Where to buy beaters?

N

Netzapper

New member
Where do y'all reckon is the best place to find cheap beater 1911's? I'm looking to practice some gunsmithing.

Gunshops in my area don't really seem to carry much cheap used stock--most of their used stuff is in good condition or better. I reckon pawn shops might be someplace to look. But, anybody got any other ideas?
 
Pawn shops have been the best spot for beaters in my experience, gun shows not so much. It seems a beater at the gun show is an "Antique" and worth as much or more than a new rifle. Once in a while I might see one at a fair price but not very often.

Pawn shops on the other hand sometimes have older or abused guns that have been sitting on the rack for too long and they just want to move them out. Explain to them what you want to do with it and make them an offer of what it is worth to you. If they say they can't come down on the price move on to another shop, come back to them in another month and see if they still have it, cash talks.

As my hobby I've picked up many an old gun that just needed some TLC to bring them back to life.
 
I'd reckon $250-400 is reasonable for something that needs work.

I'd really like to find slightly broken guns to fix. But I imagine that's a problem, since nobody wants the liability of selling a known-broken gun. So, I reckon the next best thing is sloppy, worn ones.
 
Kind of suspect the days of there being such a thing as cheap beater 1911's are long gone.
"...looking to practice some..." Maybe one of the Spanish made copies. Llama's et al. Ditto for revolvers.
 
I have noticed the lack of "Beaters" for the last 20 years. Maybe still at some local auctions. I blame it on the "Buy back" programs.
 
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