ramshackle wrote:How would you go about getting a good price for a quality .22 rifle? I suppose you are limited to local gun dealers? What kind of deal should one strive to achieve with them? Typical percentage they take is .... ?
You can sell to anybody with the appropriate licence. Any transfer is required to go through a dealer's licence though, the dealer will usually charge a fee for this. To sell to a dealer I wouldn't expect more than 50% of market price, unless perhaps it's something very special they know they can move quickly.
Selling privately will get you a better price, but the buyer has to add shipping and transfers, which can make it more sensible to just buy a new one from his dealer (no shipping or transfer).
Come at the deal from the viewpoint of a prospective buyer. Say your rifle sells new currently for $1000, and you were looking for another one. Would you pay $800 for a secondhand one on your dealer's shelf (no fees)? Would you pay $800 for one that also has to go through a dealer's books for a fee (say making it $850)? Would you pay $800 if it also has to be sent down to your dealer (as above plus shipping - say making it $910)?