My thoughts on buying a used rifle!

[1Shirt]

I have noticed over the years that there are a number of people who would never buy a used rifle. Some of these folks will buy Milsurps, but will make excuses about their bbls, or looks, or something relating to lack of accuracy. If I were going to buy a 30-30 lever action, Win or Marlin, it would definately be a used rifle. This is particularly true if I could fine one from a private individual (definately not Cabellas) and most probably not at a gun show.

I would also prefer to buy it from a private individual who did not reload. The probability of it being shot out with factory ammo is slim. Of course there is the factor of how well the rifle was maintained, cleaned, etc. Chances are that regardless of external appearances (dings, missing a little blueing from carrying, etc) that rifle would probably have less than a hundred or so rounds thru it. The same is true of bolt action deer rifles that come from non reloaders.

I have serious doubts that I would ever buy a used varmint rifle from a serious varmint shooter and most particularly if he was a reloader. Did buy a #1 in 22-250 from a private individual at a gun show however. He was walking around trying to sell it. Dealers were offering him $300-350.00 on trades or cash. I offered him $400.00 cash and he sold. Had two boxes of factory ammo with it, and some empties. He needed money and said he could not afford to shoot it. Have taken countless p-dogs with that rifle since.

Seems to me that on a percentage basis there are less and less reloaders, and more and more sales of factory ammo. Very high priced factory ammo! If I didn't reload, I sure couldn't afford to shoot. If I were forced to shoot jacketed only bullets that I reloaded, due to cost I would be shooting a lot less. Thank God for the cast boolit. I am west of the Mississippi, and that makes a big difference I suppose for those living on the coasts because of local laws, big city attitudes, etc.etc.etc.

I have bought a couple of guns over the years from private individuals at very reasonable prices. Some of the reasons for the price were varied. One that I bought had been bought 20 years before, had about 100 rounds thru it, and the guy just wanted his money back. About half price of a new one of the same model. A friend bought a couple of guns at a real good price from a man who had lost his wife. He was getting re-married, and the new wife was death on guns, and would not marry if he didn't get rid of them. Must have been a whale of a woman in the sack or something. Know of a couple of private purchases where the owner had died, and the wife wanted the guns out of the house, etc.etc.etc.

You have to look for good buys on used guns, particularly rifles. However they are out there, some are great buys. Some are steals! A friend of mine got a mint trapdoor Springfield with a shiny bore a couple of years ago for $200.00. Wouldn't take my offer to double his money and sell it!
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Love Life]

I tend to look at used rifles the way you do.

My ultra score was S-prefix S&W pre model 27 357 magnum for $240.00. It came with a holster.

[starmac]

I have bought a 10/22 new for 69.95, actually bought two of them, but picked up one for a friend, and a virginia dragoon 44 new for 175 bucks including a box of shells. That is the sum total of new guns, I have purchased for myself. I have purchased a couple for gifts. Oh yea and a muzzle loader, you can look a long time for a decant left hand muzzeloader.

Most of mine were a good deal and very few were ever traded off.

[rbertalotto]

Just about every rifle I've ever bought is used. (or previously owned as most "used" rifles I've ever bought were hardly ever used)

I let someone else take the hit and buy them a year or two old. Folks that buy guns tend to buy and sell lots of them. Many times they will sell or trade a rifle to a dealer and they have never fired it. Happens all the time..........

[bigelk]

The only "new" gun I ever bought was shot gun with my lawn mowin' money at the local
sporting goods store,(36 years ago) lots of milsurps and auction guns later I ordered a RIA 1911 yesterday. Just hope it shoots as well as my "used ones".

[Charley]

Unless you count muzzleloaders, I don't think I've bought more than about 5 NEW guns in my life.
It's like buying a vehicle, let somebody else take the depreciation hit.

[starmac]

Actually mine have appreciated new or used, of course I have gotten some really good buys on the used ones and the new ones I have had for years.

