selling used guns but it was all erased. Now I don’t know who to trust so I probably won’t buy anything used until the owner decides to fix it. That could be part of the problem because I know it is for me.
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I think this is kind of an unfair stab at Michael. This problem, which isn’t really a problem it’s just commerce in a inflation bubble, was happening way before the new forum layout. There is still accountability, maybe not as easy to see if you just looked at accuracy scores, but you have been on the forum a long time, seen the same names, made relationships and friends along the way, that is your accountability, always has been in reality. That hasn’t changed. The risk is still the same. You don’t know someone then get to know him, then buy. You make a friend a long the way also. Nothing to do with Michael.
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Yeah, I agree with this. However I do think that until people get comfortable with searching through posts etc. to find the equivalent of the old Accuracy scores, or the new system has bedded in, you will see many people defaulting to only purchasing from “known” individuals. It’s a time limited problem. I suspect we won’t even remember it in a month or two.
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I think there are a couple of major reasons why lower end guns dont sell much,
First, people dont like to sell things at 25%-30% less than they bought it for because they consider it a loss even though they used it for a couple of years.
Second, they would rather keep the gun then lose $25-$50 on it so they rationalize; " Its not worth selling because after shipping and am only left with $__________ . So the gun justs sits there in their safe taking up room.
Third, they reason that its part of their "collection" that they dont want to break up!
Ask me how I know.
Now I plan on selling off around 20 guns over the next couple of months. Id rather have 4-5 really nice guns rather than 20 lower end guns...
First, people dont like to sell things at 25%-30% less than they bought it for because they consider it a loss even though they used it for a couple of years.
Second, they would rather keep the gun then lose $25-$50 on it so they rationalize; " Its not worth selling because after shipping and am only left with $__________ . So the gun justs sits there in their safe taking up room.
Third, they reason that its part of their "collection" that they dont want to break up!
Ask me how I know.
Now I plan on selling off around 20 guns over the next couple of months. Id rather have 4-5 really nice guns rather than 20 lower end guns...
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@ PGinSD- I feel like I fall under your reason #3, lol. Too many times I see folks saying they had this one model gun that to this day they “regretfully sold”, and I don’t wanna be that guy
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