The Ethics of Selling a Bad Gun?

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baddarryl

New member
I have a pistol that I just can't get to run right. The manufacturer has sent me parts for it that did nothing. It seems I can't get them to send me a shipping label for repair and it is not worth me paying to have it may or may noy be fixed. I would never not disclose the issues in a private sale, but am considering trading at an LGS or pawning it. My only rationalization there is the hit that you normally take on a pawned or traded gun anyway.
What would you do? I am torn and done with this paper weight.
 
I did that once. I set a price below market, put it on consignment at a local gunshop, and disclosed to prospective buyers that the price was low because of problems.

Someone bought it.
 
You can only control what information is passed on by you. I would ASK the gunshop owner to be sure to disclose the problems to future buyers but how could you ever know? Even if he did, THAT buyer may well not when he sells. You can only control (and are only responsible for) your own actions. You do what's right and don't worry about what the next guy will do.
 
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I would sell it outright, and not fiddle with consignment. I would disclose the problems to the buyer, whether the buyer is a person or an LGS. Once that is done, the LGS can decide whether to disclose the information further, but my conscience would be clean.
 
Honesty is always the best policy.
If it were the other way around, and you were the buyer, how would you like things to be?
 
it's only your personal reputation.

I have not heard it for a weapon but am aware that known defects not disclosed on (an equally lethal) aircraft have resulted in successful lawsuits against the seller.
If personal ethics don't sway a seller to be honest, the viable threat of legal action may.

Look at eBay: I know numerous people that won't consider doing business with anyone with less than a 95-99% / 100+ transactions ratings.
 
I don't think it's really a question of what baddarryl is going to do but one of his responsibility beyond his sale. As I said, he has none. He should be honest and straight-forward and request that whoever he's selling it to does the same should they then sell but he has no responsibility for whether or not they actually do.
 
I’d probably try to sell it to a LGS and let them know up front what the issues were. They would probably be more inclined to take a chance on a “lemon” than the average buyer might be. If the shop had a gunsmith that would be even better since they could possibly repair/modify the gun as necessary at minimal cost. I know you probably won’t get as much money this way, but a clear conscience is worth more than money sometimes.
 
Spats McGee said:
I would sell it outright, and not fiddle with consignment.
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I perhaps should have mentioned that I live in one of those benighted states that has a "database that's not a registration" registration system. While face-to-face sales were technically legal here at the time, they were a legal minefield that I simply preferred not to deal with. It was much cleaner to sign it over to an FFL and do a consignment sale.
 
TZAZ:
it's only your personal reputation.
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^^
When all else fails, this is a pretty steady nightlight to guide by.
If it doesn't run well, mention it, and knock $50 off the price to get rid of it.

I wouldn't worry about it not selling. Some people are drawn like moths to a flame by the challenge of a "fixer upper." Lord knows I used to do that with broken stuff when I was younger and had more time on my hands.

Where did all that time go....?
 
Full disclosure is the right thing to do. I recall Dean Grenell writing he had an M-29 with an alignment problem, sold it at a very attractive price and made it clear to the buyer what the problem was.
"Lemons" can be a bargain, I bought my Walther P-38 at a good price because it was "broken"-it needed a new firing pin. $5.00 and a half hour's work.
 
I would not consider selling a gun, or anything else, without revealing any problems it had. Even on consignment I would want a prospective purchaser to know.
It is a matter of moral ethics, and I am sure none of us would want to buy a faulty item without knowing it. Then some price modification could be in order.
Jerry
 
Is the gun dangerous? If so you may want to have it destroyed. If not I'd sell it with the understanding that the gun aint quite right. You'll probably never get what you have into it... But if someone else wants your problems... let em have at it.

I bought a gun with serious issues at a gun show for $25. I was going to use it as a training prop. But a guy I know came along and took it from me for parts at$100. One mans trash is another man's treasure.
 
Whether you sell it to a dealer or private seller, disclose the issue. It's the right thing to do.

What is it, and what's wrong with it, anyway?
 
You guys are right and I knew it when I posted it. I just hate taking a bath on it. Not a very expensive lesson to learn not to ever buy another ___________.
 
baddaryl said:
I have a pistol that I just can't get to run right. The manufacturer has sent me parts for it that did nothing. It seems I can't get them to send me a shipping label for repair and it is not worth me paying to have it may or may noy be fixed. I would never not disclose the issues in a private sale, but am considering trading at an LGS or pawning it. My only rationalization there is the hit that you normally take on a pawned or traded gun anyway.
What would you do? I am torn and done with this paper weight.
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Reading your last post, I am glad you got this idea out of your head. As soon as I read the OP, I felt the urge to reach though my computer, give you a Gibbs-esque head slap, and ask you what you were thinking. :p

Selling to an LGS or pawnshop should not carry a moral difference to selling to an individual. They assume responsibility for your weapon, and the "hit" you take is your time that you spend to sell this weapon FTF and the premium for not having to wait to get cash. Some guns are worth selling to a shop, others not so much.

If you want to sell it, then I would probably lean towards a private sale first. It takes time, especially with a non-working weapon, but if you post it in the right places, the right person will find it, and pay a better price. Your LGS might not even want to buy it, depending on their business model. Either way, be honest and upfront, and expect to take a bath on it. Sorry it hasn't worked out for you.
 
When you advertise it for sale, list the problem you are having with it. For example, "It will not extract" or, "It has stove-pipe jams...", etc. Then people like me (who can fix their own problems), will buy it (being confident that they can fix it), albeit at a reduced price.
 
You guys are right and I knew it when I posted it. I just hate taking a bath on it. Not a very expensive lesson to learn not to ever buy another ___________.
Click to expand...

Problem is, you can be honest as all get out, but you have no control over the next owner. He may be like dahermit and be able to fix the issue and be happy with the gun or he may be someone that buys it cheap and then quickly resells it at a profit by not disclosing the issue. You do what you feel is right and move on.
 
Private sale... tell the truth. Its just the right thing to do.

LGS or pawn shop... they're already going to beat you up on price, buyer beware with them I say.
Telling them will only drop your price, not their future asking price.
 
I had a 1911 that did not like Critical Defense type ammo, though that is not the reason I got rid of it. The two factory mags were garbage too. I was upfront and offered a good discount considering what I was selling and I sold it. The guy who purchased it from me later called and said it ran fine for him with some Chip McCormic mags.
 
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