I visited a sporting goods store recently, one in which they sell hunting, fishing, boating camping and hiking gear and supplies (among other things). I was like a playful kid in a toyshop, I couldn't keep my hands off of the rifles on the used gun rack. I picked up one after the other and admired each with a gleam in my eye and felt a tug on my purse strings each time I handled one of those beauties. I was looking for a Remington Model 8 in .35 Remington but sadly (and luckily for me) they did not have one. Had they one in stock, I likely would have been several hundred dollars poorer had I succumbed to my impulses or just in a poorer mood had I not bought it.
While I did not see one of them, I saw lots of other toys that called my name, especially those in 22LR. They all had a strong allure for me, from the mundane Marlin Model 60, to the very fun Ruger 10/22 with hardwood stock, to a Winchester model 25 to at least another dozen and a half that I looked at. There is a certain 22 I would have considered buying had they had one in stock and that is the Marlin Levermatic; I had one with some minor problems and sold it. While I don't really regret selling that one, I would like another in excellent condition. Again tough, sadly and luck for me - they did not have one.
As for the rifles they did have, I did not bother looking at the prices on most of them simply because I was not about to buy any of them; however, I did notice the price on one of them. That one was a Ruger 10/22, apparently the standard model with the hardwood stock. They had a price tag on it asking for $279.00. I thought it must have been a misprint or that I had been mistaken in thinking it the standard model so I looked it over again. It was the standard model, without modifications, as far as I could tell. I literally scratched my head in wonder about the price on it. Yes, it was in very good to excellent condition, looked almost new - remember I was looking at the guns on the used gun rack - but it was used and they were asking for what I was pretty sure was more than the selling price of one brand spanking new in the box. Made me ask myself how anyone would buy a used one, at the price they were asking and also had me asking myself if gun prices had gone up that much recently to have made that a reasonable asking price for a used 10/22.
Right after looking at the Ruger 10/22, I picked up a Marlin Model 60, obviously somewhat of an older gun, with wood stock, in what appeared to be very good condition. Marlin has probably made tens of thousands of the model 60, if not hundreds of thousands of them. There was nothing special about that gun either except, I think, for the price. They were asking well over what I figured one would go for new but since I cannot recall the exact asking price that is all I iwll say about the price tag. Again though, I stood there in awestruck wonderment trying to figure out how they had the brass cojones to ask a price like the one they had on that Marlin Model 60; I was pretty sure there was no way in Hades that a used Marlin Model 60 was worth that much.
I have known since my first visit to that particular store, many years ago, that they have rather high prices on much of their merchandise. Yet, one can sometimes find excellent bargains there so I go back now and again and anyway. As for the bargains, I found none that were appealing to me but I did buy quite a few things that I needed and also bought some gifts for my family.
As for the prices on those two rifles - normally, I would leave it at that but for some reason those prices continued to bore their way under my skin and annoy the hell out of me. Perhaps it was mostly me doubting my own knowledge of gun prices or just idle curiosity that had me check on those prices but regardless of the reason that is what I did just this morning. I went to the store's website and checked on their pricing for both a new Ruger 10/22 and a new Marlin Model 60. They had several Ruger 10/22 variations available but the standard model with wood stock was listed at $249.99. The Marlin Model 60 was only available with a synthetic stock and it was listed at $169.99 and let me just say here that the asking price of the used Model 60 was quite a bit higher than that. Maybe I was wrong, maybe those rifles on the used gun rack were special ones in some way, shape or form. Yet, I sure could not see what made them any better than standard models that were new in the box since they sure looked like used standard models to me.
Anyway, after checking on the prices for new ones, I did some head scratching again. Then I smiled due to a feeling of almost overwhelming contentment with myself. That was because it was at that moment I had realized - I had never bought a used gun from that store. I probably will never buy a used gun from them at prices like that either. That is not to say that I'd never buy a used gun from them. I might do just that if they offer one at a bargain or even a decent price.
As for you, you can do whatever you want with your money but I would recommend following the old saying: Buyer beware. You really need to know your gun values before buying a used or new one. Now, I am not trying to sway you one way or another on whether or not to spend it at any particular store, thus the reason I am not naming the establishment. I am just letting you know about what I saw there this past weekend that irked me like chigger boring into my hide until I got it out of my system by blogging about it today. As I said, you can spend your money however you want to spend it. Me though, if I wanted a Ruger 10/22, I'd buy a new one, probably for even a good deal less than the $249.99 they are asking, then I'd use the difference to purchase as much 22LR ammo as I could with it (which sadly isn't much as of late).
All the best,
Glenn B
