Would you buy under this condition?

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jsalcedo

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A seller who frequents my local gunshow always has SKS's mosin's turkish mausers enfields, ammo etc for very reasonable gunshow prices.

I noticed he had one M44 (mosin nagant version) partially unwrapped from it's twine and wax paper. It was covered with cosmoline and looked new other than a fresh scratch across the reciever. He had about 30 of them sealed up in their crates.

I asked the price..... $90 each..

Agreed, He grabbed one out of the crate still in its mummification.
I asked him if I could unwrap and inspect it before I filled out the 4473.

He said no.

He said he couldn't have a bunch of unwrapped rifles lying around from people who change their mind.

I told him thanks I would think about it and moved on.


Would you have bought a supposedly unissued, crated , 55 year old M44 at a gunshow without being able to inspect it?
 
Most of the old military guns I receive are covered in cosmoline, but they are shipped to my house, not bought at a gun show. :)

There are two ways to handle this. First, fill out the paperwork and pay for the rifle and then inspect it while you are still standing there. If you find a problem, tell him you want a different one.

The second way is to make sure he has a return policy so you can get your money back if you get home and find something you don't like about the gun. If his storefront is a long drive from your home, buy the rifle on Saturday with the proviso you can bring it back for refund/exchange on Sunday.

In either case, if the guy does agree, but then gives you a hassle when you try to exchange it, tell him you are going to stand in front of his tables and inform everyone walking by that he ripped you off.
 
Would you have bought a supposedly unissued, crated , 55 year old M44 at a gunshow without being able to inspect it?
Click to expand...

Nope. I'd have to wonder what he's trying to hide.

That saidâ„¢, I recently bought a 1951 K-22 based on a written description of the revolver. I never saw a photograph. It seemed a painstaking description written by a fellow High Road member, and I decided to take a chance. The gun proved exactly what the seller said it'd be, and I have no regrets.

If somebody standing across a table from you can't even do that well, why bother?
 
I guess I would.

For the dealer, $90 guns and having people wanting to handpick thru them isn't worth his while. He had one opened for inspection and wants to leave the rest as-is. I can understand this.
 
Well of course I would!
These are Russian guns that were re-arsenaled, cosmo'd and wrapped for storage. Sold that way to the importers and shipped here still in the wrap. They sell for more than the ones shipped in crates all piled together and many buyers won't buy them unwrapped, and many collectors will not unwrap them at all.
If you wanted to unwrap his stock and drop the collectors value (low, but still there, and it will climb gradually) then you were right to look for a lesser valued gun, as the extra value of this one meant nothing to you.
I can certainly understand a dealer not wanting anyone to devalue his stock in front of his eyes.
 
There is another possible reason

I've seen more than a few of the mummies that were left with permanent marks on the wood from the twine wrap. I'm going to get one, but leave it wrapped, so it makes no difference to me.
 
I wouldn't buy it just because he shows a similar model. He would unwrapped it for me or my money goes back in my pocket. Let him worry with his future customers as he has just lost one right then.
 
I agree majic.

I was standing there with my cash in hand when I asked to inspect the rifle. Reason being, I did not want any surprises... how am I supposed to know if I'll ever see the guy again if the M44 turns out to be a POS

I know 90 bucks is cheap for a LNIC (like new in cosmoline) but at least let me check out what I'm getting first.

If it had turned out to be a poor specimen I would have wrapped it back up and tied it exactly the way I found it and put it back.

I did see quite a few folks walking around with the wrapped parcels so maybe I wasn't trusting enough..who knows?
 
I would not have bought it.

It is unreasonable for a merchant to think you will buy a product that cannot be inpected. Yes it was re-arsenalled, but many of these M-44's have some rust spots on them. Some of the barrels are dark. I have a C&R license and sent back just one of my M-44's to AIM because it had too much rust on it for my liking, although it was still a nice rifle.

I don't understand why people will tolerate uncooperative and secretive vendors. If I am buying something from you, and you try and hide something from me, I don't give a monkey's uncle what your reason is, I won't buy it from you. As a buyer I expect full disclosure to know what I am purchasing. I do not trust people who act secretively or are uncooperative.
 
The last time I bought a "cat in the sack" was 45 years ago and was called a "Wundertüte" (wonder-bag) in my former country. You bought a bag for some pennies and have a surprise because you didn't know what's in it.

Kind of fun. But with firearms???

Even an employee at a dollar store around here is kind enough to unwrap new greeting cards for only 50 cents a piece to check!

I think the vendor is one of the type you'll see going out of business.
 
These mummy M44's are a special case. Most of the people I know are buying these to leave them wrapped. They are actually worth more wrapped up than un wrapped. You can find plenty of M44's that are unwrapped for less money.
 
Would I have bought a Mosin without seeing it? Yes.
Would I have bought an M1A without seeing it? No.

Jim Hall
 
All imported rifles are marked by the importer, so at one point in time the rifle was unwrapped, or at least a portion of the wrapped moved to expose the rifle for engraving.

Still, I can understand the seller not wanting a bunch of either unissued or rearsenaled rifles totally unwrapped.

Would I buy one? Yes. Would I unwrap her before leaving the area and inspect her? Most definitely. If he decided to give me a problem with an exchange I'd make sure every customer got a good look at what he's selling. :D


Good Shooting
Red
 
You know that is weird.

These were at least partially unwrapped at one time because they were engraved georgia 7.62R.

The rifles must have been carefully repackaged with the wax paper and twine.

The thing that gets me is none of the mummies had the S/N on the outside
how did they fill out the 4473 if the guy wouldn't let them be unwrapped?
 
OK, I guess I need some education here... bear with me for asking something stupid.

To fill out form 4473, I thought the gun store guy had to list the serial number.

To get the serial number, you have to look at the gun.

How do you get the serial number unless you unwrap the gun?
 
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