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Buying a secondhand pistol

by F T Johnson
Australian & New Zealand Handgun 2

Buying a secondhand pistol

Buying a secondhand pistol

Buying a secondhand pistol

Buying a secondhand pistol

Buying a secondhand pistol

Buying a secondhand pistol

Buying a secondhand pistol
The decision to buy a secondhand gun can make a lot of sense. You may be in search of that now out-of-production classic pistol - or you may have once owned a gun that you decided to sell - a decision that you have never ceased to regret. Or there may be nothing new on the market that tickles your fancy. No matter what the reason, be it aesthetic or economic, there is much to be said for seeking out that once-in-a-lifetime bargain. Assuming that you are in search of a previously used gun - what do you need to know before you hand over your cash and what can you truly expect for your money?

Firstly, you must have at least an idea of what kind of gun you want and its intended use. Do not fall into the Christmas shopping frame of mind - ie, browse, see, buy on impulse, wake up the next morning asking “why?”.

Does it suit you?
Never let the attraction of a low price tag be your primary reason for buying. Of much greater import is the extent to which the gun suits your needs. Firstly, it must be of good physical fit. The frame and grip need to be of such a size that the gun feels right in your hand. Then there is the issue of weight and balance. Does it feel too heavy or light? Is it muzzle heavy? How does the trigger feel? Some issues here include how cleanly the trigger breaks, what adjustments are possible and the radius of curvature of the trigger itself. If something doesn’t feel right, it is unlikely that you will adapt to it, but much more likely that you will become increasingly dissatisfied. Now what about the sights - are they fixed or adjustable and how well do they facilitate good target acquisition?

Things to look for in all guns
It is advantageous to have an idea of the history of the gun - if your intended purchase is from a trusted friend or club member you are likely to get the benefit of genuine information about its past history of usage. If you are going to a gun show or the like, it pays to be circumspect about what the intended seller says to you - remember that he wants your money - not the gun. It is up to you to have the knowledge and power of observation to pick the good from the bad and to have some idea of current market values.

When you inspect any gun, there are a number of things that you should look for. A good place to start is general appearance. A clean rust-free finish indicates that the previous owner has cared for the gun. Check carefully to see if the gun has been permanently modified in any way. Such modifications would include filing or grinding of the sights and the drilling of holes to accommodate scopes or accessories. Permanent modifications will drastically reduce the value of the gun.

Temporary or non-permanent modifications are less of an issue. These may include the fitting of a different type of grip or sight that may increase the attractiveness of the intended purchase. Inspect the barrel very carefully. Open the action of the gun and use a folded business card or white paper to catch the light from a window or artificial light source. Peer down the barrel and inspect the bore for any irregularities such as bulges, worn rifling or rust. You may even have to run a patch through the bore if there is some grease or muck in the barrel before you inspect it. Pay careful attention to either end of the barrel. The crown should be clean and undamaged. The entrance to the chamber should be clean and unpitted. Rimfire pistols should be inspected for the type of damage that comes with dry firing - a dimple in the metal that lies directly forward of the firing pin.

Inspect the pins and fasteners that hold the gun together. If the screw slots and areas around the pins are damaged, this indicates that the gun has had some previous problem and has been worked on by an amateur - not a great sign. The next thing to do is inspect every function of the gun - especially the safety catches and the adjustable settings. Check to see that the trigger and sight adjustment screws have not been strained, stripped or bent. You will need to dry-fire the gun in order to check the trigger release. If this is done with a rimfire pistol ensure that you use a dry-firing dummy round to protect your potential investment. After cocking the gun, gently press on the trigger and slowly increase the pressure until it lets go. How did it feel? Was the break clean and decisive, or was there excessive trigger ‘creep’? (Creep is the term given to describe a trigger that slowly moves rearward with increasing pressure before it lets go.) If you get the opportunity to do some live firing, please do. Live firing is the only real way of knowing that the gun is performing its function.

Revolvers - some issues
The construction of a revolver is not unlike that of a small ‘O’ press. The bottom of the frame and the top strap are subject to stretching forces every time the gun is fired. Repeated and sustained firing with heavy factory loads are known to lengthen the frame slightly, which has the effect of increasing the clearance gap between cylinder and barrel. This will allow more gas to escape through the gap and reduce the overall velocity of the bullet. The usual cylinder gap is in the order of about 0.008 inches. If you are shopping for a revolver it pays to carry a feeler gauge to do a quick inspection of this dimension. Single-action revolvers are strong and often represent the best buys on the secondhand market - especially if they have been used for Western or Colonial Action shooting where lead projectiles and reduced loads are the norm. Double-action revolvers may have been worked a little harder, especially the heavier calibres that may have been used in service matches or metallic silhouette shooting. Be sure to check that a double-action revolver can also be used single-action style (manual cocking and firing) unless the gun is of the type - ‘double-action only’.

Self-loading handguns
Self-loaders are subject to much greater wear than revolvers and have many more moving parts. A 22-calibre rimfire self-loader with steel frames tends to be very strong and will fire many thousands of rounds during its service life. Always check mating surfaces (ie, the slide and the frame) for wear - this will give some indication of previous use. Check for sloppiness between moving parts and also for weak spring tension in the slide. Inspect the magazine for excessive wear or damage. Live firing will confirm that the action cycle is in good working order. If jamming occurs, thoroughly clean and lubricate the gun if that opportunity exists, and make sure that the ammunition you are using is sufficiently powerful to work the machinery. Self-loaders can be very finicky when it comes to ammunition.

Some Do’s and Dont’s
Never purchase any firearm sight unseen. Guns that are advertised by interstate dealers can be easily purchased over the phone and shipped to your local dealer for collection. Always reserve the right to return an item if it does not match the description and your expectation. Always take the opportunity to fire the gun - making sure that it has been checked by a competent gunsmith prior to doing so. Use a sandbag rest (or even an expert shooter!) to test the gun for accuracy and reliability.

Always have an idea of what the gun is fetching in the market prior to parting with your money. Do not allow yourself to be talked or pressured into making a quick purchase; (“There is another fellow who is very interested in this gun, and he will be back in half an hour.”)

Experience has shown that some of the best bargains to be had are the heavier calibre revolvers and self-loading handguns. In many instances, these guns have been purchased on a whim by their original owner and have done very little work. Indeed, this author’s collection has several secondhand items that would easily pass muster as ‘new or ‘near-new’ and have been obtained at attractive prices. It is always a good idea to prepare a list of the things that you want before going out to buy - that way you will have a better idea of what you really want and be less influenced by an impulsive urge.

Try to avoid unusual calibres - guns that have been chambered in either obsolete or unpopular calibres become real white elephants for their owners and can be very difficult to sell. From an economic point of view, the best purchase that you can make is a quality brand in a popular calibre. These have maximum appeal for other shooters when and if it does come time to sell - and good quality guns tend to lose little in terms of their resale value. It is not uncommon for a shooter to sell his gun at minimal loss or even make a profit on a good quality gun. When negotiating, don’t be afraid to make a reasonable offer (but not an insulting one). The worst that can happen is that you get a polite refusal - and at any rate, it is beneficial to know what the seller will not accept, in addition to what he will.

In closing, the more you know about things, the less chance you have of being taken for your money because through your own knowledge and judgement, you have the power to decide what is good value and what isn’t - a valuable skill for life both in and out of shooting. Happy shopping.