Cheapshooter
New member
To me NIB would have to be no handling marks, all items originally shipped from the manufacturer. Including owner's manual, warranty registration card, advertising, and original packaging material.
What does NIB mean to you?
- Thread starter passintime
- Start date
If the seller is a NON dealer then NIB--New In Box means that the seller is the only owner, the gun is COMPLETELY unused, appears new in EVERY respect, was purchased in the VERY recent past (days or weeks at most) and comes with ALL original factory packing and accessories.
The only conditions I would accept as being accurate for a previously sold gun being described as NIB (by a NON dealer) would be something along the lines of:
If it's been shot, field stripped, pulled out and dryfired a few times for fun, cleaned a couple of times as practice, lubricated with the user's favorite motor oil, etc. then describing it as NIB is not accurate. If the manual is dogeared or the anti-corrosive packing paper is missing then it's not NIB. If it's been in the bottom of a closet for 15 years then it's not NIB even if all the other conditions apply.
It MIGHT be LNIB--LIKE New In Box assuming that it appears new in EVERY respect and comes with ALL original factory packing and accessories.
If the seller is a dealer then NIB means NEVER previously sold. PERIOD.
The only conditions I would accept as being accurate for a previously sold gun being described as NIB (by a NON dealer) would be something along the lines of:
I bought this gun, took it home and on the way home, I decided I didn't want it. So I (never took it out of the box/took it out of the box to look at it but didn't disassemble it or shoot it.) I called the gun store the next day but they wouldn't take it back so here we are a week later and I'm selling it.
If it's been shot, field stripped, pulled out and dryfired a few times for fun, cleaned a couple of times as practice, lubricated with the user's favorite motor oil, etc. then describing it as NIB is not accurate. If the manual is dogeared or the anti-corrosive packing paper is missing then it's not NIB. If it's been in the bottom of a closet for 15 years then it's not NIB even if all the other conditions apply.
It MIGHT be LNIB--LIKE New In Box assuming that it appears new in EVERY respect and comes with ALL original factory packing and accessories.
If the seller is a dealer then NIB means NEVER previously sold. PERIOD.
What NIB means to me....
I'm not a legal expert & do not have a JD or PhD but to me, I consider a firearm; "New In Box" if it is unfired/unused(except for factory test fires or authorized factory demo/sales use).
If the firearm owner can set up or arrange a factory service plan or warranty as the first owner then you can call that NIB too.
To my limited knowledge, Taurus USA is the only CONUS firearms company to honor firearm service plans/parts based on ownership; new or used.
Sometimes, a major firm like S&W or Beretta USA or Colt etc may sell firearms "new" but are test/T&E models for law enforcement or a military unit.
I almost purchased a "NIB" law enforcement PX4 9x19mm pistol in 2009 that way. The FFL holder was in north Florida & was honest/open about the PX4.
I'd add that I'd check a new shipment or weapon too. I had a 96D frame "NIB" sent by a FFL holder/shop in central IL with the pistol frame scratched up by a loose 96 .40 magazine.
The shop staff or the S&H dept &$@# up! I wasn't very happy.
FWIW; Robar, www.robarguns.com packs all parts, firearms, etc securely.
Maybe they should teach a class to some of the other shooting industry morons.
I'm not a legal expert & do not have a JD or PhD but to me, I consider a firearm; "New In Box" if it is unfired/unused(except for factory test fires or authorized factory demo/sales use).
If the firearm owner can set up or arrange a factory service plan or warranty as the first owner then you can call that NIB too.
To my limited knowledge, Taurus USA is the only CONUS firearms company to honor firearm service plans/parts based on ownership; new or used.
Sometimes, a major firm like S&W or Beretta USA or Colt etc may sell firearms "new" but are test/T&E models for law enforcement or a military unit.
I almost purchased a "NIB" law enforcement PX4 9x19mm pistol in 2009 that way. The FFL holder was in north Florida & was honest/open about the PX4.
