4 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Used Gun
Getting new and used guns is a viable way to buy them. There are benefits to both methods, and neither one is wrong.
Some people may be scared to buy a used gun. There is more risk when buying a used gun, but if you follow the advice given in this article, you can get great deals.
We will cover some tips you should follow when buying a used gun. After reading this, you can buy a used gun without any issues.
1. Buying A Used Gun from The Right Place
The first tip to follow when buying used guns is to buy from the right place.
There are four main ways you can buy guns these days. The internet, from a gun shop, at a gun show, and from an individual in person.
All these methods have their benefits and disadvantages; none are wrong, but some require more caution than others.
Buying Online
We will start with buying used guns online. The great thing about buying online is that you have a very large selection to choose from. You can buy from coast to coast, and this large selection allows you to get great deals.
You need to make sure you are buying online from a reputable place. If it is a dealer’s website, you can trust that the gun is not dirty, but if you are buying on a random site, you need to research the gun and its numbers.
Checking the numbers is an essential step for a few buying methods. Another good thing about buying online is quickly determining a gun’s value. You can look for similar ones that sold and see what they brought.
This way, you can know if you are getting a good deal or not. You got to be careful with the oneās way below market, though, because the ones that may seem like a deal might not be. This is because you can’t see the gun’s condition online.
You just have to go by the pictures, and they won’t always tell everything. Also, buying online, you can’t get a feel for the gun. However, Online is still a great way to research guns and learn values to help when buying in other methods.
From A Gun Shop Or Gun Show
I will lump these two together because they are similar. The downside to buying from a shop or show is you will most likely pay full market value.
The benefit you get from this is that you can check the gun’s condition in hand. This is very important. Also, many shops will let you fire the gun first to see how it feels and if you like it.
Buying from a show or shop is a great way for a beginner to buy a new gun because you can check it out, and most of the time, the person selling it will be reputable.
They should also be licensed to sell used guns, which means you won’t have to worry about getting ones that have been used in crimes.
Person to Person
The last method we will talk about for buying guns is person-to-person. This comes with the most risk of getting a gun used for illegal activities, so be sure to check the serial numbers in databases and ensure it is registered to the person you are buying it from.
The good thing about buying from an individual is that you can see the gun in person and examine the condition, but you still may be able to get a good deal, like the online prices.
The seller may not know the full value or have a way to get the full value for the gun and will take less than it is worth. If you know the value, you can get a great deal on a gun you have wanted or resell it to make some extra money.
2. Check The Condition Of The Gun
The next thing to consider when buying a used gun besides where you are buying it is the condition of the gun. This has already been mentioned, but the condition is key.
The condition is a big part of its value, and a gun that can fire safely is worth a lot more than a gun that won’t fire. Therefore, when checking the condition, you want to examine all parts of the gun.
Cracks and rust are key things to look for when checking a gun for its condition. You don’t want the moving parts to be rusty, and you don’t want the barrel or other parts to be cracked.
If you are on a budget, then a gripe that is cracked or rusty screws may be okay for you, but you want to make sure to give the gun a good look over.
You also want to ensure the end of the gun is round where the bullet comes out and that the barrel is straight and not dented up. Tied into the condition is if the gun fires or not. Try to buy a used gun that you can fire first.
By firing the gun, you can ensure that it is working properly and that nothing unexpected happens. Most good shops will let you fire the gun, and most people selling a used gun will know that the person looking at it will want to fire it.
Also, one last thing when examining the guns is if it has any aftermarket parts installed, make sure that they are installed correctly.
If they are not installed correctly, fix this before firing, and also remember that because it means they might not have the rest of the gun put back together properly.
3. Ask A Lot Of Questions
The next thing to do is ask as many questions as you want. Ask about the history of the gun, why they are selling it, and anything else that will help you make a good decision.
By asking questions, you can determine if the seller is real and learn about any problems they know about. If you are considering meeting someone from an online place, starting with questions can help you determine whether you want to meet or not to look at the gun.
Also, it is good to learn if the gun has a warranty or return policy when asking questions. If it does, that will help give you peace of mind if something goes wrong. This is especially helpful if you are buying sight unseen from somewhere online.
4. See What Others Have To Say
The last thing to consider when buying a used gun is the reviews of it. Do a fast online search and see if others like it. You can also search for the person you are buying it from to see if they have a good reputation.
Reviews aren’t everything, though. If you think you will like the gun, then even if most don’t, you should still buy it if it is what you want.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you should now be able to buy a used gun and come out with a good one. Sometimes the only way you can get a certain gun is used, so being scared to buy a used gun may limit you from getting the gun of your dreams.
Be sure to consider where you are buying the used gun and do your research. Examine the gun well if you can and ask as many questions as possible to make yourself comfortable with the purchase. Buying a used gun can be scary, but it can allow you to get some great deals.
