Long before I really got into hunting and acquiring firearms, I had a friend who is now deceased, that acquired all his hunting rifles from Pawn Shops.
He always knew how to bargain and came away with a good deal plus a good rifle.
He would start with a percentage figure below the asking price and had a percentage figure he would not go over. I never knew these percentages, but I wish I had them now.
In the Pawn Shops in my area it looks like the rifles that go quick are the 30-06, 270, 30-30 and 308. It seems the "Big Bores" stay on the rack longer. The "Big Bore" rifles are the ones I want to go for.
Question: How is the best way to bargain for a firearm in a Pawn Shop? Is there a percentage thing like I described above or is it like buying a new car--Back and Forth?
I don't have a "Big Bore" in my collection and I thought this might be the way to add one.

Thanks for any help

Mauser K98

I have found that it is very dependent on the owner, or person you deal with at the counter. Some don't haggle much, others will.

I go in with what it is worth to me and hit them $50 bucks under that provided it isn't insulting. I have seen a few guns that were priced well outside of reality but convincing them of that wasn't possible.

If it is one that I want, I keep checking in every so often and reminding them that they have a buyer at my price. Most of the time they eventually cave if it sits too long.

Sometimes it doesn't work, but your out nothing for trying.

Jeremy

I've picked up some great rifles from pawn shops over the years. My last find was a Magnaported CRF Model 70 in .458 Win Mag with a beautiful fancy grade walnut stock and 1.5-5x20mm Leupold on a Griffin & Howe side mount. Someone put a lot of money into that rifle and I got it for $1,100. Deduct $400 for the scope, and the stock blank probably cost nearly as much as I paid for the rifle. It shoots cloverleaves at 100 yards with factory ammo, so I couldn't be happier with that bargain.

In my experience, there's not much room to haggle. If I find something I want, typically I'll ask the owner if they have any room to work with on the price. Usually they'll come back with a lower price. If the rifle is a consignment, they have less room to work with than if they took it in trade or bought it, because they have to meet a minimum price specified by the owner, plus their commission.

If they took it in trade, and I think the price is still too high, then I may make a counter offer ("Would you take $XXX.") or pay the price they offered if I believe it's fair, or pass. I don't haggle beyond that. I'm sure some people think that's acceptable, but I think it's rude and unlikely to get you a good price if you ever come back to the same shop again.

You're right that the bigger bore rifles tend to sit on the shelf longer, especially in this area (western Washington state), where no one has any real use for anything above a .338. Even the .338s don't sell and are often nearly new, because most people exceed their recoil threshold at .338 Win Mag.

I'm always looking for .375s, .416s, or .458s that someone found was too much gun for them, or that they didn't have a legitimate need for. I've also bought a couple .338s that looked like they'd been fired exactly once.

375 winchester is the biggest bore i think i've seen in a pawn shop, other than trapdoors and front stuffers..

insulting a pawn broker? seriously, this is a thing?

true story .. walked into a pawn shop, saw a very bubba'd 1917 enfield -- made by winchester -- the OWNER (and FFL holder) swore up and down that $1,950 for a "pre-64 winchester" was a "fair price" but hinted he might reduce $100 for cash ---

after i got myself under control from laughing so hard, i offered $300, cash - he asked me to explain myself -- i asked for coffee and a chair, and we talked awhile....

no, i didn't leave with it... its been about 7 years, and it was still there last summer...


if a pawn shop gave 25% of "retail" value, i'd likely buy that rifle... with retail being the price on the tag --

Jeffe has a point. If they don't come down to your price. Leave. You cannot possibly insult a pawnshop owner regarding negotiations. Come back a month later with a lower price.

hello gentlemen...my brother operates a pawn shop and is my 'FFL' for any guns i buy that have to go to a dealer. he says he never gets offended by any offers because lots of times the prospective buyer will come back with a better offer. i guess i should add he is a pretty laid back person that seldom gets upset and is very patient.
if you visit a shop enough and don't make a lot of idiotic comments, you may be surprised at how well some pawnbrokers work with you. i get calls from a couple of shops nearby whenever they get something i have interest in, and sometimes i get the item before it ever hits the rack! i agree that big bore rifles seldom find their way to a pawn shop, unless they are muzzle loaders. around my neck of the woods anything over 30 caliber is considered 'big"! the best thing about pawn shops is you never know what you may find!

As a general rule most pawn shops operate under the 1/3-2/3 rule or the twice price rule. Simply put they "attempt" to pay no more than 1/3 of the retail price they will ask or they pay no more than half of the retail they will accept. A lot depends on the shop, is it a jumbled mess that doesn't care if it is running out of retail space or is it a cleanly presented area with show cases etc. The latter will value it's shop space more than the former. Therefore dealing on a price may be easier in the prettier shops that need to keep merchandise moving.

Pawn shops and their owners can be funny things. No two are the same.

