Anyone willing to share their experience using gunbroker.com? Nervous about buying a gun without inspecting it. Any other reputable websites to buy a revolver?

Like anything you buy, whether on line or in person, the condition and honesty lies with the seller.

I have had okay luck with GB overall. I try to check out the feedback and verify the seller prior to buying/bidding on something.

And most of the sellers offer a couple day return as long as the firearm is not fired. You can also refuse to accept it from the FFL I believe.

I always look at the Seller's feedback and number of transactions before I make a bid. I have bought several firearms without issue. My biggest complaint with Gunbroker is the 1% fee they take, plus sales tax.

I don’t have a ton of experience(maybe 10-12 purchases) on Gunbroker over the last couple years. I’ve had both good and bad experiences. Most of the sellers will work to fix issues if they didn’t describe the gun correctly. You have to watch out for the way sellers will write a description, sometimes they make it intentionally vague. If you run across something odd don’t be afraid to ask the seller a question.
Gunbroker does offer a Buyer Protection Program but it requires you to ship the gun to their gunsmith and they will make the determination if you are covered. In the event you can’t get resolution leaving bad feedback is about your only recourse.
You can save yourself some headaches by reviewing the sellers recent feedback, I’ve passed on guns because of bad feedback because my time so worth more than the risk. Others will chime in with more experiences but to me it’s a buyer beware scenario. Don’t let that scare you off though, just be cautious.

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Matt
S&WCA 4003 S&WHF 1063

I’ve had really good luck with Gunbroker. Over the years, I’ve bought 15+ guns from them. The guns that I’ve bought, they’re always in at least as good of shape as advertised.

There was one time I was a bit disappointed, tho. I bought a 6920 Colt 16” AR. It had the CR prefix serial number instead of the LE. I am a bit of an AR snob. But it has all the correct markings on the carrier, bolt, etc. In that guns defense, it looks great. It was a Law Enforcement trade in. It shoots great.

The fees are starting to add up in GB. Taxes 7%, credit card fee 3%, $40 shipping, $40 transfer at gunshop. So nowadays, it has to be a real bargain for me to buy.

If I want something badly enough like a really nice old SP-1, I’ll pay. The local gun shops around here are frequented by scalpers. No sense going to a gunshop around here.

Good information above. I would also add ask more questions or for more images when in doubt. The seller’s response or lack thereof may be a clue. Even the busy successful sellers will usually respond which is probably how they got there.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I always look to see if the seller offers an inspection/return period. I got burned once when I first purchased a Model 10-8. I had it repaired on my own dime.

I also look to see if the seller has favorable feedback.

This works for me. YMMV.

JPJ

Used to be the fees were lower and no sales tax. That’s changed!

I’ve bought maybe a dozen or so, and had two issues. One was a 317 that was chewing up the front of the cylinder on the forcing cone. Seller took it back but claimed there was no problem - even with metal shavings coming off. (They relisted it!)

Second was an off-brand sold “as-is” but claimed fine. It has a DA problem but I like it enough I decided to just fix it myself rather than spend the time to find another.

So, read carefully, study the pictures, ask questions, and check sellers feedback. I think the wider availability of specific wants is worth it.

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Uvidíme se později, aligátore.

There’s some good deals to be had on GB but you have to weed through the garbage.

Check feedback first, avoid those that include lube with their shipping price.

I try to find no credit card fee and free shipping sellers but that’s not always easy.

Wfevans4, I have never had a problem with a gun I bought off the Smith and Wesson forum for sale section

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Kind regards, Heinz

I've actually had better luck on GB than here on the S&W boards. Once here I bought a 4" 629-4 that came with an undisclosed push-off issue. Never had that problem on GB.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

I have bought several, great purchases every time. My best was from Reeds, I was looking for the perfect stock on a Browning 725 Sporting O/U.
Found it on GB at Reeds. With most LGS when they bring it to you sight unseen and you wish it had a better stock you can't ask to see two or three others. On GB most dealers put plenty of pictures. I also purchased my 29-3 with a 10 5/8" barrel from GB.

I’ve bought handguns, long guns, ammo, accessories, you name it. The only problems I’ve had were with slow shipping and lack of communication from sellers. But that is the minority.

