I had a new ODT member ask if I would PLEASE sell him one my Colts from my private collection. I had a 1977 Colt Cobra .38 that was LNIB. The previous seller said in his communications "Shot once. Clean as a whistle. No flaws. Cycles and shoots perfectly." I bought it 5 years ago, never loaded or fired the gun, and put in storage until pulled out to show this Buyer. We met where he looked it over and he purchased the gun after I told him I had never so much as put a bullet in it. Days later, he said he shot 100 rounds through the Cobra at the range and occasionally the revolver would "lock up". He said he couldn't pull the hammer back until he "wiggled it a little" and then he could cock the gun and fire. He showed in a video, he fired through 6 rounds without issue, each time pulling the hammer back and pulling the trigger to fire it. On the 7th try, the hammer barely pulled back and he had put pressure on it to get it to release. Then he may fire 3-6 rounds and it happens again. Multiple people on the COLT forum said it could be old factory lube that dried up or be so dry with 25 years of sitting, a part could have slight rust and needs to be cleaned and lubed. 95% of Colt members said to clean the ejector star and underneath it to be sure it seats properly but this fellow hasn't tried either. HERE'S MY DILEMMA AND NEED ALL OF YOUR OPINIONS:
I never would intentionally do anyone wrong. I never even dry fired it to avoid turn lines and keep it looking new so of course I had no idea there could be an issue. I'm not even sure there was a problem when I sold it since I have no idea what happened from the time it left my possession. He wants to return the gun to get all of his money back or "trade it" for a full value credit towards another nice gun in my collection. This worries me after he has been messing with it and firing it for days. I didn't offer a warranty or guarantee and feel like he should have asked me when he said round 7 locked up and before taking it to the range shooting it all day and letting so many people mess with it. He said he also had multiple people look it over and try it and it happened to them but now I have no idea who all has handled it or would could have happened to my gun. I offered him to to take it to a gunsmith I met in Griffin GA but he doesn't want to drive that far from Douglasville! I said I would pay the initial inspection fee and split the repair costs up to $200 which I thought was beyond fair but he said it's too much trouble. WHAT WOULD YOU DO???
I never would intentionally do anyone wrong. I never even dry fired it to avoid turn lines and keep it looking new so of course I had no idea there could be an issue. I'm not even sure there was a problem when I sold it since I have no idea what happened from the time it left my possession. He wants to return the gun to get all of his money back or "trade it" for a full value credit towards another nice gun in my collection. This worries me after he has been messing with it and firing it for days. I didn't offer a warranty or guarantee and feel like he should have asked me when he said round 7 locked up and before taking it to the range shooting it all day and letting so many people mess with it. He said he also had multiple people look it over and try it and it happened to them but now I have no idea who all has handled it or would could have happened to my gun. I offered him to to take it to a gunsmith I met in Griffin GA but he doesn't want to drive that far from Douglasville! I said I would pay the initial inspection fee and split the repair costs up to $200 which I thought was beyond fair but he said it's too much trouble. WHAT WOULD YOU DO???
