Why so expensive?

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I went to the Marlboro show with a buddy of mine who is a Mass resident. He was looking for some good deals, but didnt really see anything he liked. As he was looking at some guns, I noticed they seem to be alot more pricey than in RI. Even some of the used guns they had there, could be purchased new in RI for less money. So I guess im wondering if anyone can explain to me why guns cost so much more in Mass?
 
I went to the Marlboro show with a buddy of mine who is a Mass resident. He was looking for some good deals, but didnt really see anything he liked. As he was looking at some guns, I noticed they seem to be alot more pricey than in RI. Even some of the used guns they had there, could be purchased new in RI for less money. So I guess im wondering if anyone can explain to me why guns cost so much more in Mass?

They don't , actually, you just need to look in the right places. A gun show is about the last place on the planet you are going to find a deal.

-Mike
 
what mike said. find a nice shop that has lots of traffic and a good track record. there are deals to be had and frankly you can own just about any pistol you desire if you find someone willing to sell...

Dom
 
what mike said. find a nice shop that has lots of traffic and a good track record. there are deals to be had and frankly you can own just about any pistol you desire if you find someone willing to sell...

Dom
or the classifieds here have some deals to be had from time to time!
 
I went to the Marlboro show with a buddy of mine who is a Mass resident. He was looking for some good deals, but didnt really see anything he liked. As he was looking at some guns, I noticed they seem to be alot more pricey than in RI. Even some of the used guns they had there, could be purchased new in RI for less money. So I guess im wondering if anyone can explain to me why guns cost so much more in Mass?

demand and supply.
 
here in ma if you want you have to pay for it

This is why I don't own a glock.. I refuse to pay a couple hundred more than retail for a used gun. I understand there are deals out there on them and until I see one, I won't own one.

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I went to a show out there and I think a good rule of thumb is to go to gun shows for anything but guns.
I got some great 2-pistol soft cases for 16 bucks. I searched all over the web to find them but haven't come up with anything. The gun prices were pretty nasty.
 
i think it depends on your definition of gunshow. the small fleamarkets for guns that disuise themselves as gunshows are nothing more than small stores and pawn shops displaying their junk for outrageous prices. real gunshows usually have good deals
 
If the gun's still on the dealer's table 4 hours into the show....then the price is too high. Especially with used stuff, there's no "real" price until $ changes hands.

I've sold at Marlboro, and I've generally priced the stuff at blue-sky-retail+20%. Or what I thought was that figure. I've had 20 people look at something and say, "That's too much!" and number 21 jump on the deal as though it was water in the desert. So, apparently, it wasn't priced too high, but the first 2 lookie-loos were just cheap bastids! [laugh]

Dealers make money at the show...you can tell this, as they keep coming back. So....apparently the stuff is priced appropriately, for enough people.

It's not the deal you get, it's the deal you think you get!
 
This is why I don't own a glock.. I refuse to pay a couple hundred more than retail for a used gun. I understand there are deals out there on them and until I see one, I won't own one.

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Pristine with 3 mags and Holster; Gen 3 Glock 17 for $500 - you can get a Glock in MA for what they should go for elsewhere, keep your eyes open they pop up ALL the time.
 
Pristine with 3 mags and Holster; Gen 3 Glock 17 for $500 - you can get a Glock in MA for what they should go for elsewhere, keep your eyes open they pop up ALL the time.

that's not bad. i got my 2nd gen wth a holster, two mags, and 100 rounds of ammo because i had to go to the range right then and there for about $550 i think.

OP: you just know where to look--otherwise you're going to be taking it up the poop-chute from blue falcons in MA who want to bend you over and make you pay MA prices on stuff. you don't always have to do this. it pisses me off when i see stuff going for hundreds of dollars above what it should sell for and then people buying it. i feel bad for 'em.
 
I went to the Marlboro show with a buddy of mine who is a Mass resident. He was looking for some good deals, but didnt really see anything he liked. As he was looking at some guns, I noticed they seem to be alot more pricey than in RI. Even some of the used guns they had there, could be purchased new in RI for less money. So I guess im wondering if anyone can explain to me why guns cost so much more in Mass?

