shurshot
Maine Gun shop destroyed new Colt SAA collector value!
After a lengthy search, I had a new brand new Colt single action army .45 Peacemaker transferred to my dealer (now FORMER dealer), for an FFL transfer (Gunbroker purchase) and the young know it all clerk, prior to my arrival, "safety checks" the gun,
As he should. Visual confirmation that the firearm is unloaded is common sense.
cuts off the zip tie the Colt Dealer placed on it at my request and then plays with it.
Did you make your transfer dealer aware BEFORE the gun arrived that you wanted the zip tie left intact?
He admitted to dropping the hammer from the half cock notch, and apparently several times too, given the numerous turn Mark's on the cylinder from the cylinder bolt.
He's an idiot at worst, untrained in handling expensive firearms at best. If untrained, his boss should have trained him on how to visually inspect a revolver without opening the cylinder.
He DESTROYED the collector value, as I was planning on putting it away, unturned, uncocked, in the safe for a few decades to pass on or sell. The Clerk refused to accept responsibility for his ignorance and damage he did, was arrogant, tried to blame Colt (which is BS), said they left the turn marks (I have before and after photos from the original seller, an authorized Colt dealership). The gun was MINT and unturned, unmarked prior to this idiot getting his hands on it.
In his defense, the clerk can't read your mind or even be aware of what your intent was. I'm pretty sure that gun was cocked, turned and function checked at the Colt factory.........by someone who knows how to do so without marring the finish.
Manager backs clerk, says ALL guns must be safely checked.
Which is possible on a SAA with nothing more than your eyes.
Colt Single action revolvers have rimmed cartridges (.45 Colt anyhow, as this one was), the gun can be checked easily WITHOUT cocking it by viewing it sideways. ANY cartridge in the cylinder can be seen by holding the gun sideways. The clerk obviously just wanted to play with it (and did!) and subsequently ruined its uncocked / unturned condition. Dropped it from the half cock and or indexed the cylinder!!!???!!! A brand new Colt?!?!? Is he trying to destroy my hammer sear??? Very disappointed in this dealer and the arrogance / poor attitude of the clerk after the fact. He should not be working in a gunshop with that attitude! . He advised me that he knows "allot about single action revolvers and has lots of experience with them". Ha ha!!! Yeah, he sure destroyed mine in short order!!!
Did you choose this FFL to receive your gun?
Apparently he was unaware of the value, unaware of the loss of value by cocking/uncocking/dry firing/etc.
Did the seller put a card, tag or other warning with the firearm: "Collector gun! Visual inspection only!" Or even "Do not open without buyer"?
I transfer a lot of collector grade ($5000 and up) handguns. It's not uncommon to see such a warning notice.
They refuse to accept responsibility and or to pay for the cylinder to be reblued as it isn't covered under Warranty (I already called Colt and started a ticket, and they encouraged me to hold the dealer $$$ responsible for the rebluing). Devalued my new Colt from Collector grade to shooter grade before I could even see it and now I'm stuck with a devalued gun. Not a cheap gun either. Sending it back to Colt now and exploring legal options. Terrible experience.
Rebluing? That won't restore the cylinder to "unturned, uncocked". IMHO, your gun dealer owes you a Colt like you were supposed to get.
Be careful who you conduct buisness with pertaining to valuable weapons.
I'm not victim blaming, but it's always a good idea to let your dealer know ahead of time what you have coming in and any special precautions to take.
If you did that, then the dealer has little to argue with.