Factory Test Firing?

[jmh119]

Not long ago, I was in a gun store looking at a "Lady Smith" to buy for my wife. During my examination of the revolver, I noticed that each cylinder had powder residue around it and the barrel was dirty too! I challenged their claim that it was NIB. They stated that companies fire a test round from each cylinder and do not clean the weapon afterwards. My question to you you forum members is this. Is that a true statement? Do manufacturers actually fire rounds from each cylinder?
Thanks for your time.

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[deadeye]

Not that I am aware of, they do test fire but not all five,six or ? The test cases should also be in the box. As far as I know they clean them afterwards as well. The powder could corode the metal over long storage.

 

[DootyBeet]

I purchased a Taurus Judge that one of the cylinders would not seat the .45 case. There was a machining error. There was no way Taurus test fired each cylinder AND when purchased it came with a sealed small envelope containing one spent cartridge.
My guess is none fo the manufactures test each one.

Side note: Taurus fixed the issue - excellent customer service

 

[John Davis]

Unless you get a factory test target you won't know for sure if the firearm has been test fired....as a general rule, factory guns are cleaned.....never saw one that was dirty NIB.

 

[revjen45]

One manufacturer I worked for (now out of business) test fired by stacking up as many targets as there were guns to ship at the time, firing 3 shots through the stack from up close, and enclosing a target with each gun. Each gun thus came with a target showing a nice tight 3-shot group centered on the X-ring.

 

[madderg]

some of the upper end guns come with test targets, and they will tell you. They usually cleaned the barrel bore, but not the cylinders...go figure. My S&W 627 came with one, so did my Sig P220 super match.

 

[huntpotter]

Every revolver I bought new, had come with just 1 spent shell in an envelope.
Sometimes semi autos came with 2 spent shells in the envelope.
But they always looked clean, no powder residue, or brass marks on the gun.

I'ld probably not buy a gun from a shop that tried to lie to me. But it may have been an honest mistake too.

 

[riverrat373]

Why not email the manufacturer of the firearm and ask them? Then you will know for sure.

 

[jmh119]

Thanks for all the replies folks.
James