Do you clean before selling?

Pretty sure there was a poll on here a bit back about how often everyone cleaned their guns and the consensus was that everyone was cleaning them too often.

I want to be a buyer from all of you.

I have sold three guns. All had been cleaned after their last use.
I have pawned five guns, all pot-metal specials that were included in trades or lot purchases. All had been cleaned after repairs and test-firing.
I have sold or given away a number of relic-condition guns. Some had been cleaned up for appearance sake.
I have had eleven guns stolen from me, mostly by family members. All had been cleaned and maintained before the thefts.
I maintain my tools, whether I'm keeping them or selling them.

I always clean them up before I sell them, it's not like it takes all that long, I'm not going to take it down to parts and polish it up or anything, but a wipedown and a bore clean is for sure. I hate seeing guns for sale online that are truly nasty looking, especially if I'm interested in buying that model. My last really nasty one was an S&W 28-2 that was "furry" with powder and dust mixed with oil all over it. The seller assured me it was in great shape and he wasn't lying. I figured I would just have to give it a really good clean when it arrived. When I got it, it was spotless and except for the faint turn line and a little faded blue on the muzzle, it looked like it was new instead of 47 years old. I was very happy, but since he cleaned it anyway, I wish he would have just cleaned it up before he took the pics.

I've made out well a couple of times when a seller said the bore "isn't perfect", "has some spots in it", and when I got it(cheap) all it needed was a good scrub with a borebrush and on one barrel, a couple of passes with a Lewis Lead Remover and the "not perfect" bore was perfect! Another gun was "Rusty" and if the seller had wiped it down, he would have seen it wasn't rust, it was dried up jeweler's rouge, and the gun was full of it. I got that one really cheap. It was 99%+ condition.

If you don't let your guns get filthy then you have an easier job cleaning when you put one up for sale.

I clean my firearms after shooting them. To me the most important thing is to use the correct solvents and lubricant in the correct amount and apply it to the correct parts of the firearm.

Since my “cleaning” is a wipe down and a couple passes thru with a boresnake that’s how they’re getting it.

I would.
I got stuck the other way. I bought a dirty gun, it was one I wanted and the price was right. Turned out that the bore was pitted under the fouling. Who knew that there was corrosive .223?

badkarmamib said:

The cleaner it is, the more attractive it is to a potential buyer, private or dealer. I won't do a full detail strip, unless it needs it, but I will do a full field strip, clean everything I can get to, and make sure everything works as well as it can. Any problems, I am upfront about. The last thing I want is a disgruntled buyer wanting a refund or starting a Yelp page for me...

Click to expand...

With you 100%. We sell on GB, AL, etc and I make sure that bigger than normal scratches, wear, etc. appear in the pictures. Unless a used gun is described as New or Like New, people expect it to be not 100'%, but deep gouges, chips in wooden components, etc. need to be brought clearly to light. For example, this gouge on a Glenfield 25.

I clean my car before I go to get an appraisal for it; same with my house if I'm going to list it. Would certainly do the same thing with my guns, or anything else of value, that I was trying to sell or trade.

I'm 70 and if I don't clean them after use and before selling the ghosts of grandPa and Sgt Oliver would kick my butt.

earlthegoat2 said:

Pretty sure there was a poll on here a bit back about how often everyone cleaned their guns and the consensus was that everyone was cleaning them too often.

I want to be a buyer from all of you.

Click to expand...

I definitely don't over-clean.
I go several range trips sometimes before cleaning.

However, I do give a thorough cleaning before selling or trading one.
I want to leave a good impression and give the person the gun in pristine condition.

Legionnaire said:

I had a slight adrenaline rush when my newly hand loaded .45 Colt ammo wouldn't chamber all the way in a new-to-me Ruger Blackhawk I traded into. Made me wonder what I had done wrong. Everything measured correctly, so I checked it in the cylinder of a different revolver. Fit perfectly.

Turns out the chambers of the Blackhawk were filthy, with a lead ring just at the case mouth. A little elbow grease and now all is in order. But it made me think. When you sell a gun, do you clean it first or not? My practice has been to detail clean any gun I am parting with, especially those I am shipping somewhere. I want the buyer to have confidence that I took care of the equipment (I do) and have the pleasure of receiving a range-ready firearm.

What do you do?

Click to expand...

I don't sell guns, so I can't vote...
If I did, it would be clean.

Only way I'd sell a dirty gun is at the range, while shooting it, and the buyer just had to have it, and made me a cash offer I couldn't refuse. This since I clean all my guns after I get them home.

i'm in the process of selling off numerous firearms. They don't get cleaned before sale, my firearms are already clean. They get wiped down with a cloth before sale. This morning i sold a Ranger Arms Texas Magnum rifle. The buyer commented on the fine condition of that rifle.

I always clean so that's one excuse I don't have to deal with in haggling over the price. Recently I traded handguns with an LGS. The dealer wanted the original grips rather than the aftermarket ones that my revolver was wearing and the difference was $25.00 additional (to me) on the trade. Luckily I'd held on to the originals and we made the deal. The takeaway is not only clean but also have any original components (including boxes and instructions) that came with what ever you're trading.

I always clean after shooting and wipe 'em down once a month regardless. So if/when I sell or trade in they're as close to 100% as they can be.

I don't clean everything after shooting, but then I don't get a whole lot of shooting in usually. It may go three range sessions before cleaning, which could be maybe 3-400 rounds at that point for pistols. When I sell or trade then I will field strip, clean and relube. I did a trade for a P220 that after getting home and really looking at it, discovered that it could have been lubed better by the previous owner and was pretty dirty inside that I couldn't see when doing the trade.

I will not buy a dirty gun. Thus, I will not try to sell a dirty gun. Dirty guns show a lack of respect for a tool, and can hide a multitude of sins.

I make sure to clean off my fingerprints.

But yes, when I have sold a gun, it was clean, lubed and ready to shoot.

Jesse Heywood said:

I will not buy a dirty gun. Thus, I will not try to sell a dirty gun. Dirty guns show a lack of respect for a tool, and can hide a multitude of sins.

Click to expand...

This guy didn't believe in that. Was an hour yesterday cleaning it for sale.

FlSwampRat said:

This guy didn't believe in that. Was an hour yesterday cleaning it for sale.

Click to expand...

There's a lot of work. And excess wear on the ratchet. Looks like he shot it until it quit.

When I sell I’ll clean them to make them look better. Same for cars etc. A 2007 mustang freshly detailed looks looks like a better deal.

When buying I always figured if its dirty it means it probably works (within reason).

HB

YES it gets cleaned. I have been a buyer and a seller of firearms. Whether I am doing a face to face deal or at a gun store, I look at the firearm. If the firearm is nasty and dirty, I am not as likely to drop money on something that looks neglected and may have issues to deal with. I am not going to put a buyer in a position that I would not want to be in myself. I don't want pocket lint flying out of a firearm I am trying to get close to top dollar for.

The Bell Curve will always indicate that “clean and shiny” is always much preferred over “dirty and dull” - the question begs the answer.