what to check for on second hand guns

daithi55

hi ive decided to start this thread so we can all put our knowledge together on what to look for when buying secondhand shotguns rifles etc
as you never no what your buying wether private or from a dealer

some of the things i look for are

obvious signs of neglect lack of oiling dirt scratches cracks etc

check for cracks on timber work specially where you grip a shotgun behind the trigger(lighty move stock forward and back and left and right).. and the butt can crack from been slammed on the ground

check for wear.. take of the front grip of the shotgun make sure theres a good spring on the release catch it shouldnt have very little play in it

lihtly shake gun side to side while holding it to your shoulder you will feel or hear any play in the gun also pull barrel forward and back for signs of wear

lighty tap the barrel off a table use a cloth or light jacket to tap it off
it should feel solid any echoy noise could mean a loose rib on the barrel

if possible test fire the gun if not possible bring snap caps and dry fire the gun to see alls working well

check all chokes are present and threads are fine
ejectors function correctly

spray oil or wd40 ob barrel inside and out and wipe with tissue paper
rust will show in a brown reddish colour
when barrel is clean look down it to make sure theres no pitting dints etc

as for rifles

check for obvious damage like mentioned above
check magazine make sure spring isnt weak
check the rifling in barrel is clear and clean
use guages if possible
nothing to say the rifle is in mint looking condition but the owner arrives to the midland range every weekend with 100 rounds of ammo and his rifle in a gun case
open close the bolt check for play wear in certain spots check locking shoulder arent excessively worn
if ya no what your doing rotate the bolt in your hand to the fired position and check the head of the firing pin for wear function test the rifle
make sure safety work on and off
or certain make allow the safety to be moved into the middle.. this allows you to open the bolt and remove a chambered round without the weapon been able to be fired
google model before purchasing random issues might be online about it
go to the manufactures website pre check the specs
is it a floating barrel bedded by the manufacturer and not some gangster are there pillars in the stock etc

check threads if its been threaded for mod check threads for bases that there not damaged
check the scope for damage dints wear check glass for scratches
check focus zoom etc function

anyone else with tips stick them up

centre

warranty from dealer on 2nd hand guns

Boiled-egg

Check it's un loaded !!!

J.R.

Good Thread

on an o/u i'd check the opening lever........guns with not too many shots fired will not return to centre when closed.it will be slightly to the right. AS the gun fires lots of shots the lever will return to centre.

I'd always pull a rag or mop through the barrels of a shotguns barrels. They may look spotless with no imperfections but I'd still do this. If a barrel is pitted & the owner sprays oil in and swirls it around the barrel and then lets it drain out it it will make the barrel look perfect...always clean it out.

When buying a semi-auto, ask for permission to remove the forearm and check the recoil mechanism and gas system. These should be clean and well maintained. Poor maintenance of the gas system could lead to rust corrosion and recycling problems.

Excess oil can drain from metal parts down the shotgun and seep into the wooden stock, causing the wood to swell and weaken. This, in turn, can lead to the finish cracking, flaking off and eventually chipping. A darkening of the wood where the wood meets metal is a sure sign of such oil absorption, indicating that the stock may need to be replaced.

Scrutinize screw slots for signs of burring or the hideous mangling characteristic of amateur gunsmiths using ill-fitting screwdrivers. Confirmation of such should immediately ring alarm bells. Mangled screw heads mean that at some time, for whatever reason, an amateur decided to take the shotgun apart.

Look carefully down the outer length of each barrel to see that it looks straight and there are no subtle bulges or dents. Never buy any shotgun if you suspect that the barrel has been bulged, no matter how slightly.

If you’re a wildfowler or fox shooter check that the barrels are proofed for the cartridges you intend to use. Wildfowlers often use heavier loads which all guns may not be proofed to. Not all guns can fire magnum shells.

On side/side and over/under shotguns the barrels should open smoothly downwards with some slight resistance. If the barrels just fall down when opened then this could indicate a lot of wear.

Side/side and over/under shotguns should cock when the gun is opened and the barrels are lowered. Some have automatic safeties that move to the safe position when the action is opened, usually game guns and others do not – the safety does not return to safe until done so by the shooter, usually ‘sporters’ for clay shooting. Either type is satisfactory but one should be aware of how the safety operates.

When purchasing a pump action or semi-auto cycle the repeater with snap caps to confirm that it operates efficiently and correctly. Ensure that the bolt is tight and free of any looseness when closed and cocked. Check that the safety catch works correctly--the gun should not fire with the safety on, and should fire with it off. This is true of all types of shotguns.

daithi55

Boiled-egg wrote: »

Check it's un loaded !!!

well i hope people have the common sense to do that
shouldnt have to be mentioning it

Double Barrel

Some of this information is going to be redundant, but you are going to get anyway.
I am partial to side by side guns with double triggers and there are many a good deal to be had in this configuration, just takes some looking. I am patient and in no rush but that is not everyone.
So much of the following is for double barrel guns.
1. Buy from an established name.
All used guns have histories, but to make sure yours doesn't have issues seek out purveyors and reputable - sellers.
2. Check for flaws.
Look [inside of the barrels] for pitting, dents and bulges. These are dealbreakers.

Looking for a good used double can be an interesting learning experience. One needs to be wary. Any time you encounter a double you might wish to buy, give it a good going over.
Ask the owner to disassemble it. Hold the barrels by the lumps, the projections below the barrel at the breech end and then flick both barrels with a finger. They should ring like a church bell. If they sound like a dull thump, something is loose, and you are asking trouble. Thank the owner and MOVE on.
If they ring nicely, attach the barrels to the action, then holding the barrels lightly bump the stock with your fist, do they feel loose, do they vibrate in your hand?
Wiggle the action while holding the barrels, is there any side-to-side or up and down play? Reverse your hold and do the same while holding the stock. If everything seems tight, then run your hands carefully along both barrels, you are feeling for any dents or bulges. Sometimes feeling a pair of barrels is even more revealing than looking through and at them.

