Pistol Purchase In A Gun Shop

[DetBrowning]

Am I being naive to believe that if I purchase a previously owned pistol in a seemingly reputable gun-shop that it is in serviceable condition?
That it operated properly as designed and that no parts are broken internally or requiring repair?
Thank you all for your input
I should have clarified this, the pistol was a 1975 Browning High Power, the way the owner described it was excellent condition, some stippling on one side near the muzzle and a great pistol for $1300. As a newbie I'm learning and will try and be better with my postings.
Bill

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I mean.....are we talking about a 2-year old Glock or a 120-year old Broomhandle Mauser?

A truly reputable shop will disclose if they know that a gun has a problem, but they don't test fire every used gun they take in nor are they fortune tellers. Ive bought truly ancient and well-worn pistols that shot just fine and very recent, seemingly operational guns that had serious hidden problems.

My advice is buy from people you trust, but do your research on any purchase you're considering for known issues. Most major manufacturers will warranty their newer products to one degree or another anyway.

Also, NEVER trust your life to any gun, new or used, until you have test fired it yourself. Even brand new guns occasionally have problems.

 

[Coyote3855]

You can't make that assumption. It's a used gun and for sale for a reason. Gun stores don't function check a used gun with live ammunition. I've seem many used guns on the rack or under the counter that were not even cleaned or wiped down. If you are considering a purchase, you should be familiar enough with that model to check it out. Ask to field strip it, or ask the clerk to do it. If they won't, move on. So yeah, you are being naive.

 

[sgmdcw]

I would not assume it is good unless they said they have checked it thoroughly and it is serviceable. Also, educate yourself on various guns. This should help you spot potential problems.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Am I being naive to believe that if I purchase a previously owned pistol in a seemingly reputable gun-shop that it is in serviceable condition?
That it operated properly as designed and that no parts are broken internally or requiring repair?
Thank you all for your input
Bill

So sometimes we will get a gun as part of a trade or something at a gunshow and while we may take it down to see if it's never been cleaned in 2k rounds or if it's basically new, we don't exactly test fire them... So needless to say if it's something that is slightly suspicious we will pass. So I would say that a reputable gunshop should be selling a used gun that should work. I'd ask about a grace period or warranty like if you go to the range right after buying it and shoot a single mag of ammo and it constantly jams, then they should buy it back at the price you paid.

 

[.308 Norma]

Am I being naive to believe that if I purchase a previously owned pistol in a seemingly reputable gun-shop that it is in serviceable condition?

Yeah, IMO you're being a little naive. And I don't mean that with any disrespect.
There are probably dozens of threads right here on THR about how many rounds a person should run through even brand-new pistols before trusting them for self or home defense, let alone trusting a "previously owned" pistols for those purposes. Gun-shops, even "reputable" gun-shops don't test fire every gun they get in, and they sure don't run every type of ammo they can find through them.

 

[Bill_in_TR]

I would only ordinarily buy used guns from a shop that I had developed a good sense of trust about from reputation and from doing business there for other stuff. But I certainly would expect that when they put up a gun for sale they have checked it over and prepared it for sale. That doesn't mean it will be problem free but at least it should not show signs of obvious neglect or lack of cleaning or immediately obvious mechanical issues.

 

[Pudge]

I would expect a shop that prices a firearm as if it were functional to provide you with a functional firearm. If the firearm were priced as a source of used parts or a gunsmith special, not so much. As long as the shop stands behind it's sales they would keep my loyalty.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

My LGS list if something is a ''gunsmith special''. Also he told me if i have any problems with a used gun not listed as. He will take care of me.

 

[nettlle]

Used guns are no different than used cars in my experience. Buyer beware.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

^^^
Yep, what he said.

 

[gwpercle]

Buying used not new, handguns comes with risks ... some things can't be seen .
Just because a used firearm is purchased from a Gun Shop that doesn't mean it comes with a gaurentee .
Usually the shop smith goes over a used firearm , cleans and inspects it and might fire it for function testing before putting it out for sale . A used firearm should come with the understanding that the new owner gets to shoot it and makes sure the gun functions . But with used guns ... it's pretty much "Buyer Beware" and you get what you pay for ...As Is . A decent shop should help with repairs if a gun proves to be defective , they should care about service after the fact and repeat business .
I'm sure there is more to the story .
Gary

 

[drk1]

Hello Bill: Thanks for the question -- it's a good one. You don't use the word "assume," but that is really the issue here -- can anyone "assume" that a used gun is functional when you buy it from a local gun shop? I suspect you already might know what happens to "u" and "me" when you "assume" anything. So, the short answer to the question is -- NO !!! I have worked in gun shops, big and small, for over sixty years now and none of the shops in which I worked tested, disassembled, or even cleaned the used guns it took in. Once when I was a new employee at a old shop, I started cleaning some the used guns and the owner quickly stopped me, saying "don't do that ! My customers like to see 'em dirty cause that's the only way they know that they work!" Many, if not most, gun shops these days will have something like -- "No guarentee on used guns." I recently purchased two new firearms from 2 different national chain stores and discovered that neither of them functioned properly out of the book. One store offered to return it to the manufacturer for me; the other one simply said "sorry about that; you're on your own." If it is a reputable local gun shop and it wants to have a good reputation for customer service, it will do something such as: 1) send it back to manufacture for you, 2) offer to refund your money 3) offer to repair it for you. This last option is getting to be more and more rare because of liability issues and insurance. So, the best advice when you're considering buying a used firearm is to pay no more than you are willing to loose if it turns out to be an expensive wall-hanger. Good luck and let us know how your situation turns out.

