Is buying a used gun worth it?

S

sunnycoast

Inactive
I'm looking at M700 SPS tactical or R9. This will be my first gun. Can you recommend some websites to buy for used guns?

Also, my other thread regarding shooting without a scope was not trolling. I'm literally that new. I only shot a .22 once like 7 years ago. DemoRanch on youtube has inspired me to get into this sport.
 
Although I cant recommend a website for used firearms I can say that buying used is totally worth while. Depending on where you come from, me being from the NE I have found that most used firearms sold around here are little used, we just dont have the shooting areas available and the hunting just isnt what its like in other places ie: out west you have prarie dogs/ground squirrels that some guys shoot their rifles at alot. Your average deer rilfe found most anywhere isnt usually fired alot, sighting in, a small amount of range practice. So getting to the point, used firearms for the most part are generally not shot alot, get a good bore light and look down the barrel, check overall looks of the piece. I have several rifles and most were bought used and they are fine firearms.
 
I've owned my share of used guns and never had a lemon. You just have to look them over well before buying.

In OH like the last poster said there isn't a lot that you can use a gun for so they aren't shot out. I'd be leary of buying a varmint rifle out west where there are tons of prairie dogs. But other then that I doubt any problems buying used.
 
I have been stuck with several lemons.

My advice is to bring someone along who knows about guns. They'll have an idea about what to look out for, and maybe save you both money and trouble.
 
Over the years I've been a prolific gun trader. I've lost count, but have owned, bought or traded over 200 guns of various kinds over the years, probably closer to 300. The vast majority were purchased used. I've ran across a few issues, but just as many issues with new guns.

I've never found a deal on ANY gun, new or used on any of the online gun auction sites. If you are looking for something specific, and want it soon, you'd probably be better off buying new. Used gun bargains are one of those things you just fall into. I've done well at gun shows, used gun racks in gun stores and even pawn shops. I've seen guns greatly over priced in all of those places too. It never fails, if you're looking for something specific used, you'll never find one at a fair price. But many of my best guns were bought simply because it was a great deal and then I figured out how to best use it.
 
For 700SPS tactical and being a new gun owner I would buy it new. That is a gun that tends to lend itself to customization by the owner and the customization is not always done well. If you buy one new your chances of getting a good one are very high and it will be covered by warranty if there is a problem.

The good news it comes well set up for hunting and target shooting.

Since you don't know how to shoot you are going to want to do as much research as possible about shooting and gun safety before hitting the range.
 
Yes, buying a used gun is worth it . If you know what to look for. Others have already gave very good advice. But let me add this if I may. Buy a Bolt Action 22 first. Something like a heavy barreled Savage Mark II SV, a bunch of ammo (which won't cost much compared to centerfire, shoot and shoot as often as you can) and learn to shoot, trigger control, breathing, no flinching or anticipating the shot, etc. Etc. In my experience a 22LR is the best training tool there is. Versus a high powered rifle with a big bang, recoil, etc. I've found that some new shooters who jump right in to the big cartridges can develop some bad habits real quick, habits that are tough to break.

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People trade or sell rifles that are not accurate. Or they are in need of quick cash. If there is $100 difference between new and used, buy new. I buy used at 1/2 of retail price. Most scopes have 0 value, unless it is high quality and repairable by the manufacturer. http://www.horstauction.com/guns.html Local auctions.
 
Rolling the dice ... :rolleyes:

You might luck out and catch a decent or even exceptional gun that came into a gunshop from an estate sale where the deceased owner was a shooter or collector. I've actually grabbed a few that way, but getting those guns was a matter of luck - a right place/right time thing. :eek:

More typically, used pistols and rifles at a gunshop, whether on consignment or not, were dumped there because the previous owners got tired of their unreliability or inaccuracy. It's also possible the owner needed some quick cash, and there's nothing wrong with the pistol or rifle at all.

