[firestar]

Many times when a C&R or a older gun is sold, someone writes or tells the buyer to "have the gun checked by a gunsmith before you shoot it".

Has anyone ever gone to a gunsmith to have their gun checked? I once took an old .22 break top revolver to a gunstore to have them look at it to see if it was safe to shoot but they didn't know anything I didn't know and I was only 18.

Do gunsmiths charge you for this service? Most of the time I just get my brother to shoot it first, if he lives, I assume it is safe to shoot. :D

[WonderNine]

Never done that. :D

The gunsmith check thing that is...:)

[Malone LaVeigh]

I took an old 1911 I inherited to a local gunsmith and he pronounced it good to go. After charging me about $50, IIRC. Luckily before I actually shot it, I went to 1911.com and followed the procedure they spell out there. I discovered a bad disconnector, which could have caused it to go full auto.

I'm bringing a "new" M-38 home tomorrow. I also ordered the manual online, and think I'll do the checking myself.

No one cares about my safety as much as I do, no matter how professional they may seem to be.

[Tamara]

Yes, with old milsurp rifles especially. Headspace check, pull it out of the stock and give it a good close look-over, et cetera. Gives me a chance to hang out with my favorite 'smith and shoot the breeze and also reduces the chances of a face-full of hot gasses or a bolt through the noggin or something equally catastrophic.

[Jim March]

For wheelguns, there's a checkout procedure thread in the revolver forum here (stickied, first post) that actually started on TFL and now continues back here.

The same basic procedure works all the way back to the 1836 Colt Patterson with only minor variations :).

[sm]

Yes.
I have been friends with my gunsmith for , I dunno 20-25 years??
I can think of only one gun that didn't come from him, and he didn't check that one out...I knew the history.

New guns from him its a given he will check it out, do a triggerjob, test fire and since he knows what I like...I pay and go on.

He has been with me when I wanted to look at something...$ gets exchanged for a product...he has looked at...then goes for a smoke...and I leave with a product.

Or he just calls and says so and so finally decided to get rid of something...get it out of my safe next time you're here.

Guns I've won In competition,raffle...etc. I have never even opened the box, I go to the dealer and trade for a used pc...or get a credit.

I've done 3 Benellis that way.

[winwun]

I see this trend toward "Have it checked by a professional" as a protection against litigous repercussions.

Another hobby of mine is rehabbing old mowers, I'll take a clunker and spend 8 or 9 hundred fixing it up pristine and then cleverly sell it for 4 or 5 hundred.

I always get a signed paper from the buyer that they have been advised to ". . . have the unit checked by a reputable dealer for safety equipment and proper operation . . .", and I give them a copy also.

Its really pitiful to have to do this, but that's the way things are and if you aren't aware of it, you could be heading for trouble.

This is especially true of firearms, what with all the nitwits and stupid court decisions.

There is a guy in my neighborhood who lives very nicely from his "sue money" as he calls it. He has a bunch of cases going all the time.

[jsalcedo]

Nah I just tie it to a tree and put a length of fishing line around the trigger.

Cheaper than a gunsmith.

When you are buying tons of sight unseen C&R for less than 60 bucks each its not worth taking each one to a gunsmith who may or may not give you a valid response.

More often than not I'll get "what the heck you buying that crap for?"

[Don Gwinn]

I treat it a bit like the warning that you should consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program. If I were going into the Marines, I'd probably get a checkup. But I've never consulted a doctor before starting a weight program or a calisthenics routine.

I had my K31 checked because it hadn't been fired in 60 years, but I won't have my new sporter checked because the previous owner's been shooting it for years. I will check, though.

[foghornl]

Had a gunsmith check out my Mosin-Nagant M-44 before I fired it the first time.

For $20 he used the go & no-go gauges, looked in the bore, fired 2 rounds, sectioned one empty to look for stretching, etc.

Pretty cheap insurance before unleasing a 35,000+ PSI monster next to my face, IMHO

[Tamara]

When you are buying tons of sight unseen C&R for less than 60 bucks each its not worth taking each one to a gunsmith who may or may not give you a valid response.

More often than not I'll get "what the heck you buying that crap for?"

You need to find a better class of gunsmith. Mine actually bird dogs old C&R junk for me. He's shown up on my doorstep with an FR-8, Schmidt Rubin M96/11, and a Chiang Kai Shek Mauser.

Of course, he still asks "What the heck are you buying this crap for?" ;)

[George Hill]

Any time I buy an old gun.

[jdege]

Yep. Inherited a VZ24, and took it in to be checked before I fired it.

Was told it was in perfect shape, and that the VZs were by far the best-built of the Mausers (which meant nothing much to me at the time.)

[SquirrelNuts]

I discovered a bad disconnector, which could have caused it to go full auto. I wish I could get a Class III gun for $50. :)

-SquirrelNuts

[Chipperman]

I think it should say:
"have the gun checked by a COMPETENT gunsmith before you shoot it".

I think many of us here have as much smith knowledge as a lot of the "Gun Shop Part Time Smiths"

A good smith is a rare and beautiful thing.

:)

[Handy]

There are alot of things you can inspect for your self. And you can continue the inspection at the range, like starting with only two rounds loaded in an auto.

If I actually had a feeling that headspace might be an issue, you bet I'd get that checked. But your eyes see cracks and the like just as well as a pro's. Take you time and think through the firing sequence.

