Is buying a used gun worth it?
- Thread starter sunnycoast
- Start date
In a word yes, it can be worth it. The downside as I see it for your case is becoming very, very gun savvy in a very short time. When buying anything used or put more nicely pre-owned it becomes important to know what to look for be it a used truck or gun or anything other commodity. A crash course in knowing exactly what to look at or look for in a used rifle really isn't practical for the new shooting enthusiast. That is how I see it anyway. With that said...
The rifle you are considering, a Remington SPS Tactical in .223 Remington or .308 Winchester chambering runs about $680 give or take depending on vendor for a new rifle. That is the route I would suggest for the new shooting enthusiast. That or have a gun savvy friend help you look over possible used rifles. Personally I like to see and feel a rifle up close and personal that I am considering buying. I am not saying online buying is a bad thing, I just like seeing what I buy.
Ron
Gunplummer
New member
On-Line buying is the greatest. Looking for a certain gun? Go back 30 years and tell me it was easier to find a specific gun with out the internet. I use a bunch of different auction sites, except Armslist. I backed out of something there once and will never go back. The REPUTABLE auction sites have seller/buyer ratings Used guns are pretty much all I have ever bought. I doubt if I bought 10 new guns in my whole life. Worried you might lose a couple bucks on a used gun? When you walk out the door with that new gun, it is like buying a new car. It already lost value.
I got my share of used guns and I dont think this risk is for the first time newbie buyer. If the newbie had an expert friend to bring along he would not be here asking. I dont think there are many friends who can tell from inspection if a gun is a lemon. (sarcasm intended) There are a lot of lemons these days. By definition, 50% of all guns shoot below average and 50% are better than average. Another cliche: Not many gun owners will sell there most accurate rifle.
A newbie shooter would not even know if it was him or the gun that performed poorly.
I would never buy a common gun like M700 used. I justify the "LEMON RISK" of getting a modern, like new, used rifle when the item has been discontinued or I know the history of the specific gun.
I am more willing to risk buying a 20/30 year old, used but not abused gun, than anything that is just a couple years old and like new.
A newbie shooter would not even know if it was him or the gun that performed poorly.
I would never buy a common gun like M700 used. I justify the "LEMON RISK" of getting a modern, like new, used rifle when the item has been discontinued or I know the history of the specific gun.
I am more willing to risk buying a 20/30 year old, used but not abused gun, than anything that is just a couple years old and like new.
Oh, btw, my first rifle was a 22 rim fire. I know it was not asked, so FWIW. A 308 is a lot of gun for a beginner.
A 22 is a good way to start, low recoil, low ammo prices. Makes sense all around and has been standard practice for generations. There are a lot of good bolt action guns in 22lr, like Ruger American. Simple and safe too.
A 22 is a good way to start, low recoil, low ammo prices. Makes sense all around and has been standard practice for generations. There are a lot of good bolt action guns in 22lr, like Ruger American. Simple and safe too.
A M700 SPS Tactical is an entry level hunting rifle with an MSRP of $788. If the $788 isn't within your budget, used will do nicely.
There's nothing horrible about buying used. It takes a great deal of abuse to damage a modern commercial hunting rifle. How 'worth it' it is depends on your budget. And you do need to know what stuff is worth. Locally. The Blue Book of Gun Values isn't the place for local values. Neither is an on line auction. Your local gun shop is.
In all likelihood, you'll be able to find a higher end rifle, probably scoped, for roughly the same money used that a BNIB entry level rifle costs.
Mind you, this time of year isn't great for deals on used kit. That comes after deer season. Guy misses his shot, blames the rifle and trades it in. Dealers are full of used stuff they really don't want after deer season.
There's nothing horrible about buying used. It takes a great deal of abuse to damage a modern commercial hunting rifle. How 'worth it' it is depends on your budget. And you do need to know what stuff is worth. Locally. The Blue Book of Gun Values isn't the place for local values. Neither is an on line auction. Your local gun shop is.
In all likelihood, you'll be able to find a higher end rifle, probably scoped, for roughly the same money used that a BNIB entry level rifle costs.
