What are your guys' feelings on buying used rifles? I notice that places like Cabela's have an abundance of "pre-owned" rifles. Are they worth taking a look at or are you just buying someone's prior problem-rifle?

Condition of most hunting rifles is something that can be seen and felt. I have no problem buying a used rifle in hunting calibers for this reason

Buying a varmint caliber rifle is different. I buy assuming it needs a new barrel and because of this I rarely get one of those.

The biggest problem is that many used rifles are priced very close to what most of will pay for a new rifle as no one buys at retail.

quote:

Originally posted by Sevens:
What are your guys' feelings on buying used rifles? I notice that places like Cabela's have an abundance of "pre-owned" rifles. Are they worth taking a look at or are you just buying someone's prior problem-rifle?

Buying problems? Sometimes. Every rifle I own was pre owned except one, however they all have a lot of work that has been done. (Mostly military mausers)

My Dakota 22 had the stock cracked at the wrist when I traded for it, but I used the nice little gun to practice my stockmaking skills.
It's a keeper!

I also turned a Kimber model 89 BGR into what might be the world's best "WINLITE".

Many times a problem is just poor bedding or some other fixable, but minor malady. Unless it was a very expensive rifle, I wouldn't be too afraid. But then again, as rolltop suggests, I don't/won't pay anything close to retail either!

Sevens,
I have probably purchased over 100 used center fire rifles/pistols in the last 20 years. I think I am reloading for something like 47 different chamberings. I think I have had one or two that would not shoot groups under 1.5 " and none that were shot out. If one can buy used Coopers under $900, or Sako's under $700 Savages for less than $500, Remingtons for 50% of retail, how bad can one get hurt. Buy 'em, shoot 'em, and if you don't like them blow them out. I bet you spend more money taking your wife/family/girlfriend out to dinner than what you'll lose on the rifle should you decide to sell it. You might even end up making a profit.
If your near Houston, you can lay away used guns at Carters Country with no interest. They have four stores in the Houston area and there used guns can be priced very reasonable.
I have also bought a number of used rifles off GunBroker.com and from guys here and at 24hourcampfire. Jump in, the water's warm
GWB

I almost always buy used rifles. I tend to look for someone's "problem child" that just won't shoot well. 40% of the time it's the scope or sights, 30% it's the bedding/stock, 20% it's the crown, 5% it's the barrel, 3% it's the trigger and 2% it's the shooter. There are other factors as well but they are mostly used to "Tweek" an already good shooter. Remember the three "D's" when looking for a deal, Disillusionment, Divorce, Debut. Guns tend to be the first casualtiy in the above.

With a used gun you are more likely to get a gun that was been "customized" by someone to your advantage, such as, Mag-porting, Quality scope, trigger upgrade, High quality stock, etc. at little or no cost to you. JMHO.....Tom

Hey Sevens, I've done it in the past, but only do it now days if I know the original owner and how that person treats a firearm. The last Used firearm I swapped for had 9-shots(I think) through it and I shot 4-5 of them.

Here is a link to a list of questions about Used Firearms that keep sme from buying them anymore.

I've seen way too many people who think they know something about Reloading or don't care about cleaning a barrel to waste my money on Used Firearms anymore.

Best of luck to the folks buying them.

I've had more problems with new guns I bought than used ones. I look for very clean used guns that have obviously been used little. If a big bore, insist on taking it apart to see whats going on with the wood internally. Almost every used Ruger RSM I've taken apart has a stock crack. It can be fixed but becomes an added cost.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
I've had more problems with new guns I bought than used ones.

There's an amount of truth in that statement.

I also have little problem buying a used gun.

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
I also have little problem buying a used gun.

Not big enough to trouble with eh?

To date, my biggest problem child has been a new Ruger M77 Mk2 in 7mm SAUM; my last used rifle was a Mannlicher M3170 in .30/06. I have no idea when it was made, but I assume the rifle is at least 30 years old. My first three shots at 100 yards went into something under 3/4".

I bought it right on Gunbroker and can't believe the owner ever let it get away.

I always recommend a quality used rifle or scope rather than a cheap rifle or scope new. Most rifles aren't really shot much and you can just about drive a nail with a quality scope these days without hurting it. I've never bought a used gun that wasn't well worth the money or a good used scope that didn't work fine. I mounted a used Zeiss scope I paid $450 for on a used Browning stainless A-Bolt in 30'06 bought for $450 and it's still one of the the best shooting rigs I've ever owned. It cost a third or half of what I paid for some of my new-purchase combos and shoots at least as well. 1/2" at 100 yrd.s is 1/2" at a 100 yrd.s regardless of what you pay, and the game doesn't notice the difference.

