Purchasing

**ThomasJ** · June 30th, 2008, 03:37 PM

I've been to a couple of different shops, asking the managers/proprietors this and that about their firearm recommendations, etc. Was driving with my wife yesterday and pointed out the range I went to when she was out of town. Shortly after, we passed a pawn shop and she mentioned that they would be cheaper and would be worth a look. What do you guys think? Viable source to purchase? My main concern is condition. Not being an expert or really all that familiar, I wouldn't know what to look for or not look for. I have faith in the two shops I previously mentioned, but pawn shops seem to be buyer beware. Thoughts?

**normanvin** · June 30th, 2008, 03:50 PM

Doesn't hurt to look. I have purchased a few used pieces that were purchased one day and returned the next. When you shop around looking at used stuff you will get the feel of decent and not so decent. But you can really save some money buying used.

**lal** · June 30th, 2008, 05:25 PM

+ 1 for above,have an idea of the cost, shop cost and online cost, then you know a deal when you see it, condition is more difficult, once again as you look, compare, good luck

**tdyoung58** · June 30th, 2008, 05:41 PM

I travel a lot and have a couple pawn shops I visit probably once a month.

With the economy today, usually the first thing people seel in them are either jewelry or guns.

You can find some good deals in pawn shops, but yes, knowing what to look for in a gun is the key.

**dc dalton** · June 30th, 2008, 05:46 PM

I follow a simple solution for any firearms (or ammo) purchase ... research, research, research.

Usually once I have found something I want I check the following resources before I actually buy:

gunbrokers.com
gunsamerica.com
local shops within 45 minutes of my house
gun shows

Of course if its a 'hot item' you may not get the chance to shop around but I've never had a problem and of course if you buy online you have to figure in shipping and FFL fees (its not always the nest deal once you add those in). When you find those 'hot items' its good to have some sense of the going rate.

I've also called home when I saw something I thought I liked to have the wife do a quick search on the internet and see what the going rate is, you could even call a friend to do a quick search.

I do buy used but I normally give the weapon a once over, again this is a good place to know the wear spots and common problems so if you do find a model you are interested in you know what to look for.

And the final tip I can give is impulse buying, really got to watch that because more often than not you will pay too much on impulse buys.

I usually have some idea of what I would be interested in and what I'm not and have a good idea before I even shop for it.

Hope this helps

OH, and BTW ... always ask if they can do any better, the worst they can say is no but sometimes they might take a few bucks off or throw in the background check.

**JayBell** · June 30th, 2008, 09:39 PM

I wouldn't have an issue buying from a pawnshop, but, make sure you know about the firearm you are buying.

also, if possibe, see if the PS owner will let ya strip it down to check the actions...

i WISH we had more pawnshops up here, in KY thy are everywhere, and I've found some damn nice stuff there.

got an acient set of brass knuckles off one by my great aunts house in Owensboro KY.

guy musta been 90, and had an entire wall of war memorabilia like swords, flags, etc, and had been open since just after WWII.

**ThomasJ** · June 30th, 2008, 10:14 PM

Cool. Thanks for easing my misgivings.

**str8shooter** · June 30th, 2008, 10:22 PM

Pawn shops are great for guns and guitars. So many people inherit or get them as gifts or buy them and then find out they don't have time to learn how to use them so they pawn them without a clue of the real value. If you find something interesting it's always nice to have time to sit down and research it, but if you stumble upon something that looks like a bargain at a pit stop someplace you never will get to again, there are still a few basic things you can check.

I'm not a gunsmith, but here are some of the things I look for when trying to evaluate a used gun. I'm sure I could be missing a lot and some of this wouldn't matter to folks that really know the ins and outs of guns, but this might get you started with some things to think about.

For long guns check to see the stock and barrel feel secure, no jiggle or rattle if you shake it, any splits in the wood, rust on the metal, if you can look down the barrel make sure it's clean, no pits. A lot of times you can see repairs in the stock, which isn't necessarily a bad thing if done right. Play with the action, check to see if there's evidence of excessive wear on the moving parts and that it works smoothly, does a bolt action open and close completely, does a safety work if the gun has one, does a lever open, close and stay closed, does a pump open the chamber and close it completely.

For revolvers check the cylinder aligment after a dry fire to see if the next round is going to fire. There should be enough of a gap between the frame and the cylinder to see the firing pin after a dry fire, so try it and make sure you see one. Check for a shiny barrel with good lands (grooves). Open the wheel and give it a spin, it should spin freely. There may be a ring around the base of the cylinder which is normal, but it should be even all the way around and thin.

Whether long gun or handgun, I wouldn't buy a semi-auto if I couldn't take it back for a repair or refund if it didn't work properly. I've used and worked on manual loaders for over 30 years, but I'm still a relative newbie with auto loaders and I wouldn't know where to start if something didn't work the first time out.