Mind you, this time of year isn't great for deals on used kit. That comes after deer season. Guy misses his shot, blames the rifle and trades it in. Dealers are full of used stuff they really don't want after deer season.
Few guns on dealer shelves have been subjected to intentional abuse, although you do want to eyeball all used guns closely.
But abuse isn't the only reason guns wind up in gun shops as a trade-ins or to be sold on consignment. A good number are there because they were defective and/or unreliable from the factory when new, and either the factory never corrected the issue properly (as with a feed-finicky 1911 pistol), or the first owner simply got tired of trying to correct an accuracy problem (as with a rifle with a bad barrel, crown, etc), and simply moved on to another firearm.
There are soo many reasons for a gun to end up on the used gun rack or case. Most gun shops here in the San Antonio area will guarantee their used guns to work and function properly. I have traded off many perfectly fine guns 
over the years for the purpose of getting something different.
over the years for the purpose of getting something different.
I was at the club talking with a member shooting a new Savage black 308 bolt on special from cabelas. I guess an easy sub moa shooter. Another club member got one and for the short money, same story - very accurate. At the same time this guy traded in a much more expensive savage target model that just would not shoot for crap no matter what he tried. And he was good.
I had seem that very gun, picked it up and put it back. Now, he tells me he was at cabelas perusing the gun library and see a guy looking over that same piece of crap he traded. he is really torn to say something and risk the consequences or just walking on. It sold eventually. I bet that gets passed around to a lot of owners until it finally gets a new barrel.
It was a bit ironic, that a low cost special shot so well while a top match gun was messed up.
Savage, Remington, Ruger all have their lemons. Most makers really. With more automation, less hands on, makes it easier for a poor guns too slip out from bad/worn tooling etc... Remingtom is not an easy rebarrel either. You hear about remlins, same outfit, cranking out the new marlins.
True story.
I had seem that very gun, picked it up and put it back. Now, he tells me he was at cabelas perusing the gun library and see a guy looking over that same piece of crap he traded. he is really torn to say something and risk the consequences or just walking on. It sold eventually. I bet that gets passed around to a lot of owners until it finally gets a new barrel.
It was a bit ironic, that a low cost special shot so well while a top match gun was messed up.
Savage, Remington, Ruger all have their lemons. Most makers really. With more automation, less hands on, makes it easier for a poor guns too slip out from bad/worn tooling etc... Remingtom is not an easy rebarrel either. You hear about remlins, same outfit, cranking out the new marlins.
True story.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I did quite a bit o f trading for rifles at gun shows for some 30 years. Shot many of them in testing, figuring on whatever improvements might make them more easily sold at a profit.
It was very rare that I had to deal with a lemon. Few rifles which didn't show signs of actual abuse were "bad" rifles. Two key things to look for are a burned leade and a dinged muzzle. The first can be a deal killer; the second is an easy fix.
It was very rare that I had to deal with a lemon. Few rifles which didn't show signs of actual abuse were "bad" rifles. Two key things to look for are a burned leade and a dinged muzzle. The first can be a deal killer; the second is an easy fix.
There is nothing wrong with buying used. In fact, most of the gun I buy are used, in like new condition. I like the old classic, discontinued walnut and blued steel.
If you do buy new, ordering off the internet from places like B*ds, usually will save you money and there is no tax. Then you just find a local transferring dealer that will usually charge around $25 for the transfer. Either way is good, depending on the deal you can find. Buying used limits your choices somewhat, but a savvy buyer can get some real good deals.
If you do buy new, ordering off the internet from places like B*ds, usually will save you money and there is no tax. Then you just find a local transferring dealer that will usually charge around $25 for the transfer. Either way is good, depending on the deal you can find. Buying used limits your choices somewhat, but a savvy buyer can get some real good deals.
Remington 700's hard to change barrels? First I heard of that.
Used guns limiting your choices? I guess that depends on how hard and where you are looking. So many nice guns are only available used, Savage 99, Security Six, Colt Trooper, a real 94 Winchester.......... The list is almost endless.
