r/canadaguns • u/SteakAndAle • 2d ago
Misc Gunpost: should I even bother?
New PAL holder here. I am familiar with firearms but new to being an owner.
There's a number of firearms I'd like to acquire over the next few years (22LR bolt action, hunting rifle, a lever action etc.). I'm in no hurry, and not too picky on specific models, so I thought "no problem, I'll just take my time, wait for the right thing to come up on Gunpost in my area, and save myself 25-30%".
....except most posts on Gunpost are consistently at or above new price at Cabela's or one of my local gun stores. They're even worse deals when you compare to online gun stores. At best I'd be saving $50-100 in tax vs a new gun - hardly worth it IMO.
Am I stupid? Are all these sellers pricing high in the expectation of selling lower? Or should I just give up and buy new?
(this is lower mainland BC, so I'm willing to believe that local sellers are dumber than the average...)
121
u/SpectreBallistics Spectre Ballistics International (Verified) 2d ago
The deals on gunpost do not last. I've sold stuff on there over the years and rarely have something up for more than a day.
What you're seeing is the stuff that doesn't sell.
24
14
u/Geralt-of-Rivai 2d ago
Yeah exactly. There's some stuff like optics or a firearm that I just want sold fast and I make it a very reasonable price, a really good deal and I get 7-10 inquiries within hours and it's sold. The stuff that's priced fair goes fast, you have to check multiple times a day for new posts
2
u/mwmwmwmwmmdw 1d ago
its also about supply and command.
an old double barrel shotgun for example isnt ever selling fast unless you price it extremely low. a hard to find lever action will sell 5% less then retail because you cant just walk into cabelas and buy one
11
36
u/AdeptArt 2d ago
Sites were always like this. "I know what I have" has been a meme since forever, unfortunately. Even back when Sks's were $200 (and before that)
27
u/Ace_And_Jocelyn1999 2d ago
“No you don’t understand, this Cooey model 60 is the super secret sniper version used by the Canadian FBI in 1940, $2000 I know what I have”
25
u/Vituperate250 2d ago edited 2d ago
Personally I would buy from a store first time around, and then consider Gunpost et al. in the future. There are lots of good new or used rifles out there, especially in lower mainland BC, so buying from bubba is low on my list.
4
u/SteakAndAle 2d ago
Yeah, i'm happy to support local stores. Had a really good chat with one of the guys in Reliable Gun when I visited!
7
u/BrotherLefthand 2d ago
Check out Tiger Arms in Coquitlam. Great shop. Their best deals are not advertised on their website.
4
u/Substantial-Onion-92 2d ago
I would avoid Tiger arms unless you support liberal corruption and Chinese gang affiliation in our country..
2
u/BrotherLefthand 2d ago
I support whoever has the cheapest bulk ammo that is convenient for me to buy. 👍
1
u/SteakAndAle 2d ago
Thanks, they weren't on my radar - but I go past Coquitlam a lot, will stop in.
3
u/Vituperate250 2d ago
They're a real great bunch there. I've bought all kinda of ammo and guns, including a terrific condition used CZ 455FS, from them over the years and never had a bad experience.
3
u/midity 2d ago edited 2d ago
I once did a private deal with someone and we met at Reliable Gun and I was gonna buy a scope and rings, ammo, a case, and extra mags there and have them mount the scope but they got pissy with us for meeting there...
Plenty of gun stores promote that you can meet at the shop so everyone can be safe, all they ask is that they check the firearms coming in for being unloaded and safe. Not reliable gun. They got mad. So I did my private deal and left. Gave my business to another local shop instead.
Edit: Heck another shop I did a private deal at was lever arms. They didn't blink and we both ended up just shopping while we were there.
Edit 2: lol downvoted. Reliable gun employee didn't like me again.
1
1
u/No_Win_9797 1d ago
Reliable gun is awesome I bought my first gun there
2
u/onenifty 1d ago
Their new Langley store is amazing. Picked up my first gun from there when they had their grand opening.
