Holster wear how do you see it

waffenmac

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
323
Reaction score
158
Location
Atlanta
I had an issue with a recent purchase on Gunbroker where a dealer described pistol as having light holster wear. I would like my brethrens opinion in how they would rate this gun.
ser_zpspylywqhn.jpg
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Not good at all. I would be upset. Did you get pictures before you bought it?
 
holster wear

Holster wear is normal to a point. That wear looks normal but was there a three day return policy mentioned by the seller and he or she mentioned where the wear marks are showing? If you examined the gun and it functions normal and loose breech is minimal, then the gun, in my opinion without looking at it checking the function, is good to go. If you are happy with the price, then I would call it a good buy.

Nick
 
Not good at all. I would be upset. Did you get pictures before you bought it?

no pics other than stock photo but I specifically asked if the picture was a good example of how they look and he told me yes and that he would pick a nice one out. So I have to ask myself , if this is a nice one I would hate to see a bad one. STock photo was here.
pix587847857_zpsylrsksij.jpg
And after a couple hours of cleaning it looks better but I will take a pic in a bit and see what you guys think.
 
I've been burned on the auction boards. Happens. Nature of the beast. That said, that looks like it was scraped on something. My 4566 has a LOT of holster wear. But it looks shiny in the areas where the holster rubbed it. Not black.

Good news though is that will probably come off with some Mothers mag polish, a nylon brush and the careful application of a Scotch Brite pad.

Put a liberal amount of CLP on the marks and scrub hard with the nylon brush. Dry and repeat as needed. Then use a Q-tip and put some Mothers on the spots. Wipe of with a soft cloth. All the black marks should be gone and you will have some bright shiny areas. Use the Scotch Brite pad, or better yet, cut a length off it.

Apply more CLP to the spots and rub with the scotch brite in one direction. I usually go from rear sight twards the muzzle. No back and forth or side to side motion. Just repetitive passes till the spots are blended into the rest of the finish.

I've refinished/cleaned up half a dozen 3rd gen stainless 45's in this manner with good results.

If you have around $400 to $475 in that 4566TSW I'd still say you are OK. When you are done refinishing it, you may very well be in it right. ;) Good luck! Hope this helps! Regards 18DAI
 
It is,light in the sense that it's not all over the gun. Depending on the price it wouldn't bother me
470 shipped and I think I over paid by 70 to 100 bucks. Sad thing is Gunbroker is getting more like ebay in you cant trust answers given to you buy the seller. I have gotten some real nice Police trade ins on bad pics or stock photos before by getting honest answers from the sellers.
 
Holster wear is normal to a point. That wear looks normal but was there a three day return policy mentioned by the seller and he or she mentioned where the wear marks are showing? If you examined the gun and it functions normal and loose breech is minimal, then the gun, in my opinion without looking at it checking the function, is good to go. If you are happy with the price, then I would call it a good buy.

Nick

No returns and he told a big fib on the condition but it cleaned up decently with flitz and 18DAI gave me some great tips I intend on trying this weekend. So Im ok with it. I gave my son my NIB 4566tsw before he went back to Alaska off leave, because I didn't have the heart to tell him it was my fav. And this is suppose to replace that, so that was my comparison which made it worse.
 
I remember your original post OP. I looked at same sellers 4566TSW's, he uses that same stock photo.

Many peoples idea of 'mint', 'minor holster wear' etc vary greatly from mine. Plus, I have been burned on auctions, as well as pleasantly surprised.

I would do what the others here have advised, and if as you said, it cleans up nice, hell, shoot it like no tomorrow, at least it has some character wear and you won't be walking on pins and needles with it.
 
I have not gotten bit by a purchase on Gunbroker, though I have only bought Blackpowder Replicas. One TC Patriot I had bought had been "prettied" with gold paint placed in the engraving...I just used some oil and guncleaner and worked it out. The gun looks and is the accurate "tack driver" it is supposed to be. I will admit, some of the guns I have bought have been priced a bit over but not bad...nice buying them on the computer!
 
no pics other than stock photo but I specifically asked if the picture was a good example of how they look and he told me yes and that he would pick a nice one out. So I have to ask myself , if this is a nice one I would hate to see a bad one. STock photo was here.
pix587847857_zpsylrsksij.jpg
And after a couple hours of cleaning it looks better but I will take a pic in a bit and see what you guys think.

IMO, the seller used deceptive language and photo. To me, that is not 'light' holster wear, it is significant holster wear. And that photo is not a 'good example' that shows where this 'light' holster wear is on that gun. Not only is there the mark on the slide, but the finish on your blued hardware and sights is also worn...

