Unsafe used guns...do dealers check?

[standeford]

I was looking over a used Remington 700 at the Greenwood Gander Mountain on Saturday. Someone has monkeyed with the trigger: close the bolt too hard and the firing pin drops. Touch the trigger when it is on safe and the firing pin drops when you move it off safe. Not usual for the old style 700 trigger if the sear is backed off too far.

This isn't the first time I've seen this kind of thing on used guns at different shops. I assumed an outfit as big as Gander would do a basic function check but they obviously didn't on this rifle. I tried to explain it to the counter help, but I might as well have been speaking Martian.

What if someone trades in something with a round stuck down the tube? Unless the buyer checks the thing blows up on the first shot.

Mostly wondering if any of the dealers on here check, or do used guns hit the shelves as they come in?

 

[451_Detonics]

A real gunshop owner will most likely thoroughly check every used gun...I did so including test firing before selling them. However the majority of folks that work the chain shops are just clerks who quite often know less than their customers. You did the right thing by checking the function of the gun before buying it. If the copunter person was unresponsive to your warnings about it i would take it up with the store manager letting him know he is selling a potential lawsuit.

 

[ruger1800]

Took my son and daughter to a gun shop, my daughter picked up a marlin 60 pulled the bolt back, a round went flying, tube was also full.

 

[G_Stines]

I recently went to a Gander Mtn, and ran into something similar. I was interested in a used Mossberg 500. I pulled the pump back and a used shell flew out. I quickly lost interest in their business. Told the guy no thanks, told the on duty manager, and left. They GM called me the next morning, and offered me a 100 credit and told me that he was going to look into everything in that dept. concerning firearm safety. Gave the gift card to a buddy of mine to give to his kid for some camping gear for Boy Scouts. Done with them as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Fireaxes]

I was looking at a used Rossi .22lr pump gun, found an unfired .22 magnum stuck in the magazine tube. This gunshop is no longer open. lots of stories about the owner being an all around shady character.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Having worked several shops, I will tell you one thing: ALOT of the guns we took in on trade had more than "I need the money" or "I want something different" as a reason for trade in. I have taken in some guns when I worked at a shop, only to have them come back for some issue or another, jamming (depsite ammo and mag changes), broken internal parts or safety issues.

Its not just chain stores, its most stores. I am relatively leery of used guns given what I have experienced (and have had issues as a customer with). I would like to honestly know what store (if there is one) in the Indy area that will test fire before putting a gun on a rack? With the recession on, I think most are just trying to get guns out the door and keep guns out of the store (lowering trade in values to the lowest I have ever seen).

Test firing? I asked that question once to a few owners (the two shops I worked). They laughed. While in their best interest, they are (for the lack of a better term) used car salesmen. They sell anything they have in their store, want to make money and hope to God it doesn't come back with an issue. My experience, not total, but still some.

Safety check? Depend on yourself to do it. Even if a gun is zip tied or disabled, always check, even if you saw them check it before handing it to you. Research the weapon to determine what might need to be checked. I think alot of impulse purchased handguns are statistically a little higher to have issues because folks want it then and did not research potential issues with the guns or things to look out for.

 

[shooter521]

The shop where I work does not have the facilities to test-fire a used gun at the time of intake, so we do as good of a physical inspection as we can. Some issues are bound to get overlooked (we're only human, after all, and not every employee is an expert on every make/model of gun that comes in the door), so we also back all our used guns with a 30-day guarantee.

 

[Walt_Jabsco]

Having worked several shops, I will tell you one thing: ALOT of the guns we took in on trade had more than "I need the money" or "I want something different" as a reason for trade in. I have taken in some guns when I worked at a shop, only to have them come back for some issue or another, jamming (depsite ammo and mag changes), broken internal parts or safety issues.

Its not just chain stores, its most stores. I am relatively leery of used guns given what I have experienced (and have had issues as a customer with). I would like to honestly know what store (if there is one) in the Indy area that will test fire before putting a gun on a rack? With the recession on, I think most are just trying to get guns out the door and keep guns out of the store (lowering trade in values to the lowest I have ever seen).