I have had good luck so far. I have managed to buy a couple "like new" handguns recently. I check feedback, number of transactions, inspection & return policy, and I have a 22" computer monitor that will show a guns condition very nicely.

Just remember that Gunbroker is just the vehicle that is used to advertise and sell for dealers and individuals. They rarely get involved in individual deals unless a scammer is involved. Sure, they make a profit off listing and selling, and have a contract company to collect tax and forward to the states. Nobody buys anything “from” Gunbroker, they just buy “off” Gunbroker.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

As stated above, the individual seller is responsible for representing the condition of their firearm. I have copied pictures and enhanced them and zoomed in to see blemishes in pictures. Then sent multiple questions asking exactly about rust, pitting , scratches ect…

Buyer beware. That said, I have bought many used firearms from GB without issue.

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2B1ASK1

I've bought 4 handguns on gunbroker.com. Never a problem and all descriptions were right on or better than I expected.

On the other hand, I've bought some parts that weren't what they were supposed to be.

I normally purchase from the Forum Classified Ads as I like older firearms. I have purchased over the years from Gun Brokers. Only had one bad experence. I purchased a sportified 7mm Mauser advertised as a really nice bore. On receiving it I fired three rounds for grouping and all three round struck three difference areas of the target (25 yards on a B-27 target) taking a real exam of the bore found the bore to be shot out and pitted (seller had oiled it to cover up pitted and wear). I contacted the seller and he advised that he would not do anything as I had shot it.

At my age I really do not need any other firearm that bad. I prefer looking at the local Gun Shop.

The younger Veterans at my American Legion Post really like that website. Also I see others here apparently had good luck there too.

I have bought quite a few guns off GunBroker and have not been disappointment on any and on a couple I have been surprised by how much better the gun was than I had hoped. My 27-2 and my 16-4 were in exceptional condition.

I have also been pleased with every deal I have made from the for sale section here.

Decent revolvers are few and far between around here. I prowl pawn shops and gun dealers all over the state while driving the wife around for her work

I bit the bullet on paying $75 shipping (and they still took an ****** week to ship and never sent me an update, it just showed up at my FFL ) on a trade-in Model 64, but only because it looked great in pictures and was $275 before shipping/tax.

I've had all good experiences on Gunbroker. I like to ask questions just to see how the seller responds. Even better is to talk with them. I feel I can tell a lot about the seller by their communication. I've met some genuinely honest and nice people through my purchases.

I have never had a problem after about 20 GB transactions.

I've had good luck. Over 30 purchases. The only problem was one private seller that didn't ship promptly. Condition has usually been better than described. I avoid anything that doesn't offer good clear pics.

I pay attention to feedback. A seller with an A+ rating may have 100s of positive reviews and only a few negative. If all of those negative reviews share certain complaints,(item not as described or pictures that puposefully hide an obvious defect) I probably wont take the risk.

My taste is simple but specific. The stuff I'm after these days just doesn't show up often locally. I decide what I'm willing to pay, set my max bid and maybe bump it once at the end, but NEVER allow myself to get sucked into a bidding war. The best thing about GB: If there isn't another one available now, there will be soon.

I have over 60 purchases on GB. Almost all were just fine. Never had a serious issue. Ask questions, study the photos, and if it feel wrong, let it go

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

Been on GB for over 20 years with 160+ transactions and have never had any issues.

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Some Might Say.

Here is an example of the gun being better than what I expected. It’s a Ruger Mini-14. SN 182-99966. It even has a cool serial number. The pictures don’t show it well at all, but this stock has fiddle back from one end to the other. And no, the stock is not walnut, it’s beech, or whatever Ruger was using at the time. When I take that rifle and hold it under a light, and tilt it back and forth, the stripes go from light to dark.

It’s used….lightly. I think the previous owner tried to get some accuracy out of it because the trigger is pretty nice for a Mini. With my good hand loads of a Nosler 55B Ballistic tip, I can keep 5 under 2 inches at 100 yards; not every time, but pretty regularly. Not bad for iron sights.