As far as police "trade-in" pistols in particular, 95% of those are smoking-hot deals. They've been holstered mostly during their service careers and shot very little, ... except for that annual or bi-annual ritual the department calls "qualification." :rolleyes:

Just do your due-diligence and inspect thoroughly any firearm before you plunk down the cash or credit card.

You can thank me later. :cool:
 
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I forgot to mention that Remington has a $75 rebate on the gun you are looking at. So whatever math you work in to what you think a used gun is worth after accounting for barrel wear and everything else that should go in there as well.
 
You should check out your local gunshops. On line maybe better if looking for a specific firearm. Most cases if the firearm looks like the last owner took good care of it, your half way there. Check how clean the barrel is , look at the screws, bolt face. Cycle the action & dry fire, if they let you. No the price of the rifle new. If you brought your rifle that served you well ,into a gun shop to sell, you would be surprised how little you'd get for it. Read up on the caliber you want . Make your best deal & don't look back.
 
well, at this point over half the guns in my collection are vintage military rifles, they don't get much more used than that and they are definitely worth it to me. however I will worn you to exorcise due diligence, if something looks too good to be true, it usually is. I've gotten a few piles of splinters that were advertised as solid gold. there are two main sites that I use for buying used, gunbroker and armslist. armslist is nice because it's free to list items on, and separates listings by state and area so that if you want to only look locally you can. gunbroker has a lot more selection but you also have to deal with the fact that it's an auction site.

keep in mind when you buy from either site, you need to exorcise caution and make sure things are on the up and up, some guys will travel across state lines to make a purchase/sale which is illegal unless a federally licensed dealer fills out some paperwork transferring possession of a firearm to the other party, which most FFL holders will do for a small fee(usually $25 or less). you also have to be careful who you are dealing with, and be aware that when you buy a gun online, they have to ship to a FFL location, they can't legally mail straight to you and some people are morons that don't actually know the actual laws and will try to make things up. a condensed version of the law as it pertains to interstate firearms transactions:

1. you can actually mail a rifle or shotgun via USPS, but you are not allowed to mail a handgun. if you buy a handgun it must be shipped fedex or UPS.
2. an FFL holder is allowed to sell a longarm to a resident of another state, pending a NICS background check clears them to buy, however handguns may only be transferred to an individual from the same state that an FFL is licensed to operate in. in the event of an interstate handgun sale, a handgun must be shipped to an FFL in the buyer's state of residence.
3. anyone can legally ship or mail a firearm, however the person on the receiving end must have a FFL unless the sender and receiver are the same person(IE you buy a gun while visiting another state and mail it home so you don't have to deal with airport security).
4. even though most FFL holders don't like do it, anyone can request a copy of their FFL license, some will claim that they can only provide a copy of an FFL to another FFL, but this is pure BS that most use so that they don't have too many random people having a copy of their license(not that you can do anything malicious with one).
5. for face to face deals, the minimum requirement is that the transaction takes place within the state of residence for both parties and you are supposed to verify residence of the person you are selling to/buying from. if either party is not an actual resident of the state that the transaction takes place in, then the transaction is supposed to take place in the presence of an FFL, with official paperwork being signed.
6. muzzle loaders are not classified as firearms and do not have any of the limitations or requirements of the above.
 
Used. >Basically it's. Buying another's disguards.

Dealers make a huge profit on used firearms. There is no cap on a used firearms resale price.__ "What ever the market place will bare." is usual.

Just saying:
When buying anything used seldom is a conscience a prerequisite for its seller.

Where as a New firearm often has MSRP openly advertised >every where. Which garners its buyer a fair price and its seller a reasonable profit.
 
I think so

I bet I've bought 75-80% of my guns used. About half of those were from shops, the others from acquaintances, only a few from complete strangers. I've only gotten burned once......and that was from a shop, who made it right once I talked it out with them.

I'm one that believes appearance is much of the game. If the gun looks clean, maintained, and otherwise good condition, my experience is that it is likely a good purchase. Abused guns, or ones that have been shot a lot, typically show signs of such use, and I shy away from them.

