Buying used rifles with aftermarket parts.

[wvlongshot]

How does everybody else place the value on used hunting style rifles built with custom parts. Value it based on what it cost new when bought from the gunsmith or builder? Base the value on what all the parts would cost new and no labor value? Or just what the market would bear, and see what happened via OBO.
I know this is a broad question, but there is a reason I'm asking. Thanks
Scott.

 

[Terry]

I have sold them for the price of the parts.

 

[FatBoy]

For me:

Stocks hold good value if they are bedded properly or are not yet bedded.

Barrels I question, especially if they are used. I always buy used knowing it may be shot out, chambered wrong, etc. So I put little value on them beyond maybe half the costs of a new barrel unless they are new and can be rechambered or are a known rifle (buying from a known shooter)and can be verified chambered by a reputable gunsmith.

All the rest of the stuff is whatever value you put on it. Is a badger base worth more than a couple redfields? Is a bushed firing pin or a sako extractor worth it for your purposes? Do you require a bolted on bolt handle, etc.

I always buy as cheap as I can as I know I will be changing it in one fashion or another to fit my needs.

If the one you are looking at is exactly what you want the way you want it, snap it up and save yourself a 4-24 month wait. In those rare cases, I pay asking price and can't get the money out fast enough.

 

[ballistic64]

Brand new Rem 300UM Sendero...........................$1050.00
Lilja sendero contour bbl......................................$ 340.00
JP eliminator.......................................................$ 100.00
Smith work (true action,flute bolt,chamber bbl. to
300 wsm,inst. new lug,tap to 8-40,inst. brake.........$ 635.00

Total........$2125.00

Could I expect to get this total out of it, even not fired? I seriously doubt it.

 

[michaelnel]

I think sometimes things that have aftermarket parts and tweaking are worth LESS to people than stock ones. We don't know exactly what was done or the quality of workmanship to do it. As a seller, I have found it better to remove aftermarket stuff, sell the piece stock if possible, then sell the farkles separately.

 

[FatBoy]

Brand new Rem 300UM Sendero...........................$1050.00
Lilja sendero contour bbl......................................$ 340.00
JP eliminator.......................................................$ 100.00
Smith work (true action,flute bolt,chamber bbl. to
300 wsm,inst. new lug,tap to 8-40,inst. brake.........$ 635.00

Total........$2125.00

Could I expect to get this total out of it, even not fired? I seriously doubt it.

Maybe not, but it sounds like you really should be getting in on Elk draws and getting after it. That sounds like a nice piece.

 

[wvlongshot]

I was trying to make an offer on a rifle someone had for sale on another site. It had been up for awhile, and the owner had came down on the price in the post. I made contact and then was pretty much chewed out because his stuff cost him x amount of $ when new from gunsmith. And I was a @hole for making an offer equal to what the parts to build it minus labor would be.
A simple no thanks works.
Attitude gets nowhere.

I'm pretty sure this is the only site I will be dealing on in the future.
Thanks guys for the replys.

 

[Chief 101]

I was trying to make an offer on a rifle someone had for sale on another site. It had been up for awhile, and the owner had came down on the price in the post. I made contact and then was pretty much chewed out because his stuff cost him x amount of $ when new from gunsmith. And I was a @hole for making an offer equal to what the parts to build it minus labor would be.

The gunsmith already go paid for his work, why should the seller charge again for the same work...unless I know a seller and rifle real well I would rather do my own customization, or have it done, thank you very much.

 

[wvlongshot]

As I said it was just a hunting style rifle, not a showpiece, clearcoated, tuned by Jim Ohara, shooting machine that's shooting in the 1s. Sometimes time spent by a pro on all the little stuff is worth big $$$$.
This was just a nice hunting stick.

 

[wapiti25]

I just bought a rifle from a friend, I paid less than half of what he paid with 300 rnds down the barrel. It was done by one of this site's gunsmiths but it is not right so I will need to work on it. By knowing the gun I made a very good deal. I will take it to Phoenix in Feb.

 

[dryhumor]

Part of the loss is the depreciation from the enjoyment of the rifle.....