[Ronbo256]

Generally speaking I have bought mostly new guns, and they are now worth twice or more what I paid for them, but I will jump all over a good price on a used gun if it passes my inspection. If the former owner doesn't reload, all the better! Lately I've had a hankering for a M1 garand, so that will be used for sure when I get one.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I would also prefer to buy it from a private individual who did not reload. 1Shirt!:coffeecom
Unless you know them...

case in point, the photo below,
which I submitted into the castpic, "Pic of the month" sometime back.
a very good friend, reloader, machinist, and "Gunshow Neighbor"...
He builds some custom mausers once in a while.
He built this 257 Rob. with Loewe action,
then needed money and brought it to the one
gunshow we both work once a year.

I traded a Taurus Pistol and some cash.
He had shot it some...not sure how much?
I haven't worked up a .5 MOA boolit load for it yet,
But He says he did with j-words and Hodgdon Hybrid 100 V
I think this gun is one of those guns you just can't turn away from,
whether I can get .5 MOA or not.

I put the Big Weaver on it...He thought it looked dumb with that big of a scope,
since it is a fairly petite rifle.
Jon


http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/100_1991croppedfulllengthentered.jpg

[shdwlkr]

1shirt
I have bought a lot of second hand firearms from dealers and one I can think of at the moment was kind of funny I found and early 1900's model 1894 winchester that nobody would buy because it was parkerized and had no elevator for the rear sight so I made the dealer a low ball offer and he asked if that would be cash or a layaway. Well I always laid such purchases so I had time to explain how it got in my hands when it finally came home.
Right now the closest I have to new firearm is one that I am having custom made for me. I have bought several 22's new just because of price and one rifle that I can think of in the last 20 years. A divorce cost me all my firearms and I am building back up but you know the older you get the harder to find that green stuff gets.

[HATCH]

Most of the guns I have were purchased used.
I love non-lock Smith & Wesson revolvers.
Kinda hard to purchase them new

[nanuk]

New? Ruger 1-270Win, Remington 7-6mmRem, Ruger P89-9MM, H&R handi-457Gov't X 2, Rossi-308Win, Unknown ML-50cal

Used? lost count well after 50.....

I would never buy new now, unless I am completely unable to buy used, or it is such a good deal, I can't pass it up.

the only Recent purchases new, the H&R's are simply not available used, and the Rossi was so cheap.... had to try.

the others were bought over 20 years ago.

[nanuk]

Generally speaking I have bought mostly new guns, and they are now worth twice or more what I paid for them, but I will jump all over a good price on a used gun if it passes my inspection. If the former owner doesn't reload, all the better! Lately I've had a hankering for a M1 garand, so that will be used for sure when I get one.


the thing is they "Might" be worth twice, but in actuality they are only worth what someone is willing to pay today

I have a Ruger 1B scoped that if bought New, would set one back near $2000.

but I doubt I could get $1000 for it, even if it was near new condition, More like $800. Now, granted, I only paid $800 for the unit (with mounted scope, VariX-III 2.8-8) and a nice tooled leather sling.


all told, I have bought only 9 new rifles. and I only buy them if unable to buy used. Or if they are such a deal I can't pass up.

Used? I lost count but probably have bought/sold into 3 figures now.

[Mk42gunner]

I put the Big Weaver on it...He thought it looked dumb with that big of a scope,
since it is a fairly petite rifle.
Jon

Jon,

I won't say it looks dumb, but I think a small straight tubed Leupold would look better. It is your rifle though, and I do like the stock.

Most guns, rifle shotgun or hand gun; don't get shot enough to matter, so you might as well buy used. Especially if you are near a military base, I have seen a lot of young sailors and marines buy guns, shoot them until their next deployment and then sell them at a substantial loss.

Robert

[Blacksmith]

New or used dosen't matter as long as the price is right for what it is.

Blacksmith

[firefly1957]

I have had and have some very good Rifles that I bought second hand I have one gun that is a total piece of junk it is a Chinese double barrel 12 ga "coach gun" and I bought it new. I should have know better but I thought for $200 out the door how bad could it be I looked down the barrels of 4 of them this was the only one that had both barrels pointing in the same place! The gun has several problems including soft sears which are dangerous to the user or anyone within range of the load.

