I hear a lot of people looking at getting a gun for XY or Z purpose, and limiting their budget to New Gun MSRPs.
People, GUNS ARE FOREVER!!! Why pay the cost of being the first owner? First up, I’d say there are checklists to buying used guns. If you’re buying a Revolver this is a VERY good Checklist. Xavier has a nice checklist for 1911s. Note that Xavier not only carries and shoots 1911s, but he collects them. Any of the above guns if you want a carry or a gun you’ll be shooting heavily, stay clear of collectors guns as you’ll be paying money for a market you’re not getting into.
But overall when buying a used gun don’t be afraid. First up your best bet will be to drag a seasoned gunnie along, somebody who has a few guns and knows how the gun you’re interested should look and feel. That not available buy from a gunshop, you may pay a small premium for having a shopkeeper and a storefront, but most shops have return policies, so worst case scenario, you run a few boxes of ammo through the gun, you just give it back and either trade for another, or move to a new shop. Always check with the shop keeper BEFORE buying of course.
-Know how your perspective gun works. Is is single-action? Double action? What are the safety features? Has the gun been modified? A cool cheat for this is ask if the shop has a brand new model you can handle. Handle the two side-by-side, see if the new gun actually feels any better/worse.
-Check your gun’s fit. A revolver, check the cylinder fit, does it wobble? Check frame-to-slide fit of a semi-auto, check the fit of the barrel to the slide. Again check to see if the trigger has a clean travel and break, and doesn’t have much movement outside of the action travel (AKA a 1911 trigger shouldn’t wobble around in its track, it should just move back-and-forth, a revolver trigger should only swing in a rearward arc, not flop side-to-side) again you can check this to a new gun. As a general rule the new gun will feel tighter….but will it feel, say, $200 tighter?
-Know some basic gunsmithing fixes. Some things you can do on your own, like swapping the grips or basic parts of a 1911. I your gun has a HORRIBLE trigger pull that CAN be fixed for not a lot of money, this may make the savings worth it. But things like barrel fit, or frame fit, or serious rust of damage may be difficult to fix, and it might be good to pass on that gun.
-Holster Wear is your friend. Some of the biggest diamonds in the rough are guns that were lugged around in a holster by somebody, but not shot much. A revolver with some scratches or scuffs that still locks up tight, or a semi-auto with thin patches in the finish or minor nicks, but solid fitting and inside the slide still looks pretty fresh are NICE used guns to buy, as nobody will try to pass them off as “Like New in Box” but if you aren’t looking for a beauty queen, it’ll run as well as the minty gun. Tho remember, the finish is there for a reason, bluing or various powder or oxidie coats are there to protect your gun from rust. Minot wear is to be expected. Huge patches of bare metal might be an issue. Tho remember stainless overall holds up to the elements well if properly cared for, and some modern semi-autos and revolvers are made of stainless but then coated with a finish for aesthetics. A scuff in say a S&W M&P’s stainless slide really won’t be anything but an eyesore, but will mean the shop keeper will charge less than a gun that looks perfect.
-If the shop has a shooting range ask to shoot it first. If the gun runs like a champ what do you have to complain about? BUY IT!
I own a BUNCH of guns, so far only one of them did I buy new, and that was my S&W642 no-lock. I bought this gun new for two reasons. #1. I was in the market for a 642, and the price was right. #2. S&W has a horrible habit of putting key locks in their guns, and I decided to tell them with my wallet that I appreciate revolvers sans lock.
Go buy a used gun, and then shoot the crap out of it!
Well….I’m guilty of doing the *buy it new* dance…I guess it comes from always being wary of buying somebody else’s headache.
That being said, my recent purchase (and by far my most expensive to date) is a brand-spanking new Magnum Research 1911…so for my first 1911 (and not knowing much about them yet…I’m still a 1911 noob…) I figured it best to go new, and really live the moment with a classic design that no-one has shot yet, except for t he factory test.
Dragon
Just be careful: there are lemons out there. It helps to know exactly what to look for in whatever gun you’re buying. Some research ahead of time can save pain later.
In some really particular instances, I’d be hesitant to buy used unless you know what you’re looking at. Mostly, this is 1911s, which is why there’s interesting posts to be made about checklists. Here in MA, it’s hard to get out hands on a crappy 1911, but in free-states, terrible 1911s with hack gun-smithing are legion.
I love used guns! I seem to snag good deals when it comes to used guns too, so that does help. 🙂
Come to think of it, all of my guys had prior owners. I’m not really counting the Merlin .22 since technically it’s Joe’s not mine. I just tend to use it for birds. The only thing brand new is the .22 conversion kit for my 1911, and Wilson Combat mags, since the stock mags suck.
I have seen some total shit used guns. One was a 1911 that had suffered a Coke spill and had to be refinished. The prior owner took it to a local guy to have it parkerized. The dumbass parkerized EVERYTHING. The firing pin is parkerized, he didn’t tape off anything, including part of the slide and frame where they rub… After taking a polishing wheel Dremel to the excess coating, the thing shoots all right. It just looks like crap since you can see the pitting from the Coke bath under the finish.
So yeah, you really do have to look before you buy.
The only downside I found to used stuff, is the fact you really have to clean the hell out of it before shooting it. That’s kind of fun anyway though, since I like taking stuff apart.
I’ve been considering the shiny titanium finished little Sig, and haven’t seen any up for sale as used. That would be one I want to snag brand new, just since I want to be the one to mess up the pretty finish first! 🙂
Aww that sucks, I really dig on a nice Parkerized Finish, very utilitarian, and I dig how it feels. I hear if it hasn’t been treated you need to grease the phosphate.
http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2007/02/parkerizing-truth-vs-tales.html
Yeah that’s another good reason to buy new, if you want one of the latest guns (like those titanium sigs….I came VERY close to buying my S&W1911Sc, and my S&W617 brand new because I KNEW those were the guns I wanted, and lucky for me I happened to stumble upon a used version JUST before I bought new)
I used to also believe in new being the only way to fly, until I saved my pennies and dropped $800 on a gun that wouldn’t fire more than two rounds in a row. That was about 8 years ago.
Since then, I have bought exactly one new gun- At the time, I was getting transfered to a state with funny gun laws and needed something legal – but that fell through and that gun sits unfired after about 3 years.
But yeah, every other gun I have bought since then has been used, well used, or beaten. Workin’ guns are going to get some wear on them, that’s to be expected. Why not have someone else depreciate it? As long as it hasn’t been irreperably bubbafied, I’m definitely up for a used gun.
So I admit I am one of the “buy-it-new” folks, but that is primarily because I do not trust myself to know enough about what it is I am buying to ensure I get something of decent quality and condition. Those checklists are great, and they are a wonderful starting point, but there is still a lot of hands/eyes-on experience one needs with firearms to pick out little things that can make or break those complicated little tools, and I figure the extra cost of new is small price to pay to not bring home something that Better Half will (rightfully) point out I screwed up on. Then there are warranties, for what little those may be worth…
And do not forget about the best part of buying a used gun in a free state – if it is not being sold by a dealer, you can exploit the “reality loophole”!