Feedback on GunBroker Purchase

[therewolf]

When I read GB's feedback, I am much more impressed with objective

descriptions, and a B-thru D rating, than I am by "This guy is a crook" and an F

rating.

IMO, the guy screwed ya, because those defects should have shown up in

normal photos.

If you don't get satisfaction, file a sub par feedback. But don't do it in a

way which makes you look like the bad guy.

 

[JDGray]

When I sell a gun online, I go out of my way to show any and all defects. The last thing I want is to get a call or negative public feedback, calling me a theif!

I just purchased a Kahr 9mm mag off GB, it was listed as "Factory New", the price was right so I hit the Buy now button. When it shows up, it was clearly used, and the follower was missing the metal hold open button. I emailed the seller wanting my money back, in a polite tone, and he PPal'd most of the money back, and told me to keep the junk mag! He said he didn't appreciate my attitude, and that I wouldn't have been happy with a new one in the factory wrapper. This told me he was aware of the defect, and was just unloading the used mag. We did leave each other good feedback, but I sure didn't want to. He made it right with me, so all was good. GB CS does want you to try to work it out with the other party before leaving anything but a A+ feedback.

Good luck with your misfortune, hopefully he will refund you some funds, or take it back.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Olympus
Here is the link to the completed auction. It has the price that I paid for the gun and the pictures that the seller posted.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=209621755

I want to point out something that may not be obvious. The seller is NOT a regular merchant (i.e. SELLER). The seller looks to be a joe-blow collector / enthuasist that is mostly a BUYER on GB. Based on personal experience, I would almost never recommend purchasing from someone like that. These types may have good intentions and are honest people overall - BUT they are NOT merchants. Most joe-blows don't know the difference between Mint, Excellent, and Fine.

 

[PRM]

I just bought a gun on Gunbroker ~ arrived not as described. I contacted the seller and sent him an email with my concerns plus pics.

The seller had a business and was just starting to sell on GB. Said an employee listed the gun and agreed it was not correct in the description. I believe the guy was on the up and up. He refunded my money plus shipping, paid for the return shipping and added an additional $30 for my trouble.

We left each other good feedback, and I would definitely buy from him again. I would call the seller and see what they said.

The ramp can be repaired fairly easy. Grips... I would have issues with the frame. The gouges are shown in pic 8 of the listing but, nothing is mentioned in the listing. I would not call it excellent by any means. Personally, that would bother me every time I looked at it. You may not be that picky.

 

[Olympus]

I am definitely that picky. But it comes down to the fact that there are a limited supply of no-dash 66s, so what is a guy supposed to do? Fight it out and return the gun for a refund to wait years and possibly not a gun that's in even worse condition? I don't think trying to return the gun is going to be an option for me. I may just have to take it on the chin and see if I can send the gun back to S&W to see if the gouges can be polished out. I can replace the grips and the front sight.

My main question was whether I should leave the guy negative feedback based on the discrepancy between the description and the actual item.

And as someone already mentioned, the seller is not an actual business. It's an individual.

 

[ExMachina]

Yikes. I don't think those are just gouges on the top strap. Unless that is a trick of the lighting, the top trap looks physically deformed which could mean that it sustained a significant impact. That could explain the front sight too, as a top-side impact could also have knocked out the original insert--this is all speculation but the two together make sense.

I agree that the seller went to pains to avoid commenting/showing the defects.

 

[Olympus]

Someone else had mentioned the possibility of a bent top strap to me just now. I've looked at the gun really close and the surface of the top strap is indeed bent down. But if you sight down the top strap like you would an arrow, the surface of the strap appears to be bent down, but the bottom edge of the top strap appears to be straight.

But this has made me uneasy enough that I will be taking the gun to a reputation gunsmith to get a qualified opinion. And if it is indeed bent, I will try to get documentation from the gunsmith to use if the return deal goes south.

 

[sw282]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=207230886


Heres the gun l gave a "D" rating on. Clearly from dark pix plus glare it is impossible to see a 1/2'' of blueing missing at muzzle. There are no images of bottom of trigger guard. Have not decided what do w/gun yet. l am in it at 440 now.
My gun guy has offered to put it on consignment or list it on GB for $20 plus their fees and 20 to transfer. ln order for me to get my money back it would have to sell for $500. lts not a $500 gun

 

[mdThanatos]

Pictures numbered 1, 3, and 8 on the official auction do show less than excellent condition. However having seen the pictures you posted Olympus I knew what I was looking for and may have missed the dings in his pictures. Picture number 1 does also show that it may be bent on the top strap as well, to me anyway. I still do not think of that as being excellent condition and hope you can get this resolved.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

If he doesn't make this right, file a fraud report.
http://www.gunbroker.com/User/FraudClaimProcess.aspx

 

[nofishbob]

Since the top of the top strap is dished out in the area of the gouges, yet the bottom of the top strap is still straight, I think that the gouges were originally deeper, and an effort was made to grind them out.

When the amount of metal to be removed became obvious, the grinding was stopped, leaving both the uneven top strap and the bottom of the gouges.

I would have had a hard time seeing these defects in the pictures from the seller.

This is not an "Excellent" gun.

