RANT: Let me shoot your gun.

The preconception by the buyer that you are selling a damaged good is a bad start for a good FTF transaction. Move on.
 
SeanT said:
Your gun and sale, so obviously it's up to you the parameters.

One thing I would mention is that post count or green membership doesn't necessarily make someone okay. Sure, you might have a sense of their online personality and their willingness to pay $21 for a membership, but that doesn't amount to much. As has been mentioned a bunch, the AGs office has people snooping around the site.
Click to expand...

She just looking to bust people? Has nothing else better to do, apparently. Keep reading, Martha, we'll vote against you every time.[smile]
 
davemata said:
So just a dumb question - say I bought your gun, and when I pulled the trigger it didn't go boom. Then what? You prepared to fix it? (Not you directly, but figuratively.)

That could be what is going on in the potential buyer's mind.

Personally, this is why I don't like the idea of FTF here in MA. (I don't know enough shooters that I can buy from.) Someone will think I'm an ahole for wanting to kick the tires before making the transaction.
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All firearm sales are as-is and final.
 
davemata said:
So just a dumb question - say I bought your gun, and when I pulled the trigger it didn't go boom. Then what? You prepared to fix it? (Not you directly, but figuratively.)
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My standard terms are talk to me within 3 days and we'll decide on options, most likely a full return/refund. After that, it's yours.
 
davemata said:
Yeah, I get it, buyer beware and all that, which is why you should only buy high ticket items from people you know take good care of their shit.
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It's a gun. For the most part, it's pretty hard to keep them from going bang, and relatively easy to predict if they'll work ahead of time. There are reasons I do very little FTF buying or selling (time, primarily) but worrying about a lemon isn't one of them.
 
I have one itrader transaction, and I would not have bought it without shooting it. If the shotgun didn't fit, I'd have to pass.

Fortunately, the seller and I were able to meet up at a local club, and I'd said that my purchase was contingent upon it fitting.
It did, all was cool.

As I see it, your gun, your rules, but if you ( as a seller) have no flexibility, you'll have fewer customers.
 
MisterHappy said:
I have one itrader transaction, and I would not have bought it without shooting it. If the shotgun didn't fit, I'd have to pass.

Fortunately, the seller and I were able to meet up at a local club, and I'd said that my purchase was contingent upon it fitting.
It did, all was cool.

As I see it, your gun, your rules, but if you ( as a seller) have no flexibility, you'll have fewer customers.
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I guess part of determining how reasonable the request is, is what is it you're selling, exactly?

"Dude, can I test fire your Glock to make sure it works?" =/= "Hey, do you mind if I take some shots at some clays to make sure this $9880890 shotgun fits right without pouring another $8989345 into it to get to fit?"
 
atmay said:
While I can't fault the dude for asking, I definitely can't fault you for saying no, either. If you ain't comfortable doing it, don't.
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+1 dude.


whatever i sell works though. if it don't, i won't sell it. i'll trade it into a dealer. it only happend twice. Walther PPK and a Walther PK380. if someone PM'd me about a gun i'm selling in this circumstance, i'd tell him to bring some ammo though. [laugh] -but i'm funny like that sometimes.

YMMV
 
Supermoto said:
If someone I'm selling a gun to, breaks down and starts Sobbing and shaking. I'll tell them to get back in their Subaru and go back to starbuck
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you win the internet! time now: 1431hrs, Zulu time.


[rofl]


i would just light up a camel and tell the dude to make my day.
 
atmay said:
I guess part of determining how reasonable the request is, is what is it you're selling, exactly?

"Dude, can I test fire your Glock to make sure it works?" =/= "Hey, do you mind if I take some shots at some clays to make sure this $9880890 shotgun fits right without pouring another $8989345 into it to get to fit?"
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All the above is very true.

For example if I was selling an excellent condition 2nd gen G17 that I -know- works for like $400 + I pay the transfer, a guy asking for a range test is an example of "Not sure if serious." [laugh]

On the other hand, if I was selling a "Xiectalub Luger Artillery Dwaffenmachen V1 nazi marked kreigenfelter edition pistol for $2500, I would gladly at least agree to a buyer pre-inspection session or whatever.


-Mike
 
All good points. The thing is that I told the guy I have references, I have sold a ton of expensive items over the years on e-bay, watch forums and I have a couple people on here that can vouch for me. I would think that would suffice. Obviously if you can prove to me that there is something wrong with the gun I JUST sold to you I will make it right. That is how you do business IMO.
 
Just put that in the ad if test firing is available or not.
Either that or place one in his kneecap when you meet him, just to prove it works.
 
As been said it's your gun,your rules. I've bought and sold a few things here and the folks I dealt with have been straight shooters. Maybe this guy had been stiffed in the past,who knows? Myself if I sold a gun or any item to someone on this board and it had a problem I would make all attempts to make it right.
 
Let me chime in as someone who is not green (yet), and has a low post count.... I don't think you were off base at all. Its one thing for him to ask, another for him to send a snarky comment when you say no... Sounds like a mature and reasonable person that I would want to hand my loaded firearm too, oh, wait, no it doesn't. Lol, this guy didn't even pass the "sniff" test in a text message over the internet, thats got to be some type of record.
 
I agree that I would not have allowed him to shoot it either.

I have been very lucky buying, selling and trading here. But that has not been historically true. What any potential buyer needs to understand is that the seller's time actually has value as well. I can't even count the hours I have wasted getting stood up waiting for people that are on the way, arriving several hours late, etc. Or that really have no intention of buying. I have even had one guy call on something, act serious, set up an appointment, show up late, fondle the thing for sale and end up saying, Well, I have never seen one of these up close before. I wasn't going to actually buy it, I just wanted to see it. To ask a potential seller to block off the time, travel some place, pack up, travel, unpack set up, wait for the person to show, try it out only to have them say.. " I gotta think about it" or "yeah, I want it and I'll give you 1/2x:..

Way too much room for a huge waste of time and effort to chance on an unknown to you person, imo.
 
ZX14 said:
...

In Regards to 'handing a stranger a loaded gun': How long do you think it would take him to load it after you sold it to him? What are you going to do? Take his money and then throw the gun into the bushes while you make a dash for your car? .....
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[rofl]


Your gun, your rules.

I might have given them more of a chance, posting to a forum takes time and willingness which many times I don't even have, I don't think it makes anyone any more or less desirable or responsible. The snarky response, however, could lead to quickly being told what to do with sand...

And while everyone here might generally be very upstanding and willing to fix after the sale, etc, you are just a stranger like any other to someone outside of the community. Keep that in mind too.
 
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