14
u/Due_Statistician1679 2d ago
I’m a proponent of gunpost. Most of my guns have been bought there. I think most people list their used guns at new market value because of the low ballers. Most sellers are flexible with prices after a few days.
6
u/BrotherLefthand 2d ago
The issue with the Lower Mainland is the population density and tendency towards consumerism. You get people who buy a gun to satisfy the itch of "buying", then they only shoot it a couple times and lose interest. Because it's "basically brand new" they want as close to retail for it as they can get. It's ridiculous. I'm jaded from years of using GunPost, but I think I've cracked that code.
Now before you compare retail to GunPost, remember that you won't be paying taxes or shipping. That can make a big difference. Also recognize that not all manufacturers provide good warranties. Spending a couple hundred extra at retail may not be the benefit you think it will be.
If you have a new account without reviews, you won't gain much traction lowballing people. I lowball for what I want and I usually get it. People are more desperate for money than they like to lead on. You may find you can do the same.
3
u/SteakAndAle 2d ago
Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I'd say FB marketplace has the same issue for other stuff - I usually have my eye out for something hobby-related, but so many people don't seem to understand "in your garage for 3 years" is not the same as "new".
4
u/number75 2d ago
The problem is that a lot of the actually good deals get snatched up really quickly, or are sold privately off gunpost. A lot of people on gunpost tend to consider the cost of what they paid for when they bought the gun, rather than the cost of what it is after use and ownership. TBEH, you have to pretty proactive in looking at gunpost and making offers to find good deals. They exist, they're just hard to spot.
If you're not looking for anything special, you're better off waiting for Black Friday, Canada Day, or Boxing Day to come about and buying stuff new from retailers. The local retailers in BC are pretty good and Reliable Gun even does price matching with online retailers.
5
u/FireRisinWith1n 2d ago
You have to be proactive on gunpost. Certain firearms there's only a handful listed across Canada, so everyone jumps on a deal when it's listed. Half a year ago I bought a m4 fully accessorized for 20% less than retail price. Saved around 1500 dollars but it was listed the same day.
3
u/Brandon_awarea 2d ago edited 2d ago
Cross reference prices with box stores before buying. There are some times when it makes sense to buy from a store vs Gunpost. But there are some where Gunpost makes the most sense. Russian SKSs come to mind, they are like a grand before taxes from stores now. You can get a Russian for $850 pretty consistently on Gunpost
3
u/Response-Cheap 2d ago
It's not for me. If you want to scoop up the actual deals on GP you have to be quick. I tend to hum and haw quite a bit when looking for a new gun. Anything worth buying on there won't last a day. You basically gotta know what you want, check gunpost often, and snipe the deals as soon as they pop up. Not my style.
3
u/Awkward_Cheetah7519 2d ago
I personally use and love Gunpost! Bought my Russian SKS in January for 700$ on ut and it was localish too
2
u/z00animal 2d ago
Things priced 20-30%+ off retail don’t last long on GP.
0
u/brianwsch 2d ago
Not my brand new Turkish shotguns 🤣 I have them 20% off new + tax savings and they are rotting.
2
u/AssignmentPutrid3197 1d ago
20% off what you paid or what the cheapest price for them new in Canada is?
I've found a ton of guys that are mad that can't sell their shotgun for $600 when they paid 699.99 plus tax when its being sold new today for 439.99 at tenda or wherever.
1
u/TopLemon3678 2d ago
Make sure if you're interested in something, you know what youd pay and you know what it costs elsewhere.
1
u/PrairieBiologist 2d ago
The number of guys selling a savage axis on that website for retail when Cabela's has them 150 off every year is insane. People are really bad at understanding what their guns are actually worth. I pretty much check it every morning quick for a really good deal on what I'm looking for if I want something. Otherwise you see a lot of garbage offers. Good stuff goes fast.