The gun was supposed to come with the scope mount base, but did not. I called the seller and he apologized for not sending the scope mount base. He couldn’t even find it. But he offered to refund my card $100. I thought that was above and beyond. I refused his offer, telling him I was so pleased with the rifle, that I thought I got my moneys worth. $975.
Well a month later I received an email from the seller stating he found the scope base and was going to send I to me. The package that I received was a lot bigger than necessary for just a scope mount base. Included was a really nice old Weaver 4X steel lit scope in the original box. By today’s standards, that’s not much of a scope. But back in the early 80s when that Mini was built a Weaver 4X was a respectable scope.

The seller didn’t need to send the base and scope. But it’s really cool that he did.

True, real, genuine Gun Guys are the best people in the world.

Attached Images

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Like the other comments, bought and sold on GB. Never an issue, but I do my due diligence by buying from reputable sellers. Only had one issue with a purchase (issue with a bad spot on the finish) and the seller refunded me without any problems.

This is also my experience.

Only problem was years ago, with a model 28 that looked good, but had been round-butted, hidden by rubber grip. Seller refused to even reply.
So I made the best of a bad situation:

Attached Images

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Over 60 transactions on gun broker, one issue I returned the gun. On the other hand 20 years ago I had a very bad experience with Guns America and never dealt through them after that.

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Len

I have 90 purchases from gunbroker.com. In all the years I have been buying guns on this site I have had only one problem and the guy replaced
The gun for me because it was supposed to be NIB and had scratches all over the gun. Bid with confidence on gunbroker.

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M.J.Hanna

I think it depends on what you are looking for. If you are only wanting the nicest, collector grade firearms, I think I'd pass on GB. If you are wanting shooters, and don't mind fixing a possible issue then GB is great. I've bought 20+ firearms off GB over the last 15+ years, only once did I encounter a serious enough issue with a gun that I didn't want to keep it. I contacted the seller with my concerns and we worked out an amicable solution. Don't buy from anyone that doesn't have feedback and the price is too good to be true... it's a scam. I always contact a seller before I bid. How quickly they respond is a big factor in whether I do bid, and how much I'm willing to pay.

In 25 years, maybe 50-60 transactions. One non paying bidder, two guns took over a month to get, one rifle arrived with the barrel protruding from shipping box, couple of cases of squabbling over condition/issues (nothing major). Somebody tried to claim my near new 1076 was refinished. People always looking to make a claim hoping you send them a discount.

Strangest was I purchased a gun from seller, got gun, left perfect feedback, never received return feedback, uh? Next month went to place bid on another of his their guns, blocked. Contacted seller, I was blocked for being non paying bidder. But you sent me gun, can I take picture of it, send you copy of usps mo?….nope. Best guess was he reported me as non paying bidder to get his listing fees back?

I still like finding guns the old fashioned way, shows, shops, FTF. Refuse to pay GB and all the associated fees, taxes.

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213th FBINA

Used them a dozen times or so. Never an issue. I confess I'm not always comfortable with the idea. If I'm spending that much money I like to touch it first. My one pet peeve is sellers still insisting on postal money orders. That's a hard pass.

The two locals I deal with the most are frequent sellers on GB.

Never had a problem on GB but now that I pay sales tax it has to be a really good deal. For example, $600 might seem good but add 10% sales tax, plus $35 shipping plus 3% credit card fee, plus 1% GB fee and $25 transfer fee, the price is $744 and you are also bidding against folks in states without a sales tax that are paying 10% less.

Revolvers are best purchased when you can do a hands-on inspection first, UNLESS you can sort the usual carry up (timing), barrel clocking, end shake, forcing cone, etc. dramas yourself.

That said, GB has been a good source of used firearms for me over the years. Revolvers included. As noted above, be sure to factor in the added expenses to the base purchase price before you commit to an item.

Gunbroker is still very much like the good old days on eBay 20-25 years ago. There’s more opportunity for interaction on Gunbroker.
-A good seller will be quick to communicate, knowledgeable, courteous and friendly.
-Ask any questions up front and be nice to them. (Hint: it’s a great way to feel out a seller!)
-Read the terms of sale, not just the item description.
-Look at those photos! A good seller will explicitly show any flaws up front, even to the point that they look worse online than they do in person.
-When you win an item, pay promptly, supply all information, and make sure to get your FFL info to them. Be a good buyer!