I prefer to buy used rifles. The only ones I am really leary of is varmint rifles due to the volume of shooting normally done with them. Other than that, in my experience, most larger caliber rifles have very rarely had more than 80 to 100 shots put thru them. Along those same lines, in my experience, it normally takes that many rounds to really break in a barrel. I once had a nice custom rifle built up with a new Douglas barrel. The thing would not shoot worth a hoot with any load I put thru it. After about 80 rounds, it started getting better. The more I shot it the better it did. It finally got to where it would shoot any load just as well as the next. Then, as is mostly the case, I got tired of it and sold it, and move on to something else. I prefer to let someone else put 4 to 5 boxes of ammo thru one before I start.

quote:

Originally posted by rolltop:
Condition of most hunting rifles is something that can be seen and felt. I have no problem buying a used rifle in hunting calibers for this reason

Buying a varmint caliber rifle is different. I buy assuming it needs a new barrel and because of this I rarely get one of those.

The biggest problem is that many used rifles are priced very close to what most of will pay for a new rifle as no one buys at retail.

A lot of truth in this posting. Even sporterized Military rifles often have just fine hunting accuracy.Been there done that and put a lot of meat on the table for a familly of 8.

Thank goodness for good, used rifles because there isn't many new rifles that worth the coin. Used rifles are the best BANG for the buck, especially when they often come with rings, bases, scopes, after market stocks, etc. Lou

Chuck Hawks has a pretty decent article about buying a used rifle.
Used Rifle Buying
You obviously don't have time to check everything in the article at a gun show and there may be more things to check on a particular brand of rifle.

In any case it is a decent starting point for developing a checklist for a used rifle purchase.

I agree with everyone else. I have had good luck with used rifles. Many rifles get bought because "all the guys are going out this fall," by guys who won't put two boxes through it before they put it in the closet forever. Or it won't shoot well with the first over-the-counter box of ammo picked at random, and ditto into the closet.

There is a trick I picked up by accident. I had let an '.06 get a rust mark inside the bore and decided to trade it at a gun store. By spraying WD-40 in the barrel the rust spot disappeared in the reflected glare from the lubricant. Run patches through it to completely dry the bore and you could see the rust spot again. I always run a patch through and check out the bore dry.

I prefer buying used rifles ove most of the new stuff.

Two in particular that I can't see me getting rid of are an original Ruger Deerfield .44 semi auto, that I got for $425. It shoots solid at 75yrds, and that is all I need out of it. It does have some 'cool factor' working for it, also my wife loves shooting this little carbine.

The other is a Ruger m77 257 Rob with 3x9 Leupold that I found at a pawn shop and worked the price to $450. Somebody really set this thing up right, and it is a shooter.

Both rifles show signs of honest wear and use, but try finding either one up for sale is a chore, much less at the prices I paid for them.

I always have an eye out for a good deal on a gun/cartridge that you can't find just anywhere.

All that said, I took it in the keister over a Rem .260 once, and lost horribly on the whole deal. Not a good shooter, not a good price, and lost a chunk of money on the resale. But, I was really wanting to get on the .260 band wagon, but it didn't work out. Stuff happens.

quote:

Originally posted by Sevens:
What are your guys' feelings on buying used rifles? I notice that places like Cabela's have an abundance of "pre-owned" rifles. Are they worth taking a look at or are you just buying someone's prior problem-rifle?

Buy a used rifle from an individual, or sometimes a small shop. Cabelas prices their used guns well above the person-to-person market. If you want to buy a new gun, visit Academy for the more common and pedestrian models. Visit a small gun shop and order a new gun in a more expensive model.

Haven't bought a new rifle for over 10 years...

Over here, we don't have the luxury of numbers of shops that sell guns, but I bide my time...

When ya pick up a 1957 Win M70 Supergrade in 243 (very, very good used condition) that is an absolute tackdriver at a good price, spending a bit of time kicking tyres makes sense.

i prefer to buy older used rifles that are of course in decent shape. they don't have to be pristine just good to decent. a little history and some charcter is a good thing, puts more meaning into the purchase than just a savings of a few bucks for me. in most cases, you find out more about the condition of the gun by "inspecting" the owner/seller than you do by inspecting the gun itself.
gander and cabella's are places to stay away from in my opinion. they are set up to move product and thier used stuff is priced to push lookers at new guns. most of all, i found there's not much sence in trying to deal with them, they have the money (and the volume) to sit on thier prices and think a 25 dollar price cut is a big deal.

