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I have never bought any pistols from collectors because in my opinion they are so much higher than the rest unless you are looking for something rare. I do on occasion go by and check out their holsters because they always have many custom holsters in stock. Shopping for ammo (45 acp) which nobody has except them it seemed in the area. I took the liberty of checking to see if they had any alexander arms 6.5 grendals in stock and sure enough they did.

I don't have the cash at the moment for one, but I have been thinking about trading my M1 garand, but wanted to see if any of you guys had experience traded firearms with them. I guess the real question is to day try and rip you off?

Thanks,

C

I have always known them to low-ball trade ins. I had a friend try to trade in a Glock there and he said they only offered him a something like $175 for a Glock that was in like new condition.

IMO, you'd do much better trading at a gun show than any retail gun shop. At least that's been my experience. I exhibited at all the big gun shows in the Ft.Worth/Dallas for many years, but that was back in the 80's to early 90's. Much has changed.

You stand getting a much better deal for yourself dealing with an individual(like an exhibitor at a gun show) than a retailer.

Again, IMO, a retail gun dealer will offer you about 30% - 45% of a gun's fair market value, if that much.

I had good luck with a trade in at Fountain Firearms. I'm not sure what you have up for trade but I was trading in a like new Armalite A2. It was a desirable trade at the time and they gave me more than what I thought I would get for sure. It didn't hurt that I was negotiating the trade/sale of a more expensive rifle they had in stock. So I'm sure they did not mind having another black rifle on the shelf and making a large sale on a Saturday afternoon. If you are trading something that is not in demand do not expect to get rich off of it. I think in the current market they will offer a fair value of the trade. PM and I will get into more specifics about my trade and their offer. Collectors in my opinion is too high priced on everything! If you want to fondle it or compare side by side they are great there customer service is also good, but all that does not over come the price difference. Last two items I sold were at a gun show just walking around with a sign taped on the pistol box.

I think their customer service is just ok. They have one guy in there right now that says he is from Washington DC and likes to spout forth bad information. Basically he told me wrong information on a rifle. I mentioned that I had a PS90 (the rifle he was putting out bad info on) and talked about how much I liked it. I didn't correct him because I just don't care enough to do so and get into a possible argument. I then mentioned how much I want to SBR and put a silencer on mine and he said to make sure that I never shoot anyone as it's an automatic conviction if I do so. I once again didn't correct him but instead gave him a look that could not be confused with anything else but me thinking he is a moron. He changed his tune and said something like maybe down here we would be ok but back home in DC blah blah blah. I just shrugged and walked away. Not worth my time and energy to argue out the fine details of a shooting with this guy.

I will say that it's hit an miss with them though. Sometimes I get guys that act like I'm asking them to do push-ups when I ask to see a firearm and then there are some that are really polite and will show you firearms. However as a general rule I don't ask to see it unless I really am thinking about buying it.

gregthehand wrote:I think their customer service is just ok. They have one guy in there right now that says he is from Washington DC and likes to spout forth bad information. Basically he told me wrong information on a rifle. I mentioned that I had a PS90 (the rifle he was putting out bad info on) and talked about how much I liked it. I didn't correct him because I just don't care enough to do so and get into a possible argument. I then mentioned how much I want to SBR and put a silencer on mine and he said to make sure that I never shoot anyone as it's an automatic conviction if I do so. I once again didn't correct him but instead gave him a look that could not be confused with anything else but me thinking he is a moron. He changed his tune and said something like maybe down here we would be ok but back home in DC blah blah blah. I just shrugged and walked away. Not worth my time and energy to argue out the fine details of a shooting with this guy.

I will say that it's hit an miss with them though. Sometimes I get guys that act like I'm asking them to do push-ups when I ask to see a firearm and then there are some that are really polite and will show you firearms. However as a general rule I don't ask to see it unless I really am thinking about buying it.

LOL hahahah i actauly met the guy befor and he sure is strange

Collector's does have a great holster supply. At least they dod 8 years ago when I got my first IWB. It was a Tucker before Tucker got huge. I went back after a few months because I needed some replacement kydex clips. I went back 6 months after that for more clips and they weren't selling Tucker anymore. Tucker by that time was starting to really take off so that didn't surprise me much. But the odd thing was that I was told that they had never sold tucker and the implication was that I was a bit off my rocker to think that I purchased the one I had from them. Since I had plunked down over 200 bones for a holster and belt, I'm pretty sure I would have remembered where it came from.