-The tax, shipping and transfer fees add up. But, you get that with any online retail purchase.
-The gunbroker 1% fee is a bit of a bummer, but they make up for it with their checkout service. They really are a good company. They help facilitate buying and selling but don’t try to crush your spirit like you get on eBay.
-I discovered that if you find a buyer that accepts credit cards, charges no fees, and uses the checkout, you can get a purchased item in a short as two days!!

Around here, you can just about forget the idea of finding rare or vintage revolvers of any quality. Cheapo imports and boring plastic has taken over. Driving around looking for hidden bargains is a total waste of time and gas.
I have found stuff on Gunbroker I’d never find anywhere in SC if I looked for two lifetimes.
Gunbroker is a savior in that respect.

My other favorite venue is the classified section right here on the S&W Forum!

I have had nothing but good buying and selling on GB and this site so far.
My good luck maybe...

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

Also, don't just go by the pictures on GB. I saw a 6" Model 25-9 .45 Colt that had a decent price, but the pictures were awful. Here is the best one of the bunch:



The gun would go through it's sales period without anyone hitting the reserve. I was the only one bidding, and my bids were always well short of the reserve. I contacted the seller and got beautiful clear photos. After 4 cycles of me being the only bid, the seller sold it to me at my price, well under the seller's reserve. Here is what showed up at my door (6" barrel upper left):

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No good deed goes unpunished.

I echo the comments here on recent changes to GB purchases for tax, fees, shipping, etc. The main reason to use GB is to find hard to find guns. If you have a good local network of dealers or a FTF trading board in your state I'd work that first. If I do make a GB purchase now, i can count on it costing about $100 over the sale price, which leaves me thinking a local deal is most times better.

I can sort out my any function problems on my own, Montana has no sales tax, I did a bunch of welding and stuff for my FFL so no fees there. Have never had a problem with a Gun Broker purchase.
But, I don't use them any more, because they are a good part of the reason I have way more guns than I have any excuse for

You live in the free state of Montana, that's all the excuse reason you need!

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I’ve had good luck with Gunbroker purchases, but as has already been said it’s all about the seller.

I’ll check feedback first, then I’ll reach out to the seller with my questions. If I don’t get a response, I don’t bid. If it’s a gun I’m *really* interested in I’ll usually ask the seller for a phone number for an in-hand description.

The vast majority of the guns I buy are C&R eligible, so there is no transfer fee hassle. Sales tax and the “compliance fee” are a bit of a pain, but I view this as a relatively small price to pay for the convenience of shopping from my armchair.

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Mark Lathem

I bought 1 pistol on G.B. that was disappointing. Auto Ordnance 1911. { my 1st 1911} Ran terrible, but with time & springs it ran OK.Sold it.

Bad pictures can be confusing. Went as far as contacting seller and was assured that everything was good. Exceeded my expectations.
So, for 1 out of approx. 20 was bad. Rest good. Bob

As stated “Buyer Beware”, I’ve had one problem with a seller on GB, and Gunbroker was nowhere to be found. I emailed them multiple times, never received anything back from them and finally gave up trying.

Nope. Too risky for my taste. Read the inspection and return policy of the seller carefully. Beware of those who will not allow returns if the gun is disassembled. You bought, say, a Browning Hi-power. You discover it has a cracked or broken barrel cam, a mortal defect. Seller refuses to take the gun back because you had to have disassembled the gun to to find the flaw. I'll admit that at my age, trust comes hard.

85+ transactions and no issues other than when I shipped a Colt 1911 from my FFL to a Las Vegas FFL. Package was pilfered by USPS postal employee. Even with insurance, took app. 6 mos to get USPS to make payment. This could have happened on any auction site but Gunbroker refused to get involved on the claim and totally ignored my correspondence. The USPS kept placing hurdles and GB would not help at all. One call to Lindsay Graham and matter was resolved and insurance check arrived. Study the pics...and deal with sellers with great feedback!

I have had good luck with GB and GI - both have been fine. I have sold some things on GB and it seems OK. You have to carefully read the descriptions and there are of course unscrupulous folks on GB - like anywhere on earth.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824