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Old September 5, 2008, 03:03 PM   #1
SiggySan
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Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: Washington State
Posts: 48
When buying a used firearm...

What do you look for when buying a used handgun to determine it's condition? Some signs of wear are obvious but are there any subtle things that people look for? I'm in the market for a CZ 40p, which will almost certainly be used, and I'd like to be able to buy one without firing it and be able to be reasonably confident in it's condition.
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Old September 5, 2008, 03:15 PM   #2
BigJimP
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Join Date: February 23, 2005
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Take the slide off - check the barrel and inside the slide. General cleanliness is important to me - if its not clean, I pass. If its not generally clean - you can bet he didn't keep the firing pin clean, under the grips may be a lot of grime, etc. It never ceases to amaze me how some people don't take care of their guns.

Wear on the external parts of the barrel - are they normal or excessive - indicating owner did not keep it lubed properly. Where barrel travels - is there wear on the slide. How does the ramp area look - any excessive wear.

Operate the safeties - do they prevent it from firing. If it has a hammer - can you push the hammer and make it release - indicating an amateur trigger job. Dry fire it - if its a center fire caliber / or use a snap cap - whatever the owner wants to do - and see how trigger feels, slack, wobble, does it release crisply .... how does it reset?

Are the mags clean or are they full of grit ...

general condition - scratches, etc / know what the gun came with for original equipment - Night sights, 2 mags, optional grips, whatever .... Did the owner add anything to the gun. The original box isn't important to me - but to some it is - so ask if they have it . High end guns will come with a test fire target from the mfg - but that would be very unusual for a CZ. But you might ask if the owner supplied a "sample target" labeled for distance, type of ammo, date, etc.

Biggest thing - find a dealer you can trust. If you're buying it from a private party - I would not buy it from someone I didn't know / or someone that I couldn't verify his character - or from someone I couldn't get any references on ( does he have a CCW permit as an example in your state ?) .....the gun might be stolen .. Most gun collectors - that are selling guns - will have no trouble giving you a couple of references.
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