Do you CCW a new or used pistol?

[HammsBeer]

I've been seeing quite a few Glock and Sig LE tradeins, and some other brand models I'm interested in carrying are not produced anymore. So those of you who carry a semiauto pistol, would you carry a used pistol with just some springs changed, have a gunsmith totally go over the pistol, or only use a brand new gun? Post your reasons why.

 

[gym]

All but one of my carry guns were bought new except for a second one that was purchased in a trade. That was purchased in a trade from another shooter, came in the box with all it was supposed to, including receipts. Lots of times folks will buy or trade for something, and get a gun instead of cash that they will sell or keep depending on circumstances. I have no distinction of weather the gun is new or used, as long as it shoots the way it's supposed to. Speaking to a guns store owner at a show last week, who said one of my regulars, buys a new gun every couple of months, he hardly ever uses them, so I know I will be getting it back in 6 months anyhow. It's like the guy who trades in his car every year for the new model, usually their the best ones to buy from. My buddy, "when we were kids, had a dad who had a standing deal with a guy on his block, every time the guy traded in his caddy, "every 2 years", he would buy it for whatever the dealer was giving him plus a few hundred bucks. That works well for both guys.

 

[khegglie]

Both.

 

[19-3Ben]

I checked off used but with springs, but honestly, many of my carry guns have not even had new springs put in. My process is to buy the gun, break it down, clean it, inspect, reassemble and then go to the range to test reliability and accuracy with both range ammo and quality defensive ammo. If the gun proves itself to be reliable and accurate, the last thing I want to do is start playing with things like springs. If it doesn't work, for any reason, springs will be replaced as a first matter of attempting to remedy. If that fails, it will either go back to the gun shop, gunsmith, or factory to be fixed.

Let's be realistic here. How many people ever shoot a gun enough to warrant spring replacement? I'd bet (based on nothing more than personal experience) that the average handgun in civilian hands gets something like 1000K rounds through it in its entire life. Remember that we enthusiasts who can put 1000 rounds downrange in 6 months through one gun are statistical outliers. Most people will never shoot a gun enough times in a lifetime to wear out a spring, so if it ain't broke (or getting to the point where I have reason to believe it will), i don't fix it. Once a gun is broken in and working properly, the last thing I want to do is change something.

Remember, that as Voltaire said, "perfect is the enemy of good."

 

[chuckpro]

+1 to what 19-3 Ben said.

Most LE trade-ins are far from worn out, at least the ones i have and have seen. Spend your money on shooting more of your carry ammo.

 

[Hometeached1]

I am carrying a used Glock right now. If you are thinking about getting a used pistol check it out before you buy it, if it's passes take it home lube it up and shoot 200rds though it at least 100 of those being ammo you would carry. If it runs good carry it. If not you might want to change the magazine spring as well as the recoil spring.

 

[tarosean]

Don't matter as long as they pass my personal "proving"

 

[WC145]

Both. I have two guns that are my main off duty carry pieces, one is a S&W snubby I bought new and had customized, the other is a Colt Commander that I bought from the original owner who had it gone through by Joe Bonar at Novak's back in '99. It saw little use before I bought it and did not require new springs.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I have an S&W 6906 that I purchased used in 2010. It was in the original box and had been sold the first time in May of 1989. It appears that the original owner left it sitting in the safe because when I got it home and disassembled it there were fresh cutter marks on the underside of the slide.

About 6 month ago I picked up a used S&W 4006 that had been a police trade in it has holster wear but doesn’t appear to have been shot very much.

Apart from their quality there’s just something about third gen S&Ws that appeals to me. IMO all other handguns pale in comparison

 

[Tobias1900]

Every gun should be used (tested) by the time it gets carried.

 

[HammsBeer]

Reason im asking is one of my carry guns is a '96 Sig P6 surplus police pistol. The barrel wear shows it hasn't had a ton of rounds through it, and it has the updated feed ramp for hollow points. Its been reliable so far, only downside is the 8 round mags and its unknown history of use. Just questioning whether I should retire it and carry something more modern?

 

[JDR]

Most carry guns will benefit from some degree of a reliability tune by a good gunsmith, regardless of how old the gun is. When I took the NRA Basic Handgun Safety Course a few years back, the instructor said to get your carry gun armored once a year, and I always thought that was some good common sense advice.

 

[el Godfather]

New- only used by myself.

In some cases "used" when I know the first hand original owner and it has gone through some vigorous trips to ranges.

 

[wow6599]

Don't matter as long as they pass my personal "proving"

+1

I usually replace stock or old springs with Wolff springs and run a couple hundred rds of FMJ through them, followed by about 50 rds of what ammo I plan to carry. If all goes well (no malfunctions), I am confident in it as a carry weapon.

 

[chuckpro]

HammsBeer , The p6 is a tank of a firearm and if it has been reliable for you i wouldn't worry about it. If you like to carry the gun and are just looking for piece of mind i think you can send it back to Sig and have there pro shop go through it (safety check and spring replacement if needed) and doesn't cost that much under $100. I have an old German LE trade in 220 that i would have no problem carrying if i had to. It's been 100 percent reliable.

 

[Fiv3r]

Mostly new. My g26, fns-40, and 1911 were all bought new in box. However, my favorite carry piece is a used sp101. Honestly, after I scrubbed off the carbon on the cylinder face I couldnt tell that it had ever been shot.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Everybody carries a used gun -- after the first day.

Good guns don't wear out -- get a new spring set from Wolff (and stick to factory specs, don't go for extra strength recoil springs).

 

[MR.G]

I have bought and carried used pistols. I will replace the magazine springs, give them a through exam, and test fire them with various ammunition before using them as a ccw.

 

[needmorecowbell]

2 of my 3 main carry guns were bought used (Kahr CW9 and CZ P01). They've been 100% reliable after hundreds of rounds at the range and I have zero worries about carrying them. The other is a 642 airweight that I bought new.

 

[LKLive13]

Depends on there I got the used gun from. If I got it from a gun show that was not a dealer I would have it looked at but if I got it from a dealer I would just put a few hundred rounds through it to make sure it functioned well before I carried it.

 

[guyfromohio]

I guess I don't fit into that poll. I'm the original owner of both of my current carry weapons, but I wouldn't state it as a rule. If I carry it, it is only after several hundred rounds of flawless firing. If it hiccups, I won't keep it (hence no 1911s in the stable.....break-in periods and all).

 

[HammsBeer]

I will add that I only carry a gun that has been bought new or a used one that had a background check done to purchase it. I don't need to be in a self defense court case and an average jury of peers thinking I bought it in some kind of "shady" deal, considering all the background check media hoopla recently.

 

[mljdeckard]

My current carry gun has all original springs. I should probably use my tax return to get new ones and have them installed. Spring replacement is part of gun maintenence. To be honest, it sounds a bit like asking if the car you drive has the original oil filter.

 

[JohnBiltz]

I don't know what some of you guys would do if you were in the military. Believe it or not but they often just give you a weapon off the rack that is rarely new. You zero it and off to war you go.

 

[TestPilot]

I don't know what some of you guys would do if you were in the military. Believe it or not but they often just give you a weapon off the rack that is rarely new. You zero it and off to war you go.

But, those weapons were maintained, provided that the previous user was doing PMCS.

Also, if it turns out to be a junk, it's not as if I was paying for it or waiting for weeks without a gun while the gun goes on a trip to the manufacturer.