Do You Buy Into This?

[Guest Orionsic]

Ive read countless of ads for firearm sales on gunbroker and this site, as well as store related purchases of used guns, that 90% of ads state the round count on a certain firearm to be in the low 100s. Does anyone else find this to be a crock of bull****?

Many ads read a shot count between 200-500. Who does this? Why buy a gun from somebody that doesnt even shoot the thing anyway? Are the majority of people that buy a gun, practically dont even use it, and sell it uneducated?

I would find it insulting for someone selling me a used firearm, telling me they put probably about 600 rounds. Its too redundant.

[nightrunner]

I would guess that its either 1. they just dont shoot much period or 2. they have several guns and have 1 or 2 that they shoot the finish off of and then some and just occassionally shoot their others.

[trblmkr13]

I bought an XD 45 in Texas and moved here shortly after, I started a new job and did not even think about taking it to the range for a few years and then I could not find ammo for it so I traded it with zero rounds down the barrell.

[fastbs]

my glock 27 might have 75 down the pipe. I shoot the heck out of my rifles long range. but the shooting my handguns just doesn't turn me on like a 200yd rifle shot.

[Guest Straight Shooter]

I work with several idiots who will buy a gun new, then in less than two months and only a few rounds,theyll get in a bind and want to sell them for waaay less than what they paid. I knowof a like new XD .40 and a S&W AR right now for dirt cheap. So,yeah...it happens.

[Steelharp]

I work with several idiots who will buy a gun new, then in less than two months and only a few rounds,theyll get in a bind and want to sell them for waaay less than what they paid. I knowof a like new XD .40 and a S&W AR right now for dirt cheap. So,yeah...it happens.

How come I've never bumped into you at work?

Oh... wait... uh... where DO you work? I need a job...

[Trekbike]

I work with a guy that has quite a few guns (40 or so) and has never shot some even after many many years of ownership. So yea, it can happen.

But in general I agree and think people tend to under estimate the round count, either intentionly or just not realizing how much they actually shot.

[Warbird]

Do you know how little most guns bought every year get fired? Rarely. Some very rarely, some never. It really isn't much of a surprise to me.

I have two guns for sale right now and one has very few rounds fired through it. The other has less than a thousand. Why? Well one, my HKP7M8 is identical to another one I had just like it. It had probably 7k plus rounds through it. A friend wanted one and I sold it to him. The other one I have had little time to shoot it. In that same time though I have fired many thousands of rounds of shotgun shells, hundreds of rifle rounds hunting or dialing in for a hunt and several hundred rounds through my carry gun just enough to stay proficient.

The other gun I am selling, my 1911 is basically one I bought late last summer with every intention of putting thousands of rounds through, but haven't the time. Now I am in a bind because I have to have another particular gun and don't have the cash for it w/o selling a gun. Or I don't have the cash w/o having to sleep in the dog house. Not even the dog has to sleep in the dog house. The wife wants a new home because indeed this one is too small and since I spend what amounts to weeks on hunts during the year, she has to get something she wants. Compromise sucks sometimes.

So anyway I would say most of the time it probably is true. Most guns get fired little. Sometimes because the owner isn't really a shooter and other times because that gun becomes a shooters low priority. I have several rifles in particular that have very few rounds through them. Mainly because they are really only useful in certain situations. I know I will have need for them, but it isn't often. And they are too expensive to shoot, ammo wise, to shoot for the heck of it

Edited January 26, 2010 by Warbird

[Guest Ae-35]

Yep, it's true in alot of cases, my "BIL" is within 100yds. of me right now and I know for a fact he's got 2 handguns with only 1, 50rd. box of ammo through each, and there over 5yrs. old. There's plenty of gun owners, we need more shooters!!!

[Guest Eagle Eye]

moving here recently, and being a resident of 2 other states in my life, you need to understand that it is not easy to shoot in many states. Factors such as finding a nearby, convenient place to shoot or that it is "politically incorrect" to shoot in some locales make firing many rounds cumbersome.

[mikegideon]

I have a few that have never been fired, not that I won't get around to it.

[molonlabetn]

The guns I sell are the ones which I don't shoot... honestly, if I'm shooting a gun alot that means I like it enough to keep it.

[LngRngShtr]

Unless it is documented, like a match rifle or a Benchrest or Bullseye gun I don't put much faith in round count..even then it is still in my mind an estimate..

I usually class the guns in 3 categories

Lightly Used ,. LNIB not a lot of handling marks sliderails,throat,breechface etc. lightly marked ie: collector pieces, specialty guns, new one not yet to the range enough

Moderate use, external wear perhaps some old fouling that just won't come off ( like the S&W cylinder flutes) ie: the tried and true S&W M 10-6 or M-586DA in my top shelf of the safe I have used to bring new shooters into the sport with

Heavy use, battering on autos and flame cut on revolver top straps finish heavily worn (PPC and IPSC guns)

To have a specific count is hard as memories fade and "that day you wanted to forget" you forgot or a practice session ..oh, and the time your brother/son took it out while you were away somewhere.....(I don't care what he said I neck size my rifle brass and 1/3 of those .303 rounds don't feed at all anymore ..)

The only one I have that I can say with at most 90% certainty is my M52-2 and that is still an estimate 1900-2000 rnds.