Not a lot of guys can afford to shoot enough to wear out a gun. And a lot of guys get bored with a current gun, and move it along in a trade for the latest new love in their shooting life.
 
To just limit yourself to new guns would be a real shame. One of my absolute favorites is my 1947 vintage Model 36 Marlin that I have owned and shot for the past 25years. To each his own but to me some old guns are like buying some of your own personal piece of history. If they could just talk.
 
I have bought a few new in the past with good results. However, these days, I find that there are very few new things that hold my interest. My favorite guns were not new when they came my way some are older than me. There are some real winners from the past out there that are as good as the day they were made. Oftentimes the only reason they were traded off is that the person who inherited them wanted something more modern.
Trading Grandpa's old Winchester for some tacticool black plastic? Who does that? Sacrilege, to me, but it happens.
 
When someone says they just acquired a 5 screw S&W or a pre-war Colt, an Old Model Ruger, a pre-'64 Winchester we all congratulate them.
Most guns are carried much, used little. When I started shooting and collecting seriously in 1971, I asked a gun guru about a Colt Trooper 357, when I mentioned some of the bluing was worn on the barrel he replied:
"You don't shoot bluing."
In a private sale, I have found it's like buying a used car-you don't buy the car,you buy the owner. You go to the house, it if looks Like Tobacco Road or Omaha beach on the evening of June 6, 1944, forget it. If the house is neat and tidy, the people presentable, you'll do OK. I m currently driving a 1986 (!) Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. On July 30 I drove to Duxbury, MA and back. 600+ miles, didn't miss a beat. I have guided to people to cars on Craigslist, 20 year old senior citizens car, low mileage, well maintained, interior and body fine. Say $2000 as opposed to $25,000 for a new one. Are you out to impress people or do you just want a reliable car ? For some rifles-the M-1 Garand, e.g. there is enough information on what to look for, tools to check things such as barrel wear, etc.
Dean Grennell said he had an on M1911 with a well worn barrel that fired patterns, not groups. A new barrel quickly cured that. Ed McGivern had pictures of tight machine rest groups fired out of S&W K-22s with over 200,000 rounds through them.
The main advantage to buying new is the factory warranty. I have only taken advantage of that once, the transfer bar on my DW M-12 broke.
 
I've bought MANY guns, pistols, revolvers. shotguns and rifles on the used market. Some from gun shops, some from pawn shops, a yard sale or two, and some individual sales. I've gotten a couple that had problems but for the most part they were all perfectly serviceable, good guns. Like has been said, check them carefully, avoid the obvious "beaters", and if it a gun shop purchase see if they have any sort of guarantee. Maybe bring it back if there is a problem or whatever. Some of my best buys have been from a gun shop where the owner said "Guarantee? sure, if it breaks in half you can keep both halves". (Never have bought a bad gun from that fella.)
 
Tough call.

I have had one gun that was not what he said it was, I had clues and it had stuff on it that I wanted so it was not wasted.

Mil Surplus there are indicators but you have to know the gun model and history.

Used current: That's a crap shoot. I got one recently that was fine for what I wanted but was marginally accurate. Not a dog but barley a hunter. Ok with that as it was a project not a hunter, but If you buy for hunting and it has a problem.....

As noted, people do dump bad guns that way and current ones would be the worst.

Gunbrokers has an intervention on it, if its not honest they will negotiate it. Most sellers do not want a bad rap so they correct it if caught and called on it.

On the other hand, Cabellas is selling a pretty decent hunting rifle for $412 (Savage). Thin barrel but as long as it hits 1.5 inches at 100 its good out to 300.

Pretty wide choice from 223 on up to 300 WM as I recall (270 and 06)

Has a scope, bases of course, ok stock (plastic but ok)

Pretty tough to get even a used gun for less, full warranty

note: $75 off Cabalas and a Savage $75 rebate combined.
 
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