Vern Evans
This story “How to Buy a Used Gun,” appeared in the Feb. 2000 issue of Outdoor Life.
A few months ago I dropped in at a local gun shop and browsed through the racks of used guns, shouldering shotguns, peering through rifle barrels and flipping price tags in search of the occasional hidden treasure. One price tag stopped me in my tracks — it was only about half what is usually asked for a “pre-owned” rifle in that model, caliber and condition, and it even had a scope! Suspecting something fishy, I cautiously slipped the bolt out and peeped into what I expected to be a rust-clogged bore. Nothing. The lands and grooves were as bright and clean as a hound’s tooth.
“Say,” I asked the dealer in a low voice, so as not to alert other customers, “what’s the deal with this old rifle?”
“Some guy brought it in a coupla’ days ago. Made me a heckuva swap — that’s why I got it so cheap.”
By then I’d convinced myself the price was too good to pass up, even if I didn’t need the rifle. Still, the ceremony of buying a used firearm had to be observed.
“What’s your bottom dollar?” I asked, trying not to seem too interested.
“Tell ya’ what. Get it outta here an’ I’ll knock off another $25.”
“Okay,” I sighed, rolling my eyes to indicate that I knew I’d let him sucker me once again. Which is part of the ritual of buying used guns.
An hour later I was at my workbench doing what I always do when I buy a used gun: stripping it down and checking for hidden damage or wear. Guns that look bright and clean on the outside may have rust where metal is hidden by wood. Bolt-action rifles are especially suspect because about half the metal is covered by the stock. But when I loosened the screws and removed the stock from my newly bought old rifle, the underside metal surfaces were clean and bright and the trigger parts were pristine. This gave me an uneasy feeling, because a used gun of that age should have accumulated some interior debris. Clearly, someone had taken the rifle apart not long ago. “Hmm,” I said to myself. “I wonder why?”
Suspicions were confirmed when I took the bolt apart and discovered that the cocking sleeve had not been tightened to its proper position during previous reassembly. The way it had been put together the rifle wouldn’t fire! Reconstructing the rifle’s recent history, it was pretty clear that a previous owner had attempted to take it apart for cleaning and later found that it wouldn’t shoot. Then, figuring he had committed costly or irreparable damage, he hurried to get rid of the rifle at any price, which accounted for how I’d acquired it at a bargain. All I had to do was assemble the bolt correctly and the rifle was restored to perfect working order! Such are the joys — and bargains — of buying used guns, but the scenarios don’t always have such a happy ending.
Why Buy Used?
Though there are endless reasons for buying used guns, the motives generally break down into three major categories. The first and most obvious, of course, is simply to get a workable gun at a reduced price — just as a used car buyer gets transportation without taking the depreciation hit of a new car.
The second big reason is to acquire makes or models that are no longer available. If you have a hankering to own, say, a pre-1964 Model 70 Winchester rifle, or a Model 12 pump shotgun or a Colt Woodsman, you’ll probably have to settle for a used one.
The third category of used gun buyers are collectors of antiques or otherwise rare and collectible makes and models. Most of these collectors know what to look out for when buying an old gun and are fully a ware of the risks. It’s the first and second categories of used gun buyers who are most in need of guidance, especially the first group, who are mostly average shooters and hunters who don’t want to get stung.
That’s why my first advice to anyone buying a used gun is to apply the “Rule of Why.” Meaning: Why is the gun for sale? Why did the previous owner want to get rid of it?
What to Look For
Most used guns on a dealer’s rack are there because the previous owner upgraded to a new model or, more often, simply wanted something different. Four times out of five these are safe and solid guns that will deliver generations of dependable use-but there are warning signs to look for. Of course, it’s easy to spot guns that are rusted, busted and abused, but you need to know that there are clever gun refinishers who can make a clunker look pretty good. Or, in gun-trader’s parlance, “clean and original.” Sorting out the reworked guns is a matter of knowing what clues to look for.