I would hope an auction would use this simply to convey it isn't some shot out old hag you are buying but in reality most are shops who got it from somebody in on a trade or sale and are selling it so who really knows its history ?

A private purchase where someone as above posts mention may very well know the number of boxes etc.

But I agree it does seem to become a stand by line in most sales transactions...and I don't buy it..

John

Edited January 26, 2010 by LngRngShtr

[lowbud]

I wouldn't be supprised if 35 to 40 % of the firearms sold in the US (used) are never fired.

[Guest Drewsett]

I wouldn't be supprised if 35 to 40 % of the firearms sold in the US (used) are never fired.

Me neither...

I have a buddy with well over a hundred guns. Most of them have not been fired in years as he is raising his grandson now, who has shown no interest.

I got him started shooting a little bit more since I became a gun owner recently and he's got a nice little outdoor "range" on his land.

Since that time he may have put 50 rounds down two guns. I know for a fact he has several firearms that have never been fired (collectibility and/or redundancy).

I couldn't do it though:screwy:...I told him I would be happy to come and give his guns the attention they so richly deserve.

[JAB]

I have my dad's 30-30, a Glenfield that he ordered from either Sears or Penny's way back in the 70s. I also have his 12GA pump (a Stevens, IIRC) that I believe he also ordered NIB. These were mostly for deer hunting (although the 12GA saw a rabbit hunt or two) and we didn't get to go hunting very often nor did we get that many shot opportunities when we did. We didn't do a lot of 'just shooting' and when we did it was usually with his .22 rifle - dad always said that he couldn't afford the ammo just to shoot targets, etc. We'd practice with them before going hunting and that was about it. When I reached high school age, I'd shoot the 30-30 now and then just because it was so much fun and I was pretty accurate with it but still didn't shoot it very much. I also shot the 12GA some but by then I had a single shot .410 and 12GA of my own so I generally practiced with them. Still, even when dad was still alive I put more rounds through both of them than he ever did.

Well, I eventually went to college and dad ended up with stomach cancer (which he battled for seven years) so no hunting went on for more than a decade. When dad died almost eight years ago, I got the 30-30. Mom eventually gave me the 12GA, too. I clean and lube them but haven't fired either one of them all that much, still. I have other firearms that hold no sentimental value (i.e. I don't care so much about wear and tear on them) and I mostly shoot my handguns - I just enjoy shooting handguns more. My .38 snubbie that I bought NIB less than a year ago has a whole lot more rounds through it than either of those long guns. The long and short is that both the rifle and the shotgun are 30 years old or more and neither have as many as even 100 rounds through them. Of course, they aren't for sale but I do believe that some folks just never fire their firearms all that much.

Edited January 26, 2010 by JAB

[Smith]

I've sold several with low round counts where I know precisely how many went down the pipe. This is simply because I would find a good deal or find something I liked, but after shooting a few boxes of ammo discovered something I didn't like or it didn't fit as well as I thought or many other issues. I would sell it to get something else. I've never had big losses, but I also buy when prices are right or a good deal comes along. I did a cost analysis once and found that I pretty much broke even. It's a hobby to me and I enjoy trying different things. I generally believe most folks.

[mwhuffman]

I agree that most people don't shoot their guns like many folks on this forum do. Lotsa guns that are purchased are an impulse buy and the fascination quickly wears off.

[McAllyn]

I just sold a 686+ with a round count of exactly 80. I traded off a Beretta Cougar 8000D with a round count of exactly 300. I know this because I bought both of them new and I pulled the trigger every time they were fired. In both cases, after shooting them, I found that I either did not care for them, or they didn't suit me.

Unfortunately, I've never heard of returns in the gun world, so we take our chances with every purchase.

However, I have other guns with round counts well over 10,000. I buy guns to shoot, so when I find something that does suit me, I shoot it till the wheels fall off.

Mac

[Rightwinger]

The guns I sell are the ones which I don't shoot... honestly, if I'm shooting a gun alot that means I like it enough to keep it.

Exactly what I was going to say. My Rock River has thousands, the XD9 my wife bought last year and that I have carried some has less than 200.

The ones I love will have higher round counts but won't be going anywhere so you don't see anything but the ones I'm moving on.

[Alpha7]

All guns have been fired. So to say a gun is NIB and never fired is mis leading when in fact it was fired at least once usually around close to ten rounds to make sure it is functioning properly.

[Alpha7]

I wouldn't be supprised if 35 to 40 % of the firearms sold in the US (used) are never fired.

Incorrect,

Nearly 100% of all NIB guns are fired at the factory to insure they are working before they are shipped out. So to sit there and say they have "never" been fired is misleading.

[Guest Orionsic]

Interesting.

Thanks for the input.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Orionsic

[Volzfan]

I wouldn't be surprised if 35 to 40 % of the firearms sold in the US (used) are never fired.

All guns have been fired. So to say a gun is NIB and never fired is mis leading when in fact it was fired at least once usually around close to ten rounds to make sure it is functioning properly.

I would agree with lowbud but his statement should have read, "I wouldn't be surprised if 35 to 40 % of the firearms sold in the US (used) are never fired by the seller."

I don't think that his statement was referring to the manufacturer.

[Guest bkelm18]

Incorrect,

Nearly 100% of all NIB guns are fired at the factory to insure they are working before they are shipped out. So to sit there and say they have "never" been fired is misleading.

Come on , if someone says NIB never fired, you know what they mean.