S&w 29-2 6.5'

[guitarguy314]

Hey guys! So I recently (today) joined gunbroker and I have my eye on a sweet Model 29-2 for sale. I'm bidding on it now.

I do have a few questions though. The auction says that the gun is used which I take to mean previousley owned, and unfired. How high will this gun go? 1000$? More?

Also, are usps money orders secure forms of payment?

Finally, when I call my local shop to do a transfer, what all do they need to know? What does the dealer I'm buying from need?

Any advice on safely and happily using gunbroker?

Thanks guys!

L

 

[bikemutt]

The auction says that the gun is used which I take to mean previousley owned, and unfired.

Well, used to me means not new and absolutely nothing more.

How high will this gun go? 1000$? More?

Unlikely, unless it comes with a truckload of ammo.

Also, are usps money orders secure forms of payment?

I'm not sure what you mean by "secure". If they are legitimate money orders they are like a cashier's check and may be deposited or perhaps cashed. If they are stolen you are out of luck.

Finally, when I call my local shop to do a transfer, what all do they need to know? What does the dealer I'm buying from need?

The receiving dealer may prefer not to receive guns from private sellers, or they may be OK with it. The shipping dealer will only ship to an FFL and will no doubt need a copy of the receiving FFL's license.

Any advice on safely and happily using gunbroker?

If I have any concerns I try to establish phone contact, for me at least, speaking with a person is the fastest way to establish trust when face-to-face contact is impossible. Trust is the cornerstone of mutually beneficial transactions.

 

[guitarguy314]

Sorry if my language was imprecise.

My question regarding the usps money orders was supposed to be more like - If the worst case scenario happens and the guy is a shilling scumbag, would I have recourse to get my money back, or would I just be out of luck?

I will give them a call.

Thanks!

 

[rswartsell]

If the seller is actually guilty of mail fraud you have the US Postal Investigators to go after him, that in itself does nothing to make you whole. I suggest you take the time to thoroughly read all of the information on the gunbroker site for new bidders.

 

[bluethunder1962]

That is what I was going to say. Money orders are all for the seller. Once they get their hands on it they can do what they want. I have used them many times and never had a problem. It is better to give a personal check and let them wait for it to clear. The waiting is the hard part. Look at the sellers ratings and see how much feedback he has. Your ffl needs to fax them their license number but they will know all that. I have never bought from gunbroker but have bought many guns from other auctions and on here. Never had a problems. You can get some great deals that way. So don't worry to much just enjoy. There is a stainless 629 on here for sale in tn.

 

[bikemutt]

Sorry if my language was imprecise.

My question regarding the usps money orders was supposed to be more like - If the worst case scenario happens and the guy is a shilling scumbag, would I have recourse to get my money back, or would I just be out of luck?

I will give them a call.

Thanks!

I believe the best thing to do is to use a cashier's check made out to the seller with gunbroker.com reference number, address and anything else I can get my bank to place on the check. This way, if I'm dealing with a dishonest person, the evidence of fraud is demonstrable and not just I-said, he-said.

USPS money orders afford anonymity, useful sometimes, but maybe not so much in a gun transaction. I prefer plenty of daylight on gun deals, online or otherwise.

 

[bluethunder1962]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=672127 just saying
good idea mutt

 

[Hondo 60]

If the worst case scenario happens and the guy is a shilling scumbag, would I have recourse to get my money back, or would I just be out of luck?

No, sorry you'd be out of luck.

I've purchased 4 guns via gunbroker & found all 4 sellers to stand-up people.
All 4 guns were very accurately described.
3 of 'em were in very good condition, & 1 was pretty beat up, but it was priced accordingly.

In your first post you mentioned "used & unfired."
A used gun is just that, one that has been purchased from a retailer.
If it's unfired, believe me the seller will state it's unfired.

Just remember, on an auction site, don't read anything into the listing.
If it doesn't specifically say something in the listing, don't expect it.
Price is a big clue. If the bidding is high, it's almost surely in very good condition.
If the bidding is low, well - there's your clue.

