5 Tips for Selling Your Used Rifle Optics

You have some time off and decide to head to the range. You never know when you might need your skills, so you like to keep them sharp.

It’s been a while since you got in any target practice, and you’re eager. Before the sun’s up, you bust out your gear and rush to your gun safe in hopes of getting there before anyone else does—your aim’s best when it’s quiet.

But wait…Oh no!

Where’s the scope your brother got you for your birthday? It’s good stuff—He paid more for it than you could dream to right now! That doesn’t matter, though, if you can’t find it in the avalanche of used rifle optics that just tumbled out the door.

And now you’re late.

Sadly, you probably don’t have to imagine…I sure don’t. Practically everyone who’s used a rifle for a while has been in a similar situation.

Anyone serious about the hobby wants to get their hands on the newest optics, so we make it happen when we can. But that doesn’t mean you should toss good old scopes!

So what do you do with them? Read this crash course I call “Selling Used Rifle Scopes 101.”

1. Know Pro Quality

The optics you want to sell might not be your preferred products anymore. Still, if you’re selling them, they better not be junk.

Think about it: If you were looking at a used scope for sale, would you settle for any crummy old thing? Of course not.

Just because the gun owners you’re hoping will buy your products may not be able to afford a fancy new scope like what you’re lucky enough to have now doesn’t mean they want your trash.

In fact, if someone’s buying used, they probably have more in common with those looking at new state of the art models, not cheap knockoffs available on eBay.

Why? Hobbyists buy used in order to get better quality scopes at a lower price than they’d pay for them new. If folks want to buy some cheap, low-quality scope, why not get a new one?

Here’s what used optics buyers are looking for:

What Makes a Good-Condition Scope

Obviously, you want all your scope’s parts to be there and in working order. If you have a lot of old scopes, though, it can be hard keeping track of which ones work and which don’t.

To get a quick idea of what state the scope you want to sell is in, take whatever nice model you currently use and test the one(s) you’re selling against it. Assuming your current scope is as nice as you think it is, a quality used scope should work the same way.

Here’s what you want:

1. A clear, bright, and properly aligned image
2. Adjust to zero, stay there
3. Turrets not damaged by adjustments
4. An unbent body, as few scratches as possible
5. The scope illumination (if the scope has that feature) still works.

Even if there are some scuffs, if it’s still sturdy and functioning properly, there’s likely a buyer out there.

2. Know Your Rifle Optics

Now that you’re informed about what’s likely to sell, check out what you have.

To sell used rifle scopes, you need all the accurate information about anything you want to pass on. Do you know how your scopes measure up?

Read on to test your knowledge.

Popular Brands Today

How long ago did you buy the scope you’re selling? It might have been five, ten years or more. Maybe the brand was top-notch then, but is it today?

Top optics manufacturers take tactical shooting to the next level:

• Athlon’s precision guarantees accurate aim
• Bushnell’s scopes offer quick magnification, perfect in unpredictable situations
• EOTech is great for long-distance shooting
• Khales optics are time-tested, and top quality
• Leupold scopes protect against intense recoil
• Nightforce makes small but mighty optics
• Revic offers scopes that adjust automatically for your convenience
• Riton perfected rifle scopes down to the details
• Steiner’s tactical line is perfect for finesse
• Tract is newer, but is already making waves in distance shooting
• Trijicon’s ultra-clear glass gives sharpshooters the viewing power they need
• U.S. Optics’ long list of choices lets you fine-tune your technique
• Vortex optics offer the best of both worlds in precision and simplicity

There’s a reason these are the best brands out there, but buying them new is a quick and easy way…to break the bank!

If you’ve got any of these taking up space in your shooting supplies, you’re in luck. These hot names are likely to sell fast at a lower price.

Top Specs

See all the traits of those top brands?

Even if you don’t have those names in your safe, look at what sells: sturdy, weatherproof, accurate, automatic, precise, detailed, compact… Really, think about how much you like your old scopes, and why. Those features drive resale value.

3. Expect a Realistic Price

Let’s face it: It’s an economic fact that most everything loses value from the moment it’s sold.

Realistically, you won’t get back all the money you paid when your used scope was new. How much you will make is going to depend on the type and condition of any one scope you sell.

While you naturally won’t make the scope’s full retail price, you can get a pretty good chunk of it back from a fairly recent model in like-new condition. Older models and scopes in worse shape are going to bring a lower percent of their original price, but you can still sell them and make a good buck off it.

But to emphasize one more time: Don’t fool yourself or waste anyone’s time trying to sell last year’s model you paid $800 for…and promptly dropped from 20 feet off the ground.

You can maybe make a few dollars for parts or something from someone, but in general, if you would never ever ever use one of your scopes again—nobody wants to buy it.

4. The Best Place to Sell

You rifled through that pile of scopes and found a handful you’re ready to part with. Finally, you’ll be free of the clutter that keeps throwing you off your game!

But wait, where do you go to sell them?

…Actually, forget about all the different places you can go to sell your rifle optics. You have a ton of options, but they’re not all equal. In fact, most of them are pretty inconvenient, and some can cost you a lot to sell with!

Look at a couple of common routes: Random pawn shops and strangers you meet online (or even in person!) aren’t always trustworthy or safe. Plus, especially if you have a lot of scopes you’re trying to sell, carrying your rifle optics around town can be a real pain, and both options are going to cost you in time, and probably in gas. Many web forums have equipment exchanges, but that is a lot of work to do well. Do you have the time and desire to figure out how to do it?

What’s the point of looking at option after option when there’s a quick, hassle-free option just a click away? RKB Armory is the perfect place to sell all your used optics. You won’t have to worry about any shady characters, or even about driving anywhere out of your way—Just look at this next tip!

5. How to Ship Your Scopes Fast, Easy and Free

If you sell your scopes in person, you’ll probably be delivering them. Some options you have for selling them online make you pay to send them away, but you can forget about that. Shipping with RKB Armory is even easier than reading these tips, honestly!

Once you thoroughly check out all the rifle optics you want to sell and send over all their specs, RKB Armory will send you an offer and a shipping label to use. You don’t have to pay anything at all to sell your optics to RKB!

When you’re packing your optics up to send them off, you’ll want to be careful to cushion them well so that nothing is damaged during transport. Rifle optics are built for the outdoors, but they’re still sensitive precision equipment that’s easily damaged.

Start Selling Optics Today

Now you have all the information you need to figure out what you’ve got and how valuable it is. You know all the ins and outs of selling your used rifle optics, so what’s stopping you?

With one click, you can get a free quote and ask any other questions you might have right here. Working with our professional appraisers is going to get you the most money back out of your used scopes.

Ending your clutter and making money in just a couple of steps sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. This is a serious opportunity, so go grab your optics.

You have work to do…just a little bit!