Just curious to know what y'all's opinions on buying a used vs buying a new gun. Lets just say hypothetically you only have $---'s to spend, and you could afford a budget new gun or a decent quality used gun. Which would it be? The reason I ask is both my recent purchases have been used, one smith made back in 76 and a Sig made in the early 80's. For the same money I could have bought a new or barely used taurus or ruger. (I searched but didn't find any threads that answered my question...)
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Opinions on new vs used guns
- Thread starter kingston73
- Start date
Knob Creek
NES Member
In my opinion always buy used. If itis in good condition and you take care of it and you paid a fair price then you will never lose money on it.
Tips for how to check a used gun:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/used_handgun.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/used_rifle.htm
http://www.uspsa.org/gmTips/tip07.html
http://www.gunshopfinder.com/articles/buyingusedpump.html
Tips for how to check a used gun:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/used_handgun.htm
http://www.chuckhawks.com/used_rifle.htm
http://www.uspsa.org/gmTips/tip07.html
http://www.gunshopfinder.com/articles/buyingusedpump.html
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Used, if you can find it, is better. That said, you should know how to properly inspect the gun you're looking to buy, and what common problems, if any, to look for.
And let's be honest: alot of the guns up for sale here are not very heavily used. I think the highest round count I've seen is in the low thousands. Ammo is just too expensive, and if someone likes a gun enough to run 10,000 rounds through a gun, I think they tend to keep it.
And let's be honest: alot of the guns up for sale here are not very heavily used. I think the highest round count I've seen is in the low thousands. Ammo is just too expensive, and if someone likes a gun enough to run 10,000 rounds through a gun, I think they tend to keep it.
Depends on the number hiding behind your dashes ![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
I have no problem buying new or used as long as I feel like it's a deal and I'm not overpaying.
If I can find the same thing used for cheaper, I'll go with it. Sometimes depending on what the price is new and my budget, it's not worth the hassle hunting.
I have no problem buying new or used as long as I feel like it's a deal and I'm not overpaying.
If I can find the same thing used for cheaper, I'll go with it. Sometimes depending on what the price is new and my budget, it's not worth the hassle hunting.
There are some guns that are a great deal used.
Used guns seem to fall under 2 resale reasons, well maybe 3
1. Its a POS and the owner could never get it to shoot well or function. If they bought it used or new doesnt matter. If you know the gun in question you can spot if its a beater or just needs a good cleaning and proper care. I have perchased many 870/1100/1187 this way only to find simple fixes to get them running.
2. Seller hardly shoots it, has no love for it and wants something else. These are the guns that are almost always great shooters/condition
3. seller needs cash. Which is my position. I sold off all the guns I just do not have any love for.
I have been a C&R (FFL curious and collectors) junky for a while now. Most of the used guns I buy are 50+ years old. I buy shooters only. If it cant be handled and shot with a little lov'n I dont want it.
I purchased my S&W 4013tsw used 4 years ago. It has turned out to be the best carry gun this lefty has owned. Know what your buying.
Used guns seem to fall under 2 resale reasons, well maybe 3
1. Its a POS and the owner could never get it to shoot well or function. If they bought it used or new doesnt matter. If you know the gun in question you can spot if its a beater or just needs a good cleaning and proper care. I have perchased many 870/1100/1187 this way only to find simple fixes to get them running.
2. Seller hardly shoots it, has no love for it and wants something else. These are the guns that are almost always great shooters/condition
3. seller needs cash. Which is my position. I sold off all the guns I just do not have any love for.
I have been a C&R (FFL curious and collectors) junky for a while now. Most of the used guns I buy are 50+ years old. I buy shooters only. If it cant be handled and shot with a little lov'n I dont want it.
I purchased my S&W 4013tsw used 4 years ago. It has turned out to be the best carry gun this lefty has owned. Know what your buying.