All you guys that bash Cabelas and Gander Mtn....stay away from those places.........and leave the good buys to me! I bought a lot of rifles and handguns at those places at "superb" prices...one just has to know what guns are going for and be there when that gun hits the rack. I stop at a Cabelas on my way home from work about 3 times a week and it has paid off big. I don't spend a lot of time there and go thru the racks (and the library) quickly as I have a good eye for bargains. I could give examples but don't want to see the tears flowing. Ok, two examples....a like new Lipsey Ruger flat top BHK 44 Special for under $400, and a NIB Ruger GP100 stainless 6"bbl .357 for $350. It has been awhile since my last stop at Gander but I have had some very good buys there as well.

I've been to Cabela's numerous times at Sydney over the years, and a good many times on-line.
To be 100% forthright, I have never seen a used gun there that I thought was really fairly priced. So, I've never bought one there.

I've only been buying/selling/trading used guns for 50 years or so, some years 150-250 used guns per year (back at my peak), and only have about 100++ used ones in the vault right now, so am still relatively inexperienced.

But nieve as I am, I really suggest everyone shop locally, at the nearby gun club, at yard sales, in any small store that has any used guns, even at gun shows. There are LOTS of great buys out there. And keep your mind open. I don't know how many "jewels" I've found, cheap, when I was shopping for something entirely different.

Oh, and always carry a few hundred in cash when you're "kicking" rifle tires. If the gun you find is more expensive than the loot you have along, usually sellers will make some payment arrangement with you if they see several hundred in greenbacks dancing in front of them right now.

Anyway, you'll make the best deals if you do your reading and learning before, during, and after your purchases...in other words, all the time. The more you know, the more good buys you'll stumble onto, and the less you'll get burned.

It's great fun, and there's no way in your future you can do it any earlier than now.

My 2 favorite rifles were used. It was a divorce deal. A Marlin 30-30 and a Savage 7mmRem for $250. I look at every used rifle or shotgun at all the stores. Locally used guns are overpriced however I do find the occasional deal. I stay away from varmint guns and 22LR's. They usually have a history of being dirty guns.

Currently I'm on the search for quarterbores (especially the Bob) and 6.5mm's. Used is where I look until the itch gets the best of me.

I've bought a couple rifles down the road I've put new barrels on them that brought them up to new statis.

Many old "used" rifles are many times better than new ones.....

I never would buy a savage because I was taught you get what you pay for. And I was never impressed with 7mm mag it's not much faster than the old 7x57 and burns a lot more powder at that. But at a gun show I found a savage plain jane wood stock no scope for $235.00 so I bought it. got home put a tasco scope on it loaded some rounds with differeny powders and went to the range. and belive it or not reloader 22 and 140 gain bullet shot a .187 3 shot group. now I have 7 different savages one even brand new 300 wsm I bought on the net for
$275.00 from a guy couldn't stand the recoil of it. Now that rifle has a 6.5 rem mag and a 270 wsm barrel to switch on it.

I prefer new. The cost of failure out-weighs the savings in my opinion.

Something else I do not understand. Why do we, as hunters/shooters always have to get a "deal" or look to trade every gun we buy? Buy it, use it, sell it but do not make such a big deal about the "deal". My 2 cents.

quote:

Originally posted by El Deguello:
Many old "used" rifles are many times better than new ones.....

El,
I used the feel the same way until I bought the new Model 70 and compared it to any of the pre-64's. Same with Sako's. I would not own a pre-64 now. I sold the four I had and bought new ones. I have yet to find a new gun that did not out shoot the old ones.

I am a convert to new ones now.

As someone who's bought mostly second hand rifles I can honestly say that I can count on one hand the numer of rifles I've seen at Cabela's that I thought were an acceptable deal.

Acceptable to me is:
1) nothing significant wrong with it (rust dings etc)
2)Priced not more than 80% (preferably less) than a new (identical) rifle can be bought for.
3)Preferably including a Redfield/Leupold Scope base if not
having a tolerable scope on it already.

I got my 223 Rem700VSSF because the previous owner wanted to shot heavy bullets in it and the rifles 1:12" twist would spray them so far from point of aim that I'd fall asleep
in a lawn chair at the 200yd target stand and let you shoot at me with it.

at 300yards with military SS109 ammo I'd bet you the price of a new pickup that you couldn't hit a ford explorer with 20 shots, the only caveat is that you had to actually put the crosshairs ON the vehicle to shoot (NONE of the bullets will land within 8feet of point of aim)

OTOH load it up with 40grain Barnes VLC's or 40gr Hornady's and you can shoot the primers out of fired
20Ga shotshell hulls @100yds all day long...

