Buying Used Semi Auto Pistols online

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smithfan4152

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I have been purchasing new and used pistols for at least 10 years, so far my luck has been fine. But I found today a little knowledge is better than a lot of luck.
I took a Glock 17L to my LGR to shoot for the first time since purchasing it slightly used online. Nearly 2 years have gone buy since I purchased it, so I had never fired it. Today I put the mag in, racked the slide and fired my first shot. Then when I fired my second shot, it shot twice. This happened 2-3 times, and I decided to asked the range officer if Glocks were prone to this.
He asked if he could take my pistol up front to have the gunsmith look at it.
I said sure no problem. After they looked it over they told me someone had tried a trigger job or something was worn or replaced with worn parts.
I was also told they could not return my pistol due to liability problems.
My choices were to let them fix it, or send it to Glock.
So I had them send it to Glock. They showed me that after the first shot, when you go to let up on the trigger to reset, it would fire as the trigger reset. Had I known how to do this simple test I could have returned it to the seller, or had the seller pay for the repair. Too bad it's going to make this pistol cost much more than I paid for it, but it's a valuable lesson learned on how to check out a semi auto pistol without actually going to the range to fire it. Also the lesson learned is not to ask anyone at the gun range, since you will not want them taking away your pistol. Wait until you get home to ask your friends online, or talk to a gunsmith, but once a gunsmith has it in his hands, he may not be able to return it to you for that same reason.
 
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I don't know what they charge for labor, but you probably could have fixed the problem yourself for a lot less money.

Glocks are trivially easy to work on. You could have replaced the relevant parts of the trigger group yourself... and probably gotten a much better trigger pull in the bargain.

I put in 3.5lb. Ghost connectors in my Glock 19 and Glock 22, as well as upgrading some obsolete trigger mechanism parts in the Glock 19. There are plenty of videos on YouTube on how to do this stuff.
 
Used guns

As mentioned due to liability the gun range would not return my pistol to me.
After talking to my FFL seems he knew more about potential causes not mentioned by the gunsmith at the range. Something could have been bent due to improper assembly, so I decided it would be best to send it back to Glock rather than let them experiment until they fixed it.
 
I understand your ranges worry about liability. In today's lawsuit happy society if they gave you the gun back you could shoot it again and then sue claiming they should have known you could get hurt. Silly but real none the less.

While it may cost you a bit I think you did the correct thing. Send the gun to Glock and let them go over it. While Glocks are easy to work on with a problem like that and a used gun let the the factory work on it so to speak.
 
After buying two handguns that had been Bubba gunsmithed and a shotgun that broke on round three of its first outing, I haven't bought used guns (from anywhere) in years. Excluding one case where I bought a used one from a highly trusted uncle.
 
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Wouldn't return your gun? That's the biggest crock of you-know-what I've heard in a long time.
Who the H do these people think they are? They have no right or reason. They lied to you, plain and simple. I'd never go back to a place like that, and I'd make darn sure I let everyone I know what they're up to.
As for your firearm, +1 on fixing it yourself if you're up to it. Plenty of how-to videos on YouTube to walk you thru replacing a couple of small parts.
 
GerSan69 said:
Wouldn't return your gun? That's the biggest crock of you-know-what I've heard in a long time.
Who the H do these people think they are? They have no right or reason. They lied to you, plain and simple. I'd never go back to a place like that, and I'd make darn sure I let everyone I know what they're up to.
As for your firearm, +1 on fixing it yourself if you're up to it. Plenty of how-to videos on YouTube to walk you thru replacing a couple of small parts.
Click to expand...

I note that the OP is in Illinois. They may wound a little tight up there compared to us in the desert SW.;)
 
As a compromise.....

GerSan69 said:
Wouldn't return your gun? That's the biggest crock of you-know-what I've heard in a long time.
Who the H do these people think they are? They have no right or reason. They lied to you, plain and simple. I'd never go back to a place like that, and I'd make darn sure I let everyone I know what they're up to.
As for your firearm, +1 on fixing it yourself if you're up to it. Plenty of how-to videos on YouTube to walk you thru replacing a couple of small parts.
Click to expand...

As a compromise they could have made a receipt for the inspection, whether there was a charge or not and put a statement saying the gun was unsafe in its present condition, it was not to be used on their range, and have him sign it. Maybe they are worried about safety, but if you take a car to get it fixed, they can't say, "This thing is unsafe so we can't return it to you. Either we can fix it or send it back." people would call that car theft.

The last place I took a car to wanted $1700 to make a repair to the air bags (read safety) and I took it somewhere else and got that and more work done for a little over $700.
 
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Won't return your gun? You didn't buy it from them. I've never heard
of such a thing before. They don't work for Glock or have any
responsibility for their guns do they? As others have stated they were
way out of line in my opinion. I'd be looking for someplace to shoot.
 
I don't think their "options" would have gone over well with many. I could understand them telling you not to use it on their range until it is fixed but this pay me or you aren't getting your gun back today is BS.
 
Ed Fowler said:
"I was also told they could not return my pistol due to liability problems.
My choices were to let them fix it, or send it to Glock."

I feel they were out of line with that policy. May have been subject to very severe toilet training.
Click to expand...

"Hello, Police Department? I would like to report the larceny of a firearm. Yes, it is in progress as we speak."
 
I thought I knew how to inspect a used revolver but still got burned. As to semi autos, I'm not confident enough in my know-how to buy anything but a new one. Buying/trading on the internet could be a thing of the past if the White House gets its way.
 
I also think the folks at the range were playing games. How could they possibly have been held liable for returning a broken gun to its owner unless they were paid to fix it? They would have no legal standing to retain the gun.
 
I don't know...

andyo5 said:
It would never have occurred to me to turn a malfunctioning gun over to someone at the gun range.
Click to expand...

I had a gun lock up on me (trying different ammo and the gun didn't like some of it) I got my wife to get the counter guy while I kept the gun safely directed, he came in, took it and brought it back normal a minute or two later. No big deal. Of course I live in SC, so that could be a consideration.
 
I have run into a similiar situation, my gunsmith in San Antonio had a german WWII rifle brought in by a gentleman. The rifle was in lieu of payment for some work done on a house.

Gunsmith took one look at the rifle and said "do you have papers for this rifle?" It was a MP44 and looked brand new (I got a chance to handle it). As often the case, Grandpa threw the rifle in the duffel bag and brought it home.
The gentleman and gunsmith discussed the penalties of having an machine gun without proper documentation and the rifle got left at gun shop and gentleman went back to attempt to get paid in cash and not jail.
 
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