Someone Please Explain This One To Me

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

Okay so I have been trying to sell my BCM 16" Carbine. I have had 6 different people come over to look at it. I have taken the time to explain how the quality of the rifle parts are essential to the long term life and functionality/dependability of the rifle. Most of them were saying that that is great and the rifle is certainly worth the $1,400 I am asking.

So then why did they not buy it? Well because they wanted a carbine with a scope. When I asked what kind of scope most said at least an 8x power scope. Essentially a hunting scope or similar.

I was like you know you could buy a scope yourself instead of looking for one with a scope. They said sure, but they weren’t sure what scope was best. So when I ask them what they plan on using the rifle for such as hunting, plinking, HD, etc. they look at me crazy and ask why would they use it for HD. I explain that some do for various reasons. Anyway, they say primarily for plinking. Some say for varmint, plinking and all around purposes.

I ask them if they know what a M4 Carbine type rifle is for. They are not sure what I am asking or so that is the look on their faces. The clearly did not understand that the M4 Carbine is a fighting rifle. It is primarily used for short to medium range engagements. Not for varmint or plinking or sniping (which I assume most if not all wanted it with a scope for that kind of purpose).

So why do so many people want a carbine length rifle with a rifle length scope on it? I am NOT talking about variable 1x - 4x RDS scopes and the like.

I guess I should buy a $100 scope and put it on the rifle and raise the price to $1,500 and then sell it?

2

We call those folks “Tactical Fudds”

3

What on earth are you wasting your time selling a gun in a local sale instead of on the internet?

Why to you want every degenerate, inbred, and hillbilly at your place?

4

It must be the percieved notion that all assault rifles need to have a scope on them to be “lethal enough”. :rolleyes:
Other than that maybe Hollywood really does have an influence over our society. Its all about the look these days regardless of function. :smiley:
If you go and buy a $100 scope, the buyer may then complain that the scope isn’t of high enough quality or something. (You did explain to the buyer ALL about quality correct?)
If the buyer cannot answer your question about what an M4 rifle is for, then the people you are trying to sell to might just be seeing a Bushmaster or an Oly. To them an AR is an AR and they don’t really care either way. Have any of the buyers heard of BCM??

5

Put this for sale on the internet and be done with it. A carbine of that level cannot be sold in the average local gun buyer market. Nobody knows what it is and you have deal with trash.

You have to deal with people that are incapable of picking out their own optics. What does that tell you?

6

Maybe print a few different name brand scopes w/ prices and show em how much more your AR would cost them

7

throw a bushnell from walmart on it, post it on TOS for $1800 and just say some b/s like BCM is just a subcontractor for DPMS so you know its good… it’ll be gone in 5 hours…

also… I’ve never went to look at a gun (at a private sale) that I did not intend on leaving with… unless it was fubar… so I dunno what those people were doing besides getting to play with a gun they’ve never seen in person, or could not afford either way…

don’t forget to add the accuwedge and grip-pod!

8

What are the specs on your Carbine to have it priced at $1,400? Depending on how its set up you may be better off semi parting it out and selling over the internet.

9

They might not be buying it from you because from your post, it sounds like you’re telling them they’re not good enough for it.

10

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Same here, I’ve sold 4 firearms privately over the years & never had to show them more than once. But, I weeded out the idiots over the phone first. Serious, intelligent buyers don’t ask stupid questions or sound like morons in conversation, just sayin.:stuck_out_tongue:

11

precisely why I stayed with the Apple computers when I was working retail years ago… no one “stumbles” upon a $2,500 machine and instantly decides they must have it… the consumers that drive that market are usually very well educated on the product and know exactly what they want and exactly what they are going to pay for it…or at least that’s how I observed it

12

Scottyran’s post is pretty much spot on…I’ve been divesting myself of rifles,handguns, I no longer use and taking the money for things I will use. At one time I considered selling my Charles Daly AR and purchasing a Colt from Grant,…some of you may remember CD, at the time, they were decently built,the only dings against them on the chart were the BCG was’nt HPI’d MP’d and the barrel was’nt HPI’d, they also used straight pins on the FSB, and the barrel wasn’t parked under the FSB they did use 1/7 twist and the proper grade 4150 steel, all in all a decent rifle. I had replaced the BCG with a LMT unit, so, that was addressed,kept the factory BCG as a spare, installed a Troy rail, rear sight, magpul triggerguard,and VHG Anyway, I went to a gunshow to sell some other C&R rifles and got a good look around…The AR’s that were garnering the most Bubba attention were at the DPMS didplay…and at least 4 of the display rifles had huge scopes on them with bipods, tactical lights (UTG chinese junk) and UTG rails already installed…And, in his price range,(about $800 minus the scope, but that’s ok, a couple isles over, they BSA scopes for sale) this is more imortant than anything,after all, why buy a DD omega rail, when the UTG rail is cheaper? This is what the average Bubba wants in a AR,He wants quality, but dosen’t want to pay for it. He ain’t got a clue, nor will he spend 15minutes on the internet to do a little research…I saw right then and there I could never sell my CD at a gunshow, as bubba would’nt know who they were, or how decent they really built, compared to the DPMS display models…In short, I could never get what it’s worth. I’ve decided to keep it, sell off a few more rifles that gather dust and use the money to get a Aimpoint pro, and a few other things bring it up to speed as a HD/SD rifle… At this gunshow, I didn’t see one decent quality AR, No Colts,LMT’s, DD, BCM, nothing but DPMS, Bushmaster’s and the Bubba’s were swarming all over them… The addage about a fool and his money is so true…To the OP, try selling your rifle on the 'net, chances are you’ll find a informed buyer, because, they certianly are not at gunshows…

13

Agreed.

I can’t stand tire kickers, I haven’t the time nor patience to humor them.

14

I agree; they dont know what they dont know. Your missing your target market and in turn having to explain features and aspects that you shouldnt have to. I have sent documents and articles to people who wanted “advice” on what to buy and it all summed up nicely by one response in email that stated, “my only qualification is that it looks badass.” That was it & it was a waste of time.

15

I’m curious why these prospective buyers got all the way to your place of residence only to realize that the rifle does not come with a scope. How are you advertising this firearm? Is your description written in sufficient enough detail so that a potential buyer can make a thoughtful decision on whether taking the time for a hands-on look made sense based on their “wants”?

I’ve sold a handful of firearms over the past few years and felt that a well written advertisement was paramount to an effective and efficient sale. Good luck.

16

Esta ^^

17

Time for Gunbroker and forum listings.

18

The Golden Rule:

99% of people in the firearms community = Trash

19

Wow, how do you really feel?:smiley:

99% seems high, but I can’t support a lower percentage argument with any hard facts either?:stuck_out_tongue:

20

The people on this forum are about 1 out of every 100 gun buyers that are actually educated and buy quality stuff.

We get into a delusion thinking all gun people are like us because we spend so much time on the forums.