[jdege]

"A good smith is a rare and beautiful thing."

Actually, the smith I go to is a seriously ugly little guy, but he knows what he's doing ;)

[JohnBT]

No.

Even if I had my guns checked by a gunsmith I'd still have to take them apart and check them myself anyway - so I'm just eliminating a step.

John

[Malone LaVeigh]

[Deep sigh] OK, so is "checking the headspace" something I can do on my own? I have a pretty good micrometer. Any good links to instructions? I'll be shooting the M-38 with my son, and don't want to take any stupid chances. But who do you trust? Anyone in the Sacto area have any good referrals? I'm picking this thing up in a couple of hours. Obviously, we're going to give it a good inspection and clean it out well. What else should we do?

[Ivanimal]

Do gunsmiths charge you for this service? Most of the time I just get my brother to shoot it first, if he lives, I assume it is safe to shoot.

Do you have your brothers phone number?:evil:

[sm]

[laughing]

Tamara, birdogging--I've heard my gunsmith say-" you know that credit you had with me <plunks down firearm> you have a little less than you did 5 min. ago". ;)

[firestar]

In a way, most of my guns are checked by a gunsmith. I didn't really think about it, but the dealer that I use checks every gun I buy from the online auction sites. I don't ask him to, he is just interested and I don't mind because he wouldn't damage my guns or anything. He would tell me if something was wrong so I feel a little better about it.

When it comes to C&R, I am a little more carefull. If it is not new or unissued, I try to buy from dealers that check the headspace. I did get a Truk Mauser that was suspect. Me and my brother spent many hours cleaning the cosmo off it and taking it apart to inspect for problems. When it came time to shoot it, it was the old piece of string behind a tree.:D

The funny thing is, almost every gun I buy, I don't trust until I have shot it. The first shot out of any gun, new or used, I always worry that something will go wrong. I have a concrete tube that I often stick the gun in and that way, it is blows up, it won't get my body or face. I may lose a few fingers but that is better than loseing the top of my skull. I need that part of my skull for wearing hats.:D

[pinetree64]

Yes. I bought a great looking Spanish FR-8 (308 large ring Mauser action). It had excessive headspace...though I was told it was ok to shoot...I sold it. I wish I hadn't but knowing the problem nagged at me...

tjg

[davidtdm]

I was lucky enough to get my grand fathers old rifles when he moved out of his place when grandma died. First thing when I got them was to take them to a shop that I trust and have their smith look at them. I have an Arisaka that I'm not sure I want to shoot.
A 1868 Winchester .22 short pump that belonged to my great grandpa when he was a kid. A civil war time flint that was I beleive my great great grandpas. ALso a .22 Mossberg trainer of some sort that grandpa kept in the downstairs hallway. He also had a Mauser that I rember him saying he took it off a german. My dad was unable to find that one quick enough before my uncle grab it after I was supposed to be given all of the guns. I'm not bitter really.

All are in working order except the muzzzler loader. The smith charged about $50 for all , he also cleaned and inspected them.

[WhoKnowsWho]

I took my Mosin Nagant to have the headspace checked, for free thankfully, even though all the numbers matched, better safe than sorry. Otherwise, it was simple enough to disassemble myself and check.

[Gewehr98]

And he could do a Cerrosafe chamber cast for me. Turned out to be a 6.5x53R Dutch Cavalry Carbine, so ammo choices were somewhat easier. Did the same for an old sporterized Arisaka, which turned out to be rechambered for 6.5x257 Roberts. ;)

[cratz2]

Most of mine (Enfields, K31, M44) have been in pretty tip top or unissued condition so I haven't really felt the need. Haven't shot the VZ-24 yet. I will probably either have that one checked out or do the string pull test. I just really don't have a burning desire to shoot it for some reason.

[Destructo6]

I had both of my CMP Garands checked by a local M1 RKI. Both passed timing, throat erosion, and headspace checks with no problem.

I didn't take my SMLE No4 Mk2 in to be headspaced until the bolt became stiff to operate after firing. It needed to go up two increments on the bolt head.

[Unisaw]

When I was a teenager, my minister gave an 8 mm Mauser to my brother and me. He couldn't recall when it had last been fired, so we took it to a gunsmith for a checkout and test firing. It checked out fine. (This minister was a cool guy. He ended up joining the Army reserve, then the 82nd Airborne Div. as a chaplain. He was also a member of the Old Guard for several years.)

[Sven]

Yes. Had headspace checked on an M1 Carbine by an experienced smith before firing.

[Harold Mayo]

I don't do so but I don't buy anything but new or near-new firearms, anyway. I DO have a story, though...

A gunsmith in the town where I grew up, an old, retired Marine armorer, checks guns out in the following manner: he takes them and shoots them. That's it. He's had several old surplus guns blow up in his face. He still has his eyes and no obvious facial scarring but DAMN!! I've seen him with his face swathed in bandages before after one of these blow-ups and I just have to shake my head...

[standingbear]

i only go by their word,unfortunatly i have found many willing to sell disgused junk to make a buck then dissappear or shift blame somewhere else..live and learn.if you can have it checked out first..by all means,do it,though some may find it insulting that they may sell junk and very arrogant about not selling junk.can happen with both new and used guns.