Test firing? I asked that question once to a few owners (the two shops I worked). They laughed. While in their best interest, they are (for the lack of a better term) used car salesmen. They sell anything they have in their store, want to make money and hope to God it doesn't come back with an issue. My experience, not total, but still some.

Safety check? Depend on yourself to do it. Even if a gun is zip tied or disabled, always check, even if you saw them check it before handing it to you. Research the weapon to determine what might need to be checked. I think alot of impulse purchased handguns are statistically a little higher to have issues because folks want it then and did not research potential issues with the guns or things to look out for.

While I can't speak for other stores, the Gander Mountain in Castleton conducts a complete functions check and test fire on every used firearm before it reaches the shelf. If something is found to be wrong, it's handed off to the gunsmith to try and fix it. If it can't be fixed, it's sent to the manufacturer.

 

[Disposable Heart]

True, but the OP actually involves a Gander. While not the Castleton Square one, still a Gander.

Does Gander test fire? Might be prohibitively expensive for them.

 

[darinb]

When I worked at a shop I always did a function check and did further checks on models I had worked on before. It is scary to see what some people do to their guns. I think alot of places hire anybody who will work regardless of their knowledge about firearms. That is fine if you are selling appliances or something like that but defective firearms can kill someone and put close a business so IMO workers with at least minimal firearm knowledge should work and sell firearms.

 

[steve666]

Purely a case of Caveat Emptor

 

[Colt556]

The store I worked at while in college dealt mostly in used guns. We did a thorough inspection of the firearm and if there were any questions we took it to the gunsmith next door. We paid particular attention to the bore and safeties. We rarely had a return for malfunction but a lot of guns got traded in for other guns later. That was just the nature of our business though. I always check any gun that is handed to me or that I pick up. Better safe than sorry.

 

[snapping turtle]

Look at the browning over and under at gander greenwood right now in the display case. (as of the friday before labor day) The top barrel show hammer marks and a barrel protrusion, I looked at it and asked the salesman why they were selling a firearm with a bulged barrel and who would have taken it in. (visible damage in the case without picking it up). That salesman at least said he bought that gun on trade. I showed him the tell tale signs, Explaned that the discoloration and hammer marks were from heating and banging. Told him that one was not any good. He at least listened. He dod not remove it from the display. Most likely will fire shells of the low brass low speed stuff ok but full speed steel goose loads would most likely make the vent rib break off. Sht with a stuck was of snow/mudd in barrel I believe.

I bought a ithica 37 16 gauge at crackshot in anderson from mike. It never fired as it had a broken firing pin, He refunded my money and said he would call when he got it fixed and he did and then held it for me until I could pick it up without making a special trip to Anderson. Now that is how to earn some future business. He eats the cost of the firing pin and his repair time and I am sure he did not make much on that sale as I talked him down a good amount to begin with.

A broken firing pin on a shotgun I can understand as the shop is in town. A visible bugled barrel (4 feet away) is not.

 

[mrw]

i bought a used taurus pump 22 from Bradis a few years ago. They told me up front a customer traded it in because it would jam. They had their smith fix it before putting it up for sale. i haven't had any problems wih it.

 

[rebr]

i bought a USP that, upon a good thorough cleaning and inspection, had a severely bent firing pin. when i returned it to the store, they took down an identical model, swapped the firing pins, and put the gun with the bad firing pin back up on the wall.

 

[rcjack86]

I have also found a round in the chamber. Good old Don's.

 

[Dawall]

Very good comments by all. Trust only yourself and then again, Don't trust yourself. Always double check. You can never rewind a mishap or a accident. Life and limb are too precious.

 

[ramick]

I once bought a Armalite AR-7 took it home pulled the trigger and click. Took it bck and got a full refund.

 

[weaverml34]

True, but the OP actually involves a Gander. While not the Castleton Square one, still a Gander.

Does Gander test fire? Might be prohibitively expensive for them.

Especially if they have to buy ammo off of their own shelves.

 

[standeford]

Look at the browning over and under at gander greenwood right now in the display case. (as of the friday before labor day)

Saw that one too, but I didn't want to pile on. That store needs to open up the pocketbook for an employee who knows guns.