The time has come to make an offer on an MG...now what?

[crackback 135]

Hey folks... .its been a really long time. Been working non stop it seems since July and I'm glad to be back. Well I now finally have the funds, the trust, and have picked out my first MG. I just have to make an offer. Now the obvious difference here when buying an MG vs the other NFA's is that it is not a commodity but more akin to a collectable e.g baseball cards, 63 Corvettes, original Alberto Vargas lithographs, etc.. in terms of pricing and the inefficiencies of the market. So my question is, when buying from a dealer:

 

1.) Is the price listed the so called "suckers price"? For example the prices over at autoweapons are really high compared to others.

 

2.) What do you assume his markup over cost is? 10%, 20% , more, less? What if it is "new made" i.e registered Uzi bolts/ side plates/ tubes that were finally just built into fully operational MG's in the last year or so for the dealer to stock?

 

3.) How has the economy affected their willingness to deal, if at all?

 

4.) I have haggled over cars, Les Paul's, 5.0 parts, but never anything as off the beaten path like this. I am asking for your experiences in buying MGs especially if you negotiated a price lower than the listed one. Thank you much in advance.

 

690.

[Shandlanos 1,470]

A good friend of mine is an SOT, so I've gotten to see it from both sides. Small dealers like to move machine guns as fast as possible - they want to have such a large amount of money tied up as briefly as possible. The profit margins, percentage-wise, tend to be pretty poor - rarely more than 15%, and often substantially lower. My friend tries to already have a buyer lined up before purchasing a transferable machine gun, unless the price is unusually good and he knows he can turn it quickly. The percentage markup tends to be low, but the dollar number of course is high - buying an M-16 for $12k and turning it for $13.5k within a day or two is pretty sweet. Some dealers don't mind having tons of money tied up in a machine gun, and a lot of dealers sell machine guns on consignment. In either of these cases, there's likely to be relatively little room for haggling.

 

Research the heck out of the particular weapon you're buying - look at Sturmgewehr and Subguns classifieds for comparable firearms. When it comes to bolts/side plates/tubes, it depends on a bunch of factors, including but not limited to the manufacturer of the registered part, the manufacturer and condition of the host gun or parts kit, and who performed the installation or build. A lot of sellers pull crazy numbers out of their asses - sometimes they find an equally crazy buyer. Some firearms were produced in great enough quantities that their market values are relatively easy to determine - M11/9 SMGs and AR drop-in auto sears, for example.

 

I wouldn't say the listed price is the suckers price, with most dealers. Some will try to fuck you - there are some in every business. With reputable dealers, the sticker price is usually a fair price, or very close. I did see one ass-clown dealer, who shall remain nameless, trying to sell a worn Maramount M-60 for $55k...

 

If you're buying from a dealer, research the dealer, talk to folks who've done business with him before. Buying from an individual or a dealer, research the firearm in question and learn as much as you can - exactly what you've done with cars, learn what to look for, and examine the firearm with a fine-tooth comb. The most important piece of advice I can give is to be prepared to walk away from the deal.

[armalite_ar50 86]

Alot of things come into play with Reg. reciever Vs. bolt/tube gun.

 

No bolt can be caliber swapped so once you but a (lets say 9mm REG, UZI bolt ) that's what ya got. I've seen the same on tube guns like the sterling and sten.

 

Make a offer on the gun .... Doesn't hurt.

What does it come with? lots of mags and spare parts and ammo? or just the gun and one mag?

 

Inspect it real well. not just once but go back two or three times and look @ it. Each time you will notice something you missed before.

 

Do a Reffrence check on strum with the sellers name... (( believe me if he's a SOT they will tell you what to expect))

 

iF IT'S A "NEW" built gun does it have a warrenty that it will run 100% ?

THe worst MG to buy is a NIB M/11 9mm since they were cranked out so fast in the end. They were gettin them papered then fixing the bugs later.

 

I know it's "new" but can you shoot it before you buy it or see video of it in action?

 

NOW my perwsonal Exp.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

I bought a MG ( Reg Rec).from a private seller in state on a F4.

saw vid of it in action and it came with over 50 lbs of spare stuff.

 

I got it @ a smok'n deal seller was out of work for 4 months and bills were due.

Paid for the gun got everything less REG REC.

 

Sold all the "crap" I didn't need/want,

final cost of the gun was 1500.00 after selling the stuff I didn't need/want. in state F4 was 8 weeks turn around time.

 

Friend bought a REG BOLT GUN ( 8th MG 1st REG bolt) came with a warrenty gun didn't run.

We knew why I had the part he needed. his response was F NO it's under warrenty let them fix it. Well THEY did ... 8 MONTHS LATER!!!!!!!!!!

 

needles to say HE was a little pissed.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===

 

My advice is look @ it long and hard make a offer find out all you can and what said gun is bringing today.

NEVER BUY for resale as it's the NFA world and things change by the day.

buy it to have fun even if that's only showing your friends and never shooting it.

 

MOST importantly buy it because you can afford it and you want it....

[Swapilot 0]

Alot of things come into play with Reg. reciever Vs. bolt/tube gun.

 

No bolt can be caliber swapped so once you but a (lets say 9mm REG, UZI bolt ) that's what ya got. I've seen the same on tube guns like the sterling and sten.

 

Make a offer on the gun .... Doesn't hurt.

What does it come with? lots of mags and spare parts and ammo? or just the gun and one mag?

 

Inspect it real well. not just once but go back two or three times and look @ it. Each time you will notice something you missed before.

 

Do a Reffrence check on strum with the sellers name... (( believe me if he's a SOT they will tell you what to expect))

 

iF IT'S A "NEW" built gun does it have a warrenty that it will run 100% ?

THe worst MG to buy is a NIB M/11 9mm since they were cranked out so fast in the end. They were gettin them papered then fixing the bugs later.

 

I know it's "new" but can you shoot it before you buy it or see video of it in action?

 

NOW my perwsonal Exp.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

I bought a MG ( Reg Rec).from a private seller in state on a F4.

saw vid of it in action and it came with over 50 lbs of spare stuff.

 

I got it @ a smok'n deal seller was out of work for 4 months and bills were due.

Paid for the gun got everything less REG REC.

 

Sold all the "crap" I didn't need/want,

final cost of the gun was 1500.00 after selling the stuff I didn't need/want. in state F4 was 8 weeks turn around time.

 

Friend bought a REG BOLT GUN ( 8th MG 1st REG bolt) came with a warrenty gun didn't run.

We knew why I had the part he needed. his response was F NO it's under warrenty let them fix it. Well THEY did ... 8 MONTHS LATER!!!!!!!!!!

 

needles to say HE was a little pissed.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===

 

My advice is look @ it long and hard make a offer find out all you can and what said gun is bringing today.

NEVER BUY for resale as it's the NFA world and things change by the day.

buy it to have fun even if that's only showing your friends and never shooting it.

 

MOST importantly buy it because you can afford it and you want it....

 

 

That's funny, my first MG was a Mac11 9mm and it runs perfect.

 

It was NIB