Nobody I know and shoot with has a yacht with solid gold plumbing, or a summer place in Monaco. Most are the usual mix of blue and white collar types, with mortgages and car payments and college funds for the kids(or grandkids) to worry about.IOW, folks like us.
So,figuring out ways to save money on shooting equipment is a good thing,and buying used weapons is oft a good way to save. BUT.....
Most metropolitan areas have a gun store or two that does lots of police inventory. Most depts turn in their weapons on a regular basis to get new ones, even tho the old ones may be effectively NEW. Some weapons get issued more than others, some just sit on a shelf, others go through wars on the losing side, from the look of them. And every dept has at least ONE cop who regards his/her job as a debit and takes their animosity out on a official piece of equipment. Or, just doesn't care if it works or not.Until it doesn't...
Various weapons in the past were frequently chosen by PDs simply because they held up to the abuse. The 870 comes to mind, and the K Frame S&W. The Models 12 and 97 from Winchester, the 37 from Ithaca,also were rugged by police standards.
And the key word in that last sentence was "Police". No commercial shotgun I know is made as ruggedly as a battle rifle like an AK or Garand.Some do get used that way, unfortunately. I'd have reservation about buying any shotgun with a bayonet lug, for obvious reasons. So, buying a police turnin is definitely Caveat Emptor.
Some guidelines....
First,a famous name like S&W or High Standard does not guarantee a high quality weapon.Both made some turkeys. Stick to Remington, Ithaca, and the classic Winchesters,or the newer 1300s and Defender series.
Check for condition like you would for any used pump gun. You won't find flawlessly cut hand checkering here, we're talking utility grade wood here. Look for addons, like sling swivels,easy to add, but still a detail that might already be taken care of. Look for obvious reconditioning also, it may cover a multitude of sins.
And bring some snap caps, triggers seem to get heavier every year, and then there's some fool that thinks he's a gunsmith that may have lightened that trigger to an unsafe condition. A trigger pull gauge is a good thing, optimum for a slap trigger is around 4-6 lbs, a little lighter for a slug shooter.
And just for paranoia's sake, if the bbl looks pretty short, measure it. Maybe a PD can get away with a 17 7/8" bbl on a cruiser gun, but you can't.
Find out if the dealers carries any kind of warranty on the piece. Some go for the 30-30 guarantee,30 feet or 30 seconds. Other prefer repeat customers and will cut some slack if there's a glitch. It's a good idea to fire the piece shortly after buying just to make sure it works.
Finally, dicker a bit. If the dealer has umpteen turnins of the same make, he may be willing to sweeten the deal with a discount, ammo, or maybe upgraded wood. If he knows you he may be willing to do a little goodwill dealing.
Good luck and good shooting....
So,figuring out ways to save money on shooting equipment is a good thing,and buying used weapons is oft a good way to save. BUT.....
Most metropolitan areas have a gun store or two that does lots of police inventory. Most depts turn in their weapons on a regular basis to get new ones, even tho the old ones may be effectively NEW. Some weapons get issued more than others, some just sit on a shelf, others go through wars on the losing side, from the look of them. And every dept has at least ONE cop who regards his/her job as a debit and takes their animosity out on a official piece of equipment. Or, just doesn't care if it works or not.Until it doesn't...
Various weapons in the past were frequently chosen by PDs simply because they held up to the abuse. The 870 comes to mind, and the K Frame S&W. The Models 12 and 97 from Winchester, the 37 from Ithaca,also were rugged by police standards.
And the key word in that last sentence was "Police". No commercial shotgun I know is made as ruggedly as a battle rifle like an AK or Garand.Some do get used that way, unfortunately. I'd have reservation about buying any shotgun with a bayonet lug, for obvious reasons. So, buying a police turnin is definitely Caveat Emptor.
Some guidelines....
First,a famous name like S&W or High Standard does not guarantee a high quality weapon.Both made some turkeys. Stick to Remington, Ithaca, and the classic Winchesters,or the newer 1300s and Defender series.
Check for condition like you would for any used pump gun. You won't find flawlessly cut hand checkering here, we're talking utility grade wood here. Look for addons, like sling swivels,easy to add, but still a detail that might already be taken care of. Look for obvious reconditioning also, it may cover a multitude of sins.
And bring some snap caps, triggers seem to get heavier every year, and then there's some fool that thinks he's a gunsmith that may have lightened that trigger to an unsafe condition. A trigger pull gauge is a good thing, optimum for a slap trigger is around 4-6 lbs, a little lighter for a slug shooter.
And just for paranoia's sake, if the bbl looks pretty short, measure it. Maybe a PD can get away with a 17 7/8" bbl on a cruiser gun, but you can't.
Find out if the dealers carries any kind of warranty on the piece. Some go for the 30-30 guarantee,30 feet or 30 seconds. Other prefer repeat customers and will cut some slack if there's a glitch. It's a good idea to fire the piece shortly after buying just to make sure it works.
Finally, dicker a bit. If the dealer has umpteen turnins of the same make, he may be willing to sweeten the deal with a discount, ammo, or maybe upgraded wood. If he knows you he may be willing to do a little goodwill dealing.
Good luck and good shooting....
