test firing a "for sale" gun

[Blackmore]

And how do you know it is factory?

Simple. You buy the sealed box of ammo and charge him for it before he shoots it from your pistol.

 

[greencobra]

There's a reason for Goose Rules.

never thought much of goose rules. in fact, i avoid anything in the classifieds that mention them. f*** goose rules i say.

 

[Mark from MA]

ya gotta be quick and pay attention...see quote below

So he basically wasted your time.........This is #1 reason besides my own safety that I would never let anyone test fire a gun that I had for sale.

Your description of the whole thing on the OP and I knew the guy would be a PIA and wouldn't buy shit and waste your time.

You should have said if you don't buy it, my time is worth X, and made him pay you.

 

[greencobra]

This kind of story is typical of about 90% of the transactions I've had with people on this site: honesty, good vibes, smiles, and genuine pleasure in discussing and handling firearms. The other 10% were just as good, but faster because one of us was in a hurry to get back to watching internet porn or whatever.

I've only had a single "bad" transaction here, and even that one cleared itself up and made both of us happy in the end.

to paraphrase will rogers,i never met a nes'er i didn't like.

 

[Stee]

only other person to fire my pistols is my brother and my shootin buddy. Everyone else can drool all they want, but not near my weapons

 

[Mark from MA]

Depends on what you mean by "inspected" -

As a seller, would you allow (in this context, "allow" includes doing it for the prospective buyer) as part of a pre-purchase inspection:

- Field stripping
- Removing the grips (VERY important when inspecting a blued gun)
- Detail stripping (for example, you often cannot detect a cracked locking block on a Glock without a detail strip)

Actually, all of these "inspections" can reveal issues you will not detect with test firing, just as test firing will reveal issues not discernable by non-firing inspection. For example, does that 80%+ condition HiStandard .22 frequently jam when fired?

Field strip and remove grips fine at your peril........ You scratch the frame with a screwdriver or, put a 1911 dummy mark in, or something, you own it.

Detail strip, NFW. Some people are just fxcking retards with this and will destroy the gun, or not know how to do it correctly, or not know how to put it back together, hand you a bunch of parts and say they don't want it. Fxck that.

If the gun had some bad part like a locking block and the guy detail stripped it within a reasonable time (few days) and sent me a pic. I'd send them a new locking block most likely....

If they had the gun for 2 weeks....then no....tough luck.

 

[PATRON]

There's a reason for Goose Rules. You have a better chance at fingerbanging my wife than my pistol. In all seriousness a mag of factory ammo is reasonable anything else kick rocks.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Field strip and remove grips fine at your peril........ You scratch the frame with a screwdriver or, put a 1911 dummy mark in, or something, you own it.

Detail strip, NFW. Some people are just fxcking retards with this and will destroy the gun, or not know how to do it correctly, or not know how to put it back together, hand you a bunch of parts and say they don't want it. Fxck that.

If the gun had some bad part like a locking block and the guy detail stripped it within a reasonable time (few days) and sent me a pic. I'd send them a new locking block most likely....

If they had the gun for 2 weeks....then no....tough luck.

My approach would be to do field/grip/detail strip for the prospective customer. Depending on the model of gun, price and my skill set, I might do the detail strip for the buyer (certainly would for a Glock or if I was selling a $5000 1911, but would not field strip a Colt Python or vintage S&W 25).

No amount of declaration that the customer must buy it if they scratch the gun will make an AH pay. What if they say "No, I will not pay, and there is nothing you can do about it?". Do you take the money by force, lose your LTC and fund your criminal defense? Raise your voice to increase the credibility of your position? Complain about it on NES?

 

[hillman]

My approach would be to do field/grip/detail strip for the prospective customer. Depending on the model of gun, price and my skill set, I might do the detail strip for the buyer (certainly would for a Glock or if I was selling a $5000 1911, but would not field strip a Colt Python or vintage S&W 25).

No amount of declaration that the customer must buy it if they scratch the gun will make an AH pay. What if they say "No, I will not pay, and there is nothing you can do about it?". Do you take the money by force, lose your LTC and fund your criminal defense? Raise your voice to increase the credibility of your position? Complain about it on NES?

Complain about it on NES, but be really vague about who they are complaining about.

 

[Admin]

OP tell him to pound sand.

This is another example of why I hate people and would rather sell to friends for less $$$$

 

[heck ya beaches]

looks over shoulder to see if wife is watching

whatcha trying to sell?

