Selling dirty guns.. Ok or taboo?

[Sgt Nambu]

I clean them before sale and I prefer buying a clean gun. Not an absolute deal breaker for me either. Tiny bit less respect for anyone too lazy to at least clean the bore. I want to see that bore!

 

[Just Jim]

I'll tell you a story. Many years ago (early 90's) I bought pretty much every gun and accessory from the same shop. I liked the folks, they where nice to me and I like to trade. One day I went in and the owner said "I just want to say thank you, We don't have a lot of customers that spend over $20,000 a year" I was shocked. At the time $20,000 constituted around 2/3's of my yearly income. The thing is that evey trade was booked as a sale. I would be buying a new gun evey few weeks but trading in stuff I bought 6 months ago. It was an eye opener though. According to Coinflations calculator $20,000 in 1990 money would be about $37,000 today. I make a whole lot more money these days but that still seems like an absurd number.

Ya I used to be a regular at a gun shop until the owner started selling on the net. Said he got better money on the good stuff. So look at me, I now shop here on the net and never go into his store

 

[Just Jim]

I pay more for clean guns.

 

[str8shot]

Guns are like dogs, motorcycles and women... they come and they go.....

Motorcycles, I can see...the other two--you must be doing something wrong or just plain settling for something easy to play with.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

I clean my guns before I sell them, but I am not anal about it. Clean bore and mating surfaces. other than that if there is some crud in an ill-forgotten corner than so be it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I tried to sell a Glock once and the guy said "what's this crap?". lol

 

[Greenbug]

I always clean a gun before selling it, you get more for it because it looks better. A dirty gun is not a deal breaker for me but, I will definately not pay as much for it.

 

[RVTECH]

Clean, wiped free of surface dust, displayed in a padded zipper case and an offer to meet for a test fire - If I am the seller that is. I don't necessarily expect that as a buyer but it will be as the seller. Any seller showing a dirty item (gun or otherwise) is evidence of a deeper issue I want nothing to do with.

 

[Pandaz3]

I have never sold a gun, I have wondered why I bought one or two and I gave one away to a guy that wanted to try his hand at Gunsmithing. It was a Phoenix .22 pistol.... I think it had the words "Saturday Night Special" inscribed on it. I mentioned that I intended to actually destroy the gun before it hurt some one and this geeky friend declared a "Dibs" on it. After many assurances I let him take it.

It was clean when I gave it to him.

I have never offered enough for a dirty gun to buy one, though there are several I did offer on.

 

[NoFlinch]

I always clean a gun before selling it, because I want the buyer to know I have taken care of it. NOT a 100% cleaning job, but 90%.

When I buy a gun, a little gun powder in hard to get places doesn't bother me, but if it's filthy, I take that as a sign of possible hidden problems, so I pass.

 

[RVTECH]

What really bothers me is dirty guns in a SHOP for sale. BUT a dirty gun did result in my scoring a sweet little Bersa 644 for $100 and when cleaned up shined like a new penny and shot beautifully.

 

[xlsbob]

I like dirty guns, I buy them for less money.

 

[Legs]

Motorcycles, I can see...the other two--you must be doing something wrong or just plain settling for something easy to play with.

In all honesty, I have raised three wonderful dogs to ripe old ages and had to have them all put down because it was their time. I blubbered like a baby at the loss of each of those dear friends, and swore, after the third dog, I would never own another. It was like putting down a family member. Just to damn hard on me. Women? Well, that's another story.

 

[Member 34319]

Private sale theory.

If he/she doesn't thoroughly inspect the firearm prior to finishing sale. His or her problem.

On a side note I do clean my firearms prior to sale. As well as state anything needed to state. However I repeat sale is still final.

Store theory.

Gun should always be clean. No excuse. Test fired would be even better if purchased into stock used. I've bought a gun from a used guns gun shop before. A Beretta CX4. It was unbelievably filthy. I lost all faith in that store afterwards.

Side note, I meticulously inspect any used firearm I by privately prior to handing over cash. I have even refused purchase before because of filth.

 

[clearconscience]

I used to always buy guns and in order to get another gun I would sell what I had a get something better or that I wanted at the time. Doing this I got rid of some of my favorite pieces and ended up at one point with only one firearm. I promised myself I wouldn't do that anymore, unless I just didn't like the firearm.

I've bought a couple dirty firearms before, but as long as it's a good deal I don't mind cleaning it. I like doing that part. But if someone is selling a filthy gun at a new price then I wouldn't be too happy and sure wouldn't buy it.

 

[RVTECH]

I have even refused purchase before because of filth.

So did I just last year - and from a shop! It was a 6" Trooper that was so dirty I couldn't tell if it was just crud buildup in one small area or damaged. Bottom line is if you can't take the time to clean before offering a gun for sale then expect to be passed on by potential buyers and offered less.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

In all honesty, I have raised three wonderful dogs to ripe old ages and had to have them all put down because it was their time. I blubbered like a baby at the loss of each of those dear friends, and swore, after the third dog, I would never own another. It was like putting down a family member. Just to damn hard on me. Women? Well, that's another story.

Being a big game houndsman, I have always put my own dogs down. With me it's a matter of mutual respect. That last walk in the woods is a sad ritual, but when a hound can't do what he was bred for and lives for any longer, and is in constant pain, it's a kindness to spend his last moments with a loved one in the woods instead of with a vet tech in an office.

The best ones are the hardest, and I bury them with their collars on, so if anyone ever finds them they'll know they were worth something to somebody. I've known guys who've buried a favorite rifle with their dog as a similar sign of respect.

 

[NoFlinch]

Being .................respect.

So, are you saying these guns would be dirty, and if anyone ever found the dog and the rifle, and wanted to sell the rifle, they should clean the gun first?????

Uh, what was this thread about???

 

[ZigZagZeke]

So, are you saying these guns would be dirty, and if anyone ever found the dog and the rifle, and wanted to sell the rifle, they should clean the gun first?????

Uh, what was this thread about???

Somebody holding a gun to your head making you read posts?

 

[40calruler]

What really bothers me is dirty guns in a SHOP for sale. BUT a dirty gun did result in my scoring a sweet little Bersa 644 for $100 and when cleaned up shined like a new penny and shot beautifully.

I went to check out a Colt Mustang a co worker told me he wanted to sell but that "it was not functioning properly". I gave him 300 for it and took it home since it seemed to me it was just dirty as crap.

After I saw it had NEVER been cleaned properly and there was gunk ever where I polished it up and had to do a extreme polish on the ramp and it has yet to fail me so go ahead and never clean your gun. I like getting good deals and do not mind cleaning something up while I watch tv. It was obvious that the thing really had seen no oil in its life and was sticky from gunk when I looked at it so I took a chance and would again if someone had the same "issue" with a gun and does not want to fix it.

When I sell a gun I do not take as much time to clean as I might with something that is going in my safe but I at least clean the bore, feed ramp, and make sure it is oiled and wiped off well on the outside.