Please read 'em very carefully & good luck!

 

[guitarguy314]

Thanks for the info on the 629 for sale here on the forums, but it isn't quite what I'm looking for. The one I'm bidding on on GB is "planets aligning" perfect. A true 29-2 a la Dirty Harry!

bikemutt - Cashier's check sounds like the perfect way to go. How exactly do you get it to the seller? Snail mail? (Sorry if the answer is obvious. Never dealt with them before)

Thanks so much Hondo! It's nice to hear about your good experiences.

 

[springfield30-06]

Is it just me or am I the only one who gets a bit annoyed when I read 'unfired'? I understand that they are referring to it was never fired by the owner, but aren't they all test fired at the factory?

Personally I don't really care if it's unfired, I care about the condition of a used firearm compared to the asking price. Does it really make that much of difference if it's never been fired vs having 50 rounds through it (as long as it's in good condition)? Saying that it's unfired isn't really a selling point for me I guess...

 

[bikemutt]

Cashier's check sounds like the perfect way to go. How exactly do you get it to the seller? Snail mail?

That's a good question.

The answer for me is, it depends.

If the seller is FFL I figure they have better things to do than try to screw 'ole bikemutt out of $500. If it's a private seller then I try to use good judgement as to whether to use USPS First Class mail versus USPS Priority Mail versus FedEx/UPS.

I hate to add another $5 to $10 to a deal just because I'm unsure about the mechanics of the matter, but sometimes I do if it permits me to sleep well that night.

So, bottom line, if I have any doubts I use USPS Priority Mail to send the check, otherwise I use First Class mail.

Another minor thing: I pay very close attention to getting everything right with names and addresses. I double-check every thing down to the zip code. Sloppiness and laziness have their place in my life, but not when I'm mailing money to a stranger

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Did you look at the seller's feedback on previous sales? If he is well established, and well recommended, you may have very little to worry about.

 

[CraigC]

Is it just me or am I the only one who gets a bit annoyed when I read 'unfired'? I understand that they are referring to it was never fired by the owner, but aren't they all test fired at the factory?

It's you.

Seriously though, what happens before it leaves the factory is really irrelevant. The difference between fired and unfired is that "unfired" has never been shot or used since it left the manufacturer's possession. This may not matter much to a shooter (although sometimes it does to me) but it makes a big difference to a collector. It matters to me because while I am not a collector, I do sometimes buy guns that are somewhat collectible and their condition affects how much I'm willing to pay. Even though I'm gonna shoot it. A "fired" example, while they're all technically "used" has actually been "used" and thus, is worth less and should cost less. Clear as mud?

 

[bikemutt]

Would anyone want to by an "undriven" "new" car? Me, I'm OK with the factory test drive

 

[CraigC]

Yeah but gun shops don't leave their guns outside to get dirty anyway.

 

[rcmodel]

use a cashier's check

A cashers check is just a piece of paper.

A Postal Money Order is a government backed money transfer, and has the full weight of the postal inspectors service behind it if you have problems.

rc

 

[bikemutt]

A cashers check is just a piece of paper.

It's a piece of paper certainly but, if I suspect fraud in advance of it's receipt I can call my bank and put a stop payment on it. Likewise if the seller, whom I've asked to contact me if it's not received in a timely fashion, says he doesn't have it, I may be able to stop payment.

Now, if it's all over and the check has been redeemed for cash fraudulently, I'm on the phone to law enforcement in the crime's locale. In most jurisdictions they still consider theft of funds to be a serious crime and will investigate.

I speak from personal experience, I got ripped of once, my call to LE was taken seriously, an arrest was made. It's a long story but in the end I got all my money back.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

The postal inspectors are pretty busy. If the "theft" or fraud did not occur FROM the mails or its delivery, I have to think it is probably going to be an investigation on a backburner somewhere. Your possible deception and crime shall have occurred OUTSIDE of the post office.