My worst online order, so far.....

[blackdeuce]

I was excited to see my new maple Winchester Model 70 featherweight that arrived today. My son called our FFL guy to arrange pick up and he mentioned a black plastic stock rifle. We had three rifles deliver today. None with a black synthetic stock.

The new gun advertised as a new old stock maple rifle (they used a stock photo) was in fact a nib model 70, but not a maple featherweight. That was a bummer. It's going back to the seller.

At least my 1949 Winchester Model 70 Super Grade is nice and all original.

I've had guns show up with surprises, but this is my worst. What's yours?

 

[kev74]

I had a rifle not show up.

I paid the seller, he generated a tracking number and never mailed it.

The NY State Police were useless. They said this guy cheating me out of money wasn't criminal. They said it was a civil matter.

The credit card company reversed the charges after a few months and lots of effort.

 

[Rustywrench]

Oh. Hope you post pictures of the Model 70... I am awaiting my 10 days to pick up a Pre war Model 70, 270 WCF.

 

[LVSteve]

Had a subcompact Sig P250 in 380 arrive instead of a compact. Wife picked it up, liked how the grip felt and the light racking effort and declared we were keeping it.

Less successful was a cheap Marlin 30-30. It had been crudely shortened to just over 16" and the butt had also been shortened, so it looked in proportion. Probably done for someone's teenager or slight spouse. I still have it, but I really should get a smith to tidy up the muzzle.

 

[duke2002]

That sucks. I havent had a bad expearence like that....yet. other then the occasional handgun shipping via 2 day that took 15 days.

 

[chief38]

The only issue I've had is I once purchased a M60-7 that was apparently made specifically as a California State Trooper back up gun and was capable of double action fire only. It was not listed as such and when I contacted the seller and told him, he was embarrassed and said he "forgot" to list it that way. Since he was a CA State Trooper and had to carry that type of back up gun, he said it was just "normal" to him and he had not thought about it.

Luckily I realized all this at the LGS (FFL) when I went to pick it up and never accepted the gun's transfer. He paid for the return freight, all the paper work and return shipping. I also received a full refund. I do not think he did this in a malicious manner, I believe because he was relatively young, new on the job and had no real extensive knowledge of handguns, he was telling the truth. That was the only bad experience I have had, however I will admit I have not bought anything on GB for many years now. Today is a different scam filled environment - be careful and hope for the best.

 

[Cities n Dust]

I bought a 66 that in the pictures had what appeared to be Smith combats and for $700 delivered thought I had crushed it for a bargain buy, keep the bats sell the gun = free combats and maybe some extra coin in the pocket. Easy peasy. WRONG the pic's were at angles just enough to hide where somebody grinded the back strap down to make it a round butt and the combats were fake excellent fakes. Seller refused to accept the gun back as it was in the ad No Refunds so lack of observation on my part cost me some money as I was so mad I took a loss just to get rid of it as it was used as a shooter.
My guess it was a cop gun. Pictures are worth 1000 words.

Buyer Beware!!!!!

Cities

 

[Greyman50]

Gotten to the point I will Never buy any firearm other than In Person. Travel to in state gun shops is something to do…..

 

[Alpo]

I bought what I thought was 32/20 M&P with a very good blue job. When it arrived I saw it was parkerized.

I bought what I thought was a Winchester 73 short rifle. Winchester rifles normally had a 24-inch barrel. Winchester carbines normally had a 20 inch barrel. But they would occasionally make a rifle, with a rifle buttstock and with an octagonal barrel but with the barrel only 20 inches long. A SHORT rifle. When arrived I discovered that it was a regular rifle that had had the barrel bobbed. If I was as experienced then as I am now I would have noticed that the magazine hanger was way too close to the muzzle. And I would have noticed that the forearm was too long. But I was young and inexperienced and I did not notice these things. And the seller had not advertised it as a short rifle. He just called it a rifle, and showed pictures with its obvious short octagonal barrel. Let the sucker (that would be me) convince himself.

But my favorite one. I bought a double barrel shotgun, and when it arrived at my gun pusher's, he opened the box to put it in his bound book. When I walked in the door the first thing he said was that it was not all there. He had not logged it in yet. He told me it needed to go back, because it was not all there. There was no forearm.



Underlever shotguns generally do not have a forearm.

 

[hdfinder47]

Bought a S&W stainless 9mm years ago. The ONE picture (this should have been a clue) was of the left side and looked mint. Upon arrival, the right side looked to have been drug down a gravel road at speed. Seller ghosted me. Functioned fine and I sold it to a fella for his "under the seat truck gun" for what I paid. Lesson learned.

 

[PauldL]

I bought what I thought was 32/20 M&P with a very good blue job. When it arrived I saw it was parkerized.