Used guns limiting your choices? I guess that depends on how hard and where you are looking. So many nice guns are only available used, Savage 99, Security Six, Colt Trooper, a real 94 Winchester.......... The list is almost endless.
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
Buy a Ruger and if someone has not clearly done something to it, like file something they shouldn't have, Ruger has the reputation of making it right with just the cost of shipping.
Buy a used Hipoint and they will make it right again no matter what was done to it or who did it. You pay shipping. They return it with an extra magazine.
Those policies give a buyer of a used gun something to fall back on and limit the risk.
I'm currently looking at scopes and only considering Leupold used b/c they have the reputation of providing similar service.
Some brands are not so generous. Some brands have a reputation for returning guns that still have problems.
Obsolete products have other issues. Some companies have a track record of discounting a new product, some just say you are out of luck. If you have to pay a gunsmith you are in trouble.
If the gun is available used from owner, especially locally, I buy it used. I've not purchased used from a gun store or pawn shop. I've never found a deal there that impressed me. I have found a few good deals on gunbroker.
I'm the opposite of many here. If I am not shooting it at least a few times a year, I sell it off. There are times I enjoy trading as much as actually shooting and I love shooting any firearm I don't have experience with in the past.
Buy a used Hipoint and they will make it right again no matter what was done to it or who did it. You pay shipping. They return it with an extra magazine.
Those policies give a buyer of a used gun something to fall back on and limit the risk.
I'm currently looking at scopes and only considering Leupold used b/c they have the reputation of providing similar service.
Some brands are not so generous. Some brands have a reputation for returning guns that still have problems.
Obsolete products have other issues. Some companies have a track record of discounting a new product, some just say you are out of luck. If you have to pay a gunsmith you are in trouble.
If the gun is available used from owner, especially locally, I buy it used. I've not purchased used from a gun store or pawn shop. I've never found a deal there that impressed me. I have found a few good deals on gunbroker.
I'm the opposite of many here. If I am not shooting it at least a few times a year, I sell it off. There are times I enjoy trading as much as actually shooting and I love shooting any firearm I don't have experience with in the past.
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safety first, always...
+1 on post #25. I would also suggest taking a firearms training course, and depending on your age, it will no doubt be required in your state of residence. An open sighted .22rf bolt rifle (I'd also strongly suggest a Ruger American in .22lr.; mine has nice open sights on it) is a good (probably the best) way to start your shooting experience. Once you've got the basics of sighting a rifle with the opens, mount a decent fixed power scope on it for your next phase. I like a 4X or 6X fixed power, even on my big game rifles. Be safe, take the training course, and have lots of fun! AND USE HEARING PROTECTION, TOO! No joke there...
+1 on post #25. I would also suggest taking a firearms training course, and depending on your age, it will no doubt be required in your state of residence. An open sighted .22rf bolt rifle (I'd also strongly suggest a Ruger American in .22lr.; mine has nice open sights on it) is a good (probably the best) way to start your shooting experience. Once you've got the basics of sighting a rifle with the opens, mount a decent fixed power scope on it for your next phase. I like a 4X or 6X fixed power, even on my big game rifles. Be safe, take the training course, and have lots of fun! AND USE HEARING PROTECTION, TOO! No joke there...
I agree 100%. Sending a newbie out on his own to buy a used gun is like sending your teenage daughter out on her own to buy a used car. Unless you have a buddy who knows his stuff, at least with a new gun from a dealer, you'll know where to go and who to contact if you have problems.
There are lots of great buys on used guns, but if you don't have enough knowledge and experience to recognize them, you are unlikely to get one.
The minute you walk out the door of your favorite gun shop your new rifle is "used". Like others have said, look the used rifle over real well, preferably with a bore scope, check the action and the overall condition before you lay down your hard earned cash. I look for good used guns frequently. Either to find a caliber I can't get in a newer rifle (32 Winchester Special), or a rifle they no longer make in any caliber that I would like to own (M1 Garand).