Made an interesting swap today......
......a regular customer walks into the shop and takes a look at a Remington 700 I had on the rack (my gun, just thinning the herd). He allows as he he would really, really like to own it. I tell him 600 bucks will make that dream come true. He says he would like to swap instead, am I interested?
"Well, I might be, whadda ya got?" all the while thinking what a fun job I have. Little did I know!
He walks out to his jeep and hauls in a very nice AK with a folding stock, plus a few extras. I ooh and aah over it a bit, but finally tell him I am not in the AK market. He says "Wait, I got sumpin' else in the rig."
A couple of minutes later he lays a hard case on the counter, flips it open, and there lays a newish Windham Weaponry AR15, sporting a Primary Arms red dot and some sort of wondrous 4-rail forend. "Straight swap." he declares. Hmm, this is getting interesting. I inform him that while it is a very appealing rifle, I have several ARs, don't much need another. That gets me a "humph", and I figure we are through for the day. But no, he drags yet ANOTHER hard case from the jeep and triumphantly announces this is his final offer.
I eyeball the case, which has Thompson emblazoned on the outside. I'm thinking "No way." when he pulls out a clean Auto-Ordnance M1 from a fitted case. Inside the case are three 30-round mags, nestled in their own little cutouts, along with a spare foregrip (vertical), an uninstalled Cutts Compensator, the standard cocking handle (there is an extended handle on the gun), and a nice sling. This is one of the aluminum framed models, so actually reasonable in heft.
"So" I ask, "What are we doing here?"
He replies, "My gun for yours!"
Honestly, I'm not interested in the Thompson, so I tell him it is a really lopsided trade, he should sell his gun, buy mine, and pocket the difference. Nope, he isn't having that, he wants my Remmie, BAD. Now this fellow buys and then trades guns faster than a lot of folks change socks, so I'm used to this sort of behavior, but I still try to talk him out of the idea. No, no, he insists, lets swap. So laying on the floor here at the house is an albatross. Guess I'll list it on Gunbroker but, man, what a strange trade......
Otony
Not "strange trade" - "GOOD TRADE"!
You did well!
Oh yes, no doubt.....
........I just can't get over this guy. He swapped a NIB high gloss Python two weeks ago, at a local gun show. Came home with the Thompson and the AK. I know he bought the Python for a significant sum, close to 2700 clams. At best, the Thompson and the AK total out to around 2000, but he has been making Thompson noises for a year or better, so I figure if he has what he wants, okay, what the heck. I now he wanted an AK as well, so it's all good, as they say.
Two weeks later, I have the Thompson and he has the AK and the 700, so boom, over half his original investment gone in the blink of an eye. This is a constant scenario with him, he buys one or two guns a month, then sells or swaps same for significantly less. Both of us in the shop have spoken to him about it, but he seems happy as a lark about the whole thing. So, yeah, good trade for me, but still strange in the grand scheme of things.
Around this time last year he dragged in two unopened tins of 7.62x25 Tok ammo. I'm sure he picked it up when it was dirt cheap, but he asked for a hundred bucks to sell it to me. I told him I would list it on GB for him instead, and ended up with over 400 dollars which I handed to him. He was shocked, not that I got that much, but that I would do that. Understand, this was not a shop deal. Just an exchange between acquaintances. Apparently his view of the natural order of things is to buy high and sell low. Now I have done that a few times myself, out of ignorance or enthusiasm, but I typically don't make a habit of it. Least ways I hope not!
Otony
Oh yes, no doubt.....
by Slow Hand 
, Indiana, Sunday, January 26, 2014, 07:24 (3960 days ago) @ Otony
I had a buddy like that. He took his life a year and a half ago. Whatever was on the. Cover of that weeks gun mag, he'd be calling around to see who would trade whatever he'd bought the week before. Bad thing was, he wasn't in the financial position to do it. Part of why he ended up like he did...
Take it out and shoot it before you decide how interested
you are. You own it for the time being at least so what's the harm in shooting a mag or two through it?
I intend to.......
.......but it won't be the first Thompson I've fired.
Weird thing about Tommy guns, these are one of the very few weapons I have ever handled that feel awkwardly long for me. Most long guns feel short, but this is like having a 16" length of pull. Don't know why, something odd in the ergonomics.
Otony
Awkward for me too
by Bob Hatfield , Sunday, January 26, 2014, 06:32 (3960 days ago) @ Otony
I remember the first time I tried to mount one into a shooting position. Something was not right. It seemed like it was fighting me trying to get my hand positioned on the grip and the weapon mounted to my shoulder.
I do believe one would get used to it though.
Bob
I think every shop has a customer or two with a
by Hobie , Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Sunday, January 26, 2014, 10:16 (3960 days ago) @ Otony
similar approach to trades.
--
Sincerely,
Hobie