Good luck!

Bob

 

[clem]

The chunks missing from the frame, would give me a case of the ass.
That guy is a thief, no way is that revolver in "excellent" shape/condition or what ever.

Get your money back.

The frame problem bothers me.

 

[gearhead]

In my opinion, even if you keep this specimen you'll still continue your search. Probably not as comprehensively as you've been searching for the past month or so, but I don't think you see this one as a suitable replacement.

 

[AKElroy]

If it were me, for that price, it would be going back. It does look like it was dropped, topstrap & site badly damaged, and the grinder taken to it to smooth it out. Poorly done. no way to put metal back, my friend. Get your cash & keep looking. Post here for a WTB for your no-dash.

I commend your nostagia, but a gun where you've been had would hold none of it for me.

 

[Olympus]

I will be giving the seller a call to return the gun. I'll keep everyone posted. As someone pointed out, I'm not ever going to be 100% satisfied with this particular gun. As bad as I hate to send it back for fear of not finding another replacement, I think that's just the way it's going to have to go.

 

[teumessian_fox]

I paid a pretty good penny for this gun

How much is a "pretty penny?"

If you paid premium price, then you definitely got burned. Get your money back or leave him the worst possible feedback. That gun is in terrible shape compared to the seller's description.

As bad as I hate to send it back for fear of not finding another replacement, I think that's just the way it's going to have to go.

And you'll probably be responsible for the shipping charges. If you're an FFL and can use the PO that might not be so bad, but otherwise it gets kind of pricey.

 

[Olympus]

I paid $740 for the gun, $30 shipping from an FFL, and $15 for the FFL fee on my end. So I've got $785 in the gun.

 

[teumessian_fox]

I paid $740 for the gun, $30 shipping from an FFL, and $15 for the FFL fee on my end. So I've got $785 in the gun.

That's definitely a premium price.

And I just looked at the pictures he posted on GB. He definitely deliberately crafted the poses so as to hide the gun's defects. Nobody is so stupid as to think those tractor marks in your gun are insignificant.

You got burned.

 

[Olympus]

I finally received a response from the seller. Quoted in entirety:

HI SORRY YOU NOT HAPPY WITH THE GUN THIS AUSED GUN AND I HAD PICTURES ON BOTH SIDES AND IT 2WAS SOLD AS IS

And my return response in entirety:

The pictures conveniently didn't show the damaged areas and it is my belief that
they were deliberately taken to hide the damage. The auction described the gun
as in excellent condition, and it is far from that. I have also taken the gun
to a gunsmith who has verified that the gouges in the metal have actually bent
the top strap of the gun, compromising the metal and making it potentially
unsafe for use. I am contacting you as a courtesy to facilitate the refund and
return of this gun. If you are unwilling to work with me, I will be forced to
leave negative feedback AND file a fraud claim with Gun Broker. With the
pictures I have taken of the damage and documentation I have from the gunsmith,
I have more than enough for a strong fraud case. I'm requesting that you work
with me on returning the gun. I would be more than happy to discuss this over
the phone.

 

[epijunkie67]

Pretty perfect response on your part. I think this guy knows he sold you a turkey and doesn't want it back.

 

[teumessian_fox]

HI SORRY YOU NOT HAPPY WITH THE GUN THIS AUSED GUN AND I HAD PICTURES ON BOTH SIDES AND IT 2WAS SOLD AS IS

What a response! His name "goober" by any chance?

I checked his feedback. Most of it as a buyer but no all of it. He got an 'F' rating, but the rest are positive.

I hope you have some recourse via gunbroker.

 

[Sniper X]

What I notice since I use to refinish metal, is the wavy edge of the top strap near the gouges. To me, this indicates that someone tried to polish out the gouges. The gouges were obviously very bad, even worse that they look now to make someone try to polish them out and get as far as they did and give up when they noticed how much metal had needed to be taken off to get them as they are now. In my opinion, they must have been really bad! Maybe even bad enough to interfere with the integrity of the strength of the top strap! In the GB pics, notice the two pics of the gun from the back liking down the side. In the pics it is easy to see how straight the right side is as compared to the left side.

 

[mes227]

Honest feedback is important to making the system work. And honesty is always a good response.

 

[Olympus]

I emailed the pictures to S&W, so we'll see what they say. I haven't received a response from the last reply to the seller.

I checked Gun Broker and they have a guarantee up to $500 with a $100 deductible. I can't file a fraud claim until after 30 days from the end of the auction. I'm unsure why they make you wait that long.

What a response! His name "goober" by any chance?

No, but I'm pretty sure he's foreign. The phone number listed on the Gun Broker contact page is for his wife's cell phone. Left a couple messages but haven't gotten a call back.

 

[OldCavSoldier]

I think the revolver was dropped and that is what dinged the top strap. M66 no dash revolvers are a little difficult to find, but not impossible, if you are patient. Personally, I would return the piece, for several reasons. With it having been dropped, and then a buffing being attempted, I would not trust the true-ness of lock-up or cylinder revolution. A good set of grips should fit the frame with ZERO gap, anywhere. The drop of the revolver may have done more than just ding the top strap. Good luck!