Intro To Buying Used
We know many of you are getting into shooting for the first time and part of that means navigating where to buy your firearms, especially now when there’s a run on all pistols.
We’ve written about choosing the right guns to get started and how important a reputable gun store can be to making that important decision. Now let’s talk about another decision: new or used?
The considerations are a little like buying a car. If it’s new you shouldn’t have any wear and tear yet and there should be a good warranty, but you also pay top dollar. If you buy used you may have to put up with some wear and tear, maybe even make a repair to bring it to your standard, but you’ll save money.
The biggest question is: am I getting a sweet deal, or am I buying someone else’s problem?
We prefer buying used
Why do we prefer used? Mainly because they’re cheaper. A lightly used gun is usually around 75% of the price of a new one, but there’s also some history in that wear and tear which not only adds character but gives you some insight into what might go wrong in the future. You have a better sense of how this gun will last, and as a bonus you don’t need to worry about adding new dings or scratches.
Am I buying someone else’s problem?
Your biggest consideration should be, “Am I getting a sweet deal? Or am I buying someone else’s problem?”
Generally speaking you’re going to want to buy something in good repair, unless you have some skill restoring guns. If something is a minor fix you might still decide to go ahead, but here’s what we look for to assess if a gun is worth the money:
The exterior condition: Do you see cracks, pitting, rust, or significant marks of wear? Does the fit of all the parts feel solid?
The screws, pins, and bushings: Do you see wear or scratches? Are they likely to fail soon? Have they been replaced?
Aftermarket upgrades: Have they been properly installed? Are they appropriate for the gun? Are they tightly fitted?
Inspect the bore: use a bore light to get an optimal view inside the bore. Is there any rust, pitting, or damage to the rifling or bore?
The interior of the gun: look inside the receiver and chamber. Is there any rust, pitting, or damage?
Movement: do all the controls and parts, safeties, magazine releases, actions, and hammers move freely?
The other thing to look for if there is a warranty. Most sporting good stores will provide you with some kind of warranty on anything they sell. It’s a nice bonus but not always a certainty.
What about the upgrades?
A lot of used guns are going to have some kind of aftermarket upgrade. While a gun will hold its value quite nicely, not all upgrades do. Pay particular attention to what has been upgraded and if it’s appropriate and installed well, especially if the asking price has been pushed back up to near what a new model might cost on account of the upgrades.
Reputable help, always
A few things that make buying used guns easier is buying from a reputable gun store. There are a lot out there and not all of them are easy to find, but ultimately think of it as relationship building. You want to find experts you can trust to give you good advice. People who spend all day buying and selling guns are going to know a lot more than what you can glean cruising the internet. When you build a good relationship with the clerks behind the counter, you will always get the best insight into buying the right gun for whatever you need. You can even order online from forums and websites but that makes it impossible to inspect the gun before purchase.
Surplus
Keep an eye open for deals on surplus firearms. Usually they’ve been used by military or law enforcement somewhere in the world and have been redistributed to gun stores. Often you can check out reviews online (such as on Youtube) about the overall quality of that particular batch of surplus firearms, since usually a lot of the same model will hit the market at roughly the same time. This can sometimes represent a good deal for something fun and low-cost, with the caveat it’s already had a life and may not last as long as something brand new before needing some additional love and repairs.
Your guns, your standards
At the end of the day, only you can decide which guns are right for you. If you fancy toiling at the workbench, restoring that old clunker to its former glory, go for it! If you’re more of a no muss, no fuss person, pay close attention to the details and get good advice in the beginning. Just like with cars, it’s never any fun finding out you bought a lemon and have to spend all your time (and money) in the shop.