Buying a dirty rifle - a rant.

[Dr. Vette]

Is it only me, or does everyone else seem to get rifles that are horribly dirty when you buy them on Gunbroker?

Maybe I'm too picky, but the 223 I just received has oil & solvent everywhere - except the bore or the muzzle brake (yes, a brake on a 223 - should be fun). The brake has never been cleaned inside, and the bore is moderately dirty. Looks like it was in a dusty environment, too. I knew from the photos it wasn't a safe queen but still... I can't bear the thought of selling a firearm dirty as I think it reflects on me as the owner. When I own them, and more so when I sell them, they are clean from top to bottom.

Of course, once it gets done going through my "gun spa" it will look and function a lot better. Thankfully the price was good or else I'd really be irritated. I may have it done in time to shoot it this weekend.

And this is not the first one I've received in this condition either. Beautiful photos, expensive firearm, no sense of how to keep them clean or maintain them.

Rant over. :mrgreen:

Oh, and the T/C Encore in 243 I bought from a private party this week was so clean I could eat off from it. There are good guys in the world too. :wink:

 

[Oldtrader3]

I always try and make sure that any gun I sell is clean, wiped down and gone over with a shaving brush to remove any lose particles of dust or dirt. I think if you are going to sell someone something, it should be clean and look as nice as possible. The other thing that dives me nuts, is receiving shipped a gun which is not properly packaged and protected from in transit damage within a reasonable limit.

 

[Anonymous]

I just LOVE buying a gun that someone shot a bunch of mono-metal bullets in...nothing like it. I bet a lot of these are sold off because they are so fouled that accuracy went to heck in a fruit jar and they think it needs a new barrel.

My recent acquired .416's previous owner apparently loved the light TSX pushed as hard as it could go. I'm still scrubbing copper out of that thing. Betting it'll shoot a lot better when I'm done.

 

[Guest]

I just LOVE buying a gun that someone shot a bunch of mono-metal bullets in...nothing like it. I bet a lot of these are sold off because they are so fouled that accuracy went to heck in a fruit jar and they think it needs a new barrel.

I don't know if it's just monoliths that cause this, but the 300'bee I have was picked up on a stellar deal, and I can only imagine it was because it did not shoot much better than minute-of-barn-door. The bore was so coppered, and so neglected, that a cursory observation in ambient lighting showed a crusty green bore, the color of the statue of liberty. I actually picked the rifle up at the behest of a friend, who told me to make a good deal and then make it shoot. I got a great deal on the rifle, I think. A Stainless Synthetic Mark V in 300Wby for $530 plus tax, or $580 total, out the door. And that included a set of Leupold bases and rings. I spent a long time and a lot of BTE getting the green out. The first three patches came out navy blue, solid. Amazing. I'm sure it was in the gunshop because of the lack of accuracy. Funny thing is, now that it's clean (and mine - I bought it from my friend for what he paid for it - that's a good friend!) it shoots around 1" with several untweaked handloads, and will likely get down in the .5-.75" range with some handload tweaking.

 

[Guy Miner]

Ah yeah - when buying a used gun, you get what you get. Sometimes the thing is spotless, sometimes it's a mess.

Agree, those soft copper bullets can really foul a bore, but so can standard gilding metal bullets eventually.

It's a used rifle. Make it your own by cleaning it to your standards. It'll shoot better and you can be proud of the results of the attention you lavished on it!

Guy

 

[Kodiak]

A few months back, a hunter brought me an older push-feed model 70 in really bad shape. I shot it before taking-on the cleaning job. I started the cleaning chore by using one of the electric rods that is placed in the bore of the rifle. I have been scrubbing rifle bores for over 60 years and I've not seen anything like the stuff that came out.
The owner was called and he was disappointed in the condition he created, and he offered me a price I could not turndown.
After many patches and a whole bottle of BTE, it came clean. The outside of the rifle still shows past abuse, but the bore is clean and it groups into less than an inch at 100 yards.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know if it's just monoliths that cause this, but the 300'bee I have was picked up on a stellar deal.

It's probably not just monoliths, but since the TSX has gotten relatively popular I'm seeing it a lot more. I find the copper fouling is just so much harder to remove comparitively and for the "old school guy" with a brass brush and a bottle of Hoppes #9, just about impossible to remove.

 

[Guy Miner]

If you run into that serious copper coating that the Barnes bullets can install on a rifle, you'll need more than Hoppes to get it out.

CR10, Sweets 762, Wipe Out, something along those lines will work, given some time.

Interestingly even the soft copper Barnes bullets barely fouled the Krieger barrel on my .308 Win. Those barrels are nice!

Guy

 

[Dr. Vette]

The other thing that dives me nuts, is receiving shipped a gun which is not properly packaged and protected from in transit damage within a reasonable limit.

OH, I forgot about that. It was wrapped in bubble wrap, but there was plenty of space between the wrapped rifle and the tired, old box it was shipped in. My FFL was shocked that the scope wasn't broken or damage wasn't done to the rifle.

 

[FOTIS]

He is a beauty... Courtesy of UPS

 

[DrMike]

Unimaginable, Fotis! Was the rifle insured?

 

[FOTIS]

Yes, not mine BTW.

 

[BeeTee]

Is it only me, or does everyone else seem to get rifles that are horribly dirty when you buy them on Gunbroker?....

And this is not the first one I've received in this condition either. Beautiful photos, expensive firearm, no sense of how to keep them clean or maintain them.

Sounds like an estate sale. The kids or a broker did it.

I consigned a couple rifles in the past 12 months at a local gun shop. They were spotless inside and out, and sold fast. BT

 

[Dr. Vette]

He is a beauty... Courtesy of UPS

I had a similar one courtesy of USPS.

Weatherby XXII semi-auto with a blonde stock, tube fed. Absolutely gorgeous.
Grip area was cracked almost all the way through, and thankfully the seller decided to fight the USPS about it rather than make me do it. I got my money back but have not seen another than nice anywhere.