Ever wondered why people sell certain guns?

[LVSteve]

I've had a couple of instances of this when buying newish guns. First one was a supposedly used CZ 75 SP 01 Phantom. Gun turned up with the magazines still in the original wrap and no marks on the breechface. Oh well.

I just acquired another example that got me thinking. Scored an Arex Delta L Gen 2 at a "stop thief" price from an online auction. I bid on it because there are some complimentary reviews and range tests, some of which were pretty skeptical at first.

On receipt the gun looked brand new, still in the shipping oil. More on that point in a minute. A closer inspection showed some brass on the breechface. Hmm, very odd because the mag followers look unmarked. I'm guessing somebody ran a box or less of ammo through this gun and decided to consign it. Now why would they do that?

Recall I said that it was still in the shipping oil? I wonder if they were having function issues with wimpy range ammo. At least one YouTube tester had return to battery issues...then confessed that they were running the gun straight from the box. Does nobody understand that getting a new gun is not like driving a new Chevy off the lot? There's stuff you have to do.

Maybe they didn't like the trigger? The trigger did feel a bit heavy with a sticky take-up when I got it, but I noticed that the reviewers who ran lots of rounds said the trigger eased up with a bit with use. There is also a fluff and buff video for the trigger available for those who bother to look. Polishing the part of the trigger bar that contacts the striker block smooths out the trigger a lot. Certainly worked on this example. As for the rest of the trigger action, there's this thing called a snap cap that allows a procedure called dry fire. That also worked, the pistol now has way less sticktion in the take-up up to a wall with a crisp release. Oh, did I mention that using a proper lubricant in the places shown in the manual also slicked things up. Amazing, huh?

So, to me it looks like somebody's impatience got me a modern, barely used, optics ready pistol for $350 including shipping. Watcha gonna do?

Any thoughts?

 

[murphydog]

This only goes to show, people act like...people.

Many guns are not expensive compared to a week's or month's wages, and many people buy, don't or barely use and flip them in search of the next one. With brass residue inside an apparently unused gun, perhaps it was test-fired only?

This also holds for cars. A few months after I saw my first one on the street, there was a small crowd around a 2020 red Chevy Corvette - at the local BMW dealer's used car lot.

 

[stanmerrell]

For The Money

If I sell a gun it's because it's a piece of junk or I need the money. I figure its the same for most folks. Once I sold a model 3 in 44-40. Very rare gun. Physically hurts everytime I think about it. But I was glad to get the money to help my son start a business. I figure if a buyer and seller have meeting of the minds then all is well.

 

[reddog81]

I’ve bought used guns that have never been fired before. I bought a S&W 325 PD that hadn’t had a round through it a few years back for $600.

I got a Hi Standard Sport King from the 1970’s that was missing it’s trigger return spring. I’m guessing that’s why it was in basically unfired condition.

I was buying a Remington 1100 a few years back and the seller asked if I’d be interested in an old cop revolver for $250. His dad had picked up the old revolver from detective who had been on the the local police department. The story I was told was that the gun was probably his carry gun…. The guy brought out a pristine S&W 10-8. I pretty sure the gun had ever seen a holster or a single round of ammo.

I was at a local shop checking out the selection and for some reason gravitated towards a Taurus slim in 9mm. The gun looked new but was priced at $190 and was marked as used. I was checking it out and asking what kind of idiot would get rid of a gun that they had never fired. The clerk who I was familiar with and generally friendly with motioned for me to be quite and pointed out the guy who had just brought the gun in.

 

[Chukar60]

I knew young people who read gun articles like they were scripture never suspecting that most are really long advertisements.
They run out and buy whatever gun they have most recently fallen into lust with. They get home and realize they cannot afford it and take the beating to recoup money spent foolishly.
Or they shoot a couple magazines, cylinders or whatever and realize that it is just a gun, not a cure for poor shooting habits or lack of experience.
Mostly they get sold because the owner no longer has an interest in them or have found something else that is sure to scratch the itch.
I remember when I was young and buying guns as a member of the gun of the month club.

 

[LVSteve]

This only goes to show, people act like...people.

Many guns are not expensive compared to a week's or month's wages, and many people buy, don't or barely use and flip them in search of the next one. With brass residue inside an apparently unused gun, perhaps it was test-fired only?

I wondered about that. I can say it was fired enough to leave some copper behind that my foaming bore cleaner picked up, although the patch was a very pale blue, so who knows.

 

[Sevens]

I bought a CZ that I showed in the recent CZ thread from an older gentleman on the east coast. He bought it brand new and sent a single 20-round box of Hornady Critical Defense through it. He said that his arthritis made in impossible for him to enjoy the pistol, so he put it up for sale, and I was the lucky buyer.

Very nice guy. I hope that I’m never afflicted with dibilitating arthritis.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I've got a friend who does stuff like this. He'll buy a gun and in a short period of time he'll turn around and sell it for what he has in it and sometimes less. I think he's in it for the thrill of the hunt and then moves to something else. I've never seen him make anything off of a sale. Occasionally he'll get a good deal on something and I get it from him later. He's a good friend.

 

[charlie sherrill]

This only goes to show, people act like...people.

Many guns are not expensive compared to a week's or month's wages, and many people buy, don't or barely use and flip them in search of the next one. With brass residue inside an apparently unused gun, perhaps it was test-fired only?

This also holds for cars. A few months after I saw my first one on the street, there was a small crowd around a 2020 red Chevy Corvette - at the local BMW dealer's used car lot.