1
u/thehuntinggearguy 3gun, Mapleseed, YouTuber, SlamFire Radio, Revolver-hater 2d ago
You're supposed to negotiate on Gunpost.
1
u/MourningWood1942 2d ago
My brand new still in box A300 UP is on there for far cheaper than new just sayin
1
1
u/22GageEnthusiast 1d ago
I've sold multiple guns, scopes, ammo, accessories, etc. and I've never had any issues. However, I've always been pretty reasonable in pricing my ads and once a month I drop the prices on all my ads if I haven't sold something yet.
Honestly, if you see something you like or that you're interested in but you find that the price is too high, just politely message the seller asking if the price is negotiable. Personally I've rarely ever had issues in doing business on there.
1
u/Hopeful_Relation_441 1d ago
check out maplegun.caif you find a model you like it aggregates from best online retailers
1
u/SteakAndAle 1d ago
Yeah, maplegun & almostprohibited have been great - they've even found some good used deals too.
1
u/Prior-Radio8346 1d ago
Canadiangunnutz forum, apply for access to the equipment exchange after spending some time on the forums. No shortage of basically anything on there.
1
u/saulgoodman147 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’m in QC so way different, but I go in the boonies and find nice deals or just gotta be first to message a guy and constantly scouring of it every couple hours
Started in 2018 when I turned 18 and missed a lot of 200$ Sks in CT when I was a kid, but I scored some amazing deals, just gotta Not be afraid to text and call the guy with no reviews, call the guy and 4/5 times, it’s a guy that’s new to selling a gun on GP
1
u/saulgoodman147 1d ago
All the good deals and disappears within 1-5 hours
But got a lot of 250$ mosins and Sks like that, even Finn’s
1
u/Radio-Lonely 1d ago
Yeah its gun post everyone wants price of a new gun dont be afraid to offer less. But honestly I would never buy it used bc one yeah you save 1 or 200 bucks but you have no idea what shape its really in. Atleast with a new and big it at a store they will help you resolve issues you might have like I got a lemon winchester wild cat .22lr abd it shoots like crap but winchester customer service sucks they said it might be a year before I get it back so I just got a tikka t1x they are guaranteed and have a great warranty I own 3 now ill never but a winchester browning savage ir a Christiansen arms they are all garbage It's tikka cz benelli
1
u/Objective-Reveal-980 1d ago
If you want a 22LR I’d suggest a TM22, they are a blast, super customizable for what you want and you can mag dump with them and not break the bank.
1
u/groggygirl 1d ago
FYI: guns go on sale at gun stores regularly. Black Friday, Christmas, Canada Day, Father's Day, random brand sales throughout the year....you can save 10-30% by being patient. On a $300-500 gun this isn't a huge deal, but for the $2000+ guns it really helps.
1
u/3_Layered_Onion 11h ago edited 8h ago
What I have found with Gunpost is that you need to know what you are looking for, have your research done before hand, search constantly, and when something you want pops up for a reasonable price do not start asking tons of question or haggling because it will be claimed within hours otherwise.
As others have said, the deals are there but they dont last long. You have to be very proactive in searching throughout the day to find the unicorns.
1
1
u/Possible_Jellyfish69 2d ago
Gunpost is great for some things like antique guns and hard to find powders, but you gotta consistently check for new postings/good deals because they go fast.
0
u/Curious_Joe2020 2d ago
Always buy new for the warranty and to increase the firearms supply. And to discourage scalpers.
•
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
Hi! It looks like your post mentions buying, selling, or linking to retailers/private marketplaces.
Just a reminder to everyone that no offers to buy, purchase, sell are allowed on this sub due to Reddit's community restrictions on firearms transactions. Limit discussion to the items themselves and do not post any direct links to sales or promotions. Referring to legal vendors is allowed as long as links to do not go to retail listings for items. Reddit Admins have banned users for this!
If your post doesn't violate these rules, no action is needed and you can safely disregard this comment.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.