Fair price?

[Moose_Meat]

I was asked to make an offer on a T/C Hawken the owner passed away and his wife offered it to me, but asked my to make her a fair offer for it.

What’s a fair price for a New never been stocked T/C Hawken .50 Cal. from a privet individual?

This is a newer rifle with the easy start barrel.

I was looking at new prices and just about passed out.

 

[Zonie]

Assuming it has been shot at least once, I'll consider it "used" and give the value of one in my area.
$250.

The value might be as high as $300 if the barrel was a standard style rifled up to the muzzle but to most people who don't shoot conical bullets the Quick Load muzzle is a negative rather than a positive feature. This accounts for my knocking $50 off the price of a TC Hawken with a standard barrel.

 

[mykeal]

From the Fifth Edition of Allen's Blue Book of Modern Black Powder Arms, page 180, the MSR is $702, 100% value is $685, 98% value is $550, 90% value is $435, 80% value is $290.

Would I pay that much? No.

About 3 months ago a 98% gun went for $350 at a guns-only auction near here. It did not have the QLA barrel. That seemed fair to me.

 

[jtmattison]

I'd give her $300.

HD

 

[Zonie]

I've never figured out why the "Blue Book of Modern Black Powder Arms" prices are as high as they are.

I've got the 3rd Edition of it (2003) and the prices listed in it are just beginning to be correct for my neck of the woods.
By the way, it says the values are:
100%=$485, 98%=$440, 95%=$355.

When all is said and done, the real value is only as much as someone will pay and I suspect that Moose Meat isn't prepared to pay $485 let alone $685.
If the unfortunate widow chooses to take the gun to a local gun store, I'm betting they will say, "Those rifles don't sell well mam. The best I can give you is...$150 for it."

 

[E Poffinbarger]

Moosemeat:

If you know this person well, "then have her set the price".

Otherwise if you offer too much, she will think you're an idiot and if you offer too little, she will think you're a crock.

On the other hand if you don't know this person, then offer $200 and don't ever go back there.

Osage

 

[Moose_Meat]

I think I'm going to tell her what I would be willing to pay nicely and see how it plays out.

I paid less than $200 for the first T/C Hawken I bought in 1977.

 

[cptleo1]

I would think a used TC has a value of $250-285

I would think there are probably some extras that are laying around for it, if so $300 might be in order.

I usually try and stay away from a widows selling off Papa's things(especially if she is a friend).

No matter how much you give her, some idiot family member will tell her you ripped her off.

The best way to handle it is to let her know what you think it is worth, let her put an ad in the paper and if no one wants it make her an offer.

Friends are more important than a fairly common gun.

IMHO

 

[MSW]

cptleo- i think you're right. my stepbrother had to sell my dad's boat when he died, and things got a bit testy down at the yard.

 

[Walks Alone]

Another factor you might consider is the trend in the area of the country it is being sold at. It doesn't matter whether a MLer or modern firearm - in some areas all firearms in general sell for more (or less) than they do in other areas.

You won't buy a clean used Hawken around here for 250, and probably not for 350 either. And I wouldn't call this area “big” on MLer's at all let alone traditional sidelocks.

MM didn’t indicate that this rifle has ever been shot. But is $250 really fair even if this "new" rifle has been shot once or twice? My conscious would say no, especially considering the widow can probably really use the money. I don’t know what a new Hawken QLA sells for on average from normal sources, but how can you reduce this ones value by such a large percentage even if it has been shot once?

Lets see”¦
Walking out of your dealers door with a new rifle”¦ minus 10%
Shooting rifle just to try it out”¦ minus another 15%
Shooting it enough to get a load and sight in”¦ minus another 25%

At that rate, if you actually use it, it won't be long until you'll have to pay somebody to take it off your hands. :rotf:

 

[peashooterJoe]

I would give the high and low end prices and let her decide. I got in that situation when a friend passed away last summer. The widow wanted me price his collection. When finished I noted that he had a nice collection and didn't offer to buy any.I give her the high and low prices so she could decide the value. There was drooling a little there, later was told that the quoted prices was fair.The first quote was off several hundreds of dollars. I even got a thank you card from her and the kids. PeashooterJoe..

 

[mykeal]

Peashooter Joe has the best idea so far. If she choses a high price that you can't afford, you have an easy decision. If she choses a low price due to friendship, you have a clear conscience.

Walks Alone - you have no idea whether or not she really needs the money. It could very well be that she is closing out the estate so that she can get on with her life, and a low price would help her do that. It could very well be an act of kindness towards her. Either situation is possible based on the data we have, so that shouldn't have any bearing on the price.

 

[Moose_Meat]

Thanks for the input.
This gun is as new as it was when it left the factory.

I’ll try to make this short.

Last evening she told me she kept his handgun and a pump shotgun for herself.
And gave his other guns to her one boy who lives down south someplace, but he had no interest in the T/C.
I told her what I found out and told her that this close to Christmas it was more than I could afford.
She told me he bought the rifle right after he and I shot my Renegade last summer and was planning on hunting with me this season.

And then she says she wanted me to have it. I was all chocked up and speechless with tears in my eyes.

The Hen wasn’t very when I told her I was going to doing her driveway this winter I sure hope my snow blower holds up.

 

[E Poffinbarger]

Moosemeat:

You are truly a fine person, even a priceless item is totally worthless compared to the value of compassion felt for a friend.

Osage

 

[oldwolf]

She might need the money.

If that is the case, you could do as you said, clearing the driveway and all and maybe other chores around her place for awhile. Or, you could also insist on paying her 200 to 300 US dollars just because it is the right thing to do.

But, if she insists on giving it to you, work it off by doing the chores that her husband would normally have done if he was still with us. That seems fair and an honorable thing to do.

$300 for a brand new, never used T/C rifle doesn't seem outrageous, especially since you consider it belonged to your now deceased buddy.

Good luck.

 

[Moose_Meat]

Thanks guys.

That was suppose to read "The wife wasn't very happy". I think my wife is afraid something might happen if I’m over there to much. I’ll be sleeping in the dog house if she reads that.

I have been helping her out, been mowing the lawn and raking leaves for her this past fall. Money wise I think she’s sitting quite well. I know their house is paid for and she retired soon after he passed. She told my wife she didn’t have to work and was going to starting enjoying life.