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gun show crooks

dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
edited August 2014 in General Discussion
I am a collector and will buy guns from on line, with certain exceptions, but I really rather deal face to face. What I am finding lately, for the most part, the large "yard sale gun shows", a lot of these guys that sell a gun with a known problem with no intention of backing up the sale
I recently got stuck buy a guy who is at pretty nearly every large gun show. The gun looked good and seemed to work just fine until I tried to shot it at home, it would not cycle. One of the dove tails had recently been welded. He refused to do anything at all about the gun. Thing of it is, unless you want to go to jail. there is not a damn thing you can do about it. The Show promoter will do nothing at all and will not allow any kind of warning notice to the public.
Word of mouth is slow and they always got some lie to cover their butt.
Seems like not matter what you collect there is always that person just waiting in the background to nail you.

Comments

  • 1BigGuy1BigGuy Member Posts: 4,033 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Caveat emptor is Latin for "Let the buyer beware".
    The vast majority of folks I conduct transactions with are all honest and reliable and knowledgeable. My collecting focus is WWII and prior. There's a guy at all the gun shows that I no longer trust. He sold me a Walther PPK and said he thought the markings on it might be from the Nazi era, but he (conveniently) wasn't sure. I didn't have my Standard Catalog, or my ipad to look it up with me at the time and purchased the pistol. Turned out to be post war Bavarian Police markings. Did he pull a fast one? Maybe. Was I foolish? Yes!
    But I no longer buy anything he has for sale.
  • MVPMVP Member Posts: 25,074
    edited November -1
    First off, i'm sorry you got stuck with a bad gun, but, Just curious how you can tell it was "recently" welded? was it still not set up hard yet or does it give off a new weld smell?
  • txlawdogtxlawdog Member Posts: 10,039 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sad, but folks like that everywhere.
  • Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 24,454 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Very sorry ,
    I have learned to check as best I can before buying anything used , like cars and trucks sometimes its just the owner dumping a problem and there sure not going to reveal a issue that's not obvious ( a lot of honest people will but the % of people who will not is high )we all have bought a pig in the poke sort of speak ,
    as for the gun he may have no idea and knows what would he do with it if he took it back ( very unlikely ) if he did I am sure he would just resell it to some one else .
    now your stuck wit a few options toss the gun part it out , try and correct the repair so it will work and be safe , or like who knows how many previous owners take it to a big show and sell it
  • footlongfootlong Member Posts: 8,009
    edited November -1
    Recently welded = Metal still WARM [^]
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,815 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wandering Hillsville I saw lots of guns for sale but they were typically way over priced, as was the ammo. The .22 scalpers were out in force.
  • EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Got to ask, how many times on this board have we all seen posts about a gun that would not work getting sold off? Now ask how often you see the seller telling the buyer the gun does not work properly? [:)]
    Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
  • RocklobsterRocklobster Member Posts: 7,060
    edited November -1
    It's a mechanical device. Fix it. That's one of the more interesting challenges of the hobby to me.
  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,519 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Rocklobster
    It's a mechanical device. Fix it. That's one of the more interesting challenges of the hobby to me.


    Right on. I love a good challenge. Also got stuck with a somewhat problematic gun. I bought a browning bl22 that was in mint condition as I was told. Got it home and it would not cycle. Hillbillie talked me through it and got her fixed. I now know how to work on a BL 22[:)] If you really feel that the guy purposely ripped you off, take it to the next show he is at and stand in front of his table and tell everyone that comes up to his table about how dishonest he is and show them the gun. Maybe that will get his attention. I seen it done with a guy at a show in PA that was selling m1 garands. He finally made a deal with the guy on a different gun and took his old one back. I know this because the buyer was a friend.
  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mechanical problems can usually be fixed. Cosmetic problems are not so easy and you can usually see them before you buy if you know what to look for. As stated, buyer beware.
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