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Ever gotten burned on a gun show purchase?

RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
edited May 2002 in General Discussion
Some pretty good deals and great selection at gun shows.....but have you ever gotten burned (as in price-quality-function) on a gun show purchase? I'd like to hear both sides from a dealer and buyers point of view.

Edited by - Rembrandt on 05/29/2002 13:22:24

Comments

  • BT99BT99 Member Posts: 1,043
    edited November -1
    I have not personally, but a very good friend of mine did. He bought
    an old Remington model 14. Brought to me with feeding problems.
    Two pieces missing. He took it back to the next show and confronted
    the person he bought if off of. Was told, "too bad, it worked when
    I sold it" Well, with these pieces missing it was impossible to work.
  • RockinURockinU Member Posts: 248
    edited November -1
    got a triple duece one time that the extractor spring was worn out on...didn't cost much to fix though.
  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    No, but I watched a dealer get burned. He either bought or traded for a nice Calico carbine in the case, and after the fellow left the table he started going through the case and -- no magazine! Buyer (and seller) beware!

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    I attend several gun shows here in Florida, for the most part, I find that the dealers at the booths, are way over priced, and If you want to trade, your stuff is Junk.

    I do better dealing with the guy,s walking around, looking for a trade or a good buy.

    Another thing, if your looking for a specific gun, be familiar with it and all its components,, that way you would know if something was missing.

    LR
  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bought a Luger at a gun show about 1967. Put it on consignment about five years later. A short while after that two cops showed up on my doorstep wanting to know where I got the gun. It was stolen & had been used in a shooting.
    I remembered I had paid with a personal check & I gave them the cancelled check. That was nearly thirty years ago & that was the last I ever heard of it. I even got the money for the gun. Very good idea to get a dated sales reciept when you buy & keep a signed dated record when you sell & keep these records forever.
    Wierd, three posts appeared while I was posting.





    Edited by - gruntled on 05/29/2002 23:06:15
  • William81William81 Member Posts: 25,352 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Almost....I purchased a S&W 4516 and the deal included 4 magazines. The seller packaged up the extra Mags in a small sack and it appeared that he placed them inside the case with the firearm. I asked him if all four mags were there and he said yes. I took off for the 30 minute drive home.

    As luck would have it, I decided to stop at a range on the way home
    and fire off a few rounds. I opened the case and the bag the seller had put inside contained nothing. It was just a rolled up bag.

    I jumped back into my car and drove to the show and caught the guy as he was packing up. He got real defensive and all but called me a liar. About that time a buddy of mine happened by in full uniform (Sheriff's Dept. Captain) The seller suddenly "found" the missing two mags behind the counter. He even tossed in an extra "for my trouble".

    The funny thing was my buddy never said a word and had no idea the seller and I were having a disagreement. I always check my package now before I leave..


    Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Liberals....

    Edited by - william81 on 05/29/2002 16:59:33
  • Josey1Josey1 Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought a Lasermax laser guide rod/recoil spring set for my Glock 27 2 weeks ago for a great price.The price was so good he even talked me into buying two extra batteries for the laser,reasoning that the first battery I would waste right away tinkering with it and it is always good to have a spare.I bought the two extra batteries at $20 a pop only to find out later that they were deader than a doornail.The original worked and I guess I'll have to wait until he comes to another shoew to exchange them,but I got a feeling I got burned for them.Oh well,since I got a NIB Lasermax Guide rod for $180.00 when they usually go for around $300.00 I can afford to eat the $40 bucks and come out ahead,it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth though.

    "If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
  • DupontDupont Member Posts: 129
    edited November -1
    Never burned yet! But have felt guilty about a few purchases I have made at the shows.
    Bought a Rossi model 62 SAC, poor bluing,no wood,mag tube bent.
    Tight action and good bore $15 from a used dealer. With a little work this one has turned into a great little shooter. Feel I under paid on this one!
    Second guilty purchase: Model 92 Winchester SRC in 44wcf.$200 dollar parts gun. Total reblue, but sat in a closet with the action open for 20+ years. Took one good day of cleaning to get it to cycle. Been a great shooter since! Really feel guilty about this one! Hard to find one of these nowadays in shootable condition for less that $700 around here!


