Wow, didn't mean to piss on a yeller' jacket nest. SWARM! Glad most of you guys feel the way I do about this...
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What is with the "Must Shoot It Before Buy It" stuff?
- Thread starter Dawn2Dusk
- Start date
fixed it for ya
Anytime you buy something new you are taking a risk. That's why new guns should be questionable.
A used gun has a known reputation for the make and type of gun. The pros and cons are out there. If it has been taken care of you are more likely to know what you are getting than if you were to buy a new gun. I DO NOT BUY INTO the fire to "break in" B.S., so any problems are a negative right out of the box. I have told several manufacturers to please shoot it your required amount before sending back because if it has any problems I do not want to hear this B.S.
A used gun has a known reputation for the make and type of gun. The pros and cons are out there. If it has been taken care of you are more likely to know what you are getting than if you were to buy a new gun. I DO NOT BUY INTO the fire to "break in" B.S., so any problems are a negative right out of the box. I have told several manufacturers to please shoot it your required amount before sending back because if it has any problems I do not want to hear this B.S.
Im semi-young (22) yet I have never asked to fire a gun that I am buying for the fact of Trust and how it should be applied that you dont sell a gun that dont work. Or at least specify something is wrong with it. Just have a good look even take her apart if needed to ensure everything seems to be good and that does it for me.
The ability to say "no" is often a hard choice. Some people ask stuff of others because it does not cost them anything and also just to see if they will do it. Honesty is always the best policy. If someone will just say they are not sure they will like the way the firearm shoots and handles and want to fire it to find out I may accomodate them.
I've had a couple people ask that I meet them at a range to let them shoot it... somehow, I forgot to call any of them back, it never happened.
It's just a bad idea for the seller all around.
1. Sorry, I'm not giving someone I don't know a loaded handgun.
2. There are enough buyers out there I don't need to dirty a clean gun when they'll likely go, "Well, I'll give you--" The more work you've gone through for a sale, the more likely you are to get lowballed or offered a rotten trade, because the buyer knows you've invested and will be more willing to bend over to make a sale.
3. Liability. You really want to be liable that you let some stranger--maybe a good shooter, maybe an idiot FNG--shoot your weapon in public?
4. Unless you live out in the woods, or by a free range, you're now investing at least a little bit to get into the range with someone to make your sale. You can't exactly wait outside and him go into the range alone with a $400+ piece of equipment he might damage or then claim is his. The ODT isn't a smaller group now, after the surge now it's closer to craigslist.
It's just a bad idea for the seller all around.
1. Sorry, I'm not giving someone I don't know a loaded handgun.
2. There are enough buyers out there I don't need to dirty a clean gun when they'll likely go, "Well, I'll give you--" The more work you've gone through for a sale, the more likely you are to get lowballed or offered a rotten trade, because the buyer knows you've invested and will be more willing to bend over to make a sale.
3. Liability. You really want to be liable that you let some stranger--maybe a good shooter, maybe an idiot FNG--shoot your weapon in public?
4. Unless you live out in the woods, or by a free range, you're now investing at least a little bit to get into the range with someone to make your sale. You can't exactly wait outside and him go into the range alone with a $400+ piece of equipment he might damage or then claim is his. The ODT isn't a smaller group now, after the surge now it's closer to craigslist.
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several years ago, I bought a used Ruger P345 from a lgs/range. I wanted this particular gun because of the very low serial number. But something didn't look quite right with the way the feed ramp was angled. I compared it with another P345 they had and it was different. I didn't ask to shoot it. I asked the manager to go shoot it. He did and sure enough, it had several failure to feeds. I went ahead and made the purchase and let them send it back to Ruger for repair. They covered the shipping, gave me a decent enough discount for my trouble and understanding...and it's been a trouble free Ruger since. And damn is it accurate! I gave it to my son when he became old enough to own a pistol. I've asked him several times if he wanted me to trade it for something else or sell it for him. He won't part with his first gun his dad gave him. Sentimental Ruger P series...who woulda ever thunk?
When I am buying a gun I do the pencil test to make sure the firing pin does strike. If I was going to let a person test fire a gun I was buying I would bring small amount of ammo and before they shot I would make sure they had the money on them before touching
Only time I've ever wanted to shoot before I bought was when I gave Kimber another try... it worked for the 50 rds I put through it. Still ended up getting rid of it. The Ultra models are just not reliable past a couple hundred rounds.
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Never would think to ask someone to shoot their gun before buying. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. Try that at Academy or Dick's. Or even your local pawn broker. If you know enough about a particular gun to want to plunk hard earned cash down you should know enough about what to look for in regard to what may be wrong with it. Shoot it first? You're crazy or you bumped your head on the way over to my house. Give ya a little primer (no pun intended) When I go looking for guns at shops on the used market there are things I look for.....With revolvers I look for endshake, timing issues, bolt lockup in bolt notches, single and double action pull and sear break. I also run my fingers down the sides of the barrel feeling for a bulged barrel. Check the crown on barrel, it is the last thing a bullet touches before leaving the gun. Dinged up crown? Probably gonna shoot like crap. On semi autos I look for hammer safety push off or sear slip when safety is disengaged. This shows either worn or badly fit parts in most instances. I also look for dremmeled up feed ramps and throats etc. (This is what I have come to realize some folks call "custom"). I look for dinged sights (dropped maybe or just abused?). I fit some parts to a Springfield tiny 1911 (that wasn't mine) a few years back and it was bought used....When I took it apart the entire inside of the gun had been hit with a cratex wheel (look it up). I could not believe it. IT was the most sorry looking internals I ever saw. I fit the parts and they did well, but everytime I looked at the frame and slide I was disgusted by it. I guess it was "customized" and I didn't realize it. I will echo "Caveat Emptor". We are all grownups here and if you buy a lemon then you either didn't research thoroughly or bought from a dishonest jerk who misrepresented his goods. Either way you gets whatchu gets.
