Lesson learned

Bolts Rock · Dec 21, 2015

Always take $600-$800 to collector shows. I went to one today that tends to be half junk and half overpriced collector pieces. Krag, all original, all matching, better than 95%, bright but dusty bore for $595. Private seller so no card, cash only. I ask where the nearest ATM is and he tells me, I tell him I'll be back in 15 minutes with cash for the rifle, he said he'd hold it. Got back and he sold the rifle right after I left to get the cash.

Rack&Roll · Dec 21, 2015

Did you....give him the finger?

Alea Jacta Est · Dec 21, 2015

Rack&Roll said:
Did you....give him the finger?

Trick question.

lee2 · Dec 21, 2015

that sucks. I think he should have been a bit more patient and waited for you.

Minuteman · Dec 21, 2015

That's crazy.

Crazy that he took your picture at the moment he told you he sold it, and crazier still that you now have it as your avatar!

All kidding aside, that happened to me once to, but it was an elusive keltec sub2K; back when they were so rare you never see one. The dealer was busy with other customers, I said "I'll take this one, be right back when you are done with their paperwork", he said ok. I walked around his table, and he apologized for selling it in the 3 minutes or so it took me to walk around the table. Arggg.

rwbow1969 · Dec 21, 2015

Bolts Rock said:
Always take $600-$800 to collector shows. I went to one today that tends to be half junk and half overpriced collector pieces. Krag, all original, all matching, better than 95%, bright but dusty bore for $595. Private seller so no card, cash only. I ask where the nearest ATM is and he tells me, I tell I'll be back in 15 minutes with cash for the rifle, he said he'd hold it. Got back and he sold the rifle right after I left to get the cash.

What a jerk. :sad20:

MikeTF · Dec 21, 2015

I'm guessing that the seller gets 20 'I'm going to the ATM's for every one that actually comes back from the ATM.

Machodoc · Dec 21, 2015

Back in the old days in the South, you'd have let him "hold" your pocket knife as surety that you'd be back with the money. It was just an accepted thing that no man would abandon the pocket knife that he had carried for years (and probably received as an important present).

Half-cocked · Dec 21, 2015

rwbow1969 said:
What a jerk.

Nope. Cash right then and there ALWAYS trumps a promise that someone's going to come back.

I can't count the number of times I've heard bullshitters say "I'll be back (in an hour, tomorrow, next week) with the cash, can you hold it til then?"

If you want something, and legitimately need to go get more money, put a deposit down on it. Sorry, that's just how it works.

protegeV · Dec 21, 2015

gabe72 · Dec 21, 2015

Put yourself in sellers shoes, you say you will be back and next guy seller turns away and you don't come back and now he missed a sale, you could have asked the seller to come to atm with you or hold your license or a deposit.

protegeV · Dec 21, 2015

gabe72 said:
Put yourself in sellers shoes, you say you will be back and next guy seller turns away and you don't come back and now he missed a sale, you could have asked the seller to come to atm with you or hold your license or a deposit.

Well, the OP did say he learned his lesson and he didn't say anything bad about the dealer.

psoyring · Dec 21, 2015

I have ended auctions on ebay early with promises of a buy only to have the buyer back out, I learned my lesson and won't do it anymore.

Straightbolt · Dec 21, 2015

I don't blame him for going with the cash sale and not waiting for a promise from a stranger (without a deposit) but he really should have told you "first person with the cash gets it".

Boondock Saint · Dec 21, 2015

Money talks, of course. However, the seller gave his word that he'd hold the rifle, and he didn't. Shame on him.

If he was being burned by "I'm going to the ATM" too many times, he should have said as such. I've left a deposit in situations where I didn't have the cash on me to complete a transaction. I loved reading about the pocket knife tradition from years ago.

j_h_smith · Dec 21, 2015

Should have let him a deposit of some sort. It's a shame it didn't work out for you. Better luck next time.

Lou45 · Dec 21, 2015

Sorry BR for your loss of a good deal but you learned really quick and off'd up the advice. :thumbsup:

Remember all, "Money talks, ******** walks, put your money where your mouth is". Money = cash. Too bad lone ranger isn't around anymore. :lol2:

Machodoc · Dec 21, 2015

j_h_smith said:
Should have let him a deposit of some sort. It's a shame it didn't work out for you. Better luck next time.

^^^ This! Even if you only have $20, or so, cash in your wallet, showing good faith by offering that in exchange for the guy holding the gun for an hour shows that you aren't just talking.

Art3 · Dec 21, 2015

Machodoc said:
Back in the old days in the South, you'd have let him "hold" your pocket knife as surety that you'd be back with the money. It was just an accepted thing that no man would abandon the pocket knife that he had carried for years (and probably received as an important present).

My dad would sometimes ask a vendor if he could take an unkown holster over to someone who had a pistol like his to see if it fit. The surety he'd leave behind was me

Nobody turned him down...but I was a lot cuter back then.

Bolts Rock · Dec 21, 2015

The venue has no on site ATM but the seller gave me explicit directions to the one about half mile from the venue. I offered to leave a $200 cash deposit but he declined and said the rifle would still be there when I got back.

I'm not saying anything bad about the guy, cash IS king after all. Private seller thinning his collection as I said and this may well have been his first show selling. A bit of a dick move on his part sure but the onus was on me for not being prepared to find a sweet deal at a show I know is usually either junk or over priced collector pieces.

Lesson learned

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