What is your opinion on buying used guns. Do you own any?

V

Viper99

New member
Hello All,

I normally buy new guns but lately have been checking out the used guns at my local gun shop and have seem some that were hard to pass up.

Wondering what kind of experience posters here have when they have purchased used guns? good experience or bad? better to have 2 pristine used guns than 1 new one? for those that have new and used, what is your breakdown as far as new vs used? any obvious used guns one should stay away from?

I am in the market for a 1911 and have narrow it down to a new Mil-Spec, Loaded or a used TRP. My shop doesn't have any SA 1911 in stock so I will try Cabelas this week and hopefully they have it.

As always, thanks for your valuable replies.
 
I've bought and sold many fine used guns in the past forty years. Knowing what you're doing is the important thing. If you want a no lock or a pinned and recessed smith, a python or some such thing as that it is either used or not at all. Condition is the critical part of the equation when I'm buying.
 
I've bought and sold many fine used guns in the past forty years. Knowing what you're doing is the important thing Plus one Jimmy10mm

As one that does not know enough,I have never bought a used gun.
 
Revolvers but probably not semi's,,,

I know how to, or at least I have confidence in my ability to assess a used revolver for problems.

I do not have that same confidence when it comes to checking out a used semi-auto pistol.

Now if it was a gun owned by an acquaintance and I knew it's performance history I could do that.

But a used semi that I know nothing about I would not buy,,,
Unless I had a solid return agreement with the seller.

In short I have no problem with used handguns,,,
I just don't know how to evaluate a used semi-auto pistol.

Aarond

P.S. 23 handguns five of which are new.
 
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Forgot to mention, my gun shop gives you 30 days and if you're not happy, they will allow you to return the gun at full price and used it towards something else. You just cannot get cash back.
 
Most of my guns were purchased used. You can get some great deals if you know what to look for. Also there are certain guns that just aren't made anymore, or made as well.

If you stay with the better makes and models, and avoid guns that have been tinkered with, you should be OK.
 
I have bought many used firearms, many of them pistols. I find that I am better able to judge auto's condition than revolvers, primarily because I have more experience with them.

Obviously, it is better to see the weapon first hand, even more so if someone familiar with the breed can inspect it for you. I have had exceptionally good luck on GB, and find that when sellers answer your questions quickly and in detail, generally they can be trusted.
 
I've purchased used firearms and had little in the way or problems. Know what you are looking at and like with a car remember its not likely the seller is getting rid of it because it's perfect.
 
I've purchased used firearms and had little in the way or problems. Know what you are

Haven't you ever sold a good used gun because you wanted something else?
Are there any sure tell signs that you should be looking for in a pistol?
Are you pretty much safe if you're buying a gun like Sig, Glock, HK since they are famous for having a high round count life?
 
I don't have a problem with buying used firearms, provided I'm familiar enough with both the gun and the market to do so. Either that, or buying from someone I know and trust.

If you google around, you can find threads on checking a used revolver or semi-auto. If I were in the market for something used right now, I'd reacquaint myself with those before going on the hunt, as well as hitting gunbroker and the classifieds to figure out what a particular gun is worth.

As some others have said, do remember that it's a used gun. It may be that it's a jam-o-matic, or it may be that the previous owner simply didn't like the fact that the grip screws were chrome. . .

If my gun shop had a 30-day, full-price store credit kind of guarantee, I would not hesitate to buy something used from them. Even though you can't get cash back, that's a pretty sweet guarantee.
 
Most of the guns that I bought have been used, many I have kept, other I sold or traded in on something else. I have only had two used guns that had problems with a mechanical failure. One was a Taurus PT1911 and was fixed in a few weeks after being sent back to the factory. The other is an H&K P7 PSP, and that one is at the H&K factory getting fixed as we speak.

If the gun store is reputable then will have at least a 1 month warranty on it, and will either fix the weapon, or give you equal credit towards the purchase of something else.

The local gun store that I go to GreenTop, fires all used guns before they go back out for sale just to make sure it will function properly.
 
I'd say I'm about half and half in new vs used.
I prefer used when I get a hankering for something I want.

There are many occasions where used simply isn't easy to find when you are looking for something specific. That's usually why I'll end up with a new gun purchase.

If I walk in to a gun store, I have almost no interest whatsoever in looking at new guns. If I want to look at new guns with new gun prices, I can find them anywhere, any time.

If they have a case with strictly used guns in it, or a case of consignment items, I'm all over it. I also like it when they use a different color tag hanging from it to denote the used guns rather than the new ones.

There are many great guns selling as new, but there aren't many very great deals in new guns.
 
Good Lord!! If a guy didn't buy used guns, he'd be missing out on at least half the fun of being a gun nut.

If I think about all the guns that I own, I realize that I have way more fun, satisfaction, and affection for the used ones than new ones. I've got quite a few that would be considered antique, several milsurp, and others that are just good solid modern production guns. Some of these I've put a little work into, and that makes me like them even more. jd
 
Most of the used guns I've bought have been decent shooters, however there are some that I've had the misfortune of buying just to find out that I purchased someone else's headache. They are not always apparent upon initial inspection. I bought an used Colt SS 1991 NRM that was in beautiful condition a couple of years back, but it turned to be a rare lemon. Spent over a $100 and even time trying to fix some of the chambering issues that it had. Finally had to get rid of it.
 
Almost all of my guns are purchased used. Got about a dozen handguns and not a single one was purchased new. Only a couple of my rifles and none of my shotguns.

The only time I've ever purchased new was when the model was new enough that there were few if any options for a used gun of that type.

Look em over carefuly and learn what to look for and you will save hundreds. Most guns are not shot enough to be hurt.

If you decide you don't like it you can always sell a gun purchased used for what you paid if you chose carefully to start with. Do that with a gun you purchssed new and you will lose money big time.
 
I'm comfortable buying used guns as long as they are from a quality manufacturer like S&W, colt, Ruger for revolvers. I've also bought a couple of Makarov's online and have had good luck.
 
I've purchased more than a few used guns. I haven't had a problem with any of them at all.

I particularly enjoy buying pre-lock or pinned and recessed S&W revolvers. I purchased a Model 14-3 a few months ago for a good price, and it was in excellent condition too.
 
No problem with buying used. Most of my very favorite guns were bought used. I do tend to stay with top name makers. But I will take a chance on about anything that I think is a great deal. As said before the used gun market is where it's at , just don't over pay.:)

Last gun bought used was a Ruger GP-100 38 spl only 4 inch half lug barrel for $250. Before that a S&W 36-1 3inch nickel $395. Don't be afraid of used guns because the deals are there just have patience.
 
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for a carry gun, never. I want to know the full history of something im depending my life upon. for anything else, USED ALL THE WAY! Most people dont shoot more than a few hundred rounds through a gun its whole life, so i dont worry about that stuff. as long as it looks ok....ill take that discount.
 
Io recently scored a lnib Walther PPS for $325. I LOVE used guns. In most cases, it just makes better sense to buy a lightly used example.I like guns that someone has bought, shot once or twice, and traded back in. I use all my guns regularly, so its only going to be new for a breif time. My brand new Dan Wesson is a thing of pure joy, and I'm glad I got it new, but I'd not hesitate to poick up another one used.
 
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