I have several very nice rifles that I got for next to nothing (considering what they are worth) because they would not meet unrealistic goals that their previous owners had.



AD

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
I prefer new. The cost of failure out-weighs the savings in my opinion.

Something else I do not understand. Why do we, as hunters/shooters always have to get a "deal" or look to trade every gun we buy? Buy it, use it, sell it but do not make such a big deal about the "deal". My 2 cents.

There is a happy medium between being a "SHARK", and dropping your pants and backing into a purchase bent over with cheeks spread.

By a "good deal", that term does not necessarily mean trying not to leave a cent on the table. It means trying to get a decent appearing, fully functioning gun at a fair price.

And if you know how to appraise the utility and condition (or rarity) of a gun, you are seldom if ever going to get a "failure" buying used.

New guns often aren't perfect either these days. Haven't you noticed that?

Still I can understand why one might to want to buy new rather than learn all the aspects of safely buying used. And I am not being critical when I say that either. Some folks just don't have time to climb the required learning curve, what with kids to raise, work every day, and all the little pestiferences of life.

Still, even just buying new, I'll bet you'd be happy to take a $50 off deal any day, if it was for an item you wanted anyhow.

That would be a real "deal", wouldn't it?

I buy used rifles all the time.

I prefer a good deal on a well kept used rifle to a new rifle any day.

I find new guns a bit boring. Used guns to me are a challenge. How exactly would one buy a REAL pre64 Model 70 new anyway?

I guess it becomes a talent for seeing below the "bit of rust", dings, cracks, burred screws, etc...... to find that diamond in the rough.

Got a slick M70 30-06 circa '58 Featherweight that someone has 'parkerized" and done some "kooky" things to the stock. These changes drastically lower the used price, ie cheap! Obviously a bit of a risk. Scrubbed out the barrel & restocked with Hightech Spec stock. Replaced some screws (main three as were pretty ugly with burrs). Even if barrel would have been no good the price was low enough to make action only a value.

Shoots nice tight groups with 165g Hornady's & 165g Part's. Holds zero better than any gun I got, utterly reliable. Still cheaper than most new comparable guns (new "pre64" or similar). One of my favorite guns, will go to Africa with me:


I love used gun racks.

Pete A.

It havent bought a brand spankin new one in a good while.I have owned so many used rem 700s its mind boggling. The biggest part of them were made from 1963 to 1972. These guns seemed to be shot very little.For the average hunter back then a box of ammo could last as long as 8 or 10 years.

I have bought both new and used over the years, and because of my quirky tastes in rifles, have lucked into some really great deals.

If the gun looks like it has possibilities, I will buy it, if it does not work out, I will sell it, even if I lose money on the deal.

95% of the guns I own were someone elses. I only got took once on a model 12 , 20 gauge that was supposed to be minty, not mouldy. Just bought a Rem 788 in 30-30 1/2 an hour ago. FS

I don't consider myself a shark... More like a Crocodile

I wait

I wait

I wait

Until the right "Deal" comes along then anyone who gets their hands in the path of my jaws might lose a limb.

I've only ever sold one rifle, it was a Marlin 782M that needed a barrel and wasn't worth repairing (cheaper to replace)

Though I do have a battered old H&R 22LR semi-auto
that I'm looking to use to sucker the very next "Gun buy back" I hear about.

Not too long ago some jackass sponsored one locally that was paying $200 for ANY semi-auto handgun
I heard about that and said, Geez, I think I have a Davis 380 around here somewhere...

To quote a friend "Fookin' 'em in the wallet is almost as good as fookin' those liberal SOB's in the lips".

Words to raise a good glass of whiskey to

AD

I don't know what Cabela's the guys that say there are no deals at Calela's are shopping, but I have bought guns in 5 different Cabela's. Remember all gun prices are a starting point. You can buy most used guns in Cabela's for 15% off sticker. I bought one for 50% less. I made the offer in jest and they took it. They also stand behind their used guns. If you decide you don't like the gun they will take it back. I went thru 5 .338WM's trying to find one that would shoot 250 GR's, never did find one. I had to build one with a Lilja barrel, it worked. I have bought all my double rifles there, best price around. Good honest folks......JMHO....Tom