    Of course I can play the piano, as long as it has pedals!
  • concealedG36concealedG36 Member Posts: 3,566 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't think I've ever seen a gun priced even close to what I could buy it for elsewhere at any gun show I've ever attended!! So, nope, I've never gotten burned. But, I do buy ammo and other tools and equipment. So far, so good!



    Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals
  • budmottbudmott Member Posts: 155 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I usually get to one or two a month and
    so far I am my own worst enemy. Like another
    poster says, do the research, then buy.
    I love going to gunshows and have made some
    great friends and some good deals. Plus the
    grandaughter likes the beanie baby tables.
    I have been warmed up a few times, but not
    burnt to bad.

    bud

    If it weren't for lawyers, I wouldn't need a lawyer.
  • rrguyrrguy Member Posts: 1 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The answer is: Ever got burnt at a computer show. Same answer.
  • BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
    edited November -1
    I buy almost exclusively online now. The prices I get online are at least half of what they'd be at your average gun show or gun store.

    I got my SAR-1 NIB for $299 at AIM Surplus. Came with 2-mags, manual, sling, cleaning kit and original test target.

    My local gun store is selling used SAR-1's with one mag and nothing else for $425. And they've sold 4 this week.

    It's no longer "lower price and raise quality to get more buyers" its "lower quality and raise price, because some moron is gonna buy it anyway, and theres a lotta morons around these days...".
  • RembrandtRembrandt Member Posts: 4,486 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    In all the years I've been going to shows, have bought only 4 guns...probably paid more than I should, but they were rare finds and functionally OK. A couple of friends have relayed some horror stories about "Jim Bob the Home Gunsmith" passing off some pathetic work and getting stung. Most of my puchases at shows have been accessories, ammo, and books.
  • BoltactionManBoltactionMan Member Posts: 2,048 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Almost got it on an 1100 I bought. Took it home and it wouldn't "autoload". Took mine apart and noticed the O ring was missing. Picked up a rubber band off the floor and wrapped around the magazine tube and she clicked 'em off as fast as you could pull the trigger. Went to the hardware store and bought an $.89 O ring and she hasn't missed a lick in three years. I do suspect that dealer though.

    Finds are sporadic but they turn up enough to keep me going. I have purchased 3 boltactions at $150.00-250.00 under new retail from dealer tables. Sometimes I go for months without seeing anything worth looking at. It's the thrill of the hunt.

    KC
  • gskyhawkgskyhawk Member Posts: 4,773
    edited November -1
    never got burned at a gun show,, but sure got burned big time a year ago online.. bought and sent payment for multiple purchase, seller ended up being a total fraud,, listed under fake name and address,, by the time LEOs and postal inspectors got there he was long gone with my money, been a year now and nothing,, kiss that 1500 goodby
  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've never gotten burned but I made someone a great deal in the last year at a gun show. 13 months ago I picked up an 80% condition S&W 457. It was a nice little compact package and fairly accurate for a budget compact .45 ACP. I bought it on GB for $125 and it never failed me once at the range with all sorts of different brands and types of ammo. The seller just wanted to clear just enough cash to pay for a new GPS he had been eyeballing. I turned around and sold it for the exact same price at a gun show last year. It wasn't anything special but it served well as a carry piece while I was living in NY.
  • COONASSCOONASS Member Posts: 2,068 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Got a Win model 100 in .308 from a show real nice no problems.
    A year later the same dealer had a 100 in .284 said it was his for the last 8 or so years. Said it was a good shooter, bla-bla-bla.
    Well I took it home, and before mounting a scope on it , I took it to the range. It wouldn't shot one single round with out hanging up. Took it apart cleaned it up good , tried different clip still nothing.
    I called him up two days later , Well lets just say he was sassy. I told him that he TOLD me it was a good shooter. Well he got amnesia.
    He said you buy as is.Six months later Same place same seller I walked up to the his table. He was nervous but asked here to trade. I said no , Here for refund. After a few words I got my money back. I know I was fortunate but also mad as hell just six months before.

    If a seller knows nothing about a gun thats one thing. But don't tell a customer its this and that when you have no earthly idea.....

    coonass

    We Live in a World of Give And Take, But A Lot Of People Won't Give What it Takes.
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