Angdvl089
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Is it better to buy used or new?
Looking to buy my first firearm
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IcemanUnlimited
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Nothing wrong with used, be sure to inspect it though. If you have the money, personally I'd invest in a brand new one.
jhansman
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IMO, it is better to buy what you want. Used is fine if you know what you are really getting, but equally important is that you want to shoot it and can rely upon it. I recommend finding a range that rents guns and try some out. You may be surprised at what you do and do not enjoy handling.
If you go to the local range that has a bulletin board listing guns for sale...you can find some great deals. I prefer new...but then again, I bought a Sig P220 used, older German model, for a good deal. It was in great shape and it is a real shooter. Accurate as can be and I saved three hundred off the price of a new one and IMHO is a better firearm!! For a first firearm, I might recommend a Smith & Wesson M&P. Either 9mm or .40 cal. They handle well in full or compact size and they are relatively inexpensive. As one poster mentioned, you can rent one first to see if you like it. Good luck finding the perfect firearm! If you are like many here on this forum, you'll have a dozen or so..and still be looking for that perfect firearm. That is what makes this so fun!
Junior1228
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I am in the same situation as you are being that I am looking to buy my first firearm. I am not sure how new you are to shooting but I am very new to the whole sport. I have been to the range a few times now and what I would also recommend is renting a few different guns in different calibers and see what you like the feel of.
For me I liked the XDM and the Sig 226 I tried, both in 9mm. I also tried the Smith M&P 9mm but I did not like that one at all. I rented a 22 and shot 300 rounds with it just to pratice my aiming, grip, stance, and everything like that. It was plenty fun shooting the 22, especially when you see yourself shooting small groups with it.
No matter what you do have fun and be safe.
Junior
For me I liked the XDM and the Sig 226 I tried, both in 9mm. I also tried the Smith M&P 9mm but I did not like that one at all. I rented a 22 and shot 300 rounds with it just to pratice my aiming, grip, stance, and everything like that. It was plenty fun shooting the 22, especially when you see yourself shooting small groups with it.
No matter what you do have fun and be safe.
Junior
ArchAngelCD
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Not hard at all in my opinion...stevolene said:
JohnBiltz
Member
Nothing wrong with used. Last two guns I bought were used. Guns last a long time. Saying that if you don't know what to inspect it might be a good idea to buy new. As far as advice on what to get you did not put any info out there to recommend anything. If you have not shot much do yourself a favor and get a .22 to learn with. Most people new to guns tend to go bigger than they should as well. I know I did.
Smokey Joe
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Used/New...
Angdv 1089--IMHO, used is better. As to $$ value, new firearms are like new cars--Brand new in the store, they fetch X amount. If the buyer sells it the next day, now it's used, and it will never fetch X amount, by a considerable margin.
Also, a new firearm hasn't been broken in; it is fresh from the factory, and may not work perfectly smoothly. A used firearm has had all its factory bugs worked out of it.
The difficulty comes when you aren't sure if the used firearm has been abused, or if something is broken or maladjusted on it. Firearms are pretty simple, mechanically (as compared to a used car for example,) so there are not very many things that can go wrong without being noticeable.
However, if you don't know the type of firearm in question pretty well, it is a good thing to have a knowledgeable friend with you when you go to examine it. A knowledgeable person can handle the firearm, perform a couple simple measurements (throat wear, muzzle wear, for example) and tell you, "Yeah, it's pretty OK, offer him X amount for it." or "Nah, that one you don't want, it will be an unending source of trouble for you, let's get out of here."
As John Bilts has kpointed out, firearms last a long time. With any half-decent care, they just don't give out after 10, 25, even 50 years.
FWIW, For myself, of all the firearms I've had, there are 3 I can think of I bought new. The rest (dozens) were used. I bought exactly one I later discovered was faulty. Pretty good ratio I think.
Angdv 1089--IMHO, used is better. As to $$ value, new firearms are like new cars--Brand new in the store, they fetch X amount. If the buyer sells it the next day, now it's used, and it will never fetch X amount, by a considerable margin.
Also, a new firearm hasn't been broken in; it is fresh from the factory, and may not work perfectly smoothly. A used firearm has had all its factory bugs worked out of it.
The difficulty comes when you aren't sure if the used firearm has been abused, or if something is broken or maladjusted on it. Firearms are pretty simple, mechanically (as compared to a used car for example,) so there are not very many things that can go wrong without being noticeable.
However, if you don't know the type of firearm in question pretty well, it is a good thing to have a knowledgeable friend with you when you go to examine it. A knowledgeable person can handle the firearm, perform a couple simple measurements (throat wear, muzzle wear, for example) and tell you, "Yeah, it's pretty OK, offer him X amount for it." or "Nah, that one you don't want, it will be an unending source of trouble for you, let's get out of here."
As John Bilts has kpointed out, firearms last a long time. With any half-decent care, they just don't give out after 10, 25, even 50 years.
FWIW, For myself, of all the firearms I've had, there are 3 I can think of I bought new. The rest (dozens) were used. I bought exactly one I later discovered was faulty. Pretty good ratio I think.
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I bought my first gun (a Springfield XD 9mm) new. Read the number of threads around here wherein someone talks about selling a gun because it didn't work correctly. There are plenty of used guns that don't "have the factory kinks worked out".
I suggest buying a 9mm if you don't buy a .22, mainly because it's a viable self defense caliber that won't break the bank to practice extensively with.
