What's my gun worth

[SidecarFlip]

Black guns in like-new condition figure 70% of the lowest price you can find on the Net. UTG hardware and Sightmark optics have little added value. Nikon/PEPR 60%. M855 should fetch 25 cents/rd. VLTOR... eh. 30rd and 20rd magazines I'm not sure of your laws in Mass but if intrastate sales of pre-ban magazines are legal they may be worth something. Otherwise, there's little value in used magazines.

Black guns (for the most part) are like cars, a steep depreciation curve. One, the market is saturated with them, every gun builder makes at least one model and sometimes many models and optics, run of the mill ones are a dime a dozen.

That don't always hold true. Last year I sold my 50 Barrett with the BORS sighting system for exactly what I paid for it and I consider it a black gun of sorts. It's a unique narrow scope rifle but the demand versus availability is high. Far as optics go, high end recognized optics like Nightforce and Swarovski scopes hold their value and command almost retail prices used. Same holds true with collectable firearms like Military Lugers and some of the S&W revolvers, but, for the most part, run of the mill firearms are just that and command run of the mill prices, which are never close to retail.

Last spring, I bought a pair of Swarovski EL Range 10 x 40 bino's from a good friend who wanted to get a pair of Lieca Geo Vids. I got them for 1/2 retail. The EL's retail for 3500, I got them for 1500 and considered myself very lucky I was there at the right time and place. They won't depreciate at all. That don't hold true with run of the mill stuff, especially items that are in a saturated market.

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Well... the seller of those optics to you certainly didn't experience "hold their value and command almost retail prices used" , but I understand your point. Say the OP had purchased an Aimpoint red dot for $600 instead of his Sightmark for $100-$150. The Aimpoint will sell for $450 used and the Sightmark is worth about nothing used. Either way, the cost of having the optic on the rifle would be about the same but one is a dimestore recreational optic and the other is top shelf duty worthy.