I can remember when I could go to a gun show and buy a nice S&W, some ammo, and sometimes a good leather holster for $200.00 or less. But, back then I was only making $3-400.00 a month. Multiply everything by at least 10.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

I bought a very nice .45colt Anaconda years ago, got a deal too. All the original stuff, even the original sales slip was in the plastic Colt box. Hardly shot. I found out why when I tried to shoot it, it would not group no matter what combination of bullet or load that I tried, even factory. When a friend gave me a handful of plated bullets to try-it grouped. Eureka. It shot great with .454 bullets. Problem was the oversized cylinder holes. Used it to ‘kill’ bowling pins when that was a popular gungame.

 

[Llance]

Sometimes a man buys a gun shoots it a time or two (or not) and puts it in a drawer until later. Memory and time, makes him forget it's there and then he passes on to his reward. Widow cleaning out the house or maybe just his stuff, she finds it and sells it just to get it out of the house. She has no interest in guns or maybe just that one.

Then again, maybe it's the gun that ended his gun buying habit. Ya never know.

 

[LVSteve]

I've got a friend who does stuff like this. He'll buy a gun and in a short period of time he'll turn around and sell it for what he has in it and sometimes less. I think he's in it for the thrill of the hunt and then moves to something else. I've never seen him make anything off of a sale. Occasionally he'll get a good deal on something and I get it from him later. He's a good friend.

The retail price of the gun I got is about $400-$480. Unless the original buyer got it at a wholesale price about half that, they took a major bath money wise.

 

[CajunBass]

I've got a friend who does stuff like this. He'll buy a gun and in a short period of time he'll turn around and sell it for what he has in it and sometimes less. I think he's in it for the thrill of the hunt and then moves to something else. I've never seen him make anything off of a sale. Occasionally he'll get a good deal on something and I get it from him later. He's a good friend.

That's me. Not so much as I used to be, but I realized I enjoyed the hunt for the gun, as much, maybe more that having/shooting the actual gun. And I was never hunting anything in particular, I'd know it when I saw it.

I don't know how many Smith and Wesson revolvers I've owned over the years, but it's a bunch. I've owned guns that are highly desired by people on this forum. I almost never really shot them. Maybe a trip or two to the range, and box of ammo or so, and then it was "just another gun" so it got sold/traded for the next one. There are a few I wish I'd hung onto, a Model 24-3, with a 4" barrel, in the box, with all the papers, and a 1964, 4" Colt Python come to mind, but those two got sold during a period of "personal economic downturn" so they're a little different. The one I really kick myself for was a 1953 "357 Magnum" ("pre-27") with a 5" barrel, stocks numbered to the gun, with the numbered blue/gold box, and some of the papers. Man I kick myself for letting that one go.

The rest were mostly just guns I'd always wanted to try. Something I remembered from the Shooter's Bible, or something Skeeter Skelton wrote about. Once I had them, the mystique was gone. It was the hunt really. It was stopping in gun stores "just to see what they had." Going to gun shows. Talking to people about guns. Shoot, even selling them so someone else could enjoy them.

I got a half-dozen or so right now that range from seldom fired to never fired.

Of course on the other hand. I've had a lot of nice guns.

 

[Leslie Sapp]

I bought a very nice 30-06 Model 70 Featherweight some years back for a lot less than it should have gone for.

It would not reliably group less than 3" with factory ammo.

After opening up the barrel channel a little and loading some new rounds from fire formed cases, I got it down to a reliable 3/4" rifle.

I'm guessing the guy sold it because he couldn't get it to shoot well.

 

[mobilemechanic]

My son bought a like new Winchester model 70 featherweight .243 ,shop owner said a guy won it at a raffle and didn't like it.
we took it home,ran a patch down the barrel and shot it.Now we know why the guy traded it, shot all over.
I said lets change the scope ,when I went to remove it ,found the bases loose !! Just stuck together for the raffle ,
Tightened everything up and bingo a true moa gun .So sometime you know why a gun is like new for sle.

 

[ladder13]

This only goes to show, people act like...people.

Many guns are not expensive compared to a week's or month's wages, and many people buy, don't or barely use and flip them in search of the next one. With brass residue inside an apparently unused gun, perhaps it was test-fired only?

This also holds for cars. A few months after I saw my first one on the street, there was a small crowd around a 2020 red Chevy Corvette - at the local BMW dealer's used car lot.

I know a guy who sold his 2020 within a week. He was offered $30,000 over what he paid, for a no frills base model.

A month before he had already ordered a 2021 loaded with all the doodads, so he got a fully optioned car for the price of a base model. He did have to wait another 9 months though.

Folks started flipping C8’s a year ago after the ZO6 was announced.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I've often wondered why I sold certain guns...

 

[gwpercle]

Some good advice my wise old Daddy gave me when I was a teenager
" Don't ever sell a gun you like ...you usually come to regret it ! "

and that is pretty darn good advice , I've never regretted selling the one gun I sold ... I hated it !

Gary

 

[M29since14]

I have so long ago given up trying to decipher why people do ANYTHING that I can’t even remember when it was. I was probably in my twenties. Over the years I’ve seen friends and acquaintances who I knew couldn’t really “afford it” take some pretty horrendous losses on things like guns (cars, too) and not bat an eye. I’ve always ended up with, “If they’re happy, I’m happy.”

I try to be careful in buying from friends in circumstances like a real low-ball price. I don’t want to lose a friend over a few dollars. I’ll often say, “If you change your mind and want it back in the next week or two you can have it back for what I paid you.” I’ve never had to make good on that offer, and I’ve made it quite a few times!

 

[BAM-BAM]

Like asking why folks run up thousands of dollars in credit card debt at 18% interest...........

Lots of stuff folks do that make no sense to me!!!