I haven't set foot in there since.

TDDude wrote:Collector's does have a great holster supply. At least they dod 8 years ago when I got my first IWB. It was a Tucker before Tucker got huge. I went back after a few months because I needed some replacement kydex clips. I went back 6 months after that for more clips and they weren't selling Tucker anymore. Tucker by that time was starting to really take off so that didn't surprise me much. But the odd thing was that I was told that they had never sold tucker and the implication was that I was a bit off my rocker to think that I purchased the one I had from them. Since I had plunked down over 200 bones for a holster and belt, I'm pretty sure I would have remembered where it came from.

I haven't set foot in there since.

Maybe you should have asked for your money back since they never sold you the holster.

Collectors Firearms and Fountain Firearms use to be the same outfit many, many moons ago. Collectors does historically low ball you on trade ins and asks a premium for their guns, but it is my opinion that the majority of the customers they service are not all that concerned about price. You will probably get a little better deal from Fountain Firearms, but you have to remember that most gun shops can’t afford to give you what your trade in is worth. As others have said, you would probably do better selling it at a gun show, etc.

What Collectors does have is a fantastic selection if you have the money. They have custom 1911s on the shelf that you might otherwise have to wait many months to secure. If you are into older firearms, few can beat Collectors.

The guys at Fountain Firearms in my opinion, are pretty straight shooters and don’t hype too much. If you don’t want to hear a gun counter salesman say stupid stuff, then you are pretty much going to have to avoid gun shops in general. I have run across morons at almost every shop I have ever been to at one time or another. I almost never correct them because 1) it often doesn’t do any good, 2) I don’t know everything either and 3) it is amusing if you look at it differently and you can sometimes really get them going by encouraging them to tell even bigger unintentional lies. About the only time I intercede is when they tell a naïve customer something that could get them hurt or in trouble, but I do it as diplomatically and kind as I can. I am not out to make the counter guy look bad. If I can get him to see the folly of his advice and not have him feel or look like an idiot, it is a win-win - and maybe he learns something he can pass along. Guns stores to me are sometimes like a fishing camp - ripe with whopper stories that get passed down and around, each time being twisted abit and picking up yarn speed.

The real used car salesmen are at Carter’s Country IMHO. This is the way I see the general breakdown of gun counter commandos.

50% Knowledgably and sincere.
25% Well meaning and entertaining, but not so knowledgeable
15% Knuckleheads
10% Bugger eating clowns that would sleep with their sisters if given a chance

I think that guy from DC probably fall sinto that 10% bracket.

TxRVer wrote:Maybe you should have asked for your money back since they never sold you the holster.

Ha Ha!! One of the few times I wish I had kept a receipt.

Never had heard of Collectors Firearms until stumbling across it while looking for an antique mall for the wife's amusement several years ago.

She went in the Dollar store close by while I went in to peruse the inventory at Collectors.

Met her outside about 30 minutes later, and she was all excited over the bunch of bargain kiddie books she got for our grandkids - $5 total.

Then I showed her the cased 1986 Texas Sesquicentennial Colt .45 I got for $1,895 + tax:



Had been lookin' for one of those since they first came out.

Collectors has two more listed online @ $1995 each.

I've traded guns to dealers at a gun show before. I was realistic about what I would get, I wanted to trade for something he had on the table, and I think he figured he could resell what was I trading.

What I am posting is what business school grads call a "no-brainer." It is a simple reminder about stores that sell used guns. They are in business to make a profit. If they don't make a profit they go out of business. The people who own the stores may be friendly, but they aren't your friend. The gun that you want to sell is "low value/cost" to them. The gun that they want to sell to you is "high value/price" to them.

It's like the question of "how do you make money in the stock market"? The answer is the same with a used gun store: "buy low and sell high."

WildBill wrote:What I am posting is what business school grads call a "no-brainer." It is a simple reminder about stores that sell used guns. They are in business to make a profit. If they don't make a profit they go out of business. The people who own the stores may be friendly, but they aren't your friend. The gun that you want to sell is "low value/cost" to them. The gun that they want to sell to you is "high value/price" to them.

It's like the question of "how do you make money in the stock market"? The answer is the same with a used gun store: "buy low and sell high."

Words of wisdom there. Yup, yup

WildBill wrote:They are in business to make a profit.

very true...they have to make money to be able to provide us services and goods.
thank goodness for competition though..we can always seek out a better deal elsewhere