 

[safetyfirst2125]

How about “NO”.

 

[pizzerman]

…..what do you all think, am i the bad guy here?

Nope & if the guy is making these requests & getting pissy, don’t let him buy your gear bro, sounds like he’s always going to have a problem & you’re never getting rid of him

 

[looser38]

i have a couple of handguns for sale. i met a prospective buyer at my range and he wants to shoot the one he's interested in. i have no problem with this but i told him he's to buy and bring with him factory ammo to shoot and any reloads he shows up with are not permitted anywhere near my gun. he gets pissy, wants me to supply the ammo. no f***ing way, he wants to shoot, he's to pick up the ammo. he shows up with a 250 count box and wants to pound all of them through the gun. i balk...again no f***ing way. it's a semi auto, i think 2 mags worth are enough to see if the thing functions. am i in the wrong for setting these parameters. in all my years active in shooting, i've never asked to shoot a gun i was contemplating buying and no one else has ever asked to shoot a gun i had up for sale. i certainly would never refuse to let someone try before he buys but to park their ass down and settle into a 45 minute range session...no way. what do you all think, am i the bad guy here?

No, you are not the bad guy.
The guy sounds like a piece of work.

 

[Srderby]

Ive bought and sold many and have never asked, or been asked to test. I’ll inspect gun and perform a function test. If it’s someone I know I’d be ok but that’s it. Unreasonable for 250 rounds.

 

[chris_1001]

The mill needs a customer live fire test range.

Saw a few pretty nighthawks I’m thinking about!

 

[heck ya beaches]

The mill needs a customer live fire test range.

Saw a few pretty nighthawks I’m thinking about!

Not a bad idea. I've declined a private sale where I've had to make it clear that if the guys hiding in the backseat get out when I turn my back, I'm gonna make sure I'm the one that goes home to my family.

 

[Mark from MA]

My approach would be to do field/grip/detail strip for the prospective customer. Depending on the model of gun, price and my skill set, I might do the detail strip for the buyer (certainly would for a Glock or if I was selling a $5000 1911, but would not field strip a Colt Python or vintage S&W 25).

No amount of declaration that the customer must buy it if they scratch the gun will make an AH pay. What if they say "No, I will not pay, and there is nothing you can do about it?". Do you take the money by force, lose your LTC and fund your criminal defense? Raise your voice to increase the credibility of your position? Complain about it on NES?

My point would be hopefully if they want to field/grip strip at their peril.....they will just not do it. But honestly, never happened in any sales here. Certainly never any test fires.

However you are correct.....there would be little recourse if AH...did that, and I'd just move on to the next guy. I'm gonna chalk it up to WTF.

This is why I generally try and trade my guns to KTP, or deal with people that I know here that aren't Aholes.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

When I buy a new gun, I generally tell the clerk I am buying it and ask him to field strip it for a final inspection - even if I know how to do it. I once bought a new PPK/S that was asymmetrically machined (edge of one side of the dust cover came to a point) and could not be seen when the gun was assembled. I would have saved the trouble of sending it back to the Interarms (I think I bought before the S&W days). The importer was great - they agreed with my conclusion the gun was out of spec and sent a replacement without the problem.

I had one dealer refuse to field strip a 1911. I asked "what if there is a big tooling mark or defect?". The answer was "Sir, at that point you will own the gun and it will be between you and the manufacturer, not us".

Not doing that for the customer ranks up where with "Sir., that hood is not being opened until after you pay for the car" in my opinion. Vendors who disagree are free to not sell to me, no hard feelings.

Used blued guns can be a trap - I've seen impeccably maintained blued guns where the original owner never took the grips off for a cleaning and light oil wipedown that were in 95%+ condition except under the grips where less than 50% of original finish was left, plus there was pitting. I have a pristine 5.5" 25-2 I bought from a shop now known for bargains since it was in the used case. Mint except for the cylinder roll mark. I can't bring myself to fire it (too beautiful), but I have it properly oiled and store it with the wood grips removed to avoid under-grip corrosion.

Or how about checking the locking lugs on a well used 1911 to make sure they are not word down from a poor fitting job or DIY drop-in gunsmithing? Hard to do without a field strip.

 

[Broc]

only other person to fire my pistols is my brother and my shootin buddy. Everyone else can drool all they want, but not near my weapons

Nice to see you never take any new shooters to the range.