I bought what I thought was a Winchester 73 short rifle. Winchester rifles normally had a 24-inch barrel. Winchester carbines normally had a 20 inch barrel. But they would occasionally make a rifle, with a rifle buttstock and with an octagonal barrel but with the barrel only 20 inches long. A SHORT rifle. When arrived I discovered that it was a regular rifle that had had the barrel bobbed. If I was as experienced then as I am now I would have noticed that the magazine hanger was way too close to the muzzle. And I would have noticed that the forearm was too long. But I was young and inexperienced and I did not notice these things. And the seller had not advertised it as a short rifle. He just called it a rifle, and showed pictures with its obvious short octagonal barrel. Let the sucker (that would be me) convince himself.

But my favorite one. I bought a double barrel shotgun, and when it arrived at my gun pusher's, he opened the box to put it in his bound book. When I walked in the door the first thing he said was that it was not all there. He had not logged it in yet. He told me it needed to go back, because it was not all there. There was no forearm.

View attachment 792936

Underlever shotguns generally do not have a forearm.

Hey Alpo,
Is that Slowpoke Rodriguez? (Avatar)
If so, thats awesome

 

[Alpo]

Hey Alpo,
Is that Slowpoke Rodriguez? (Avatar)
If so, thats awesome

Slowpoke Rodriguez ees not escared of el ***** gato, no no.

Because Slowpoke Rodriguez, he carry a gun.

 

[Alpo]

Oh lordy.

I was just on another board where you could not use the short version of the word raccoon, because that was racist.

And now I see on this board you can't use the familiar term for a cat, because that's dirty.

I find that funny.

 

[TheTinMan]

I bid on a "Colt Shooting Master". The description specifically mentioned a Colt letter. I saw the gun st a preview and the barrel said "Shooting Master". That model is built on a New Service frame so there really is no way to distinguish between the two other than the rollmark on the barrel and a letter.

When I went to pick the gun up, I saw the actual Colt letter for the first time. It said "New Service" plain as day. Poulin Auctions did refund my payment on that gun but I have not placed a bid with them since that day.

 

[PauldL]

Slowpoke Rodriguez ees not escared of el ***** gato, no no.

Because Slowpoke Rodriguez, he carry a gun.

So awesome! I always loved Slowpoke Rodriguez!

 

[bananaman]

My 1st and worse online 1911 purchase was a Auto Ordnance full size 45. Pics not so good. Was advertised as stainless. Actually, it was a blued finish gun with NO blue. It did not function well. Failures to feed, failures to fire, etc. So, changed some springs and got it all to function properly. Did not keep it long. Bob

 

[Law-dog]

I bought a 66 that in the pictures had what appeared to be Smith combats and for $700 delivered thought I had crushed it for a bargain buy, keep the bats sell the gun = free combats and maybe some extra coin in the pocket. Easy peasy. WRONG the pic's were at angles just enough to hide where somebody grinded the back strap down to make it a round butt and the combats were fake excellent fakes. Seller refused to accept the gun back as it was in the ad No Refunds so lack of observation on my part cost me some money as I was so mad I took a loss just to get rid of it as it was used as a shooter.
My guess it was a cop gun. Pictures are worth 1000 words.

Buyer Beware!!!!!

Cities

Well said, always some risk.

Any time you order anything from another state, you give up your right to take them to court, even small claims court in your state. If if is big money, you have to travel to the state where they live or do business.

That is why I never buy any used gun online. Most people will be angry but just go ahead and accept any flaws and just grumble about it.

Grinding or cutting square butt guns to round butt has been pretty common for about 30 years, now, there are tutorials and U Tube videos to show how easy it is, I did a model 65 that way, it helps with concealment when you can put tiny grips on the gun. That is why so many models 19, 65 and 66 came with round butts, for detectives and private carry and agencies such as the State Department Security staff, protecting VIPs from terrorist hits.

People who carried them professionally, every day, back in the day, wanted the round butt and small grips. If you will recall the FBI wanted a round butt 3 inch model 13, still a very tactical weapon that conceals well and can be drawn and fired quickly. My model 60, 3 inch, and 66 25 inch, both come out very quickly from a strong side or even a shoulder rig. I carried professionally back then and would not have a square butt gun for such duties.

Just saying, the round butt is common and on-line purchases from another state or country has risks.

For us as collectors or someone who might want to sell the gun later, cutting the gun to a round butt, may hurt value.

My 2 cents.

 

[blackdeuce]

Oh. Hope you post pictures of the Model 70... I am awaiting my 10 days to pick up a Pre war Model 70, 270 WCF.

Created a post with pics of the Super Grade.