I'd add that I'd check a new shipment or weapon too. I had a 96D frame "NIB" sent by a FFL holder/shop in central IL with the pistol frame scratched up by a loose 96 .40 magazine.
The shop staff or the S&H dept &$@# up! I wasn't very happy.
FWIW; Robar, www.robarguns.com packs all parts, firearms, etc securely.
Maybe they should teach a class to some of the other shooting industry morons.
What JohnKSa wrote with one minor - and probably rare - exception. If the box has never been opened, then its age shouldn't disqualify the firearm from being NIB. If, for example, the first and only owner won the firearm at a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet, kept it in the box with all papers, and never handled or fired the rifle, I would consider it to be NIB regardless of the date he won it. (However, JohnKSa is an expert and I'm just a senior citizen). 
NEW
in box.
means:
Brand new. unsold. Unfired. undamaged. complete. clean. undamaged box. never disassembled or fooled around with.
in simple terms, it left the factory, and the thing had nothing but ordinary handling after it reached the hands of the dealer or previous owner.
new in box does not apply to anything other than that. it does not apply to a "like new" in box that may have sat in a cabinet, knocked around in a drawer, fired only a few times, cleaned a few times,dry fired for a few hours, etc.
New means NEW. unused. undamaged. unhandled.
you were ripped off. IMO, he lied to you. either they guy adjusts your price to that of a "used, like new, with box, some visible damage, 95% perfect" price, or you leave him a blistering rating.
My dad bought a .357 50 years ago that he never fired even a full box of rounds through. it was carried a bit. it sat in a drawer all those years, maybe in a box. it was flawless. it was NOT new in box; as it had gone through 50 years of ownership, a box of cartridges, dry firing, covered 10,000 miles of highway, hundreds of miles of hiking, dozens of deer hunts in a holster, etc.
When I got it, it still had the factory proof target. It was flawless. the box was perfect. I could have pretended that it was "nib" but there's no way an honest person can call it "new."
It's too bad that society has gotten to this point that we have to weasel around the word "new."
in box.
means:
Brand new. unsold. Unfired. undamaged. complete. clean. undamaged box. never disassembled or fooled around with.
in simple terms, it left the factory, and the thing had nothing but ordinary handling after it reached the hands of the dealer or previous owner.
new in box does not apply to anything other than that. it does not apply to a "like new" in box that may have sat in a cabinet, knocked around in a drawer, fired only a few times, cleaned a few times,dry fired for a few hours, etc.
New means NEW. unused. undamaged. unhandled.
you were ripped off. IMO, he lied to you. either they guy adjusts your price to that of a "used, like new, with box, some visible damage, 95% perfect" price, or you leave him a blistering rating.
My dad bought a .357 50 years ago that he never fired even a full box of rounds through. it was carried a bit. it sat in a drawer all those years, maybe in a box. it was flawless. it was NOT new in box; as it had gone through 50 years of ownership, a box of cartridges, dry firing, covered 10,000 miles of highway, hundreds of miles of hiking, dozens of deer hunts in a holster, etc.
When I got it, it still had the factory proof target. It was flawless. the box was perfect. I could have pretended that it was "nib" but there's no way an honest person can call it "new."
It's too bad that society has gotten to this point that we have to weasel around the word "new."
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I would rather have a firerarm packed in cosmoline that someone never fired, than a firearm that someone left in the case for 20 years and developed rust.
NIB to me also means no corrosion. How someone keeps a NIB firearm in its case for 20 years and keeps it from ever rusting without ever taking it apart and re-lubing it can be tricky.
NIB to me also means no corrosion. How someone keeps a NIB firearm in its case for 20 years and keeps it from ever rusting without ever taking it apart and re-lubing it can be tricky.
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Ruger GPNY; NIB, GunsAmerica.com ....
In the early summer of 2006, I purchased a "NIB" Ruger GPNY .38spl 4" barrel revolver from a "good ole boy"/FFL holder in AL.
