The Best Places to Sell Guns in St. Louis (Expert Review, 2025 Update)
- Drew McDermott
- Dec 8, 2025
- 4 min read
If you need to sell a firearm in the St. Louis area, the options can feel overwhelming. Some places promise convenience. Others claim to pay the most. And when estates or inherited firearms enter the picture, the process gets even more complicated. After more than a decade as a federally licensed firearms dealer and certified appraiser, we have seen how each category performs in the real world.
Below is our 2025 expert review of the most common places to sell guns in St. Louis, what you can expect from each, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost families time and money.
1. Pawn Shops
Pawn shops are usually the first place people consider because they are fast and always buying.
Pros
Quick payout
No appointment required
Good for non-collectible, lower value firearms
Cons
Usually the lowest offers in the market
Values rarely reflect condition, edition, or true collector demand
Limited knowledge about vintage, specialty, or estate firearms
No written valuation or documentation
My Recommendation
If you need immediate cash and the firearm is a low-value piece, a pawn shop can work. For anything collectible, vintage, or part of an estate, you will lose significant value.
2. Indoor Ranges
Local ranges often buy or consign firearms.
Pros
Staff understand modern pistols and rifles
Fair prices for common modern firearms
Simple process
Cons
Not ideal for estate collections or vintage guns
Limited interest in older shotguns, hunting rifles, or odd calibers
No formal appraisal or documentation
My Recommendation
Ranges are good options for selling a single, modern, mainstream firearm. They typically avoid rare, unusual, or multi firearm estates.
3. Gun Stores
Gun shops vary widely in what they buy and what they pay.
Pros
Licensed FFL transfer process
More knowledgeable about models and variants
Safer than private sales or Craigslist type transactions
Cons
Many shops only offer buyouts far below market value
Limited interest in large collections
No valuation report for probate, insurance, or estate documentation
My Recommendation
Use a reputable gun store if you have one or two common firearms and you want a safe, legal sale. For anything involving estates, documentation, or value accuracy, a standard gun store is usually not enough.
4. Online Firearm Auctions
GunBroker, Rock Island Online, Proxibid, and HiBid are popular.
Pros
National buyer exposure
Good for rare or high demand firearms
You may get top dollar
Cons
Shipping requirements
Payment delays
Fees can take 10 to 20 percent
Risk of returns or disputes
Estates often cannot wait for long auction cycles
You still need an FFL to transfer the buyer
My Recommendation
Auctions are powerful tools when used correctly, but they are not always practical. They take time, require proper descriptions, and need high-quality condition grading to avoid disputes. Many families underestimate the workload.
Why MDRF Enterprises Is the Safest and Most Accurate Option
For families, executors, attorneys, fiduciaries, and anyone selling guns in St. Louis, we built MDRF to solve the gaps we kept seeing in every other option.
Below is how we help depending on your situation.
A. Private Sales (Safe and Legal)
Private firearm sales in Missouri are legal, but the risk is high when you do it alone. Our job is to manage the legal transfer, document the acquisition, and ensure the firearm is handled correctly for the next owner.
What You Get
Fully licensed transfer
Safe, confidential process
Quick offer with comps
No public listing or exposure
B. Estate Firearm Collections
Estate work is where most sellers make costly mistakes. Firearms need to be documented, valued, and transferred according to federal rules.
What You Get
On-site valuation and inventory
PPGS photo grading
Written documentation for probate
Marketable Cash Value and Fair Market Value numbers
Same-day removal when needed
C. Confidential Sales
Some clients do not want neighbors, family, or the public to know they are selling firearms. Privacy matters.
What You Get
No advertising
No auctions
Private appointment
Direct purchase
No identifying data shared outside legal requirements
D. Professional Valuations and Appraisal Reports
As a certified firearms appraiser trained under USPAP standards, we provide valuations that hold up in court, probate, or insurance reviews.
What You Get
Condition grading using PPGS
Three comps per firearm
Written report
Digital asset folder
Documentation for estates, fiduciaries, attorneys, and families
Final Recommendation
If you have a low value modern firearm and want fast cash, a pawn shop or range will get the job done. If you have a collectible, vintage, or estate firearm, or if accuracy and documentation matter, MDRF Enterprises remains the safest and most professional option in the St. Louis area.
If you are ready for a valuation, a buyout, or an estate review, We can help. Our shop is located at 6414A Hampton Ave in South St. Louis.
Contact Us Today | Request a Free Appraisal
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