Resale Values

[Mousefart]

As a relative newb to this corner of the shooting hobby, I'm scratching my head at some of the asking prices I see for used airguns and looking for veteran input. 

My first impression is that some folks are just dreaming. Airguns have a lot of moving parts, and a lot can go wrong. A lot does go wrong, even with guns fresh from the factory. With the warranties (that I'm familiar with) not being transferable, I balk at any gun that listed for > 75% of its new price, even if someone bought it just last month and it's never been fired. I've seen others listed in that range that were 2+ years old. Assuming the worst, and factoring the potential hassle of correcting someone else's mistakes, I can't imagine paying more than 50% of retail for a used airgun.

I want want to be wrong. I want to believe that if I take good care of my recent purchase, I actually can sell it in a couple of years with so little depreciation. But...am I wrong? 

What are are your personal experiences with purchases of used airguns?

Thanks all!

 

[T3PRanch]

A "Bluebook" of Airguns does exist but few know it and even fewer ever look at it! IMHO no used gun (or any other item) should ever go for more than a Dealer Wholesale new gun sells for BUT the general buyer is not aware of those prices unless they have studied and researched a lot! Your figure of $75% of new is a VERY good rule to go by even though there are many who try to sell a gun they used and did not like for 90% of new or more if they have added parts to the item. Actually the average airgun doesn't have that many parts (Crosman offerings for example). Once you get into FX style guns and Bullpups the part count can go up significantly. This is why the FX Impact commands such a high price and why it is nearly always out of stock. Increased part count complicates production and assembly. The newer FX Guns such as the Streamline do exactly that to the factory floor (streamlines the production process) due to a much lower part count and simpler assembly process.

Thurmond

 

[Olevey]

I think many times people overprice their items in anticipation of being talked down. Many individuals just don't get the concept of an item being used and the associated depreciation. Right now on the yellow there is an MTC Viper Pro that says reduced in the title. Once you click on the ad you find the price to be $550, which is only $25 lower than a new one. No one is going to buy it with a 4% reduction. Once you hang out on the forums a while you notice the patterns, same people asking too much and then they type REDUCED in the title and reduce the item slightly, over and over. I sell my things differently, I figure to myself what the lowest price I am willing to take for an item is and list it at that and I usually sell everything within an hour of posting. My Air Ranger took about 5 days but it's a high ticket item. The last thing I sold was a Sidewinder for $275. I mean yeah $350 would have been nice but I gave AJ a great deal and the 75 bucks won't change my life. To me it is worth sacrificing a bit of cash to avoid the hassle of a multi-day sale with a bunch of inquiries, many of them being full of doody. I learned that the hard way. Like any preowned item sale, it is a subjective pricing scheme and the value of an item really is determined by the buyers for the most part IMO. Also it seems that any custom additions, regardless of what they are added to never garner close to actual value. For this reason I usually sell the addons separately. As a side note I may be selling a 2 month old perfect Airmax 30 soon so keep the eyes out for a Papa O pricing special soon

 

[Michael]

If the used item is in Excellent condition I generally ask 20% - 25% less than retail. Asking prices are further reduced depending on the condition. 

Rare or custom items generally hold their value a bit better. 

 

[lamarkeiko]

Michael, you have got me thinking, because I have RWS 52 that I want to sell. I consider I excellent, because it still looks like it was when I purchased it, and it has been shot about 1000 rounds. The thing is, this gun is 11 years old and a new one at Pyramid Air costs about $180 more than I paid new. Would you still consider 25% of retail for selling this gun, which is still more than I paid?
Lamar

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

Things have changed fast!
Just a few years ago factory regulated rigs were FEW indedd, now so common and inexpensive everyone wants one ( makes sense ) , Blue Book of Airguns was ALWAYS over priced & didn't reflect much except the HIGFHEST asking price found in ads. 
The telephone gen. ( no offense just more modern than I ) some people think they can just grab knowledge off the internet.
Not all but many/most(?) seem to want the latest greatest and airgun things are changing fast.
Perhaps only 5 years ago people would pay a premium for a rifle that won one or more National matchs , now not a chance, it's a single shot.
For many years you could carefully make airgun purchases and loose little to no money ( the very first AA MPR FT rifles were sold at $595.00 IF you knew where & when, they then sold for $1,000+ a week later, good investment ).


lamarko, just 5 years ago, yes you 52 would be worth a bit, maybe $500.00, in the last month I have seen three ( RWS 52' .22 ) sell for under $300.00 , try and resell a 54 and you take a larger hit.

New ( this years model ) if in good shape 25% off the LOWEST price anyone can find seems real to me.

Noticed ( so far) Crosman has stopped selling refurbs ( where do they go ???? ) maybe a good move too, does keep their price ( not resell just sale ) up, refurb marauders w/warrenty for under $300.00 did - to me- reduce resale value/price. Lowest price I have seen on a 1720T was $295.00 at ( ugh ) Walmart, had to have one and now will not pay more for another esp. if used.

Theses are the Good Ole Days, but the airguns hiolding value better thjan Gold are ( in general ) long gone.

John

 

[T3PRanch]

I agree 100% about the Blue Book but it does provide a best case used price for a "Newbie Airgunner" to work from.
There is an interesting article in the latest Pyramyd Air Catalog Volume 11 Page 9 by Tom Gaylord titles "Airguns as investments".

Thurmond

 

[marcella69]

Mouse, there are many factors at play re resell values of airguns. I've found demand to be at the top of that list. Resell value for top of the line rifles such as FX, Daystate, and RAW command 70% (or better) of retail resale value due to long waiting times for new guns. Payment and shipping details also play a major role. Whether payment is PayPal (Friends & Family) or PayPal (Standard) materially affects price, as well. PayPal (Standard) charges a fee and availability of funds is delayed. PayPal (Friends & Family) does not. This commands a premium. The distance to be shipped is also important, and also whether the goods are so valuable as to require insurance. The gestalt of these factors determine the purchase price of used airguns.

I would recommend scouring the Classifieds to see what various guns have sold for. (This is the reason Michael requires SOLD posts to remain up.) Good luck .