How to Buy A Used Gun
My old, excellent shape 1903A3. Totally unrelated to concealed carry, but to still help drive the point home.
A while back I wrote a blog post about how to be successful at a gun show. To go along with that, because a lot of the guns you'd find at the gun show are going to be used (though certainly not all the time) I figured I'd give you some tips on how to buy a used gun.
Hopefully it goes without saying that the same applies to your local gun store, as well. But first, a short word on buying used guns off the internet.
Should you buy a used gun online:
I've heard some real horror stories about folks buying used guns, and a lot of the time, these issues are compounded when you can't inspect the gun firsthand before you decide to make the purchase. And, therein lies the problem, right? You can't inspect it before you decide to buy it.
A good friend of mine decided he'd buy an old collectible WWII rifle that was supposedly a correct gun in decent shape (not the one pictured above, that baby is mine). He paid for what he thought the gun was worth, but when he got it, it was a totally different rifle than was in the picture.
That's a huge problem. Here's the thing, unless it's a reputable place, and a new gun, I won't buy off the internet.
If you decide to do it, be very careful because I know a few people who've been burned. Though, I do suspect that most of the people selling them are great people, there are always a few bad apples out there and you never know what you're going to get unless they have a solid reputation.
And, no. You can't just buy a gun online and have it shipped to your house. I met someone who believes that's how it works a while back and couldn't believe it. The gun you buy online is still shipped to your FFL dealer so you can go through a background check.
In person sales:
In person sales are a totally different animal altogether. The main reason being that you can actually handle a gun before you decide to buy it. You can actually inspect the intricacies of the gun, make sure it seems to work, make sure the parts are there, and make sure you're not about to get ripped off.
Here's the deal, I always function check a gun and ask if it's okay if I disassemble it so I can take a good look–whether it's new or used.
If it's a collectible, that's a different story, because some of them cannot be function checked.
I want to make sure that I'm getting something decent, and that I'm not about to buy a turd. It's happened to people before, and I'm sure it'll happen again. If you know what you're doing, you can find a good deal on a great gun that still has a lot of use left on it.
A moment ago I told you that you'd want to ask for permission to field strip the gun to inspect the components. Not all gun shops are going to let you do this.
If they don't let you disassemble the gun, they should at least be willing to do it for you or they don't want to sell it bad enough. Think about why they wouldn't want to. There's either something wrong with it, or they don't trust you enough.
Why wouldn't they trust you? A good friend of mine up north owns a gun shop and a guy came in browsing. He asked to see an old gun, I can't remember which one. He said he was a collector, and was flipping it around looking at it.
When my friend went to go help someone else, the guy disassembled it and hadn't the foggiest idea how to put it back together again and was trying to put it together wrong, in a way that could've damaged the 1800s era firearm.
My friend came back over and ripped the guy a new one. I felt he was a little harsh, but it did belong to him and the guy didn't ask for permission. From that point on, he never let anyone disassemble the guns. He'll do it for someone himself, though, because his goal in life is to actually sell his stock.
So keep that in mind. If they don't at least disassemble the gun for you, walk away because they may be hiding something.
What do you look for?
So you should hopefully have a solid understanding of what the gun's parts are. One of the first parts to start to go is the barrel.
I've actually bought a brand new pistol with pitting in the barrel before because I didn't know what I was doing. From that point on I've always inspected the barrel. Some folks will bring a bore light with them, but, just holding the barrel up close to a ceiling light (but not directly on it or all you'll see is blinding light) and looking through it is enough.
If there are any fouling marks or other damage to the rifling, you're not getting a great deal because you'll likely have to buy a new barrel, anyway, and should just get a new gun unless the deal is that good.
You can also look for general wear. Having a worn finish on the firearm isn't always a bad thing, but you have to assume that it's in trade for a reason. It could just be that the old owner was in need of a new gun. Or, it could be something more serious.
Also don't assume that because a firearm is in 100% condition, finish wise, that it is so mechanically. It could just be that it's in great shape aesthetically because the previous owner had no clue how to shoot a gun. Maybe he damaged it in some other way. Never judge a book by its cover.
Check the rest of the internals the best you can. Unless you know what you're looking for it may be hard to tell if it's in good shape or not. There will likely be some wear on some of the parts because it is used. But if everything looks/feels tight and goes well on the next step, it should be good to go.
Function check:
I always function check a firearm to make sure it does what it's supposed to without ammunition in it before I buy it. Again, ask for permission and the much older guns cannot always be function checked because they could get damaged.
Modern pistols and rifles like the ones we're regularly talking about here should be fine for a function check.
In Matthew's Glock disassembly video he shows us how to do a function check:
For good measure, I always pull the trigger again, just to make sure and to feel the trigger. In fact, I may do this several times after I've verified function, because a trigger is usually one of the first things people fiddle with.
Did the prior owner modify their trigger? Did they do it themselves? Did they know what they were doing?
If you don't know what it's supposed to feel like, it may be a good idea to pull out a new gun of similar make. If you're looking at a used Glock 19, ask the gun store owner to pull out a new one so you can feel its trigger.
Compare them to each other. If it seems different and you cannot verify that the person knew what they were doing, it may be a good idea to walk.
I'd personally never buy a gun with a modified trigger.
Ask questions:
Asking for a few different things can help. First, ask if anyone has gone through the gun to make sure it's in legitimate condition.
Who? A gunsmith is a good start. Listen, I know a decent amount about guns. After all, I was in the Marines, law enforcement, and have been working for the industry for quite a few years … but I'm no armorer, and I'm sure as heck not a gunsmith.
You don't want to trust someone who doesn't really know. They should be qualified.
What else? This is a stretch, but ask if there is any kind of warranty on the firearm in question. For example, if you get it home and it doesn't work, will they help you at all?
