Gun owners are fickle.

 

As long as you are buying from an established dealer such as PSA, or Cole's for example I doubt you will have any problems.

 

I have not had an issue buying used. In fact I bought a used MX-8 from Pacific Sporting Arms a couple of years ago and everything has been fine.

As someone already noted, many gun owners are indeed fickle and after a while if you don't shoot a particular gun any more you wonder why it's taking up room in the safe.

 

I purchased a K80 Gold Super Scroll barrel set from Pacific Sporting Arms in 2017. Still shoot it every week.

 

I have bought a few used guns and don't hesitate to do so. Do your due diligence. I prefer to buy after seeing/handling in person but I have purchased several barely used guns in great condition off of Gunbroker. Check the photos closely, make sure there is an inspection/return policy. A couple years ago I bought a 725 Sporter in .410 off Gunbroker that one would be hard pressed to tell it was used at all. I've shot it a lot in the past 2 years and it's been perfect. I don't know why the original owner sold it and don't much care. It's been a great shotgun for me and I save a few $ in the process from buying new.

 

I currently have 12 shotguns in my safe. Two were purchased new. Most of the others were bought via internet sales. All had accurate and fair descriptions. All of the sellers had multiple sales and good feedback. All had at least three-day inspection/return policy.

 

I've never had a problem with a used gun. Sometimes when buying online you can miss small blemishes in photos, so examine the pictures carefully. Check the track record of those you buy from as well. Reputable brick and mortar businesses are the safest to deal with.

 

I've bought new and used guns over the past 40 years. Interestingly, the only two that I had problems with were both brand new.

 

Similar. All guns purchased used by me and people in my usual squad (Kolar, Perazzi, Remington, Browning, Beretta, Ruger) have been fine (no issues with POI, no mechanical issues, only obviously visible cosmetic issues). Many brand new guns (probably 20-30% of them) I've seen around me (Krieghoff, Kolar, Beretta, Remington) have had assorted issues ranging from obvious cosmetic bluing defects on brand new barrels, POI issues, ejectors not working correctly, and in the case of a Remington 1100, a barrel lug which snapped off the barrel.

At this point I only buy used from dealers for the convenience aspect.

 

An SO 5. Lemon. One gun I bought o shot great but the configuration of the grip beat up my advancing arthritis and it had to go.

 

The vast majority of the guns I own were bought used.

 

Me, too. Even weirder, EVERY gun I currently own is used, even the few I bought new. I should probably get rid of them . . . because they're used.

 

never had an issue, my most expensive was a caesar . With such a good customer service policy i wasnt really worried if something was wrong, any part is replaceable. (unless its the wood)

 

YES! But not always: Many people sell off guns for too many problems.
People are very fickled and look either for something better or more dependable. Beware of buying a used, inexpensive, Turkish made shotgun.
A few are OK guns, but like Forest Gump said; "It happens" just try not to step in it.
Mid to high priced guns have their share of too many problems as well.
It really is a tough call, sometimes people get tired of playing ping-pong with service departments shipping back and forth, the problems never go away.
Personally, I would stick to names and models you can trust, like older Benelli's, definitely Rizzini = F.A.I.R. or B-Rizzini, Browning 425s or 525s, Special Sporting Clays edit., B-Montefeltro's. There are many guns out there you can trust and justifies the price or value. Take for example Beretta older 682 or the 680 series, many 390s, A-400s, Fabarms L4S are very nice.
But for heaven's sake, do your research on models and types of shotguns you are interested in. I personally would not buy a CG, Perazzi, and most semi-autos, they can be very finicky in models.
And even after you buy the gun you want that's only part of the expense, the other part is making your new purchase fit you.
I would put your trust in Coles, Echons, Pacific Sporting, etc. try to avoid sales on G-B, G-I, etc. Look for a certified used gun for your protection.
In my opinion. Mike

 

99.9 of my purchases have been used guns I bought one new rifle and hated it people buy guns all the time if they don't like them they sell them great way to get a good deal.

 

Use common sense when buying from Guns International. Look at the date they joined, ideally ask for a phone number and talk to the seller to feel out the situation. I've bought a couple from forums and never had an issue other than maybe it was missing a few factory accessories (incomplete shim set on an A400, etc).

 

I have never purchased a used shotgun and I am wondering if anyone has had a bad experience purchasing used from either dealer or private seller.

Of course, just like anything and everything else.

 

Having been an FFL and pawnbroker, not to mention a serial buyer and seller of guns, I have acquired literally thousands of used guns in my lifetime. My experience tells me it's actually relatively rare for people to sell a gun because it "has problems." It's far more common for people to sell guns because 1.) they need money, 2.) they've lost interest in a particular gun, or 3.) they're wanting to get something else (which is closely related to them needing money). Call me naive, but I still believe most people are honest and won't sell something just to hang the poor sucker who buys their broken/misfunctioning gun. (Surprisingly, that's true even of people who bring guns to a pawnbroker.)

That said, if somebody were to attempt to "pass the trash," they would most likely do it through a live auction (where no after-sale follow-up is possible) or by hawking it at a gun show with hopes they never encounter the buyer again. It's highly unlikely a seller will peddle a gun with known but undisclosed problems through their own store/website or through a platform that allows feedback -- or through a community such as this one where bad deeds are never forgotten. Most sellers are interested in preserving their reputation so they can sell again in the future.

Avoiding problems while buying guns is actually quite easy: look at the gun and let your eyes be your guide.

