In general, depending on where you live, you have four options:
- Sell to a local gun store. This is the safest and most convenient, but will provide the least compensation. Whatever the gun is worth on the used markets, you can subtract somewhere between $50-$150 less. This is because the gun shop needs to sell it at the used value, so overhead and profit come out on your end.
- Put on consignment at the local gun store. The margins are a little better than above. You set the price, the gun shop adds their margin on top, and when it sells, you get what you get.
- Online brokerages, like Armslist / GunsAmerica. This is essentially the eBay model. Don't forget to specify how transfer costs and shipping are to be paid, otherwise you can end up eating a fair amount of money. This has the usual risks associated with online transactions. Most of us use postal money orders to make payment, that way if things go south, you might have the postal IG on your side. Law Enforcement generally looks at these things as civil issues, which can be frustrating if you don't get what you expect.
- Private sale (Face-to-face transaction). This is how I typically buy and sell. Laws vary from state to state. The main caution of this type of transaction is that you can be sure of two things:
a.) Someone has a bunch of cash -and-
b.) Someone has a gun.
I use local forums with a feedback function. This does not minimize the risk much, but it does provide a social enforcement component and a minor degree of vetting.