Macs -- no, they dont -- not in Texas - 25% is TOP DOLLAR for buying ...

In my limited experience…
If the buyer knows the length of time the rifle has been on the shelf the better his chances of a better price if the rifle has been for sale for a year or more. New inventory has little chance for a lower price as the chances of it selling are good. Months pass, sometimes years, and the seller is more willing to get rid of it.
That said, most pawn shop owners are throw backs in the gene pool and are in the business to screw people out of their money--low income folks are most sought out.
Cal

From my experience, getting acquainted with the shop owners and expressing an interest in certain types of guns can open the door to some reasonable deals. As others have said a lot depends on that particular shop owner.

As someone else mentioned, apart from the various 45/70's and the occasional muzzle loaders, I have only ran on to one actual Big Bore at a Pawn Shop, a Ruger Model 77 Tang Safety in .458 Win. Mag. and bought it.

I read many years ago, perhaps in Trump's "Art of the Deal", this negotiation strategy:

Have three number in mind prior to negotiation. First, the target, most desirable number. Second, the number you think most accurately represents the value of the object. Third, the highest (or lowest) number you will accept.

I applied this in many real estate transactions. This method gave me confidence during a negotiation.

I went into a pawn shop looking for a chainsaw and walked out with a Model 70 African 458 for $500. Guess it has been there for a long time and they kept lowering the price til I snatched it up.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Macs -- no, they dont -- not in Texas - 25% is TOP DOLLAR for buying ...

Thats what you get for living in Texas!

Macs,
Come on down.. there's lone star and salt lick bbq here... what else ya got? nice pawn brokers isn't really a draw

I know that buying used rifles is different than buying a used car -- cars have more wheels.

I have bought a LOT of used cars over the years and have always selected a low ball price that I knew would insult the salesman.

I generally ended up within a couple hundred of my initial offer, and always satisfied.

My theory is simple: you can always offer more, never less. If the seller's eyes light up at your number, you are probably paying too much.

Did that once on a used Kawasaki 900, and got burned badly.

More than once I have turned to leave and had salesman physically restrain me to prevent me from leaving. Once, I actually drove off the lot with the salesman hanging on my car door.

I do love this stuff after all these years...

Warning, don't try these tactics with drug dealers.

I couldn't even begin to count the firearms I have bought in Pawn shops, and so far I have no complaints..check the bore and function and go from there..Not all pawn shop guns shoot one inch groups nor do factory rifles, if your not happy with one then take it back and trade for another or sell it...I buy all my Leupold scopes from pawn shops and the internet, have for years. The guarantee is good for the life of the scope from Leupold..You can save a ton of money buying good used guns..A new gun is used the day you walk out of the store, and that's usually a financial lost from the get go.

The only thing I suggest is that you know your guns if you buy used ones. I see no reason to insult anyone when buying or selling guns, I would make an offer and expect a counter offer, if you feel it was too much just don't buy it, I also know it is easier to deal with pawn brokers or anyone else, once you get to know them. Same with the gun dept. in a sporting goods store..

The killer on a gun deal or any other transaction is a bad or smart attitude. A friendly approach and being totally honest is always best.

I have seen quite a number of Big Bores in Pawn shops locally, but Twin Falls is limited on where you can sell guns, and our pawn brokers take a lot of guns on consignment. I saw two double rifles in a local sporting goods store a couple of years ago and they were on consignment. Seen some nice full blown custom big bores in one of our local pawn shops..

I've bought a ton of rifles at pawn shops but I could probably count on one hand all of the big bores I've seen.
I good friend of mine owned a pawn shop and according to him the stuff in the store is just there for looks and they don't have to sell anything, 99% of their money is from people paying on loans. so the only time they might actually be inclined to make a deal is at the end of the year so they don't have to pay inventory tax on an item

I found that true growing up in Texas, even a 338 was hard to peddle or find back then..mostly because their was no big animals to hunt, still isn't all that many..In the Pacific NW I see a lot more big bores for sale, elk and moose seem to be the reasoning..Lots of 375s, 416s and 458s to be had, and I see them in the field now and then, mostly gun nuts hunting elk, and ocassional double rifle show up. I see no real shortage of big bores in Idaho. Lots of gun folks up here that like to play with them, even have some big bore shoots.

rare around my parts to see big bore in a pawn shop, but on the other hand, that is good.. 30-30, 308, 30-06, and 270 are the big hunting calibers everyone wants around here.

a 375+ will set on the shelves and get dusty. both my 458 and 375 came from a pawn shop, and i got both for good discounts quite under retail

I've found that more and more pawnshops know what they have, as the internet is an easy tool to learn.

That said, a box of donuts or a pizza will always pay back huge dividends.

I have bought 6 guns from pawn shops. The two that were new turned out fine, the other 4 were train wrecks. The latest being a " like new" model 70 that had a faulty bolt release and a trigger that failed after 3 shots. Never again.