Guns are durable items. Quality guns last a really long time. They don't just "wear out." In the vast majority of cases, any quality gun is going to function and continue to function if it's not seriously damaged in some way. Most "problems" can be anticipated by a simple visual inspection. The biggest issues are neglect and abuse. These are easily spotted. Severe rust, broken or otherwise damaged parts and signs of abuse are visible to the eye. No function test is required. Scratches and dents are signs of careless handling. Rust and pitting are signs of neglect and poor storage. Boogered screw heads and make-shift "repairs" are obvious. Any of these is enough for the careful buyer to pass and continue his/her search for a better gun. Truly mechanical issues are much harder to spot, but they're also generally easily fixed. Long-term, major structural or cosmetic issues are going to cause more buyer regret than the need to replace a firing pin or a spring.

The fear of buying a used gun, I believe, mostly reflects a lack of experience or confidence with guns. Knowledgeable/experienced gun owners don't shy away from a previously-owned gun. They understand that every gun is used. If you can trust your own 40, 50, even 100 year old guns to serve you well, why would you fear somebody else's vintage gun that displays no obvious sign of neglect or abuse? If you are so inexperienced with guns that you'll only have confidence if you opened the original box yourself, perhaps you should stick to buying new guns. Understand, though, that buying new does not prevent problems. If anything, it just means you'll be the one that discovers the problem with the gun.

 

I have owned well over 100 guns in my lifetime with maybe a few still to be bought. I know a little bit about guns. When I was young I purchased a number of used guns from a Colt .25 Pocket Auto to a .30 M1 Carbine to a Browning 425 12 Ga. and maybe a dozen others. I was always able to shoot the guns for the weekend before deciding or they were owned by a friend. This was long ago and the used guns were from $50.00 to maybe $1,000.00, I even got a Bauer .25 pistol from a cop friend who could not hit anything with it on the range and in frustration sold it to me for $25. Flash forward to today when I am looking in the $20,000 to $35,000 range, the price level makes a difference and I am not looking at a friends gun. However, someone mentioned about buying from a well known dealer like Pacific Sporting Arms and I think that makes a difference, plus I would never buy a gun in that range from a private unknown seller. Problem solved.

 

" Know the seller " - as best you can . Look at feedback , reviews etc.

I have bought new & used , been lucky so far . ... Funny thing the only issue I have had was with a new Beretta [ resolved ]

I'd say if looking at the for sale listings on a site like this the likelihood of getting a ' problem " gun is extremely LOW .

 

Guns International ,and Gun broker, most of the time a gun flipper, and go only knows what is wrong with the gun, that they are asking way too much for in the first place.

If your looking for a upper price O/U, then would go with the brick and motor shops like pacific arms and such, since they have smiths that will go through the used gun to make sure it right (serviced) before it goes up for sale, since its their reputation on the line.

I bring this up, since if you search for say a rem 3200, will find some up for sale from time to time that are the single rear pin receiver, that should have been sent to rem to be updated, where not, and something like that is going to cost you an other $1K to have it done now.

Remington Arms Company ~ 3200 ~ 12GA

Remington Arms Company ~ 3200 ~ 12GA for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

An notice that none of the photos show the factory update breach bolts that is should have on the right, if upgraded.

As for shotgun that has not been serviced, but needed on a upper level O/U, may be close to a grand once you include shipping cost.
So again, a shotgun that may be a few hundred more from say Pacific arms, But It going to be right before it put up for sale, and John will stand behind the gun.
Seller on Guns International ,and Gun broker, hate to say it, but most are just out to screw you, since just gun flippers instead.

 

To add, why you never buy a flipped house, since it may be prettied up with a coat of paint to get a higher price that the rock bottom they bought it at, but mechanical and structure wise total nightmares that where not corrected instead.

 

doesn’t the saying go “I am an addict”? Me too. I can say I have had mixed luck with used guns. One where I cried bitter tears and one where I danced for joy.

Caveat emptor.

 

It might be a sickness. I have 27 handguns and I don't even shoot handguns. But they sure look cool. I feel that the looks of guns is second only to a beautiful woman.

 

Common sense, experience and knowledge of the subject matter will generally keep you out of trouble.

 

Rocky , I have several handguns and can’t hit the wall of a barn from the inside. But who the heck cares,right?

 

I have about 8 shotguns and have sold several. I bought 1 of them new. One used O(/U had really poor barrel regulation, Have not yet bought a gun without looking at it "hands on". I have done better buying used guns than buying used cars, that is for sure.

 

If I am buying face-to-face, I am comfortable that I can evaluate used guns. The problem I have seen in dealing on-line is that many sellers, even those who do a lot of business, are very lacking in basic knowledge about the guns they are selling. I have a penchant for a particular model and configuration of vintage O/U guns. A recent auction listing for one I was interested in listed the gun as 26 inch barrels with M/F chokes. In my experience, these guns were always either 26" IC/M or 28" M/F. I figured either the barrel length or chokes had to be stated incorrectly. I asked the seller, who sells a lot of guns, to measure and confirm that the barrels were 26", as that's what I was looking for. He confirmed that the barrels were 26", so I figured they mis-stated the chokes. That's an easy mistake to make on these guns. Gun arrives and it is, in fact, 28" M/F. It turns out his guy didn't know how to measure barrels correctly. I did keep it, but I am still needing one in 26" IC/M.

 

I have a PC9 and 10/22 that are a year and a half old and still in their boxes...one of these rainy days I'll get them out.