Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

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Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by mickb » 12 Jun 2019, 8:00 pm

Not posting this as a classified ad( though feel free to PM me if you were interested :D ) but I have had a lot of trouble selling a crossbow. The crossbow for the record is an excalibur matrix 380 blackout which was top of the line a couple of years ago. Its a recurve so very little can go wrong with it, runs about 380fps so beats any compound bow in existence and scoped. I have been trying to offload it for about 18months,(so I can upgrade to another model) tried usedguns twice lol. The issue is the licencing behind them I guess, a PIA for a non-firearms person to do the necessary safety courses. AAny suggestions? Any gunstores or archery joints, is there another major online gun used guns type site? Gumtree I assume is anti-firearm. I am from QLD btw where they are a CAT M item like a firearm but can be sold interstate to non-licence states like NT and SA as well.
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by flutch » 12 Jun 2019, 8:10 pm

At least there are hoops to jump through to get them over there, got a snowballs chance I. Hell of having one here in WA, none the less they're usually less popular than compounds for more than just legal reasons, even when they were legal as a sporting good and not a categorized weapon they were never as popular as recurve and compounds
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by TassieTiger » 12 Jun 2019, 9:55 pm

I’ve got a 65lb compound bow advertised and I recently pulled it because it’s too hard to advertise in this day and age AND. The limited market means they are worth bugger all.
I was asking $150 for my bow and getting offers of $50 and $60 - so I might as well use as a freakin ornament...and this is without a licence so, man...your gunna struggle.
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by mickb » 12 Jun 2019, 10:17 pm

Yes pretty much that so far. Its a 2k package I tried $1200 the first year, got a nibble from a couple of guys with no licence saying they intended to get licenced... yeah right. Another guy who said he wanted to swap it for a tikka 308(!) but also didn't have a licence for the crossbow yet. I was like, mmkay, moving along. When I first owned crossbows in the late 90's they were easier to move. Must be the licencing.
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by bladeracer » 12 Jun 2019, 10:31 pm

mickb wrote:Not posting this as a classified ad( though feel free to PM me if you were interested :D ) but I have had a lot of trouble selling a crossbow. The crossbow for the record is an excalibur matrix 380 blackout which was top of the line a couple of years ago. Its a recurve so very little can go wrong with it, runs about 380fps so beats any compound bow in existence and scoped. I have been trying to offload it for about 18months,(so I can upgrade to another model) tried usedguns twice lol. The issue is the licencing behind them I guess, a PIA for a non-firearms person to do the necessary safety courses. AAny suggestions? Any gunstores or archery joints, is there another major online gun used guns type site? Gumtree I assume is anti-firearm. I am from QLD btw where they are a CAT M item like a firearm but can be sold interstate to non-licence states like NT and SA as well.


Have you looked on Facebook for archery or crossbow groups?
I think you're looking at a very niche market so look for forums where you can find a lot of like-minded individuals in the one spot.
I did a quick search and found "Bowhunters of Australia" and "Crossbow Owners Australia", either of those FB groups should be able to point in the right direction.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/480960962078315/
https://www.facebook.com/Crossbowownersaus/?ref=br_rs
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 12 Jun 2019, 11:12 pm

Not sure what Facebook rules are around crossbow.... but maybe these groups have mewe groups. Mewe is a different site and doesn't have any rules. So many firearm related pages have a sister pager on that pri platform to sell firearm parts like brass etc.
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by wrenchman » 13 Jun 2019, 4:38 am

i dont know your market but used cross bows and bows just dont hold value here i am not sure why
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by bigpete » 13 Jun 2019, 5:25 am

It's coz they update models ever single year.
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by CrackThump » 13 Jun 2019, 7:21 am

TassieTiger wrote:I’ve got a 65lb compound bow advertised and I recently pulled it because it’s too hard to advertise in this day and age AND. The limited market means they are worth bugger all.
I was asking $150 for my bow and getting offers of $50 and $60 - so I might as well use as a freakin ornament...and this is without a licence so, man...your gunna struggle.



TT .. yeah, thats the Tassie way though , Lowballing is a freakin hobby down here. I'll advertise a car for sale for $2000 - no offers no swaps.... and guaranteed within the day 6 w*nkers have offered "$200 cash tonight mate" ..

Ive stopped being nice in my replies to them..
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by TassieTiger » 13 Jun 2019, 8:59 am

It’s all part of the game - I love it when you advertise that same car and get “will u take an sweet as Xbox 290, perfect condition once you get it fixed, 2 fishing rods, an iPad that’s locked, Bruv forgot his password and I’ll sweeten the deal with 30 mins wiv me sister...”
Tikka .260 (Z5 5x25/52)
Steyr Pro Varmint .223 - VX 3
CZ455 .22 & Norinco .22 (vtex 4-12, bush 3-9)
ATA 686 U/O 12g & Baikal S/S 12g.
Adler a110 reddot
Sauer 30-06 - VX 3
Howa 300 win mag. SHV 5-20/56
Marlin SBL 45/70
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by mickb » 13 Jun 2019, 9:57 am

Yes in the US and Canada used crossbows do pretty well. More population density I guess. And as mentioned the rate they are bringing out new models, the industry is in a bit of an arms race.
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by bigpete » 13 Jun 2019, 10:02 am

You know,I've never had a problem selling them....but I guess I'm in sa
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by mickb » 13 Jun 2019, 4:03 pm

Bigpete I tried in SA, calling all the stores there. Also NT. What angles work for you? Clubs, word of mouth, archery stores? Interested to know.
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by bigpete » 13 Jun 2019, 6:37 pm

My mate owned an archery store
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Re: Crossbows- very difficult to sell, suggestions?

Post by mickb » 20 Jun 2019, 10:41 am

bigpete wrote:You know,I've never had a problem selling them....but I guess I'm in sa


bigpete wrote:My mate owned an archery store



:roll:
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