Can't Bring Myself to buy a used gun

[mrortega]

I've bought two used Glocks, one at auction and one from a dealer. They were LNIB and still had the copper colored grease in the slides. They probably had only been fired a time or two or maybe not at all. The G21 was about $75 under new and the G26 $50. And the two factory mags that came with the 26 had the pinky extender installed.

 

[Excalibur]

I heard buying a well used 870 is good because it's already been broken into. Not a beat up one, but one that's had some "mileage" on it

 

[686 Shooter]

Last week I bought 2 new 870's and 1 used one, I would have bought more used ones, but none were offered to me. Several years ago I bought 2 used 870's that were very used, they were police trade ins, I would trust my life to any of them.

 

[superjoe76]

I only have two used guns. One is my EDC... the other is a mosin (do they count?)

 

[Birds Away]

The best one I saw recently in the classifieds. It said "carried but never fired" Huh? Are you kidding me?

 

[BluePig]

This reminds of a story I heard many years ago.
A fellow who divorced a woman was talking to another fellow who married the same woman.
The first husband asked the second husband "So, what do you think of your wife?"
The second husband said "Well, she cooks good food for me every nite & makes my lunch for work... She keeps the house clean as a pin... She loves me every nite and kisses me goodbye every morning... She makes good money at her job and now we can afford a bigger house and newer car."
"Once I got past the fact that she was used when I met her, life has been finer than fine."

 

[jLr]

The best one I saw recently in the classifieds. It said "carried but never fired" Huh? Are you kidding me?

Someone would be in for a rude awakening if their life depended on that gun firing and they pulled the trigger and heard.............click.

 

[M88A1]

Mackey...I spent 3 years as a Drill sergent at Ft. Knox, Ky. One thing they do there to save money is have a weapons pool. All the basic training unit bring there 200 some privates to sign out weapons for 9 weeks. During that time they carry them all over in all weather conditions...they get beat. The Army loves to train, one method to help trigger squeeze and control is the dime/washer drop. Where the rifle is chagred as the private lays in the prone unsupported and a dime/washer is balanced on the barrel, he must dry fire the M16 with out having the dime/washer fall off. Then they take them to the ranges and fire a few thousand rounds each. After the ranges its back to the cleaning bays at the weapons pool. Imagine 200 privates breaking down M16 and inter-mixing parts. Dont get me wrong weapons do break but the punishment they take is relentless. I have purchased new and used, sometimes you cant get what you desire new. Like the feeling of a 100 year old Colt M1911 firing lead down range and knowing the history off all the battles that its been carried in. One mans pleasure is another mans demon. Some new weapons are cool, some used one are sweet also. Another good test of a used weapon is have the seller fire it in front of you if possible.

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW I have passed on some used guns because I knew who the previous owner was.............nothing wrong with the gun, outside the prev owner being an idiot or jerk.

Simply avoiding bad joo-joo.

 

[seadoodr.]

I have 5 different guns, all were bought used. I purchased them all from people I know and was able to shoot them before buying. All except for the .380 I got for my girlfriend at a gunshow that is. Used firearms can be a good deal, but I really would have to look it over closely if I couldnt fire it before handing over my hard earned cash.

 

[indiucky]

I can't bring myself to buy a new gun. I think I tried once a couple of years ago and traded it three days later (new smith with the infernal internal lock).

 

[jurassicnarc]

Several of my nicest guns are (were) used. All but one of my Weatherbys were used, and they were in beautiful shape; likewise a couple classic colts and several S&Ws. Many were indistinguishable from new, but may have lacked the box. I do not display the boxes I have in my basement, and but for one exception, all my firearms are for shooting. At the savings you realize in getting a little used "pre owned" gun, even if you find the first owner was overzealous with a stone against the sear, replacement parts are easy to install. Even if you are really picky, there are plenty of real bargains out there to find, if I don't beat you to them.

 

[dom1104]

I only buy new guns.

You get the mfg wtty, and if you buy thru Davidsons, you get a lifetime wtty thru them.

I know too many folks who "dump the dogs" and sell guns hat dont work used.

The cost difference pales in comparison to ammo anyhow. Dont sweat it.

 

[Enfieldno4mk1]

I have both and like them all. However, most of them are used. If you are patient and careful, you can find some great deals on used guns. I have not had any problems with the used guns either.

 

[JettaKnight]

I only buy new guns.

You get the mfg wtty, and if you buy thru Davidsons, you get a lifetime wtty thru them.

I know too many folks who "dump the dogs" and sell guns hat dont work used.

The cost difference pales in comparison to ammo anyhow. Dont sweat it.

I'm not picking, but have you actually sent in a gun for warrantee work? Most quality guns and scopes have lifetime transferable warranties.

 

[Seaweed02]

The best used guns

Some of the best guns I own are used guns. I have several mauser rifles that are obviously used and shoot the straightest of all my bolt action rifles. then I have the .303 Lee Enfield rifle that is a very nice rifle. I have a very straight shooting 30-30 winchester model 1894 rifle that is a pre-64 manufacture.

And my favorite used gun is an H&K USP Compact in 40cal. I love that gun, and use it for concealed carry quite often.

 

[Bahrutile]

I have not bought a used gun to date, though the prices of used guns I find are not to far off from a new gun, so I just buy new... If I found a good enough deal on a used gun I think I would buy it

 

[DarkRose]

I've bought both, and sold both.

I do my best to keep an accurate round count of the rounds I've put through each gun (via an Excel spreadsheet someone on here was nice enough to send me a copy of), but if I got it used, I usually only have a ballpark number, and always disclose that when I sell it.

I've sold used surplus guns I've never fired a round through.

I've seen my dad buy a rifle, then shoot it a couple times, then sell it 3 or 4 years later because he never shoots it, or ammo prices went up, or whatever (a couple of his .22WMR's come to mind, as well as his Security-Six, darnit!)

Used guns can be good buys, especially if someone is just financing a new project or standardizing calibers.

 

[Win52C]

I can't recall the last time I bought a new one.

 

[686 Shooter]

The thing to bear in mind is, they are mechanical devices, they are going to break or wear out, you just don't know when, it could be the day you buy it, it could be when your grandchildren are grandparents, you won't know until it happens.

And then comes "round count", what is the magic number? What is the number between broke-in and worn out? There are a lot of variables (not just how many times a bullet passed through the barrel.) that will have a negative impact on a guns mechanical integrity or overall performance, so round count will tell you very little about the gun. When I buy a used gun I check overall appearance, noticable wear, basically fit and finish, and most of the time I get a good one.