Shotgun purchase opportunity, i am clueless

[Doc7]

Folks,

Lately I've been posting and asking questions regarding my interest in 870s and 500s as a first shotgun. Want to use the gun for HD, hunting, trap/skeet, and whatever else you can use a shotgun for.

Last weekend I went trap shooting (at the "practice" area where they just fly straight out from you) at a range a couple of hours away. I got like 4 hits out of 25 and my buddy who has also never shot in his life hit 22/25...:rolleyes:

This facility, which is very popular, had a few used 12 gauge 11-87s and 1100s for sale. I just called them today to ask about the guns and they are selling them for 500-600 each which is well below MSRP for new. The person I spoke to on the phone at the range claimed that the previous owner was a friend who had passed away, and "never" shot the guns.

How can I go up with little to no experience and pick out one of these deals and purchase? Seems like it's getting a quality semi-auto gun for a quality pump action gun price. Am I missing something?

Thank you!

edit: some of the guns are called "Sporting clays". also, they have no chokes/etc included, just the gun. is that going to run up the price a lot?

[Dingoboyx]

Take someone who knows shotguns with you to check the deal for you :D In general, If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is :D

[BigJimP]

+1 on what Dingo... said

guns like that are probably being used as rentals or loaners to other shooters too / hard telling what kind of maintenance they've seen. You really need to take those guns apart for inspection / and you'll need some experience to know what you're looking at / or I would pass on them.

We have a guy at my gun club that is always buying and selling guns / some are decent buys / and a lot of them are just junk - and he doesn't even clean them when he loans them out....

[dropthehammer]

Although both are excellent guns,$500-$600 is no super deal on an 1100 or 11-87, unless they are high end target guns. Be patient, you should be able to pick up a decent field grade 1100 in the $400 range.