S/H and new gun prices

[gubby_uk]

I've been looking on guntrader and ukgunroom for a cheap 12g side by side and a cheap .410. How come there are so many for 25 quid all over the country except near me in Hampshire? The cheapest round here is around the 100 quid mark. Am I being had or is it my creeping paranoia overtaking me again. It got me thinking. Is there a difference in new gun prices around the country? :blink: I paid £375 for my Hatsan Escort in Realtree, about 6 months ago. Have I been had here as well? What sort of prices have other people paid?

[Guest]

Prices vary across the country I have noticed, the North is cheaper and more expensive in the south. The real question was: I am having a dilema, I was always thinking of getting a used gun sionce my budget was like £600 but recently found a brand new O/U for £835 with 3 year warranty and I wanted to ask, what would the chances of a second hand gun "going wrong" and is it a safe bet to get a new gun for a beginner to stop the hassle inc ase it breaks?

[clayman]

Simple reason for variation is population density. If you are in home counties there are 1000s of guns to choose from in commuting distance - while a seller in Cornwall, Wales or Scotland will need to drop his price to compensate for the fact his buyer is probably going to drive a fair way to do a F-2-F, or there will be another £40-40 in RFD charges to shift the gun further. The difference is more noticeable in the bottom end of the market, at the top end pretty much the same everywhere.