Haven’t heard of Armslist? Don’t worry you’re not alone. However, Armslist does happen to be one of the most popular sites for firearm classifieds. Set up in much the same way as Craigslist, items are listed based on city location so that you can search specific to certain geographic area. I tested Armslist myself for the first time this past week after much hesitation and a lot of research regarding the subject. As any firearms lover will understand, there are three key elements that control our addiction. Quite simply these are: the size of our safes, the size of your wallet, and the patience of your loving wife. Personally I’m lucky enough to have a very patient wife, but the other two were getting tight, so if I wanted to pick up something different something had to go. That is when I decided to try selling two pieces from my collection. Just to be clear, I’ve had these for sale a number of months now among friends with no result, which lead me to follow a suggestion from @TennesseeMatt who has had some success recently with using Armslist. As I mentioned, I’ve done quite a bit of research prior to listing so I will share with you my key learnings here.
- First, search your firearm on the site to determine what others are asking. Remember that they keyword here is “asking”…. Just because someone has their piece listed above retail doesn’t mean that is what they are selling for. Be realistic and simply use this as a guide. What I did notice however was that most people were asking far more than I felt the value of either of my guns to be worth. I would recommend listing as either a “firm” price or just slightly higher
- Second, you will receive more offers to trade than offers to buy. A full 95% of respondents I had were wanting to full or partial trade. Most gun owners, like myself, aren’t looking to get out of the gun hobby- they are just looking to try out some other cool toys. My advice here is simple…. Listen to any offer that comes your way. Many offers that I had were extremely generous in my opinion, and ones that I would never have thought about otherwise. This can make the transaction a win-win for everyone involved.
- Third, be ultra safe and extra cautious. I listed requesting email responses only. Expect a lot of questions, and feel free to do the same. Don’t give out personal information. If you are going to meet someone, be safe in terms of the place as well. Pick a spot with good lighting that is public enough to have people within earshot and good visibility. Use your head, if someone wants to meet outback of the Waffle House at 3am this should be a clear signal that you don’t want to do business with them. Keep in mind that these people are likely carrying a firearm at the meeting, and you should be too!
- Fourth, I would recommend not doing any transaction without doing the proper paperwork at a gunshop to transfer ownership. If that isn’t possible you at least want to put together a typewritten bill of sale with serial numbers and drivers license numbers. Both parties should get a copy with signatures from both people.
- Expect immediate responses if you’ve prices your items appropriately. Make sure you reply to each and every one. People that take the time to reply to your listing deserve some sort of response, even if it is simply to say no thank you.
Overall I have had a fantastic first experience with Armslist.com. In less than 24 hours of my initial posts I was able to unload the two guns I was thinking of getting rid of. I would highly recommend the site as an option with the proper precautions. As with anything in life, common sense is key. Unfortunately common sense is sometimes in short supply.