Sell it or keep it to the Finnish?

[KCSO]

In a blind luck trade I was offered a UGLY RUSSIAN rifle for a $100 debt.

When the fellow brought it in it turned out to be a M27 Tikka 1940 rifle with a mint bore and 90% of the original blue. Forced match bolt and a super curly walnut stock with the typical two piece dovetailed stock. Now here's the dilemma... A friend was looking for one and this one is nice. I'm thinking it's a $250 gun at the least. I told him I would sell him the first one I came across, but here's the dilemma: I have to tell him I have it as he'll see it on the rack first time he stops over, anyway, am I honking him too much charging him the $250 or is it immoral to make a profit on a friend at Christmas time???? Ah my daughter, ah my ducats! I suppose honesty will win out and he'll get it cheap but BOY is this a nice one for a Musty Nugget collector.

[badgeredd]

in this Christmas season especially, but life in general "Do unto others as you would them do unto you"

Edd

[crazy mark]

What would he do if the tables were turned. I'd sell it to him for $200 as he won't find one probably for under $300. Of course my hunting and collector buddy and I have an agreement. We try to sell to one another at a reasonable price based on value. Mark

[TCLouis]

KCSO, it is indeed the Christmas season and giving is better than receiving so sell it for 250 bucks and give yourself something nice.

[7br]

Just an observation and by no means to be taken as a judgment.

Why would you feel bad about making a profit off of your buddy, but not feel bad about taking a $250 dollar rifle for a $100 debt?

Why should your buddy get 100 percent of your windfall? If he found a $100 bill on the ground, would he give it to you?

Food for thought. I have a friend that has sold me several firearms at reasonable prices. I know he paid considerably less than what he sold them to me for, but I got a decent deal.

[Springfield]

If it is worth 250.00, sell it to him for 200.00 and you will both be happy. Or look at it this way. A year from now if he goes and sells it for 250.00 bucks to another friend, will you be pissed? Sell it for a reasonable amount and you may help retain your friendship. Giving really good deals to friends and family doesn't always work out. I bought a lot with 10 guns in it once back when I had an FFL. There was a really nice little 22 auto in there I wanted to keep for myself, but my father saw it and wanted it bad, so I sold it to him for about what I had into it. 2 years later I was asking him about it and it turned out he had given it to a friend of his. Not a real big deal but kinda ticked me off.

[dualsport]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I have found that for me the thing that sucks the most is usually the right thing to do. Sell it to your friend for $200, keep $150, give $50 to the guy who owed you $100. Insist on first dibbs for buy back if your friend ever decides to sell it. Find another Finn, put the $150 towards that. Everybody wins, you're a great guy. Now, Grasshopper, any more questions?

[NickSS]

I have given several rifles to friends and relatives over the years and to tell you the truth I never check up on what they did with them. That way I never get upset with them. I have given some nice stuff away including an M1 garand in mint shap, and a sako 270 with scope. Do not know or care what happened to them after all a gift is a gift.

[jhrosier]

KCSO,
Split the difference with him and you will both be happy getting a great deal.
You will come out $75 ahead and he will save $75.[smilie=w:
I have some pretty good friends but have never given a gun away and never got one free either.
I recently traded a pal a Swedish Mauser for a S&W 625. We both had a lot less than current value invested in the guns and were both very happy with the deal.

Jack

[m.chalmers]

Put it on GB for $300. Then you won't feel bad that you made money off a friend.

But when he buys it off GB for the winning bid of $425, how will you feel?

[RayinNH]

Edd, that should read, Do unto others before they do unto you...Ray:kidding:

[mike in co]

i see nothing wrong with accepting something material in place of owed cash, nor with the objects percieved value being more than the cash owed....one cannot eat the thing/nor pay bills with it.

i see nothing wrong with selling the thing for fair market value. $250 is probably under value as current dealer prices are higher.(both of the 2 m39's at last weekends gun show were priced at 250 and both sold to dealers for resale...that is a clue).


so selling at $250 to a friend that wants the rifle and has been looking for one is being a good friend in my book.

mike in co

[Crash_Corrigan]

I like the deal where you give back 50 bucks to the man who paid the debt and sell it to your friend with the first dibbs idea. This way you have pleased two people and you still may have the gun eventually.

Friends are worth more than money when the chips are down.

[KCSO]

Well it's like this... The guy who gave me the rifle for the debt owed didn't get hurt any because he's had his work done for over a year and I took the rifle sight unseen out of despair. As to the buddy i called him and told him what i had and what I had in it and he said he wouldn't take advantage of the situation and OFFERED to double my money so we settled on $150. I am not a real big fan of the musty nuggets but this was the best I have seen and the bore looled unfired.

[RayinNH]

That certainly sound like a fair deal. Merry Christmas KCSO...Ray

[hydraulic]

Jim: As you know, I never sell a gun for more than I paid for it. CM.