The unused/never issued Ruger GPNY was part of a NYPD run & made in 1991.
The stainless steel revolver(DA only) sat in the shop owner's back lot for years w/o any major problems or wear.
I bought the Ruger GPNY .38spl & used it on armed security details for about 24mo without any problems.
I replaced the old style Ruger GP grips with a new Hogue GP series Tamer & used top quality CLPs.
The revolver was old but not worn out.
In the early summer of 2006, I purchased a "NIB" Ruger GPNY .38spl 4" barrel revolver from a "good ole boy"/FFL holder in AL.
The unused/never issued Ruger GPNY was part of a NYPD run & made in 1991.
The stainless steel revolver(DA only) sat in the shop owner's back lot for years w/o any major problems or wear.
I bought the Ruger GPNY .38spl & used it on armed security details for about 24mo without any problems.
I replaced the old style Ruger GP grips with a new Hogue GP series Tamer & used top quality CLPs.
The revolver was old but not worn out.
To me "NIB" means never fired.
My 1911 has some scratches on it due to it being handled over the years the shop had it, including gun shows. It had never been fired and by far the best price around me (another shop was asking the same price for one USED
). I've already managed to put plenty of my own scratches on it since then.
My 1911 has some scratches on it due to it being handled over the years the shop had it, including gun shows. It had never been fired and by far the best price around me (another shop was asking the same price for one USED
). I've already managed to put plenty of my own scratches on it since then.imthegrumpyone
New member
NIB is just like it says NIB. The problem in "internet" When you do internet you get what you get. It's a crap shoot, I myself most of the time, like to feel and touch before I buy. Though I haven't been really taken on an internet sale, I've come close.
NIB from a good store means it comes from the factory and no one but me lays a single finger on it.
This is one reason I buy guns from my local gun store. I tell him what I want and he gets it straight from the factory. Yeah, sometimes the guns are a little greasy from the factory, but I'd take that over any "display" gun.
Seriously, if you've seen some of the idiots that handle the guns at Turner's or Bass Pro Shop, you'd immediately rethink your definition of NIB. It's not rare for some of the more ignorant employees to allow customers to dry fire rimfire rifles. I remember I walked into a gun store and asked for a snap cap to dry fire a CZ 452. The moment the employee asked me "why?" I just chuckled and left the store.
NIB from an owner is not much different from NIB from a good gun store, except:
-I wouldn't mind if he/she cleaned off the packing grease. As long as he didn't do it with sand paper, I don't see the harm. He/she just saved me the hassle of cleaning the grease
-Maintenance to prevent rust/damage. This is counter-intuitive, but what good is "NIB" if the thing is rusting?
-A few dry fires (unless it's a rimfire). Most of the "NIB" guns at bigger gun stores have been dry fired anyway.
-Very light/normal handling marks. For example, he might have ejected the magazine just to see how it feels. That'll leave a few minor blemishes inside the magwell or on the mag itself. Or, he might have dry fired his revolver a few times and left a faint drag line on the cylinder.
I know it's very technical, but it's very important that these terms are defined very precisely so that there's a standardized criteria.
So to answer one of your more direct questions: Yes, I expect to see everything that was originally included inside the box, even if it was a 10 pack of $0.99 bullseye targets. If it came with the box it should stay in there. Otherwise it's not "NIB".
This is one reason I buy guns from my local gun store. I tell him what I want and he gets it straight from the factory. Yeah, sometimes the guns are a little greasy from the factory, but I'd take that over any "display" gun.
Seriously, if you've seen some of the idiots that handle the guns at Turner's or Bass Pro Shop, you'd immediately rethink your definition of NIB. It's not rare for some of the more ignorant employees to allow customers to dry fire rimfire rifles. I remember I walked into a gun store and asked for a snap cap to dry fire a CZ 452. The moment the employee asked me "why?" I just chuckled and left the store.
