New Guy/ Marlin 12ga Bolt Action Goose Gun

abelacres · August 5, 2010, 06:07 PM

I also posted this on the Smithy page...need all the advise I can get.

A friend of mine recentlly purchased a Marlin Bolt Action 12 ga "Goose Gun" with a 36" barrel and a gold trigger. He was told the gun was "real old" and "worth a lot of money". It has TWO bulges in the barrel, one about half way up and another about two inches from the end. The clip is broken, the gun is rusty and the flat head screws holding the gun together have obviously been removed. My question- Is this gun 'safe' to shoot? Is it worth fixing? He paid $300 for it and I'm pretty sure he got hosed.

lockedcj7 · August 5, 2010, 08:23 PM

He definitely got hosed. If it was in good condition, it might be worth $300 to a turkey shoot competitor who really wanted it.

Nobody here can tell you if it's safe to shoot. A qualified gunsmith can give you his opinion after thoroughly inspecting it but I doubt he'll give you a guarantee. If the rear-most bulge can be cut out and still allow legal length (18") then some functionality could be salvaged. It would do for home defense in a pinch but there are much better choices for $300.

I've got a version of the same gun in good condition with a 26" barrel and the best I've ever been offered for it is $60. IMHO- your friend has an expensive tomato stake.

zippy13 · August 5, 2010, 08:31 PM

The barrel bulges should have set of a loud alarm. Unless your friend had to have this gun to complete a collection, I concur with lockedcj7, he got maxi-hosed. Is there any way he can get his money back? For an additional $135 he could have had a Mossberg Waterfowl gun at MSRP!

Dave McC · August 6, 2010, 07:04 AM

Hosed.

jaguarxk120 · August 6, 2010, 07:40 AM

The Standard Catalog of Firearms lists the Marlin Goose gun as $300 new in the box. Poor condition $50.

He got hosed.

oneounceload · August 6, 2010, 08:28 AM

Barrel bulges, missing parts, rust - NONE of that set off alarm bells?

Getting hosed is putting it very mildly...........

Lavid2002 · August 6, 2010, 08:35 AM

That sucks...
You could have bought a new mossberg 500 for 40$ less OTD

BigJimP · August 6, 2010, 11:15 AM

You have a consensus already --- but he got hosed...at any price...

Its a lesson for you and your buddy ...you need to educate yourselves before you buy any weapon. Its better to lose out on a good opportunity / if you don't know anything about the gun ...than end up with something that is useless ...and then you'll be prepared to make a better decision next time you run into the same gun for sale.

I hate to see anyone get taken advantage of / but unfortunately I think it happens a lot in the used gun market.

abelacres · August 6, 2010, 07:05 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys. My friend learned a hard lesson...one that could have been prevented if he had called me before buying that 'tomato stake'. I don't like to buy any gun that looks like it's been into, especially if the fasteners look damaged...a sure sign of using the wrong tool for the job which in my experience usually means al lack of knowing what your doing.

As for the barrel bulges, he said- "I thought they were supposed to be there, it looked like it was proffesionally done!"

It's really a shame, if he had wanted to pay too much for a bolt action shot gun I've got a Marlin 20ga with a poly choke that's in great shape I picked up for $25 and had reblued.

Miata Mike · August 6, 2010, 09:09 PM

I have one in very good condition, and no bulges.....I would love to sell for $300. Does he want another one?

zippy13 · August 9, 2010, 02:45 PM

"I would love to sell for $300"

I'll bet you would.

August 5, 2010, 06:07 PM	#1
abelacres Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2010 Location: Jackson County Florida Posts: 207	New Guy/ Marlin 12ga Bolt Action Goose Gun I also posted this on the Smithy page...need all the advise I can get. A friend of mine recentlly purchased a Marlin Bolt Action 12 ga "Goose Gun" with a 36" barrel and a gold trigger. He was told the gun was "real old" and "worth a lot of money". It has TWO bulges in the barrel, one about half way up and another about two inches from the end. The clip is broken, the gun is rusty and the flat head screws holding the gun together have obviously been removed. My question- Is this gun 'safe' to shoot? Is it worth fixing? He paid $300 for it and I'm pretty sure he got hosed. __________________ If something seems too good to be true it's best to shoot at it just to be sure

August 5, 2010, 08:23 PM	#2
lockedcj7 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2007 Posts: 1,215	He definitely got hosed. If it was in good condition, it might be worth $300 to a turkey shoot competitor who really wanted it. Nobody here can tell you if it's safe to shoot. A qualified gunsmith can give you his opinion after thoroughly inspecting it but I doubt he'll give you a guarantee. If the rear-most bulge can be cut out and still allow legal length (18") then some functionality could be salvaged. It would do for home defense in a pinch but there are much better choices for $300. I've got a version of the same gun in good condition with a 26" barrel and the best I've ever been offered for it is $60. IMHO- your friend has an expensive tomato stake. __________________ To a much greater extent than most mechanical devices, firearms are terribly unforgiving of any overconfidence, complacency or negligence.

August 6, 2010, 08:35 AM	#7
Lavid2002 Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2007 Posts: 2,568	That sucks... You could have bought a new mossberg 500 for 40$ less OTD __________________ Math>Grammar

August 6, 2010, 07:05 PM	#9
abelacres Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2010 Location: Jackson County Florida Posts: 207	Thanks for all the advice guys. My friend learned a hard lesson...one that could have been prevented if he had called me before buying that 'tomato stake'. I don't like to buy any gun that looks like it's been into, especially if the fasteners look damaged...a sure sign of using the wrong tool for the job which in my experience usually means al lack of knowing what your doing. As for the barrel bulges, he said- "I thought they were supposed to be there, it looked like it was proffesionally done!" It's really a shame, if he had wanted to pay too much for a bolt action shot gun I've got a Marlin 20ga with a poly choke that's in great shape I picked up for $25 and had reblued. __________________ If something seems too good to be true it's best to shoot at it just to be sure

August 5, 2010, 08:31 PM	#3
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	The barrel bulges should have set of a loud alarm. Unless your friend had to have this gun to complete a collection, I concur with lockedcj7, he got maxi-hosed. Is there any way he can get his money back? For an additional $135 he could have had a Mossberg Waterfowl gun at MSRP!

August 6, 2010, 07:04 AM	#4
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Hosed.

August 6, 2010, 07:40 AM	#5
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,619	The Standard Catalog of Firearms lists the Marlin Goose gun as $300 new in the box. Poor condition $50. He got hosed.

August 6, 2010, 08:28 AM	#6
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Barrel bulges, missing parts, rust - NONE of that set off alarm bells? Getting hosed is putting it very mildly...........

August 6, 2010, 11:15 AM	#8
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	You have a consensus already --- but he got hosed...at any price... Its a lesson for you and your buddy ...you need to educate yourselves before you buy any weapon. Its better to lose out on a good opportunity / if you don't know anything about the gun ...than end up with something that is useless ...and then you'll be prepared to make a better decision next time you run into the same gun for sale. I hate to see anyone get taken advantage of / but unfortunately I think it happens a lot in the used gun market.

August 6, 2010, 09:09 PM	#10
Miata Mike Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2010 Location: North East WI Posts: 418	I have one in very good condition, and no bulges.....I would love to sell for $300. Does he want another one?

August 9, 2010, 02:45 PM	#11
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	"I would love to sell for $300" I'll bet you would.