The New Guy Has a Shotgun Question

A

abelacres

New member
A friend of mine recentlly purchased a Marlin Bolt Action 12 ga "Goose Gun" with a 36" barrel and a gold trigger. He was told the gun was "real old" and "worth a lot of money". It has TWO bulges in the barrel, one about half way up and another about two inches from the end. The clip is broken, the gun is rusty and the flat head screws holding the gun together have obviously been removed. My question- Is this gun 'safe' to shoot? Is it worth fixing? He paid $300 for it and I'm pretty sure he got hosed. :confused:
 
Dents can be removed, I don't know about bulges. Simmons charges minimum $75 per dent.

Your friend was cheated. The gun is not "real old" unless he is very young and considers 40 as old. It is not "worth a lot of money", bolt action shotguns are pretty much the bottom of the barrel.

Why do people pay good money for stuff they do not understand?
The internet makes research BEFORE the deal easy and a lot more useful than the posts "What did I just buy?" or "Did I get a good deal?"
 
FWIW, a NIB Marlin Model 55 Goose Gun, made 1962-96, with it's original box/papers and looking like it just arrived from Santa Claus is worth a whopping $225.

One is 60% original condition, but undamaged, is worth $90.

Damaged magazines are replaceable.

Dent damaged shotgun barrels are repairable & shootable; not so bulged barrels - yes, the bulge can be "disappeared", but the barrel wall there will most likely blow out soonest.

.
 
As do I mx. A helper I once had told me "Never get married drunk" I think that advice would help my buddy with most of his decisions
 
"...Is this gun 'safe' to shoot?..." Absolutely not.
"...pretty sure he got hosed..." Robbed is more like it. Rusted with broken and missing parts. Not worth fixing.
Dents can be fixed, bulges cannot.
 
Just by averaging the internet prices your friend got, as you put it, hosed.

If you take into consideration, gun show, gun shop, pawn shop and deals from individuals; he still got hosed, only harder.

In the condition you describe, it is worth $50-80 tops and you would have to look hard to find someone knowledgeable who is willing to pay that much.


If you don't believe me just look at the Marlin shotgun page on Guns America as an example. Marlin shotguns
 
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