They may not give you back your money, but maybe they'll fix it for you. Something is better than nothing. Just know that most stores will not do something like this but it can't hurt to ask.
Changing parts:
Finally, you have to be aware that any used gun you buy will likely need a few parts replaced out of good measure. Many people don't know this for one reason or another, but certain parts have a life expectancy on them.
For example, your pistol's recoil spring will be good for a certain amount of cycles before the manufacturer recommends you replace it. If I were to buy any used pistol that would potentially see some action, because I'm carrying it concealed, I'd replace those parts before I did, starting with the recoil spring.
Have you ever bought a used firearm before? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments below.
I’ve bought several used guns, and mostly they have been good experiences. Let me see what I can recall …
Bought a Kahr Arms CM9 from a guy who owned a gun shop, but was selling this privately. He had put a trigger kit in it, and was just tired of it. GREAT little gun, with a fantastic trigger.
Bought a Kel-Tec P40 from a gun shop that did not know what they had (yes, a LOT of them went back for service, with nothing wrong – long story). Worked great, but hate the gun because the recoil on it is brutal. It’s a .40S&W that kicks harder than my .44 Magnum snub nose revolver! Literally painful to shoot.
Bought a Glock 36 from a different gun shop, and immediately replaced the slide release with the longer Glock one. Nice gun, but likes to lock the slide back after most shots – not good. Haven’t tried to troubleshoot it. It’s a Glock, it’s fixable.
Bought an original first-generation Taurus PT111 Millennium, knowing it was a problem child (it was eventually recalled – yes, if I send it in for service, they’ll send me a new, newer model for free – thank you lifetime warranty!). Worked ok, though did jam occasionally, and then the magazine catch broke, and that’s where it sits right now. I need to send it in.
So, mostly good luck. I don’t shy away from used guns, if the price is right.
Good advice as well as a reminder for people like myself when we get all excited about “a find” and forget the basic’s.
While I have and do buy a lot of new guns, Sig, Springfield, Kimber, CZ, Browning, Colt, Smith, Ruger, H&K, etc, I would say the greater portion of my collection have been used purchases. Just so happens I have an affinity for older firearms of every category, especially revolvers from Smith or Colt and lever actions of the true Marlin and Winchester pedigrees. Most of these have been internet purchases but I pick them up in person as I find them for the right price. As of yet, I’ve not been burned and have probably spent 10 yrs worth of income over a lifetime if you combined purchases and trades.
There has only been one shotgun and one lever gun I’ve bought used that needed any help. The lever was; at that time, an 80+yr old Winchester 94 that had spent its first 60+/- yrs in the wilds of Alaska. It doesn’t have an inch of bluing left, doesn’t have a rear sight elevator, the front sight has been filed down and it has shellac on both the wood and some of the receiver (its been handled and oiled so much there is a patena but no corrosion). The first two rounds test fired through that old “thuty thuty” were a 1″ group on the bullseye at 75yds off-hand. My nephews used it on his first whitetail the following Fall with a new ejector being the only upgrade done to this day. I got it for $100 from a family friend (it was her Grandfather’s. She is the last one left and doesn’t hunt). I wouldn’t sell it if I could get $10k from it. When you pick it up, it tells a story.
The next was a sentimental purchase from the internet due to having one as a kid, many moons ago. It’s a High Standard “Flight King Deluxe” 20 ga pump. I knew when I purchased it they had a reputation of being problematic. When it arrived I could barely force the action open. After a complete disassembly and cleaning, it was surprisingly smooth and reliable. I felt almost guilty for the $120 I have in it including shipping.
I’ve bought everything from “Blue Collar high end” O/U shotguns, Brownings, Winchesters, Rugers, etc, to rifles and revolvers from the late 1800’s forward. Of late, I’ve been on an Italian made shotgun kick, adding a Weatherby Athena 20ga O/U and a Breda Icarro semi-auto 20ga that are absolute works of art and point like an extension of your hand.
My defensive handguns; whether purchased new or used, have been fired on my ranges enough to have proven themselves reliable before they ever reach EDC status.
As you can see my purchases cover the full spectrum in both the new and used market, both in person and through the internet and cover the gambit from very cheap to +/- $5k.
There are great deals to be had if you do your research. Never get so infatuated with any gun that you won’t walk away from it if something doesn’t feel right. Learning to trust those little hairs on the back of your neck will get you further in life than your emotions in most cases.
My background probably has a lot to do with the “luck” involved in my purchases.
I took my first rabbit with a Daisy double barreled BB gun at 6 yrs old and have been hooked ever since. I’ve been both a competitive shooter in multiple disciplines and an instructor in the LE and Private Sector for over 2/3 of my lifetime. I’m also a certified armorer of several brands for many yrs (most pertaining to LE), I’m medically retired from LE and an avid outdoorsman.
I have now passed on my passion for the outdoors traditions to two more generations and if the good Lord grants me enough time, I’ll instill the same foundation in my Great Grandkids.
Hope you’ve enjoyed the ramblings of an old man. Shoot straight, be safe, keep your head on a swivel and learn to trust those little hairs on the back of your neck.
Glock 9mm & .45 cal recoil springs and guides should be replaced after 5000 rounds. Clock .40 cal recoil springs and guides should be replaced after 2500 rounds
Had a friend buy a stippled Glock 34 because she liked the optic on it. Told her I would never buy a stippled gun because you simply don’t know what else the butcher who owned it before may have done to the gun. She bought it anyway and had problem after problem. Previous owner had butchered the trigger, the internals in the slide, and stripped the screw for the MOS plate.
Safe to say (IMHO), never buy a stippled gun – unless you are an armorer and can Humpty Dumpty together again, and only if you want to use to use the gun as a backup to your backup in the bottom of a tackle or tool box.