NIB from an owner is not much different from NIB from a good gun store, except:
-I wouldn't mind if he/she cleaned off the packing grease. As long as he didn't do it with sand paper, I don't see the harm. He/she just saved me the hassle of cleaning the grease
-Maintenance to prevent rust/damage. This is counter-intuitive, but what good is "NIB" if the thing is rusting?
-A few dry fires (unless it's a rimfire). Most of the "NIB" guns at bigger gun stores have been dry fired anyway.
-Very light/normal handling marks. For example, he might have ejected the magazine just to see how it feels. That'll leave a few minor blemishes inside the magwell or on the mag itself. Or, he might have dry fired his revolver a few times and left a faint drag line on the cylinder.
I know it's very technical, but it's very important that these terms are defined very precisely so that there's a standardized criteria.
So to answer one of your more direct questions: Yes, I expect to see everything that was originally included inside the box, even if it was a 10 pack of $0.99 bullseye targets. If it came with the box it should stay in there. Otherwise it's not "NIB".
Aguila Blanca
Staff
I am frankly astonished that there could be so much diversity of opinion as to the meaning of what should be a self-defining term. Based on what I've seen in this thread, the acronym "NIB" doesn't mean anything ... because there is no agreement or even consensus as to what it means.
To me NIB means exactlythat. It means it comes from a retaier who got it from the manufacturer. If I buy it from you, it's used and the price should reflect that. I don't care if you've never loaded or fired it, it is no longer new.
Is there any product out there that you would buy from an individual and consider NIB?
Is there any product out there that you would buy from an individual and consider NIB?
How long do things stay new in a box?
Unless some extraordinary measures are taken - like vacuum sealing it or putting it in an extremely dry environment, a firearm is not going to stay "new" as time passes.
Firearms manufacturers ship their product in a matter of days or weeks after it is completed, the packaging isn't meant to preserve the firearm for months on end.
Maybe after a certain length of time NIB is an oxymoron.
Unless some extraordinary measures are taken - like vacuum sealing it or putting it in an extremely dry environment, a firearm is not going to stay "new" as time passes.
Firearms manufacturers ship their product in a matter of days or weeks after it is completed, the packaging isn't meant to preserve the firearm for months on end.
Maybe after a certain length of time NIB is an oxymoron.
The definition of NIB, for other types of products (e.g. toys, old car parts, collectibles, ...), tends to be differ according to whether the item is currently in production, or out of production. For the former, NIB typically means that it's unused w/ packaging intact and all accessories included, though it does allow for the item to have been removed from its packaging for inspection. The item can't show any signs of handling or corrosion. But NIB for out of production items (e.g. collectibles ) is more lenient and allows for blemishes and other signs of aging. The focus here is on the condition of the contents and that the packaging's current condition appears to be the result of 'natural' aging.
It sounds like the OP may have gotten a display item, or a return. But rather than fixate on whether it's NIB, of LNIB, I'd simply determine if the gun is worth the price paid and go by that.
It sounds like the OP may have gotten a display item, or a return. But rather than fixate on whether it's NIB, of LNIB, I'd simply determine if the gun is worth the price paid and go by that.
passintime
New member
Let me just say that the lack of a second mag in a "NIB" gun bothers me far more than handling marks.
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Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk
I'm sorry, some of you are confusing me. I've never quite appreciated the difference between new and brand new -- perhaps it could be covered in another thread.
When it comes to defining NIB, it depends a lot on if you're buying or selling. Since I'm typically a buyer, I consider NIB to be the same as Factory Fresh. To sellers, it's often a case of: I bought it, shot it a little, it's not quite what I expected, and now I want my money back.
When it comes to defining NIB, it depends a lot on if you're buying or selling. Since I'm typically a buyer, I consider NIB to be the same as Factory Fresh. To sellers, it's often a case of: I bought it, shot it a little, it's not quite what I expected, and now I want my money back.