Buyers Remorse...

[FS2K]

About the worst thing about buying guns online is the fact that the majority of these purchases are based on looks above everything else. I've never had any regret for buying a gun locally. I got to examine the guns up close and handle them before buying. The only regrets I have are from guns I have purchased online.

No matter how many rave reviews a certain gun gets, or how many recommendations a certain gun recieves, nothing compares to your own personal observations and opinion.

I've learned this the hard way, twice in the past year. "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me..." Well that seems to be the case here.

I would like to share a bit of advice with the group: Before you make an online purchase, try to find yourself an example of the gun you are thinking about getting locally that you can check out and handle closely first. If this isn't possible (like it is for me living in the boonies) pay very close attention to the specifications such as size and weight before deciding to buy that gun. Measure out on a piece of paper how big the weapon is (if it's a handgun) and find something equal in weight. That way you will have a better idea of what you're getting BEFORE you get it.

[sanson]

What Gun Disapointed You

[RevoRick]

I am interested in hearing the story also.

[NCHornet]

Buyer beware when buying anything off the internet. I prefer FTF deals , on all my gun puchases, never have bought a gun off the internet and never will. I too live in the boonies and have to wait for a gun show to see any real selection of firearms.

[cloudcroft]

"About the worst thing about buying guns online is the fact that the majority of these purchases are based on looks above everything else."
-- FS2K


I haven't experienced "buyers remorse" because I don't base my purchases on looks...that is not a high-priority factor.

I don't know why anyone would.

-- John D.


EDIT: Sorry, FS2K, I glanced at your post and thought you were like lots of other people in these forums, buying a gun based on looks...you know, like how "kewl" it looks, some "cool" gun used in some movie or some other such BS. I didn't catch your point of buying a gun online and only being able to judge it by how it looks in the pics the seller provides.

Yes, I only had pics to go by when I got the Mossberg 590A1 from gunsamerica.com...it said NIB and the pics looked good so I went for it. Had some "storage wear" on the barrel but no big deal. So pics don't show everything so you do take a bit of a chance.

Anyway, my apologies for that faux-pas.

-- JD

[thirdeagle]

Did your seller(s) offer an inspection period? I buy almost all of my firearms on line. There are many great deals to be had on the auction sites and through sites like TFL and THR. IMHO it's always a bad idea to buy online from someone that does not offer at least a couple of days to fondle you new beauty before deciding whether you want to keep her.

Sorry you got a raw deal. Re-sell them here.

[Wildalaska]

In 750 plus transactions on Auction Arms, I have had two guns returned. Never had one returned out of here.

WildmrhappycustomerserviceAlaska

[UniversalFrost]

I am very picky about what I buy from gunbroker, auction arms, gunsamerica, etc... Unless it is NIB and/or has lots of photos of the gun and bore, etc... I pass. Only time I broke this rule was on some pre 64 winchesters that had a few photos of the guns and they were all used. I only bought them because the buy now price was super low. 2 out of the 3 turned out to be good deals, the third (an M70 I just stripped and rebuilt the action into a new rifle).

ON another note, After doing a couple of transactions with WildAlaska on AuctionArms.com, I would feel confident buying a gun over the phone site unseen.

I bought a Beretta 92FS and a Ruger 77MKII (stainless/synthetic) and both were way better than described. The pictures just didn't do the guns justice. Compared to the other sellers Wild rates his guns lower than the others. When he says it is good condition it is really excellent or better. Many other online sellers rate a gun like new when it probably has several hundred rounds down the pipe. If Wild rates a gun like new it most likely is new, but missing the box or something small like that. Have no fear when ordering from WildAlaska.

[FS2K]

Now, before I get into it, I want to make absolutely sure that anyone who reads what I am about to write knows that I am in no way saying that the guns I mention are junk. What I am sharing is MY OPINION on these weapons and the issues I HAVE with them.

