Used unfired revolvers ?? How about if you only…

[TJm15.38]

ANY reputable firearms producer WILL proof test it prior to shipping - hence unfired is really impossible - IMO!

Each Glock pistol I purchased came with two fired cases in small sealed brown paper envelope. The envelope has the date the firing occured and technician initials. 20 years ago I bought a Walther P99AS and it came with two fired cases and a three-shot test fire target with date and other information.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Ever wonder how many rounds Smith goes through
annually to test fire their products.?

Good point. At one time in the last twenty years didn't new handguns come with an envelope containing two empty shell cases? They do not do that anymore on my latest new gun buys.

 

[Jack Flash]

I think we all know the answer to the OP's question. Only a liar would say "unfired since the factory."

As mentioned above, there are many liars out there.

 

[desi2358]

Good point. At one time in the last twenty years didn't new handguns come with an envelope containing two empty shell cases? They do not do that anymore on my latest new gun buys.

Including fired cases was actually due to an attempt at gun control. There were numerous proposals to register fired cases from new guns so that crime guns could be traced through cases recovered at a crime scene. One state (Maryland IIRC) actually passed such a law and numerous others considered it. So to cover themselves the manufacturers started including fired cases with their guns, the dealer being expected to supply the cases to the state authorities when they sold one.

The problem was there is no way to classify marks from fired cases like there is for fingerprints. No crimes were ever solved from this "brilliant" idea and after a number of years and several million dollars invested to try and make it work Maryland finally gave up on It. As far as I am aware no one else ever actually tried it and the whole idea is defunct (except perhaps in the minds of gun control zealots).

As to proof testing all the major manufacturers do some type of proof testing if for no other reasons than simple liability. They don't want their products blowing up and lawsuits being filed. Since the US has no national proof laws like some other countries it's just good business to make sure your product is sound yourself. ......... As to people selling guns as "unfired" I've always thought it's rather silly and nothing more than excuse to try and jack up the price.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I lived in the Peoples Republic of Marylandstan during the time period of fired casings being collected. Among other stupidities in the law…it not only never solved one crime…the Maryland State Police which was tasked to administer the law stopped classifying cases sent to them and simply dumped them all in a storage area…for several years,

The Maryland General Assembly eventually bowed to common sense and quietly repealed the law. A rare victory for common sense in Marylanstan.

 

[Model29-26.5]

But the point, if you can’t tell if it’s been fire or not then does it matter if it looks like new?
It certainly hasn’t been fired a lot so it is good

 

[AC Man]

If it looks unfired that's good enough to me. You can always fire the gun and clean it .Of my extensive revolver collection I only have one that is documented with the three ring burns. I bought it from original owner highway patrolman. I have the 57 no dash 41 magnum, cardboard box, shipping carton, and wood presentation case still shrink wrapped. It has the original 3 powder rings. I could clean them, but no way I am doing that. It is also a 8 3/8 nickel. It is a beautiful hand cannon that literally has not been shot and looks like the day it was made.

 

[rtodd548]

Oh, just shoot it. I used to worry about this too. Then my wife pointed out that when I die, or sell it, someone else is going to shoot it. Might as well be me.

She's right.

Oh, and if you have to ask, you already know the answer.

I'm fighting this same battle. I have several "never fired" guns that would lose some value if I shot them. But then again, I have my grail gun and I hate to NOT shoot it.
Decisions, decisions.

 

[chief38]

As long as you don't shoot the heck out of it the revolver should still hold the Lion's share of its value. Just think of how much fun you can have shooting it! Kind of deceitful to shoot it on every other chamber and claim "only factory tested".

 

[LittleAugieMo]

"Splittin hairs,ain't ya,Boss?"

 

[Pisgah]

"Never fired". Translation: "Hasn't come off the assembly line yet".

Beyond that stage, there is no such S&W, collector BS or not...

 

[VaTom]

Just like buying a new car. Once off the lot it is used or “pre-owned”.

 

[Yendor357]

The concept of not firing a gun that you bought seems completely backwards to me.

The ones that I’ve shot and carried the most are the ones dearest to me.

An unfired gun is like a blank piece of paper. It has no story to tell.

 

[22hipower]

I ignore the "looks unfired" and "if fired, orly a little" comments. I prefer ANIB descriptions and expect then to see no visible signs of use; no blue loss, barely discernible turn ring (if any), and no indication on the recoil shield of being fired. And the box, paperwork and tools will be with the gun. I've rarely encountered an "unfired" gun that didn't have those with it.

Some years ago I handled a M27-2 in nickel which at the time was priced at about double the market price. I asked why and the clerk assured me it was "unfired since leaving the factory, look at the burn marks on every other cylinder." I did, and the burn marks were there, along with a lot of tiny scratches on the front of the cylinder where carbon had been removed and the gun fired again on every other cylinder. Buyer beware, best just to assume it is a used gun and ignore any claims of being "unfired."

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[ken158]

JimmyJ nailed it. The standard practice is to fire every other chamber, but if the test firing revealed an issue, the issue had to be rectified and then the revolver would need another test firing and it's unlikely that whoever had to do all that test firing was going to purposely select the same three chambers.

When I was at the factory I asked that question to a shooter standing in his shooting tunnel room and he told me any gun that fails the first shooting and goes back for repair is then fired with a full cylinder. I also asked if they clean guns and he looked at me like I had 2 heads… and said he got paid to shoot - not clean.