That being said, it's not horrible, and you've gotten some good advice on how to fix the area on the slide that's worn. Hopefully, the gun is a carried a lot, and shot a little gun, and is otherwise in great shape.

If the deal was one where the seller has a bunch of LEO trade in guns, and he just uses general description/photo for the lot of them, then it is what it is, and I don't blame the seller if he states that conditions vary. Usually, you're getting a decent price, and luck of the draw on the exact condition of the gun that you may receive.

I used to buy quite a few guns on gunbroker, Guns America, and forums, and for the most part did pretty well, with no major problems. In my experience, the problems are with lack of disclosure on minor finish issues.

Example is where the seller does not show a photo of an area of the gun that has a defect, or finish issue. Or shows photos that really hide the overall condition of the gun, like the one in this thread (over exposed light really washes out the gun...).

Happened to me with a Colt Woodsman I bought on GB. Gun was in nice shape, but the seller didn't disclose/show a significant blemish on the rear blackstrap of the gun. It's a rust spot the size of a pencil eraser, maybe a little smaller. Not the end of the world, but certainly should have been disclosed, it is noticeable. Some people have no ethics, and lie by omission. Makes you kind of want to reach out and whack these types in the head a few times in an effort to straighten them out, but hey, I'm a peace-loving kind of guy... ;).

I've mainly had good experiences with online gun purchases where the sellers were very conscientious regarding their reputation as a seller, and making sure to provide good pictures and an accurate description. You learn to look for certain things from a seller. But, unfortunately, there are a lot of unethical people out there, just have to be careful, and be willing to be patient/walk away if it does not feel right.

OP, at the end of the day, it looks like you'll have a nice carry gun, for a decent price. If it continues to bother you, you can always sell it and get one in the condition that you really want...
 
Last edited:
I had an issue with a recent purchase on Gunbroker where a dealer described pistol as having light holster wear. I would like my brethren's opinion in how they would rate this gun.
I would consider that "moderate" holster wear. The good news is that it will probably clean up fairly well with a little elbow grease. :)

I have never bought any firearm based on a generic photo and never will. I insist on multiple high-res photos before I'll even consider a purchase as I've been in several "close call" situations where low-res photos completely hid some nasty defects and corrosion. :mad:
 
I gave my son my NIB 4566tsw before he went back to Alaska off leave, because I didn't have the heart to tell him it was my fav. And this is suppose to replace that, so that was my comparison which made it worse.

The one you gave your son? Tell him what it means to you. And, what he means to you. Just sayin'.
 
DO NOT FORGET to leave an appropriate rating & commentary on the seller.
It may help someone else.

Some folks even have Anti-pages about certain GB sellers.
Best to know who's good and who is questionable.
 
Waffenmac: I would not describe it as light, did you contact the seller? I no- as is, I would have contacted the seller. Interestingly there is another one on GB that looks to have "similar" wear patten as yours. I saw your feedback and it seemed appropriate. If you are going to pay a higher than normal price, I would have asked for photos of a specific gun & SN#. I recently bought a Mod 10-8 4" HB, heavy blue wear- the gun was cheap, the action is outstanding, no rust, overall the finish did not matter to me on THIS gun, because of where and how it will be used. I am glad that it cleaned up for you. Be Safe,
 
I want to thank everyone for all the good feedback I have received. It has cleaned up enough where I am not unhappy and as a side bonus the nite sights had to have been relamped as they are very brite. I did just win a new s&w grip on eBay for 27 delivered and numerich has mag base plates in stock. So once I have done a few things to it I will post a pic. One more thing does anyone have any experience with having one of their s&w pistols black chromed? It's just something I found searching the web.
 
Waffenmac: I would not describe it as light, did you contact the seller? I no- as is, I would have contacted the seller. Interestingly there is another one on GB that looks to have "similar" wear patten as yours. I saw your feedback and it seemed appropriate. If you are going to pay a higher than normal price, I would have asked for photos of a specific gun & SN#. I recently bought a Mod 10-8 4" HB, heavy blue wear- the gun was cheap, the action is outstanding, no rust, overall the finish did not matter to me on THIS gun, because of where and how it will be used. I am glad that it cleaned up for you. Be Safe,
The main reason I left the F rating on the transaction is when I corresponded with the person responsible for internet auction he assured me of the condition. I have had incredible luck getting both a 659 for $290 and a 4516-1for $ 375 both from pawnshops that took horrible single pics of just the gun and by calling them found out they were nib. And like you said this is my ccw/open carry gun and it's sound mechanically so I don't have to convince myself to like it anyore.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top