The dealer I had purchased these guns from were helpful, friendly, and extremely proffessional with these transactions and I have nothing but praise for those guys. Being that it has nothing to do with the rest of my post, I will leave their company names out of this.

Two guns disappointed me allot. Both guns were 100% new in the box and never used.

The first HUGE disappointment for me was my Springfield XD45. The guns recieved rave reviews in both the guns rags and all over the internet. I was in the market for another .45 mainly for plinking and was considering getting another 1911, that was until I saw an add for the XD45. I went down to my local gun shop but they didn'y have an XD45 in stock, instead they had a newly arrived XD9 on display so I asked them id I could see it. Sure enough, the grip was just like everyone described: it fit my hands great, the gun was easy to point which got me thinking that if the 45 was anything close to this gun I would be happy. The positive reveiws kept on rolling in, new owners boasting of excellent accuracy, low felt recoil, and a natural grip angle that made target aquisition a breeze.

I was hooked.

After doing some price comparisons over the net (if my local guy had one in stock I would have got it from him, you know, suppost local business and all that) I finally stumbled across a new 4" barreled one NIB for $460.00 I think and made the order.

Well when the gun came in one of the first things I took note of was how top heavy the gun was. I noticed the same in the 9 I handled but didn't pay much attention to it. Now I did. So I loaded a magazine and put it in to see if that would improve the weapons balance. Strangely it didn't. This turned out to be a very important factor when I took the gun out to shoot for the first time. I am a big ,45 ACP fan, and have owned other guns than just 1911's chambered in it (Glock 21 Star "FireStar" etc.) and the thing I liked about the .45 most was the characteristics of the round when shot. To my surprise, the XD45 shot more like a 9mm than a .45, and unlike what one magazine reveiwer said the gun's polymer frame did NOT "Suck up Recoil". The top-heavy pistol "whipped" its muzzle when shot. Not expecting the guns reaction shooting it the first time actually made my wrists ache, and NOT from limp wristing either. Then there was the guns accuracy. I realize that the weapon had not even been properly broken in yet, but it's accuracy again was a disappointment. One internet reviewer said that his friend who has been shooting 1911's for over a decade IMMEDIATELY started punching targets equal if not better than what he could post with his own .45.

It was hype such as this that got me to consider the gun in the first place. The gun "Looked" to be a great deal and seemed like a promising performer. I'd been caught up in the hype of it all.

I have been shooting the gun quite allot since I first got it, and as much as I want to grow to like this weapon, I don't. It's isn't a bad gun, but neither is it the super reliable tack driving wonder boy it was hyped to be either. What seemed like a slam dunk for me turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments I've has concerning a firearm.

Disappointment #2 happens to be my most recent purchase: A Masterpiece Arms MPA 971 9mm Carbine. Once again, I was in the market for a 9mm carbine that would serve me as an all around hiking/packing/ plinker seeing as the price of 5.56/.223 and 7.62 X 39mm has been rising so quickly. I didn't want to get another elcheapo Hi-Point and at the same time I didn't want to dish out the money for another Bobcat MP5 close or 9mm AR15. Why I ended up getting this particular gun is a bit of a mystery to me now, but I do kinda remember bein talked into it. LOL! The gun is a Frankenstein: its lower half is a stock FN FAL (including stock) its upper is a stock MAC11 9mm w/ a 16" barrel and the gun is adapted to use Suomi Magazines. Oh and did I mention it uses an AR15 foregrip too? The weird thing is this gun shoots GREAT! Super reliable, points great and shoots really really well... he guy who sold it to me said in passing "Oh, and by the way, the gun is a little heavy which is kinda good cuz with has almost no recoil." He was right.

The 971 is called a "Sport Rifle" by Masterpiece Arms

http://www.masterpiecearms.com/SR.html?

The Specs said 10lbs. I weighed the thing on my bathroom scale (which is calibrated great) and that sucker is 17 POUNDS! I wouldn't mind too much if it was a 50 BMG, but this is a 9mm we are talking about here!

