Parker Help

[Adam Grzybowski]

I am new to the forum, and I am not a collector nor do I know very much about Parkers.
I understand and respect the rules of not selling on this site. Hopefully my post is ok as i am not trying to sell on here, just ask for advice.......Im not sure where else to turn for help.
I have an old Parker, 28 Ga DHE.......I'm told it is in better than 80% condition, maybe above 90%.
I have one person that has made an offer, seems very reputable, and seems honest. He made the offer, and said i would need to send him the gun, and assuming it is in the condition it appears, he will buy it.
Should I be concerned sending it without having payment?

The person I spoke to is Steve Barnett from Steve Barnett Fine Guns in Mississippi?

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

[Jim DiSpagno]

In my dealings with Steve, he is honest forthright and very trustworthy. He is good to deal with and one of the better high end gun dealers in the country. JMHO. Jim

[John Dallas]

Personally, I wouldn't do it, if his intention is to buy the gun from you. After all, he wouldn't sent the gun to you without payment. If you were to send it to him on consignment, then, OK. This is not a slam on Barnett (I've never met the man) ,but most (all?) dealers will charge a larger fee if they buy the gun from you, than if you leave it with them on consignment. You may want to also check with some other reputable dealers (ie Jaqua's in Ohio) for their rates.

A better alternative would be to join the PGCA, then offer the gun for sale without paying the dealers their vig, Virtually anyone who would be interested in a gun like yours will already be a member of the PGCA

[Brian Dudley]

I would not send a gun to anyone without payment or at least a deposit. Dealer or not.

There is no reason that good quality photos cannot come close to determining condition of the gun. Yes, in hand is the best way, but quality photos get you in the ballpark.

And... are you consigning or selling to a dealer? Or is Barnett just the receiving dealer handling the transfer for the actual buyer? If that is the case, then the situation is a little bit different since the receiving dealer is the buffer. And if you are selling to a dealer, keep in mind that you are wholesaling the gun and not getting retail for it.

There is no issue with consigning such a gun to a large dealer such as Barnett since they have the contacts to be able to find a buyer for top retail. More ability to do so than youself likely. But, make sure to have an agreement in place establishing ALL the terms of the consignment.

This is more of a business question than a Parker question.
If that gun is in good condition, getting top retail for it from a private buyer should not be a problem.

[Adam Grzybowski]

Thank you for the quick responses.

Steve's offer was not for consignment. Again, he seemed honest and said the gun is worth more than the offer, and if i found a buyer I would likely get more.

I also respect and appreciate him as a business person and "expert"..... and he needs to make money too.

Although this is a sale i need to make, I cant have it take several months

[Brian Dudley]

My opinion... but here is no reason for him not to pay you before you ship.

[Dean Romig]

If it is damaged or lost in transit it makes a LOT of difference if it is paid for or not, I would think.





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[Reggie Bishop]

I wouldn't send that gun anywhere without money in hand! Its super nice!

[todd allen]

Nothing against Mr. Barnett, but as a seller, handing over a for sale item to a buyer, without payment, or even a purchase agreement means giving up your power as a seller.
I would consign the gun before just handing it over to someone to determine how much he is going to give you.
A high condition DHE 28 gauge is like real estate, and should be handled as such.
Just my opinion of course.

[Phil Yearout]

I see you are a member here; why not list it with some pics in the for sale section? If the gun is as stated I see no reason why you shouldn't get full value, nor why you should sell it wholesale. JMO.

Oops; sorry. I see you've already done so!

[Daniel G Rainey]

Steve Barnett is an honest man, but I would not advise you on what to do. Guns on the Parker site are described and there are pictures that lets the buyer see what he is getting. The then the seller names his price. Many times I have seen the asking price drop, but never go up.

[Rich Anderson]

I have dealt with Steve for close to 20 years. We just closed a deal on a gun and I have the tracking number. No money has changed hands. It will come and if I approve (which I undoubtedly will) I'll send him some trades and some hard earned dollars.

He is a person you can trust.

[Craig Budgeon]

On page 25 of the current Parker Pages is an ad by Amoskeag Auction Co. depicting a DHE 28 ga. Parker for which they received $37,950. Based on condition and options your gun maybe worth more or less than the gun advertised. About 20 years ago I had a friend who had a $20,000 Purdey stolen from a well known REPUTABLE dealer when he placed his gun on consignment, but the contract was verbal. Steve B. maybe more honest than god but if he should die before any verbal contract is completed you are screwed.