Even with the best of care, guns accumulate certain characteristic signs of use, which is why I like a used gun to show signs of wear that are consistent with its age. For example, the blue on the knob handle of bolt-action rifles will be somewhat worn, as will the inside of the loop of lever-action rifles, and the slide connectors of pump-action shotguns or rifles will be worn bright where they rub in the action. The grip areas of handguns will show some blue thinning, the checkering may be dulled and there may be a drag ring around the cylinder of revolvers. Rifles and shotguns that are carried afield will usually show blue wear on the underside, and a certain amount of blue thinning at the muzzle, caused by rubbing in holsters or cases, can be expected. And, of course, the stock will also show some wear, with the finish worn and scratched here and there.
All of these are legitimate signs of wear and to a certain degree are even reassuring because they indicate that the gun hasn’t been to a makeup artist. Most dealers don’t have the time or inclination to thoroughly clean the guns that pass through their hands, so expect to find deposits of crud if the gun is on the up and up. Even guns that have been well cared for will have certain clues that they haven’t been tinkered with. Look for lint or dust under the rear sight, for instance, and similar deposits in screw slots and other places that aren’t normally cleaned.
“It’s just a little dirty,” some traders will tell you. “It will clean up like new.” Yeah sure, then why isn’t it already clean?
Don’t laugh, but guns also gather a distinctive odor caused by the accumulation of oils, solvents, gunpowder and human hands. Refinished guns smell more like oil and paint. Makeover artists tend to have an obsession about making old guns look like new and as likely as not will polish away the scrub marks on bolts and other moving parts. So if a used gun looks too good to be true, apply the Rule of Why.
“Kicking the tires” is gun-speak for looking into the barrel of any used gun you’re thinking about buying. A rusted and pitted barrel significantly reduces the value of any gun, as accuracy may be adversely affected. This is where you have to be especially wary of shady dealers. If the bore is okay it will have a bright, almost polished look, with the lands (the raised part of the rifling) standing out in sharp contrast to the grooves. Whenever possible, as with break-action shotguns and bolt-action rifles, take a careful look in both ends. Pay particular attention to the throat area (just ahead of the chamber) of rifles because this is where accuracy-destroying erosion first occurs. Varmint rifles are especially suspect because of the higher-than-normal erosion factor of high-speed varmint ammo and because they may be fired thousands of times in only two or three years. Take the bolt out and get your eye as close to the chamber as possible and look for worn lands (which will have a flattened look) or darkening in the throat area. Black streaks in the throat are a sure sign that the barrel is past its prime and accuracy is gone.
Accuracy Killers
Sometimes what you see — or don’t see — in a barrel can fool you. Peering at a bright light through a barrel, for instance, can dazzle your eye and make the bore look shinier than it is. One of the best non-glare light sources for inspecting barrels is sunlight reflected off concrete. Try it.
Powder fouling in a gun barrel can disguise a multitude of greater sins, so don’t reach for your wallet until you’ve seen the bore clean and free of oil (which also hides pitting). “It’s just a little dirty,” some traders will tell you. “It will clean up like new.” Yeah sure, then why isn’t it already clean? Another dodge you may hear is, “The bore is a little rough but the gun shoots great.” Surprisingly, this is sometimes true. I’ve tested shotguns with pitted barrels that patterned beautifully and rusty rifles that grouped remarkably well. But no matter if it shoots well or not, a rusty bore gives you powerful leverage when negotiating the price of a used gun. Rust inside the muzzle of a rifle and around the crown is a good indicator that accuracy will be poor.
Another indicator of bum accuracy is a bulged barrel caused by firing with the muzzle plugged with snow or mud. Usually this appears as a shadowy ring a couple of inches below the muzzle and you can also see or feel the bulge ripple on the outside surface. When a barrel has been inexplicably shortened by two or three inches you can figure that a bulge was cut off.
“Original” is the key word when judging the fair price of a used gun, and virtually all deviations from the original factory-delivered finish and configuration — no matter how desirable they may be — cause a reduction in value. For example, a previous owner may have shelled out $200 bucks for a glossy blue job, but this doesn’t mean the gun is worth that much more. On the contrary, you should pay less than normal because its originality has been compromised.