I have been so depressed. LOL!

And it wasn't like I didn't do research on this damn thing prior to getting it either. It is seriously front heavy because its barrel is one THICK chunk of steel. Anyway.....

This is why I made the suggestions I did to my fellow members here. Don't believe everything you read. Trust me on that one. LOL!

[FS2K]

I have similar feelings towards the "Wannaba" Crowd myself!

[OBIWAN]

I have never bought a gun online that I hadn't at least seen before...or at least a representative sample

But I have tried plenty of different platforms and found out I didn't like them

I consider the $100 "bath" I take on reselling them to be the "trial fee"

[FS2K]

And that's what I had thought I had done with the XD45. I did my research, I handled the XD9 at the shop, and I was STILL disappointed when I shot it, Dammit.

[sodflyer]

Hey I could use another XD not knocking you but I love mine and may not have the same standards as yourself. I don't own any 1911's either but just due to not wanting to spend the money on a good one I guess... I like all of mine that I own!

[skeeter1]

Before you make an online purchase, try to find yourself an example of the gun you are thinking about getting locally that you can check out and handle closely first.

I wish I could have done that, but there were none in the area that had the model I had my heart set on, a Beretta Cheetah 87 Standard. I found one at a dealer in Nebraska:

http://www.ebang.com/ffl_dealers/nebraska/1563.shtml

by way of gunbroker.com. Ashley was 100% honest about the deal, and I have no regrets whatsoever.

Even though I'm not much of a gambler, my transaction with Gerbig Firearms was just fine, and I'd highly recommend her. Very good communication, prompt shipping, firearm just as described (NIB).

I hope this wasn't a "flash-in-the-pan" deal, but I'm very pleased.

[Jart]

In 750 plus transactions on Auction Arms, I have had two guns returned. Never had one returned out of here.

It's possible to have severe buyer's remorse and you, or another seller, never know about it.

As example, if I bid on a Fulton Hunter believing it to be similar to an L.C. Smith and am profoundly disappointed upon using it, it isn't the fault of the seller who described it accurately. It's my mistaken impression of the degree of difference of arms that came out of the same building over a half century ago.

Seller gets a glowing feedback, nothing's returned and I'm still kicking my backside - no point in even telling the seller. (It wasn't Wild West; it was the only other vendor whose auctions I bid on).

Just 'cuz you don't know about it, doesn't mean everybody is walking on sunshine dude. Sometimes we just have to suck up our own mistakes.

[FS2K]

Ya See?!?! It's posts like yours that got me into this mess in the first place sodflyer. LOL!

Nah, but seriously though. After I brought this up the first time, you'd be surprised by the amount of people that have either PM'd or Emailed me with similar complaints about thier XD45's.
Again, I truly think these guns are well made weapons. They feel great in the hand, their finish seems really tough and able to hold up well in the wet and rainy conditions here. I'm certainly not some weapons expert or weapons designer however I am cursed with the uncanny ability to recognise what I like and what I don't like...and I DON'T like the XD45. I wish I did. I wish all of the things I've read and all of the praise this weapons system has recieved after it's introduction was absolutely deserved.

But contrary to what has been said about the XD45, the gun;

DOES NOT have a smooth recoil.

Also, perhaps due in part to the recoil spring system, the recoil feels very soft with the XD45.

a statement from gunblast.com's article of the XD45

Its Polymer Frame does NOT seem to soak up allot of the felt recoil

It does NOT have accuracy that can be compared to a well made 1911
(I've shot several different types of rounds through mine in both 185gr and 230gr bullets)

But, in its defense, the XD45 was a wildcard buy. It was either this, or the more familiar Glock G19 and I chose the XD.

[FS2K]

My experience of buying over the net has been mostly positive. My FN FS2000 was the biggest gamble I've taken so far cuz it was a total unknown at the time and was being sold for some serious cookies. I LOVE that gun.