 

[commygun]

If you have no reason to think the shop has deliberately misled you about the functionality of a used gun then I don’t think there’s much to complain about as far as their integrity goes.

In the last decade I’ve bought two pistols that were well over a hundred years old and one that was over ninety. Though they were all externally presentable, they all required some measure of repair to be fully functional. Diagnosing the problems was a little challenging (thank you, THR), executing the repairs much less so (thank you, YouTube). Yeah, it would have been great if they worked perfectly from the start but I learned a lot.

The lesson for myself was don’t buy something old with the expectation that it will work. I’m prepared to take on fixing it if need be (and if I can).

 

[Mark_Mark]

I mean.....are we talking about a 2-year old Glock or a 120-year old Broomhandle Mauser?

A truly reputable shop will disclose if they know that a gun has a problem, but they don't test fire every used gun they take in nor are they fortune tellers. Ive bought truly ancient and well-worn pistols that shot just fine and very recent, seemingly operational guns that had serious hidden problems.

My advice is buy from people you trust, but do your research on any purchase you're considering for known issues. Most major manufacturers will warranty their newer products to one degree or another anyway.

Also, NEVER trust your life to any gun, new or used, until you have test fired it yourself. Even brand new guns occasionally have problems.

My local honey hole shop is owned by a respected collector, he’s the main sales guy also. He charges a very average price, 90% of his gun is on consignment. But, here why I buy my collectables from him, He’s an expert on collectable guns: he will disclose everything not original about the gun, caveats about the period of the gun, historical facts about the type of gun, rarity or common.

14 day guarantee it will function on his modern used guns. No guarantees on old collectable that are WW2 and older

 

[tws3b2]

I purchased a Remington 550 made in 1951 in a gun shop. Paid a hefty premium price because It was my understanding everything for sale in the shop was in working order. But, not to be true. Failed on first round fired. I got the gun apart to find that someone had taken it apart and Tried to put it back together. Bent sear spring and stripped sear spring cup. "Very" near unrepairable. Took me a month to figure a way to fix it. Now works fine. But, I don't think I will be buying anymore used guns from that shop.

 

[JohnKSa]

If I bought a used gun at a gun shop and there was a problem with it when I got it home, I would go back to the shop to see if they would either repair it or take the gun back and give a refund or maybe store credit.
If they said no, I wouldn't press it further because I doubt any gun shop has the resources to test every gun they buy and sell. But I would be disinclined to buy from that shop again.

 

[Frulk]

I’ve bought brand new guns which didn’t work as intended. Luckily the manufacturer made it right.

 

[Mark_Mark]

If I bought a used gun at a gun shop and there was a problem with it when I got it home, I would go back to the shop to see if they would either repair it or take the gun back and give a refund or maybe store credit.
If they said no, I wouldn't press it further because I doubt any gun shop has the resources to test every gun they buy and sell. But I would be disinclined to buy from that shop again.

A few hundred bucks to know not to ever do business with a shop or person is worth it in my option

 

[Hokkmike]

Am I being naive to believe that if I purchase a previously owned pistol in a seemingly reputable gun-shop that it is in serviceable condition?
That it operated properly as designed and that no parts are broken internally or requiring repair?
Thank you all for your input
Bill

I usually ask gun shops how they examine and test their used guns before they put them up for sale. Locally, I can name three or four shops where I would have no problems buying a used pistol. The trust and reputation factor of these shops are high. Unlike cars, most guns can be carefully taken apart and thoroughly examined. Working the action, testing the trigger, switching out magazines, would all be precursors to my approval. I would also inquire about the "what if" I have a problem scenario. Even with new guns some dealers will say send it back to Ruger, S&W, or etc., but smaller, local, honest dealers will say up front that they would offer some assistance in making it right. I have never encountered a dealer who has knowingly sold me a defective gun. But, I don't just walk into an unknown store off the street. I go local, where when I enter the dealers greet me by my first name.

 

[Odd Job]

When buying second hand, I would expect to take all the risks of buying "as-is" unless the seller provided some sort of warranty.
There are some sellers who have taken a few extra steps to ensure (as best they can) that the gun is not faulty. It is worth paying that kind of seller a few bucks more for a used gun in my opinion.

 

[hso]

Ask if a gunsmith inspected it for safety and function. It may have been a cursory inspection, but having a professional look it over and cycle it is better than the clerk.

Does the shop have a gunsmith?

Does it have a range?

Will they let you test fire it?

 

[wayneinFL]

I never expect a used gun to work unless I can verify it with an inspection.

Very few shops offer any kind of warranty on a used gun. If they do, they usually leave room to wiggle out of it.

Look at the margin they get on a used gun. Then think what kind of expert would be able to detail strip every gun and see all the parts are in good shape. Think how many rounds they would have to run through it to see if it's reliable. With every kind of magazine the customer could buy for the gun.

There might be a market for a shop like that, and customers willing to pay $100 or $200 more for a used pistol. But I doubt it.

 

[HKGuns]

I suspect, as is the case with most of these sort of posts, there is missing information for a reason.

You need to give the precise scenario for anyone to make a reasonble and fair judgment.

 

[bearcreek]

Am I being naive to believe that if I purchase a previously owned pistol in a seemingly reputable gun-shop that it is in serviceable condition?
That it operated properly as designed and that no parts are broken internally or requiring repair?

Yes.