[Bret4207]

To me buying a new gun is like buying a new car or truck- it isn't likely to happen for me! I just can't see paying for most run of the mill guns new price, especially these days with our drastically devalued dollar and my limited income. I have to admit that these days even most used guns are beyond my reach. But I'd sure like a few that should be on the used market these days.

To many people "new" is a status symbol. That just gets me po'd for some weird reason. It's fluff to me, I don't care if your gun cost you #3K or your pickup $50K, the question to me is why they put that much out of their pocket for something- was it because it made the most sense to do it that way or because it would impress their like minded friends? It's really none of my business, but to me it says something about a person if it's the latter.

[Blacksmith]

The best buy right now in used guns is a M 1 Garand from the CMP. Order now before the announced upcomming price increase, they have said the prices will go up but not how much or when. Most people are betting the first of the year and they have said they will honor the old price on any orders they have received before the increase. It is much easier to buy one now than it used to be especially if you are over 60, and now you can buy up to 12 a year (if you have that much money). Here is the link to the rifle sales page, they also sell ammo in the E-Store:
http://www.odcmp.com/Sales/rifles.htm

They ship to your house no FFL reqired except in NJ. The eligibility requirements and other information can be found at the links on the side of the page. If your club is not a CMP affiliate most state gun associations are or you can join the Garand Collectors for $25.

Get them while you can.

Blacksmith

[markshere2]

1. this forum is comprised of people reloading cartridges. Thrifty practice
2. this forum is comprised of reloaders who cast their own BOOLITS - Frugal practice!

What are the odds that a majority of us are interested in status "earned" by buying new at retail cost, for cars or guns?

This audience is far more interested in attaining the best bang for a buck... literally.

thank all of you that share your wisdom and experiences.

!

[geargnasher]

One thing I enjoy is finding a bargain gun that's rough around the edges, and probably inside too, cleaning and tuning it up a bit, and then seeing how well I can make it shoot with handloading skills. It's great fun to take a gun with a so-so bore and make it shoot straight without rebarreling it. But if I'm going to buy a gun for a particular purpose and pay the going rate for it, it had better be in very good shape or I'll just save my money until I can afford a brand-new one.

Gear

[Reload3006]

Most of my guns were bought new. But if the right item happens to stroll by that is in pristine shape .... and the price is right ... its just going home with me.

[Stephen Cohen]

My first wife pulled the stunt mentioned by 1 Shirt, get rid of guns or she would leave. I lent over took her in my arms and told her I loved her, would she like me to call her a cab. yes she was good in the sack but I had the guns long before her, my friends refer to me as a SNAG sensative new age guy.

[Twinkiethekid]

I always check the throat "the begining of the lands" to see if it is not shot out.

[JeffinNZ]

I would think that must rifles are ruined by incorrect cleaning or lack of said at all.

Most of my rifles are second hand. In fact only the Rem 700 .223 was bought new and never fired a factory round.

Knowing what I do now I can't see me buying another factory centerfire. I would have what I want built for me so I could have what I want and not what a manufacturer thinks I want.

[Jal5]

Of all the firearms I have purchased over the years, shotguns/handguns/rifles, I have only bought three new ones: shotgun, ML, and a Handirifle in .243
the rest were all second hand to me and all were good!

[rockrat]

I buy both used and new, although, very little nowadays, unless it is something unusual. My last rifle was about 68 years old. Very little new stuff really interests me nowadays.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
Wish I could do like some of you. Only bought 1 used gun in over 25 yrs.
No new guns in over 40 yrs.
BUT I SHOOT WHAT I HAVE A LOT.:bigsmyl2:
Most of my purchases have been primers,powder , etc.
In fact I have had to sell most of the guns I had.
But there are some I will not part with unless a disaster worse than unemployment strikes.
New guns are so expensive, my pursuit of happiness has been infringed.
I have turned to making my own as the only solution.:Fire::Fire:

[bob208]

my first wife tried the same thing. either those guns will be gone or i will. i still have the guns.