 

[ridleyman]

I've never test fired any guns I bought on NES, nor has anybody asked me to shoot mine. If they had, I would have allowed 2 mags of factory ammo. That's more than reasonable

I wished that I had test fired the S&W m63 I bought from a dude a few years ago. I had to send it to Smith to be repaired.

And, not entirely unrelated, some dude with no pos rating and 1 neg wanted to buy a gun from me. He got the neg because he was a no show. Then he wants me to drive out to Worcester. No thanks

 

[Mountain]

I've never test fired any guns I bought on NES, nor has anybody asked me to shoot mine. If they had, I would have allowed 2 mags of factory ammo. That's more than reasonable

I wished that I had test fired the S&W m63 I bought from a dude a few years ago. I had to send it to Smith to be repaired.

And, not entirely unrelated, some dude with no pos rating and 1 neg wanted to buy a gun from me. He got the neg because he was a no show. Then he wants me to drive out to Worcester. No thanks

I always state clearly that I'll only meet at a couple nearby FFL locations, even if only in the parking lot for an EFA10 transfer. The last time I made an exception it ended up being a huge waste of time, so I'm done with that.

 

[jaymce]

Only under certain conditions and with certain guns would I allow this and it would be the final condition of the sale. 1-2 mags at most. Negotiations would have been completed no changing the price after etc. Factory ammo used. I have offered and allowed strangers at the range (private) to fire guns if they ask questions or seem interested in something I am shooting.

I'm thinking of firearms that are notorious for being problematic but are still desirable not something like a Sig, Glock, S&W M&P, etc. AutoMags (II, III, IV, V) come to mind. When they were $600 gamble it was not bad. Now that some are approaching 2-3k I would prefer to test fire prior to sale to insure I was getting a functioning gun (unless it was being sold as NIB as a collection piece).

 

[nstassel]

.... waiting patiently for the parody thread ......

Dammit went didn't I think of that.

 

[Steve600]

I just bought a handgun last week from a NRS member. We met at a local gun shop and I showed him my LTC and handed him the cash before I ever touched the gun. Walked inside and payed the fee for a FFL transfer. Went nice and smooth.

Question…. The original poster said handloads were not permitted at his range, is that common? I have not bought a box of ammo in ages, all I shoot are reloads…… That is half the fun of shooting!

 

[heck ya beaches]

I just bought a handgun last week from a NRS member. We met at a local gun shop and I showed him my LTC and handed him the cash before I ever touched the gun. Walked inside and payed the fee for a FFL transfer. Went nice and smooth.

Question…. The original poster said handloads were not permitted at his range, is that common? I have not bought a box of ammo in ages, all I shoot are reloads…… That is half the fun of shooting!

I've seen "no handload" public ranges. One was "brass only, no handload" rules because they want to resell (as handloaders are going to collect most of their brass or the brass has already been used at least once). Another was "we used to allow handloads until one time..."

 

[dgrafton]

I'm not meeting a random stranger and handing them a loaded gun, period.

And you really think someone coming to meet a random stranger isn’t going to be carrying anyway?

 

[Toast]

The gun shop doesnt let you test a gun, the fact that im entertaining that at all is 200% above.

Actually, at least one (MFS) does, for a $10 fee.

Mass Firearms Store

"Subject to availability" could be taken two ways, I guess. Either testing is only allowed on in-stock guns, or they're offering to let you use one of their rental guns if they have that same model on the rental side (which isn't really the same thing).

 

[kalash]

And you really think someone coming to meet a random stranger isn’t going to be carrying anyway?

Do you think it's not plausible that someone without an LTC would arrange to "test fire" a gun just to take it and commit suicide or steal the gun?

 

[Picton]

I've never test fired any guns I bought on NES, nor has anybody asked me to shoot mine. If they had, I would have allowed 2 mags of factory ammo. That's more than reasonable

I wished that I had test fired the S&W m63 I bought from a dude a few years ago. I had to send it to Smith to be repaired.

And, not entirely unrelated, some dude with no pos rating and 1 neg wanted to buy a gun from me. He got the neg because he was a no show. Then he wants me to drive out to Worcester. No thanks

Yeah, a neg doesn't mean I won't do a deal with you. But it does mean I'm not going to want to travel to the wilds of Central Mass for you.

Three neg reps means I won't do a deal with you. Two? ...maybe.