AC556 didn't sell even for $7,000???

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Skans

Active member
I had been following a gunbroker auction where an ac556 was listed (with no reserve) for $7,000. See http://www.gunbroker.com/item/580227728

I find it very hard to believe this particular gun (with box, etc) didn't sell. Too good to be true. I saw it transfers on a Form 5, but as far as I know, this is still a legally transferable machine gun. Auction ends with no bids. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
 
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smee78

New member
A lot of stuff is up in the air with the election and the holidays fast approaching, maybe everyone is either broke or just waiting to see how everything falls? Who knows?
 
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Machineguntony

New member
This seller is not a regular known MG seller. Regular or known sellers have premiums attached to their names, and will have an easier time selling their items. Whether or not the premium is justified is another story.

The other issue is that this gun is in a form 5. Why is the gun in a form 5? Is it inoperable? Or is it on a form 5 because it is transferring from a LE agency?

Experienced buyers have become wary of descriptions due to a certain (unnamed) seller being very selective and technical with words. Notice that nowhere in the description does it say that the gun is operable or that the gun is not a reweld. It comes with an original factory box, and it has selective fire modes, and it hints at the end that the gun is a trade in from a PD. But my question would be...why is it on a form 5? Certain sellers have gotten very tricky with their descriptions.

When buying and selling MGs, it's ok to be skeptical. If the seller is offended by my questions, then I move on ('how dare you accuse me of selling a rewelded gun' or 'no way am I taking a picture of the gun next to a toaster, you think I'm a liar?')

Notice that on 8/31, the seller added the form 5 disclosure. This was probably necessary because prospective buyers kept calling him up and asking for a copy of the form 4. If it's not on a form 3 or 4, buyers can get jittery.

Assuming that all is good with this gun, and that the gun is operable, there are other reasons why it may not have sold.

One, the ACC556 isn't the most popular MG. Sure, it's about $2000 underpriced, but for $7000 most people would rather get a MAC.

Secondly, when selling MGs, or any GB gun, I often see the highest prices go on guns with a penny start and with no reserve. People go crazy bc after you place that penny bid, you get emails from GB notifying you that the gun is about to close. Effectively, by letting people bid at low and unrealistic prices, GB sends out emails and does free advertising for the seller. But if the seller sets a starting bid price that is at the reserve, then the free advertising doesn't happen.

It's a dangerous method of sales, but it sometimes reaps high rewards. The penny no reserve method works best with high demand MGs, such as sear equipped MP5s. With this gun, I would have taken the middle ground and set a penny start with an undisclosed reserve.

That's my opinion, and my opinion is truly worthless speculation. So don't believe anything I've written on this issue.
 
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Skans

Active member
MGtommy, your opinion is a good read. Transferable AC556's which are $2k under market don't usually need to be sold on gunbroker - if it is as good as it looks, its a steal at that price and I just couldn't figure this out.

I don't need another one, so I didn't bid on it. I never thought about it possibly being a re-weld, although I haven't heard of any AC556 re-welds. My understanding is that guns transfering on a form 5 come from estates or police departments. I'm assuming that they transfer just like guns on a form 3 or 4.
 
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Machineguntony

New member
I'm not saying it is a reweld or that it's inoperable. I have no idea about this gun. I'm just thinking outloud. It might be a perfectly good gun that's a really good deal. I just like to turn over every rock before I send thousands of dollars to a stranger.

I wish the seller would specifically say something to the effect...

'This is a perfectly working machine gun that is transferring from a police department. It's on a form 5.'

Now I'm really curious.

There's also a RDIAS in Sturm at $29,000 that isn't selling. $29,000 is below market for a RDIAS also. But that RDIAS, I know why it's not selling. Sometimes it's very subtle things that can affect a MG. I don't know enough about the GB gun to discern why it isn't selling. I only know enough to start with questions.
 
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wilkinsonarms

New member
The first two mg's I bought were on form 5. Lady's husband died and they were part of the estate. I had no issues and ended up with two fantastic deals.
 
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