Try before you buy places?

**unk24** · January 25th, 2017, 01:14 PM

I've heard of "try before you buy" events at gun shops before. A way to handle & test fire firearms before you buy them. Does anyone know of any places in the Sunbury/Harrisburg/Lancaster/Pottsville areas that offer this service?

**wellcraft** · January 25th, 2017, 11:16 PM

I've never heard of any gun shop that allows you to shoot a firearm before you buy it. Once you fire one round the gun is considered used and can no longer be sold as new. Occasionally gun shops have manufacturers set up at their shop and you can handle the manufacturers firearms and shoot them if a range is available. If you want to try before you buy your best bet is to go to a range and see if they rent the models you're thinking of buying

**bigandy1966** · January 26th, 2017, 08:54 AM

A lot of gun ranges rent guns, if you see one in the model you are looking then you can try it out. But opening a box and shooting a gun fresh from the factory is not wise until after a good cleaning and inspection. And yes one you shoot it it is considered "used".
That being said, I have bought guns with one fired brass in a little envelope before, does this make it "used" as well?
I never though about he "used gun" case, if you would be able to try out one of those before you bought it.....its already used so whats the harm?

**Marcus99** · January 26th, 2017, 09:25 AM

The brass that comes in the little envelope is from test firing at the factory. If you notice most new guns also have fouling left in the barrel from the test fire. I don't know of any particular place in your area that offers rental. Mostly when I hear of rental guns it's almost always pistols or maybe an AR, and usually at a shop that has an indoor range. Some of the rentals get pretty worn i'm sure, and I wouldn't expect them to have the latest and greatest out for rental. Some larger gun shops actually sell used "demo" guns that were used at shows, training, conferences, by gun writers, etc...

Not that this would be any help to you, but someone told me there is a shop in Montana that has a huge range day 1 day per year and you can come and shoot virtually any gun that they have in inventory. Pretty cool idea

**unk24** · January 26th, 2017, 12:46 PM

I'm guessing it was what wellcraft mentioned above,,, that being a manufacturers event where they bring guns in as a try it before you buy it event. I just did a search and it looks the sportsman shop in East Earl Pa had an event like that in the past. On the renting option as bigandy mentions. Did I hear that Trop offers that service? Any others in the areas I mentioned?

And, thanks for the input.

**PA1936MN** · January 27th, 2017, 12:15 PM

Trop Gun in Elizabethtown rents guns on their indoor range.

**cybersurf** · January 30th, 2017, 12:17 AM

What Pa1936mn said, Trops has a lot of modern guns for rent in their range. Good amount of pistols and long arms, supressed and fun switches. They even suggest trying the type of gun before laying down the dough.

**fallenleader** · January 30th, 2017, 01:01 AM

rent at ranges and make friends with your fellow pafoa'rs
they might be willing to range with you and let you fire a round or two of something they might have that you might want.

the spent shell, yeah. it's new so long as the manufacturer fires it and ensures it bangs when i need it. they can fire one or ten as far as i'm concerned. just like a car doesn't come with 0 miles (mine had 11, another had 150 although thats from test drives and dealer/manu moving it around.)
thought that all manufacturers fired and then cleaned, some cheaping out?

**unk24** · January 30th, 2017, 08:32 PM

Thanks for the input. My wife is showing an interest in a concealed carry so we will probably plan on stopping at Trops in the near future so she can find something that suits her.