Yes it should be said to always do your homework and find out about each guns quirks and general value. That way you'll know a deal when you spot one as well as know what to look for as far as problem pieces, wear marks, etc.
btnh6668
NES Member
Most of my firearms are new aside from three. When im at my range and see how many of the people treat their firearms it makes me think twice about buying used. Im very anal about keeping my things in great condition and taking great care of things. In other words for me, it has to be a real good deal for me to bite on a used gun.
+1 on this. I've bought several pre-owned guns (not counting my C&R purchases) several from members here on NES. I have this thing about how many times a firearm has changed hands over the years. Mainly my concern is has reloads be fired in it? if so, how many? Did the guy know what he was doing reloading? My motto is, buyer beware.
Knob Creek
NES Member
Get addicted to milsurps and you won't have this problem.![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
![[rofl2]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/035.gif "ROFL2 [rofl2]")
I'd buy almost any well maintained used gun that I was interested in. I've only seen one used gun that was more of a pain than it was worth - a bud bought one that just wouldn't cycle right no matter what he did. But it was very old, very cheap, very beat up. He took his chances. I'd feel safe with used Glocks in particular.
If you have a good dealer who will back up the sale of a used gun, there isn't much of a way you can go wrong. I bought a High Standard Victor that looked new from Lew Horton's back in the 80's. It had 3 magazines with it but no box. First time out, I fired 100 rounds and had 30 jams! Took it to a "reputable" gun smith. When I got it back - same thing! Brought it back to Horton's and they sent it to Bob Shea, former High Standard master gunsmith. When I got it back, I put 300 rounds through it with no problem. Bob said it was from the first few months of Victor production and had the steel rib. He machined the rib to widen the ejection port and tuned the magazines. NONE of this work cost me a penny! I still have that Victor and it still shoots great. Oh, by the way, Bob "cleaned up" the trigger a bit while he had it!
Bryant
Bryant
First, I have had very good results with used weapon purchases, including from this site, but the decision to purchase a used weapon places a lot of pressure on the new owner to look it over carefully - and know what to look for. I agree with the economic concept of letting the first guy take the depreciation hit, but the only gun that I purchased "new" was my AR. I envisioned it to be my SHTF weapon, so I wanted to be able to trust each component, and have it set up exactly the way I wanted. to be fair, the fact that my AR was built from new parts was to some degree of a function of availability of the components I had selected. Did it cost me more up front? Absolutely. Do I know exactly how this weapon has been treated its entire life, the total round count, number of reloads fired (good point, Mike), malfunctions, etc.? Definitely. For me, that piece of information has a value as well.
I have more than a few guns and with one exception, they're all used. I've bought 3-4 that are as near to new as you can get but only one was factory new.
I have no problem buying used.
I have no problem buying used.
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It's a pretty good article, but keep in mind that it's very old-school. It basically assumes all autoloaders are 1911s or Hi-Powers, and includes gems like this one:
It helps to just google, or ask here, exactly what to look for on a certain gun. There are usually only a couple of things, and someone's bound to know.
45collector
NES Member
I'm more against buying a brand new car than I am a brand new gun.
But yeah most of the guns I've bought were used. In 12+ years of collecting I've only bought 4 brand new.
The time when I am most anal about inspecting a used gun is at a gun show. Chances are if the gun is found to have serious problems once you get it to the range, you'll never again see the bastard who sold it to you.
But yeah most of the guns I've bought were used. In 12+ years of collecting I've only bought 4 brand new.
The time when I am most anal about inspecting a used gun is at a gun show. Chances are if the gun is found to have serious problems once you get it to the range, you'll never again see the bastard who sold it to you.
i would suggest buying it from a reputable dealer that you trust, and that its in their inventory
and not on consignment, or from here from someone here with a good track record.
If you can make arrangements to shoot it at their range do so. Proof is in the pudding.
If you buy a used Smith that was made after 1986, smith will stand behind it.
and not on consignment, or from here from someone here with a good track record.
If you can make arrangements to shoot it at their range do so. Proof is in the pudding.
If you buy a used Smith that was made after 1986, smith will stand behind it.
