Selling dirty guns

[Zhillsauditor]

Not aimed at anyone, just a general rant--why do so many people send dirty guns? I would never sell a gun that hadn't been cleaned, yet probably half or more of the used guns I buy have obviously not been cleaned after the last outing (if not in the last 5). I just sent 30+ patches down a rifle to get something resembling clean.

And while I'm ranting, [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color] about sending guns without requiring an adult to sign. I live in crack town, yet twice I've gotten guns sitting on my porch. I can see the headline now: Gang-banger uses Assault Weapon he found sitting on a front porch to rob the Kwik-e-mart.

I mean, its just common sense that a weapon should require a signature.

[fastforty]

It's always bothered me that most of the NIB guns that I've bought were dirty. Yeah, the factory test fires them, crams them in a bag, shoves them in a box & they sit sometimes for years.

I live on the main road into a crappy little banger/doper/you-name-it "town", just 2 miles away. I can't tell you how many times I've found my 1-5 ounce gold deliveries sticking straight up out of the front gate, 10 feet from the road in big colorful envelopes marked "Signature Required" (my house/dental laboratory is 100 feet back off of the road).

[Zhillsauditor]

>It's always bothered me that most of the NIB guns that I've bought were dirty

I appreciate that they have to do it--in fact, I'd rather they do that then clean them because the cleaning crew may screw up the gun. Rather, I'm talking about really dirty guns, guns that haven't been given a good clean in months or years even after they've been fired often. Running a bore snake down a gun after every shoot may be okay, but when I go to sell a gun, I field strip it at least, even if I don't do more than that.

What's strange is when I go to a gun show and see people selling filthy guns. Spend an hour cleaning the gun and it will sell much quicker and for more money. I've walked away from guns at shows because the seller couldn't be bothered to make his wares look decent. If the seller can't be bothered to clean the gun for the show, the gun probably is set to need repairs, or just be plain junk for want of care.

[SilentHitz]

deliveries sticking straight up out of the front gate, 10 feet from the road in big colorful envelopes marked "Signature Required"

This problem can be solved if you don't mind stepping on some toes. When I had my FFL, I came home to a box leaned against my apartment door...in plain sight of at least 12 other apartments. After opening it to find 2 guns I had ordered, I called UPS and raised hell!!

The driver was fired that day, sorry he lost his job, but anyone including kids that used to live here could have just walked away with those guns. If it requires a signature...GET ONE!! There's no excuse for lazy delivery folks.

[luvsasmith]

If me buying a dirty gun keeps the price a bit lower, I'm cool with that. I always clean a newly acquired gun when I first get it anyway.

[Mike Irwin]

You know, I can honestly say that I have never cared about whether a gun I'm purchasing is clean or dirty.

[grymster2007]

I have a real good UPS driver. She goes out of her way to carry heavy packages up the steep driveway and steeper porch steps. Problems are, she needs a day off every now and then, and I can't get everything shipped UPS. Some drivers just lean the packages up against the mailbox post out on the road.

Fortunately, all my guns have been shipped UPS and either delivered by her or one of their other good drivers. The BP guns get put on the porch, cartridge guns have always required a signature.

[Mr. James]

Heh - while I've been mildly surprised at the dirty condition of some guns I've purchased, can't really say it bothered me much. I intend to clean them when I first get them home anyway.

Or, what Mike Irwin and luvasmith said!

Bob James

[Mike Irwin]

Back when I worked for a gunshop near me, we were closed on Mondays.

This was during the UPS strike.

I got this strange feeling that I should run by the gunshop. I didn't know why, but when I got there I found that FedEx had delivered a box and just left it sit on the porch.

Contents?

Ten handguns - Smith & Wesson revolvers, a couple of Sigs, an HK UPS, and a Colt.

The damned thing was practically wrapped in tape that said "Adult signature required!"

I spent about an hour on the phone that evening screaming at FedEx managers all the way to corporate.

[Jay1958]

The thing about a really dirty gun that I am considering buying is: I won't pay as much for it! If it is really dirty, the crud could hide some minor flaw in the bore - or elsewhere. I lower my offer price and my interest level by assuming that the crud -might- be covering up a flaw that I could see it is was nice and clean.

You know, I can honestly say that I have never cared about whether a gun I'm purchasing is clean or dirty.

[Shane Tuttle]

For the record: In my lifetime, there's been countless cars sold that were dirty. I don't see much of a difference with guns.

Off the record: I can't stand buying dirty guns nor cars. I'm in complete agreement with your rant.

As far as "signature requirement": Can you request this from the seller to place it on the package?

[srt 10 jimbo]

Thats like going to the Dentist and not brushing your teeth.

[dipper]

I won't purchase a dirty firearm.
If the previous owner can't keep it clean, I wonder how he took care of it for the period he owned it.
Worse yet, I have been in gun shops that do not clean their used firearms either.
If you can't take the time to clean a firearm, you don't get my hard earned money.
As far as a dirty factory fresh firearm, I don't mind a dirty bore from a test fire....chips or other "dirt" is a different matter.