Display Guns

Do you buy display guns?

  • I buy display guns without worry.

    Votes: 36 48.0%

  • I do not buy display guns.

    Votes: 30 40.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 9 12.0%
  • Total voters
    75
  • Poll closed .
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B

bg226

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Apr 27, 2006
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I personally do not buy new display guns, because I do not know with what care they were handled with.

What is your opinion about display guns?
 
If you mostly buy used like I do you are limited to "floor models". Not getting ripped off is a function of carefully inspecting a gun before laying down cash on the barrelhead.
 
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I'll buy a display gun if it's all they have. A quick inspection will show if the gun was mistreated.
After all, the minute we walk out of the store we have a "used" gun.
 
I try and avoid it on "Nice" guns... like when i was looking for a Dan Wesson 10mm... Bass Pro had one in their case i wanted but you could see very small scuff's in the stainless... They tried to discount it so i would buy it but i refused. Asked when they would get another one in and they said "Not until this one sells"... so i bought used in equal shape for 400bux less.

JOe
 
display guns???

Every shop that I've gone to their stock is on display.
I've never seen a shop that had guns that were just display models.
 
I just came across a DW CBOB 10mm that probably been sitting in the case for a couple years. It's stainless but with a black barrel bushing. It is also well-handled dirty. Yet it listed at full price. I'd like to get it, but with a discount. I guess I'll have to show cash to get to a talking point.

dtody
 
I worked in a gunshop, and I would always ask for one off the back shelf. They're there, you have to ask usually. I have seen some IGNORANT people handling display firearms, and very sadly, some ignorant sales personell, flipping revolver cyclinders shut, dropping things, scrating them, etc. Nah, out of the back room and inspected by me, if I am getting from a gunshop....which I haven't done in years. :)

Now pawn shops usually have only have one of, all under glass. They can be good deals if they'll dicker.
 
If it checks out alright and the price is fine, then yes I buy them. Depending on what I see, I might try to get a discount off of them, but if it's a display gun sold for the same price as a new one and they have a new one in the back, I'll leave with the new one.
 
What is in the case is what you get at most shops. Most new cars have been on "display" and maybe test driven by someone else unless you special ordered it.
 
Eh, exactly what are you afraid might happen to a gun from just handling it? You need to buy more resilient pistols than whatever you've been buying.

I'm fine with used guns.
 
Eh, exactly what are you afraid might happen to a gun from just handling it? You need to buy more resilient pistols than whatever you've been buying.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid of mistreatment during handling. For example:

Full price Gun: Slide slammed shut unknown amount of times, hammer dropped unknown amount of times etc...

Maybe I'm just being picky, but the poll doesn't really put me in the minority!
 
Slide slammed shut unknown amount of times
Click to expand...

Not a really big deal on modern handguns.

hammer dropped unknown amount of times
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Also not a big deal on anything that's not a rimfire.

That being said, I'll take the one off the shelf. No really good reason for it.

Also, I dry fire every one they have and find the one with the best trigger.

-J.
 
When I buy guns, most of the shops don't have it in stock. They order it for me.

One time , on a .22 pistol of all things, they had it in stock and I told them to order me one that had not been on display/handled. They employee looked at me weird.

Since then I have bought display models after checking them over. Matter of fact when I bought my XD45 they had two in stock and they had a $5.00 price difference. I asked what was up with that and he said one was old stock and one was new stock. I looked them both over and took the savings. I gave him a weird look on that one.

I have also bought used firearms and find them to be a great value. The two that I have bought were shot very little in LNIB condition and saved about $100 vs new on one and the other, a blued Colt Mustang Plus II for $350 cash.

Look any new or used firearm over and make your decision based on your findings.

Good luck and happy hunting.
 
Three of my guns were bought new, only one of which I have retained. That one is a Hi-Point 995 that was a display model.

The fifty-odd other guns that are currently in my possession came in other ways. I neither know nor care whether or not they were display pieces.
 
One local shop has stacks of new guns in the back room/warehouse. They advertise that they have 4,000 guns.

I will always ask if they have a new one in the back & I also ask them to check the computerized inventory for similar uncatalogued models, etc. You never know what's in the back room if you don't ask - different stocks, barrel length, finish whatever. Maybe once every 10 years they don't have a new one in the back and that's okay if the display model isn't dinged up too badly from rattling around on the shelf.

I bought a nib pistol Saturday at the gun show. It was in a glass-topped case though, not chained to a table for hundreds of people an hour to handle.

John
 
It depends on how the employees treat display guns. I've seen employees take guns out of the case for no reason and sit there abusing and playing with them. Repeatedly dropping the slide, dry firing, slamming the cylinder in, etc. I generally don't buy anything from stores that hire thoughtless employees. I've been to other stores where they don't allow dry firing without snap caps, and insist on safe, respectful handling from customers. I'd buy a display from these stores any day.

But, you run the risk of getting an abused gun any time you buy used too. Carefully inspect any gun, even if it's coming to you sealed from the factory.
 
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