Finally, remove that barrels from the action and look carefully at the proof marks, usually on the action flats / watertable, and somewhere there should be reflected the length of the chambers. Older British-made guns will be marked in inches, but more recently proofed shotguns and continental guns will be in millimetres. Those marked 50-mm have 2-inch chambers, 65-mm 2 1/2-inch and 70-mm is the standard 2 3/4-inch and 75/76-mm 3-inch. Most who deal in double guns will have chamber-length gauges, a barrel thickness gauge and a bore micrometer, and should willingly use them to verify the gun's chokes, barrels and chamber lengths. And do not assume a gun is automatically chambered for 2 3/4-inch shells. There are numerous 12s around chambered for 2 5/8-inch ammo, likewise the 16 bore and some 20 gauge's chambered for 1 1/2-inch cartridges.


A few other considerations.

If we take into account the advances in modern cartridges most 12-bores are over-choked in their first barrel in my opinion. My preference is quarter/ improved and three-quarters for an all around gun.

Barrel length is important. While doubles with 26-inch and shorter barrels might seem good in a gun shop, they are difficult to shoot well. Twenty-eight- and 30-inch barrels are just about perfect for any double and 28-in barrels remain an excellent general-purpose length: long enough to be controllable, short enough to swing well. Short barrels are easy to start swinging, but equally easy to stop.

The old adage still applies:If the deal is to good to be true it probably is. Move on.

Take your time and ask questions.

Boiled-egg

Daithi I didn't want to sound cheeky with the check it's unloaded comment, but the amount of people I have seen in my local RFD's waiving firearms around without opening the bolt or breaking the action first is just crazy.
It sounds obvious to us as experienced shooters but unfortunately it's not to everyone.
By the way forgot to say good idea for a thread.

daithi55

Boiled-egg wrote: »

Daithi I didn't want to sound cheeky with the check it's unloaded comment, but the amount of people I have seen in my local RFD's waiving firearms around without opening the bolt or breaking the action first is just crazy.
It sounds obvious to us as experienced shooters but unfortunately it's not to everyone.
By the way forgot to say good idea for a thread.

i no ya werent mate didn mean to come across annoyed

Double Barrel

Double Barrel wrote: »

And do not assume a gun is automatically chambered for 2 3/4-inch shells. There are numerous 12s around chambered for 2 5/8-inch ammo, likewise the 16 bore and some 20 gauge's chambered for 1 1/2-inch cartridges.

It should read.
And do not assume a gun is automatically chambered for 2 3/4-inch shells.There are numerous 12s around chambered for 2 5/8-inch ammo, likewise the 16 bore and some 20 gauge's chambered for 2 1/2 and 2 9/16" 16 Ga, and 2 1/2" 20 Ga cartridges.

Sika98k

Double Barrel wrote: »

It should read.
And do not assume a gun is automatically chambered for 2 3/4-inch shells.There are numerous 12s around chambered for 2 5/8-inch ammo, likewise the 16 bore and some 20 gauge's chambered for 2 1/2 and 2 9/16" 16 Ga, and 2 1/2" 20 Ga cartridges.

Glad you corrected that one but 2 5/8-inch ammo ? And 2 9/16. I,ve been around guns a good while and have never encountered those size chambers.
Are they oddball American sizes ? 67mm I,ve seen ammo thereof.

Double Barrel

Sika98k


Many pre WW 2, English and European 12 gauge guns are chambered for 65-mm or 2 9/16" and 2 5/8" cartridges. If my memory is still good I believe the Winchester 1897 was also chambered for 2 9/16" and 2 5/8" cartridges.

BTW Have you ever seen or heard of a 2 inch chambered 12 bore, they are very light 5 1/4 lb. game guns.

Most old English 10-bores are chambered for 2 inch cartridges. I have a 1876 Dickson 10 bore with 2-5/8 chambers. From 1900 to 1920 the 10 bore was chambered in 2-7/8", 3" & 3-1/2", and from the 1920's to the mid 30's - 3" and currently 3-1/2".

From 1900 to 1920's - 12 gauge was chambered in 2", 2-1/2", 2-5/8", 2-3/4" & 3" and from the 1920's to the mid 30's, 2-3/4", 3" and now 3-1/2".

From 1900 to 1920's - 16 gauge was chambered in 2-9/16", 2-3/4", and from the 1920's to the mid 30's, 2-3/4.

From 1900 to 1920's -20 gauge was chambered in .2-1/2", 2-9/16", 2-3/4", 3", and from the 1920's to the mid 30's 2-3/4", 3" ,and currently 3".

Never say never in the gun business.
A Russian MTs-255. :cool::cool:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTs-255

Click on the Colt revolving carbine link.

Hibrion

That's an interesting looking shotgun. Sad to think that if oen of us were to license a one now, we would need a restricted cert or to (God forbid) plug some of the chambers :O

Gonzor

Sorry I didnt read the rest of the thread so hope this wasnt mentioned already.

My first ever shotgun was second hand and seemed to be in perfect condition until I discovered months later that if it was loaded and the safety was on and the gun got any kind of tap on the butt it would shoot :eek: :eek: :mad:

And what made it all the more dangerous was that the first 3 or 4 times it happened I convinced myself that I must have tipped the trigger. I absolutely DREAD to thinking about all the "what ifs" from thinking about that blasted gun :mad: