What does your shop do?

[6onthehip]

i would think most shooters here have a regular gun shop they frequent for supplies or new weapons but what about used guns?

does your shop inspect and test fire their used guns before selling them?
and how do you feel about buying a used gun from a shop or show without being able to shoot it first? - just curious to see the concensus

[BigJimP]

I'm a "used gun" / gunshop ....junkie. I love browsing shops / and buying good used guns.

What does my local shop do: nothing, they don't even clean em ....

It is an "as is" transaction / and buyers understand it ... You have to do your best to check out the weapon ( they'll let you take it apart, within reason, if you're a serious buyer - and a frequent customer ). If a gun is real dirty / I pass on it - to me its a sign of neglect.

[TheShootist1894]

I work full time at a retail gunshop in rural NW Ohio, even though we have pretty loyal customers that generally trade in 'good' used guns, I have pushed the bosses to let me take every used gun, disassemble, clean, oil and test fire 3-5 rounds. Granted this takes a bit of time, 1/2 - 1 hour depending on the complexity and how neglected the cleaning regiment had been, and weather or not it fits in the Ultrasonic cleaner. . .

But we all see that it does instill some more customer confidence in the sometimes muddied waters of buying used firearms.

In fact we only have 4 used 12 gauge shotguns, a Ruger 22 Mag, and a Remington 597 on the used rack now.

When I started there were over 30 used guns, all of which I went through and put a Gold Star Sticker on all the guns that 'passed' really the only issues I have found were in older rimfires, feeding, extrating and ejecting needed some help, but like I tell the boss, we always have time to do it right the first time, we may not get a second chance if we sell a crap gun to someone. . .

[GunsAreGood]

my local gun shop does not fire or clean them. I recently took in a shotgun to be sold on consignment and all they did was look through the barrel check the serial numbers and it was on the shelf to be sold before I left.

[scorpion_tyr]

The two I used to frequent before I moved were pretty good. One didn't clean them or anything, but they did inspect them before they bought them, and they came with a 24 hour warranty, if you bought it and it didn't feed, fire, or eject they'd give you your money back.

The other cleaned, inspected, fired, and cleaned before they sold.

[laytonj1]

does your shop inspect and test fire their used guns before selling them?
and how do you feel about buying a used gun from a shop or show without being able to shoot it first?

Very few gun shops have a range in the places I've lived. Even here, the couple of gun shops that do have a range are tactical type shops that don't interest me.
I've found it is much better to learn how to properly check out a used gun before buying it. While that won't provide 100% assurance that it will fire on the range, combined with a gun shop that stands behind what it sells should help.

Jim

[BurkGlocker]

The most that one of the shops I frequent is clean them before putting them in the display. The other one, he does the whole nine yards, cleans, fires, cleans again and then into the display. He has great prices on firearms, but unfortunately he is in OK, so I cant buy pistols from him directly, and after getting the transfer to a store here in TX, it already takes the price up to where it wouldve been if I shopped here in the first place. But he gets all of my business for reloading and most of my rifle purchases.

[madcratebuilder]

I've found loaded guns on the used rack before.

[CajunBass]

To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what they do with them other than sell them. I've traded in a few guns at a couple of shops and I don't think I have ever seen one of "my" guns back on the rack for sale. Maybe they sell them before I come back. Maybe the sell them on the internet, or to other dealers, but I've never seen them again.

I've bought a lot of used guns and never had a problem with one. Some appeared to have been cleaned, some didn't. One dealer I go to from time to time does have a range and will let you shoot a used gun, but I never have.

[Uncle Ben]

Seems silly (at least to me) for a dealer to not even so much as clean it and dry fire it before going in the case or on the rack. Couldn't they get a little more for it with little added effort? I guess that only helps them offer it for the lowest price possible.

I like the 24 hour "warranty" that was mentioned above. Seems fair and offers extra peace of mind.

[Glenn Dee]

The Gun shop I frequent has a fairly large selection of used firearms. There is also a grungy group of old codgers, and gun shop comando's hanging around. Much of the unique, and unusal that comes in never makes it to the display case. To make ourselves usefull, and pretend that we stll have it... one of us will always take the used gun, go over it, and clean it up.. for the shop.

The other good thing is... on our monthly range trip as a group... we get to shoot the used guns. ( of course were only testing them) lol.

[munson1]

My favorite Gunshop had after years go out of business. I have always loved handguns & Ted would let you take any used handgun & give you 10 rounds & fire it on the range out back. All you needed was a state handgun permit. He was one of the nicest guys to do business with. Bought many guns from him. Boy, I miss that shop!!!!!!

Ken

[WVfishguy]

I mainly care about used guns, nearly all S&Ws. New guns generally suck.

If a shop has the facilities for test firing, you're going to pay extra for their increased overhead. Believe me, I own/operate a business. No gun or pawn shop that I know of in WV has a firing range.

My favorite shops are two pawnshops, one in my home town and the other in a town 50 miles away. (I say "town" because there are no true cities in West Virginia.)

The local pawnshop is where I bought (for very good prices) my 4" 586 & 629 no dashes, mint Model 10 & 19, Ruger Service Sixes and many other great revolvers.
They also recently offered me a very good, used Sig 229 for $600: When you buy as many guns as I do, and don't act like an ass, you get preferential treatment. Because semi-autos have no soul, I turned the offer down.

The other shop sold me a pristine Model 57 no dash for $500, and offered me a minty 28-2 for $375. The also had a near perfect Browning Hi-power for $450, along with a great CZ for $400. (Actually, these are the few semis with souls. Come to think of it, Sigs are also equally endowed, so I retract my earlier statement)
Model 57 no dash:

I know how to evaluate a revolver, so I don't care that they don't test fire. They don't clean guns, I don't care. If I'm interested in a gun, but it's too dirty to evaluate, I bring my cleaning kit in the shop and clean it there. No one objects. Even if I don't buy it, they still have a better chance of selling it, and they know it.

Interestingly, the local shop has begun to swab the bores of used guns, and make a point of pointing that out to me every chance they get. I don't know if it's an effort to get me to buy more revolvers (I've already paid their kid's college tuition) or if they noticed clean guns sell more readily.

[CWPinSC]

My shops do nothing. I believe to test fire it or clean it might involve them in an implied warranty situation.

For the buyer - it's caveat emptor, always. Know how to tell used from abused and worn from worn out. Know what the gun is worth on the open market, and know how badly you want that particular gun. If you don't know these things, take someone with you who does.

Know your shop. Are they reputable? Do the employees really know what they're doing?

[MTHanded]

The gun shop I go to stands behind all their guns, new and used. I bought my son a used shotgun for his birthday and we couldn't try it out for 3 weeks. When he shot it, it jammed and kept jamming so we took it back and he fixed it on the spot, gave my son a box of shells and told him to try it out and let him know if it ever jammed again. It didn't and that's customer service. I now give him first chance on anything I buy and he treats me well if I find a good deal on gunbroker. I asked him about cleaning the used guns and he told me that they wipe them down and oil them but, they want the customer to know how the guns were treated by the previous owner and how they took care of them.