What to look for when buying a used pistol?
January 2nd, 2010 by eranio
First of all I am very familiar with rifles and shotguns but not hand guns or pistols. My hubby wants either a sig or a glock 40 or 45 for Christmas. I saw a nice springfield 1911 for 500 in a pawn shop. I say nice, but I really don’t know what little imperfections to look for in pistol. Can you give me some pointers.
Actually all he said he wanted for Christmas was a pistol, his brother suggested the glock and sig
Posted in used shotguns
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
If you intend to buy a Glock or Sig for your husband and you can afford $500 then I recommend that you buy a new one.
I would also recommend going to a gun shop to purchase your gun. Pawn brokers aren’t necessarily familiar with guns and it is possible that a used gun you buy there could malfunction when fired.
Here are some Glocks and Sigs in .40
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=149569744
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=150599886
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=150645005
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=150880882
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=150893062
As far as pointers go:
1. Buy new if you can.
2. If you insist on buying a used gun, Buy from someone you trust.(A reputable gun shop should have already inspected a used gun before buying it and putting it up for sale)
3. Inspecting a used gun is generally left to experts which is why I never recommend it for new gun buyers. You need to be able to A) assess the overall condition of the firearm, B) Inspect the barrel for bulges,straightness, rust, pitting and condition of the crown, C) You need to be able to check the condition of the screws, springs, grips, D) . See that all of the controls work smoothly and with a reasonable amount of pressure. The safety should prevent the gun from firing (check by setting the safety and pulling the trigger normally). The slide lock should hold the slide open. The magazine release should release the magazine easily and yet hold it securely in place until it is pushed. If there is a grip safety the gun should not fire unless the grip safety fully depressed. If there is a magazine safety the gun should not fire unless the magazine is in place. Also, pulling the trigger should not fire the gun when the slide is held slightly out of battery. E) You should also check the condition of the magazines for excessive wear or that the feed lips haven’t been bent or altered. (I read an answer the other day from some armchair expert advising someone to bend the feed lips in on their magazine so they can fire a smaller than intended caliber) I hope you don’t buy that idiots gun.
I’m not saying that all used guns are bad. I have bought used guns and have saved a little money but I have also been dealing with guns for over 30 years.
The bottom line is just be safe (Your brother in law made an excellent suggestion with Glocks and Sigs, both very reliable manufacturers with years of gun making experience. Since you can get one new for around the same price as a used 1911, get the new one)
Oh I almost forgot….. Here’s a great article on what to look for when buying a used handgun:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/used_handgun.htm
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
If he wants either a Sig or a Glock why are you looking at a Springfield?
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
No rust, no cracked anything. It’s not easy to break a Springfield.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Sig sells factory re-manufactured/refurbished guns.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
The brand new Glock he would like retails for $500. You don’t have to worry about the previous owner’s abuse or neglect when you buy new.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Springfield’s are good guns look down the barrel and make sure there is no rust and if the rifling looks good i would just buy a brand new one you can get a brand new one for only about 85 bucks more and you would know there would be nothing wrong with it
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
i would never buy a used 1911 without being able to test fire it first. A 1911 is one of the most customizable guns, meaning just about all 1911′s can trade parts with each other. there are folks out there who try to do their own gunsmithing work and have no experience and end up making the gun unreliable and prone to jamming. i vote sig 45
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Your only real issues would be rust or a lot a bluing has been lost. If the gun looks grimy just get some gun oil and clean it with a rag.
The biggest thing would be to see if the barrel has rust spots or black pit marks.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
first off a 1911 springfield is not a shooting gun its almost a hundred years old its more for show i would get him a revolver they are cheaper and you can get a bigger caliber hope this helps
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Screws, spaces, moving parts etc… Anything that affects the operation of the gun that is immediately visible. U might wanna jump on that 1911.
He just wants a PISTOL? Maybe he’ll like a nice revolver. Very manly, VERY reliable. In shopping for that, check out this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xjoUmWQKgE