Would you buy a gun unseen (at a cheap price)?

[edbear2]

I know it's a strange thing to ask, but this has happened to me recently......from the description it sounds like a complete standard with sights etc........condition is supposed to be "good", but as we know that can mean anything

Will be picking up tomorrow, so will see if I have wasted my beer tokens.....at under £75 I can't see that I can lose out, as even if fit only for spares it will be worth it assuming it IS complete.........no-one could wreck EVERY part of a gun could they??????????

[Prewar]

....er...yes

[edbear2]

....er...yes

Scott.......Don't be a pessimist.........It will still be nestling in it's original box, untouched since 1934, except for a monthly loving wipe with a oily lint free cloth, and a couple of drops in the chamber every six months.....the rest of the box will be full of unopened Black Boy, Whitton, and BSA pellet boxes, with just enough room for a handful of BSA brochures, a couple of instruction books, and a couple of bell targets..we will see who's laughing then!!!


















ME........as they cart me off to the funny farm for my "over active" imagination..(according to the missus)

[Gareth W-B]

Yep. before pix were common place on the BBS, I bought about 30 blind, and only two of these were disappointing, yet even those two scrubbed up good with a little know-how and tlc . Atb: G.

[mowerman]

It will still be nestling in it's original box, untouched since 1934, except for a monthly loving wipe with a oily lint free cloth, and a couple of drops in the chamber every six months.....the rest of the box will be full of unopened Black Boy, Whitton, and BSA pellet boxes, with just enough room for a handful of BSA brochures, a couple of instruction books, and a couple of bell targets..we will see who's laughing then!

Eddie, you forgot to mention the little No3 stamped into the barrel by the loading port!!
Now that would be something........

Paul.

[jmsniper]

yes ive done it before,and would do it again

[Andrew Richards]

Ive bought a BSA Lightning (described as in very good condition)of here with photos and it was an absolute dog,the blueing was painted over in black paint and the stock was varnished over and yet the photos looked fine

[edbear2]

Went to get it today........not a bad deal really, the stock has had some "surgery"........But the metalwork looked pretty unmolested, with the look of being somewhere damp for a while.....patches/spots of surface rust everwhere.

Loading tap leak down checked by cocking (good spring/quiet operation), closing the tap, and releasing the arm, was outstanding.......better than many I have!, So back home, off with the back, to check for nasty's (holes in the piston etc.)...all looked very nice,if a bit neglected inside, barrel was dirty, but not too bad.....Chrono'd it and blimey

With no evidence of dieseling.....628 fps with old Webley Specials = 11.83, ......588fps with FTT 5.54's.........11.95 .....Plus...It's consistent

Can't understand why......the spring is not over -powerful , cocking effort is normal........Must just be a collection of well matched,well run in, and not messed with parts........a going over with a plusgas/parker gun oil mix and fine wool removed the worst of the rust patches, and there is actually a bit of blue in the usual places

So......all in all quite happy, especially as it was from a gun shop!!........the guy said the phone had been ringing a lot since he placed the ad (I paid by card from his description over the phone...100% honest and accurate ) .....I don't know if he was worried that they had priced it way too low, so tried to re-assure him that it although it WAS a bit on the cheap side.... It was hardly the bargain of the century due to condition, and he hadn't lose his retirement fund

Moral.........he who phones first etc. etc......

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3122848...7622640160750/

[Binners]

Buy a gun unseen........ never!!!

Unless it was a Webley Service being sold by a slightly overweight gentleman.....

[I. J.]

I bought a Falke model 70 off a first time poster. The deal went perfect.

ATB
Ian

[trevor1]

Most of my guns were bought unseen

[Phil Russell]

It would depend on price. We have done so, usually at auctions where we have telephone bid on basis of photographs. You can be lucky but can be unlucky. Even if you are at an auction you can be unlucky as you only get to see the exterior of the gun and maybe get a 'feel' for the workings by a cocking action that does not engage any sears or anti-bear trap.
We were at an auction once where a rifle went to a telephone bidder for what I thought was more than market price for a perfect gun ... this one had a visibly bent barrel, like a banana. This did not show in the pictures and I felt quite sorry for the buyer.
Cheers, Phil

[silva]

In the long run it pays to trust peoples verbal descriptions. I've had some really good stuff arrive, though I've also had to get the vacumn cleaner out to hoover up wormy rusty junk thats turned to dust in front of my eyes !

For some reason helpful pleasant people tend to send you good stuff and grumpy miserable people who can't be bothered to answer your reasonable questions tend you sell you junk.
Though for some reason if you are going to pick something up in person it can often be the other way round.

[Troubledshooter]

Buy a gun unseen........ never!!!

Unless it was a Webley Service being sold by a slightly overweight gentleman.....

Ooooh---------hark at Twiggy.