The same goes for such “improvements” as glass bedding. A glass bedding job is usually done as a remedy for poor accuracy — and doesn’t always work — so the Rule of Why is in full force here and your antenna should be extended.
The first telltale sign that someone is trying to put the shuck on you is if the metal blue looks too good or has a maroon or purplish sheen.
Don’t get bent out of shape if a used gun has been refinished — so long as the dealer admits it’s been worked over. Some well-used guns get so battered and scarred that the only way they are presentable is with a new coat of blue and stock finish. What gets my goat, though, is a gun trader who tries to tell me that a gun is “original” when it’s obviously been to the beauty shop.
The first telltale sign that someone is trying to put the shuck on you is if the metal blue looks too good or has a maroon or purplish sheen. Sometimes different metal parts of a refinished gun will be different shades of blue, a dead giveaway. Another giveaway is the face of the bolt on centerfire rifles. Gas leakage around the primer cuts metal like a welding torch and burns small pits in the bolt face. A distinct ring of such pitting around the firing pin is prima facie evidence that the gun has been shot a lot. Look for similar gas rings in used pistols.
Look closely at the trademark, caliber and serial number on a gun that you suspect of being refinished. If the gun is truly “original,” these factory stampings will be sharp and distinct. When metal is polished before rebluing, however, the edges of the stamped letters and numbers as well as other sharp edges become somewhat rounded. If the stampings are faint or obliterated, it probably means the gun was badly rusted before refinishing and required heavy polishing. Or it could just mean that the refinisher wasn’t an expert. When in doubt, compare the stampings on the suspect gun to a similar make or model that you know to be original.
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There’s something about the genetic makeup of gun owners that convinces us we’re natural-born gunsmiths, a notion that most often manifests itself in an uncontrollable desire to refinish gunstocks and thereby replace the original worn and pedestrian finish with glowing layers of hand-rubbed linseed oil that will be celebrated by friends and family for generations. Despite the sincerity of such urges, no do-it-yourself project, short of pouring battery acid down the barrel, is more likely to reduce a gun’s value. Though amateur stock refinishing seldom compromises the safety or performance of a gun, it is a mighty hammer for you to use during the bargaining process.
Your best tools when digging for used gun gold are knowing the market and using reliable price guides like the annually updated Blue Book of Gun Values. The other dimension, and the real fun, of buying a used gun is like playing poker, and the only way to learn is from experience. Always figure the other guy is bluffing, keep your final bid close to your chest and don’t forget the Rule of Why.
Deduct for Scopes
Used guns with scopes attached complicate the trading process, so you need to tread through this potential minefield with caution. Except for a few certain makes and models, scopes depreciate at a faster rate than good firearms.
As a broad-based guide, if a good used rifle is priced at, say, two-thirds its new price, the attached scope and mounts should be about half of theirs. That’s for good-quality, name-brand scopes. If it’s a cheap off-brand, just pretend it isn’t there, moneywise. Sometimes dealers mount scopes on used rifles to help dress up the gun. More insidiously, a scope may have been mounted to hide something, such as screw holes that shouldn’t be there, or absence of a rear sight from an early Model 70. Never forget the Rule of Why.
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Has a Gun Been Refinished?
Here are three quick ways to tell if a gun has been refinished. (Top) The serial number stampings on the vintage Model 1 2 at far left are sharp and distinct, even though the gun shows normal signs of use such as blue wear on the underside. The Model 1 2 at right looks new at first glance, but close inspection of the serial number indicates that it has been refinished. Notice how the edges of the numerals are rounded and in some places almost disappear. (Middle) Though this amateur stock-refinishing job isn’t bad, there is plenty of evidence that the finish is not “factory original.” Notice that the finish is dimpled because of the unfilled wood grain and that the checkering is filled with stock finish. (Bottom) The faces of the three centerfire rifle bolts tell a lot about their history because of the gas-cutting caused by primer leakage. The gas-cut ring on the bolt face at left shows extensive firing. The bolt face at center has only slight gas cutting, indicating moderate use. The unetched bolt face at right tells the buyer that the rifle has had little or no use.
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