I suggest buying a 9mm if you don't buy a .22, mainly because it's a viable self defense caliber that won't break the bank to practice extensively with.
X-Rap
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If you buy a new gun it will take a couple yrs. for inflation to catch up as far as resale but if you buy quality the value will be maintained over the yrs.
I buy most of my guns used and out of the many I've bought and sold I can only think of a few that needed repairs to get them to function properly, if you buy used start with a good shop that will stand behind their sales, it may cost a little more than the super deal you might get in a FTF private sale but you will learn with time.
I buy most of my guns used and out of the many I've bought and sold I can only think of a few that needed repairs to get them to function properly, if you buy used start with a good shop that will stand behind their sales, it may cost a little more than the super deal you might get in a FTF private sale but you will learn with time.
Smokey Joe
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Kinky guns...
Mr. Davis--That's why you carefully examine a firearm before you offer your hard-earned $$ for it. Or have a knowledgeable friend along. And you're a fool not to carefully examine a NEW firearm before plunking down the cash, too.
As far as selling a firearm because it doesn't work right, that is just downright unethical, unless the problem is made clear to any potential buyer.
You can usually spot a shifty liar trying to sell you bad merchandise, and of course you wouldn't do that kind of thing yourself.
And guns you buy late at night, in a back alley, in a bad part of town, well, you deserve whatever you get.
Mr. Davis--That's why you carefully examine a firearm before you offer your hard-earned $$ for it. Or have a knowledgeable friend along. And you're a fool not to carefully examine a NEW firearm before plunking down the cash, too.
As far as selling a firearm because it doesn't work right, that is just downright unethical, unless the problem is made clear to any potential buyer.
You can usually spot a shifty liar trying to sell you bad merchandise, and of course you wouldn't do that kind of thing yourself.
And guns you buy late at night, in a back alley, in a bad part of town, well, you deserve whatever you get.
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The point that I forgot to make was that I am a first generation shooter. I had no expertise and no shooter friends. In my case, you'd be hard pressed to argue that it would have been a good decision to buy used.
Some people sell iffy guns to a gun store, maybe rationalizing that it's okay to stick the company with a gun that fails to extract sometimes. Gun gets torn down and looked at, no problems are visible to the naked eye. Gun shop puts it on the shelf, newb buys it, gets a bad gun. The gun store wouldn't act "shifty" because they have no knowledge that the gun is bad. Newb buys because he's ignorant. It's a real risk, and for me, and people in the situation I was in, I think it's smarter to buy new.
My favorite gun (an H&K P7) was bought used, and is five years older than me, but I wouldn't have made it my first purchase due to the risk inherent in buying an unfamiliar pistol with no warranty that's 32 years old.
triplebike
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Have to agree with this post 100%. I was in the same exact situation when I was looking for my 1st centerfire semi automatic. I had no problem buying a used revolver. My thinking was that a semi auto was much more complicated & with bucks being tight I wanted a warranty that I could fall back on. Even now with a few years under my belt I will not buy used from a dealer unless I get at least a 10 day return warranty if the gun fails.
Arkansas Paul
Member
Either is fine if you make sure everything is as it should be.
I would say my collection is split about 50/50 new to used so it doesn't matter to me. I agree with an above poster who said that the important thing is to get what you want. If that means used, then go for it.
I would say my collection is split about 50/50 new to used so it doesn't matter to me. I agree with an above poster who said that the important thing is to get what you want. If that means used, then go for it.
Shadow 7D
Member
There is no perfect answer, it all depends on you
You need to shoot, find out what works for you, what you like, and dislike
It's worth the TIME and MONEY to develop your skills and learn what YOU like,
Rather than waste both buying something you regret
Be it new or used
You need to shoot, find out what works for you, what you like, and dislike
It's worth the TIME and MONEY to develop your skills and learn what YOU like,
Rather than waste both buying something you regret
Be it new or used
ATBackPackin
Member
I agree with this BUT....
most reputable dealers will have a warranty period so you can make sure the gun operates properly. Just make sure you know this for sure before buying used. I know for a fact that Cabelas gives you thirty days on used guns where they will either make the gun right, give you credit toward another gun, or your money back.
In my opinion thirty days is plenty of time to make sure a gun is working properly, so I have no problem buying a gun used. Other shops I have talked to give ten days, my point is most will give you time to make sure it is good.
Shawn
Good point.
Angdvl089
Member
I appreciate the help that all of you have given me. I've been to the range a few times and shot a .22 rifle, .22 revolver, 12 gauge shotguns and I've owned an air rifle for a few years (I know, nothing compared to a firearm).
I guess what I need to do now is take the advice that a few of you have said and try out multiple guns and see what suits me best. I really like the Ruger SR9 and the Springfield XD's.
I know that Smith and Wesson has a range in Massachusetts where you can try out different guns but that's a few hours away. Does anyone know of anywhere closer to southern Massachusetts that would rent out guns?
I guess what I need to do now is take the advice that a few of you have said and try out multiple guns and see what suits me best. I really like the Ruger SR9 and the Springfield XD's.
I know that Smith and Wesson has a range in Massachusetts where you can try out different guns but that's a few hours away. Does anyone know of anywhere closer to southern Massachusetts that would rent out guns?
george357
Member
Depends on how much you know about guns. If you are an avid reader about firearms and know a lot about them or have a friend that knows what they are talking about then look at used guns. Otherwise, I would think it best to stick with new guns until you get comfortable with them and gain knowledge about the ins and outs of them.
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