Just got a used Glock 34 -- take to gunsmith?

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SolidChoice

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I got a lightly used glock 34 from a friend.
She took care of it as far as I know, and I didn't pay anything for it, so I didn't worry too much about inspecting it at first. It hasn't been shot in 7-8 years.

I field stripped it, cleaned it, put on a small bit of oil, and it cycles dummy rounds fine. Overall, it looks and feels fine.

Is it worth taking to a gunsmith to have a look to see if it's safe to fire, or am I overthinking this?

If it's worth it, what would be a fair amount to expect to pay for this, assuming no repairs are needed?
 
$450 to $500 is fair. They generally sell new for about $600, and hold their value well. Shoot away as long as you don't see any damage and the barrel is clean.
 
Thanks. I was actually asking what would be fair for the gunsmith to charge to inspect the gun, but about 500 used for the actual gun was what I saw online as well.
 
Oh, my bad. Send it to me. I will inspect it for you for free. Return postage will cost you about $600. Ha

Unless she is a competitive shooter with 40k+ rounds through it, load it up and go shoot.
 
Hey haven't you seen that video where a guy buried his glock in the yard for two years then dug it up and shot it?

Enjoy.
 
o_O

Two questions:

1. If it was a Ruger, Sig, S&W, Taurus, ... any other brand would you do the same thing? I guess I'm wondering what base premise you're operating under. Would you send *every* used handgun you get to a gunsmth on principle? Secondly and probably more important...

2. Is there any indicator that the gun is somehow not functional? You said yourself it checked out fine, the owner didn't abuse it ... aside from the obvious Bad JuJu ... why did this even enter your mind?

When I buy guns I check them before I buy them ... take them home, clean and lube them and then drool over them until I get to shoot them. Not much more to it. So my advice: Go shoot it.
 
I own two glocks, and have shot many others, and have about 8,000 rounds through them. Not as many as some people, but enough to know glocks. If the barrel is clean, and it passes a basic function test, then put a dab of oil or grease on the rail tabs, feed it ammunition, and shoot it.
 
A gunsmith around here would charge less then $20 if it's just a casual inspection. If you want him to do a thorough cleaning, etc., the price would go up, but I can't imagine it going over $50. Prices in Boston might be a little higher, but hopefully not much.
 
Just learn how to detail strip it yourself. Replace the springs (trigger, slide stop lever, take down lever, and recoil). It's a good idea to know how your pistol works and what parts fail.

$50 that it cost to have a poor gunsmith do it, is more than a decent armorers course on DVD. Most gunsmiths don't really seem to know what thet're doing anyway.


You only need a 3/32 punch. I do use a little brass hammer to tap away gently, but most don't recommend that.
 
Take it apart. Visual inspect for obvious wear, cracks, etc. Examine closely. Function check it work the slide and trigger. No lose parts, no noise if you shake it around... you're fine. They are built like tanks.
 
Might be prudent to replace the recoil spring. It's $10 part, usually they should be replaced ever couple of thousand rounds or so.
 
Just go shoot it. It's that simple.

You don't need to loose much sleep if it is a modern firearm in good working condition. The only time things should be checked by a pro is if it is...

A) Old
B) Rough looking or visibly damaged
C) Bubba modified with a hack saw

As others have said, if it all looks good, go shoot it.
 
Great gun! I am sure you will love it.

I would recommend you do a Google search for "unofficial Glock armorers manual", and download it. Learn how to detail strip the gun yourself. It is probably the easiest gun on earth to deal with. I would not pay anyone to do a simple inspection on a Glock unless there is something seriously wrong with it. Otherwise, you can expect to pay upwards of about $75/hour for the services of a competent gunsmith. An inspection would likely bill out as around 0.5 hours. Beyond that, just clean and lightly oil the internal parts, and replace the springs every 5k rounds.

Good luck, and have fun.
 
Update --- took the Glock 34 to the range, and It worked fine -- no jams or malfunctions. I still can't shoot it as well as my S&W686, though ;)
 
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