I have wondered this myself. I have seen used guns for sale here that are priced higher then what I bought them for new here in Maine.
 
I didn't get a chance to walk around the show at Marlboro much as I was working a booth so I can only speak from what we had displayed. I think there are definitely some deals to be had but many of them go early. Ex. we sold two of the Ruger 10/22 TD's for $306 each. That seemed like a pretty good price as they both went early on Saturday. There's also a difference between used guns & new guns. The markup on new guns isn't huge so there often isn't a lot of wiggle room on the price. On used guns there's usually a little more room to bargain.

Again, I'm speaking from the inventory we had at the show (Gun & Gear, LLC, Agawam, MA).
 
You can usually negotiate price at a gun show. The asking price is not the same as the selling price. If the dealer doesn't want to negotiate, move on.

You can usually negotiate at gun shops, too - the only time in the last few years I've paid the actual marked price on the tag for a gun was at the January Marlborough gun show. IDC, Callaghan's - they'll haggle a bit if you try, usually.
 
Pristine with 3 mags and Holster; Gen 3 Glock 17 for $500 - you can get a Glock in MA for what they should go for elsewhere, keep your eyes open they pop up ALL the time.

True.. I did see a very well priced glock 27 at the show but when I went back it was gone :mad:
 
This is why I don't own a glock.. I refuse to pay a couple hundred more than retail for a used gun. I understand there are deals out there on them and until I see one, I won't own one.

That's you're problem- you're obviously not looking very hard if you are paying a couple hundred more than retail. I'll leave it at that.

-Mike
 
I have wondered this myself. I have seen used guns for sale here that are priced higher then what I bought them for new here in Maine.

What people price stuff out as (eg in the classifieds) and what it actually gets sold for, are usually two different things.

Some crap there is always an MA premium on (like Preban rifles) and that is pretty much unavoidable, though. The rest is negotiable. [laugh]

-Mike
 
That's you're problem- you're obviously not looking very hard if you are paying a couple hundred more than retail. I'll leave it at that.

-Mike

Haha you're 100 % right. I'm not really looking .. just what I've seen when browsing, even the classifieds here. Maybe not always $200 more but very often $100 or more over the new models available in free states or those lucky enough to find an FFL willing to make the sale.
 
Haha you're 100 % right. I'm not really looking .. just what I've seen when browsing, even the classifieds here. Maybe not always $200 more but very often $100 or more over the new models available in free states or those lucky enough to find an FFL willing to make the sale.

Make offers, and start networking with people. Things will magically get cheaper.

Keeping your eyes peeled helps, too. For example, last year at marlboro I saw a decent Gen 3 G17 that had some holster wear, but it was well under $500. Nobody was looking at it because the slide scared them away, but if it really bothered you you could get it refinished down the road.

-Mike
 
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it pisses me off when i see stuff going for hundreds of dollars above what it should sell for and then people buying it. i feel bad for 'em.

+1, I see a lot of Glocks going for $800 or more but people buy them. Not me, I like glocks but finger grooves and a light rail aren't worth almost double the price of what the gun is worth....keep it I'll go without.
 
*laugh* This is what kills me....I network, but hardly anyone know who I am as I tend to be uncomfortable around people I don't know, so I've gotten 'wish I knew you better', and I've been the one to show then X pistol at the range.....but I do highly recommend networking!!! There's a lot available in Mass if you can do it!!! (my biggest break through...finally asking someone if I could have them order lead to ship to them (NH)...and I beat myself up for a month after for asking).....Don't Be Like Me!!!

:)

*who's realized he's best as a fictional character*
 
*laugh* This is what kills me....I network, but hardly anyone know who I am as I tend to be uncomfortable around people I don't know, so I've gotten 'wish I knew you better', and I've been the one to show then X pistol at the range.....but I do highly recommend networking!!! There's a lot available in Mass if you can do it!!! (my biggest break through...finally asking someone if I could have them order lead to ship to them (NH)...and I beat myself up for a month after for asking).....Don't Be Like Me!!!

:)

*who's realized he's best as a fictional character*

If you have not already - join a club, and some Pro-2nd organizations. Get active in both, and when I say active that is not going to the range a lot. Get involved and the opportunities for a good deal will grow greatly for you.
 
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