That German auction site

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks. I'm beginning to understand now.

I won't make the same mistake again.

Thanks to you both for your help.

[aimless]

Arthur, my story about Mr. A and Mr. B is only the truth, if Mr. B is NOT a friend of the seller.

If the seller can not fix a minimum price (possible at , not possible at egun, and can not be seen by the potential bidder) of the article, you just beg a friend to bid on the item the amount, you wish to achieve as seller. In this case he ( Mr. B) might have bid 599,-. So the winner "lost" 100,- but is maybe still satisfied with the article.


If Mr. B wins the auction, he (the seller as his accomplice) has to pay the fees at /egun.

[aimless]

Arthur, my story about Mr. A and Mr. B is only the truth, if Mr. B is NOT a friend of the seller.

If the seller can not fix a minimum price (possible at e**y , not possible at egun, and can not be seen by the potential bidder) of the article, you just beg a friend to bid on the item the amount, you wish to achieve as seller. In this case he ( Mr. B) might have bid 599,-. So the winner "lost" 100,- but is maybe still satisfied with the article.


If Mr. B wins the auction, he (the seller as his accomplice) has to pay the fees at /egun.

PS: why can i write egun and NOT e**y??????????????

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks a lot Aimless. You should refer to that site as "the one that cannot be mentioned" and people will know what you mean. Because eGun de has different letter combinations it is not deleted.

Looking at the German Dhd site you introduced me to, I have found a very nice Feinwerkbau 80 and have emailed the seller. I think he may be a dealer. However he has replied to me and seems fine.

Tomorrow I will send him my address and a photocopy of my passport. I will pay by bank transfer or credit card, as he wishes.

I wanted a 65 but this 80 looks to be in very nice condition, and the price along with postage is a little less than I bid for the 65 on eGun.

Once again thanks for introducing me to the Dhd.

[Mark D]

Just a note of caution, all the FWB spring match pistols need to have good seals,worth asking what colour they are and what it is doing over a chrono. Being a Mod 80 does it have the 3 barrel weights with it?

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I did ask the man about the state of the seals, and he says the gun is fully functional and shooting well. I can only take him at his word.

Yes the three weights are included, as is the little briefcase it originally came in.

Cosmetically it appears to be in very good condition.

[Stuart_B]

Two things to be careful of with egun is firstly not everyone who advertises uk delivery delivers to the UK. Check before you bid.

Secondly check the payment options as some only accept cash, so again ask in advance is they will take bank transfer.

Oh and remember its an online auction site where you are sending your money overseas to a complete stranger with no protection what-so-ever. Be sensible and its no worse than evil bay.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks Stuart.

However, I haven't used eGun for this purchase.

I have used a German site where guns are for sale at a fixed price, not for auction.

I have already exchanged emails with the seller and received his bank account details for transfer. He is charging 25 euros for shipping.

Of course I may get burned, but it's a risk I have decided to take. He has responded promptly to my questions and sent me detailed pictures of the gun. If the gun needs new seals and a service in a month or two, I am prepared to pay for it. As I say the cosmetic condition is very good. That might be an indication that it has had little use.

The price was sensible in my opinion.

I cannot say that about the prices charged by some UK retailers of old German match weapons. I know they have overheads and have to source the products, but they usually charge more than I can afford to pay.

The market for these guns is much bigger in Germany than in the UK.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Just thought you would like to know.

My FWB 80 was posted from Germany last Wednesday and arrived this morning.

It was exactly as described (in superb condition) and the man who sold it to me was a gentleman.

It is in beautiful condition externally, as are the case and accessories, although I haven't cocked yet, as I don't have any match pellets, so I don't know what the internals look like. If it needs servicing and new seals I will be happy to pay for that. It is a thing of beauty, almost too good to shoot.

Looking at it and holding it made me want to sell all my sporter airguns and scopes and spend the money on German match weapons from the golden age of airguns.

I would like to thank Aimless for introducing me to the site I found it on.

Even though the consequence will be a drain on my resources, I am about to become a collector of German match airguns.

[air-tech]

That's good news indeed.

Unfortunately a word of warning.

Not all people are honest, not even those vendors that have been on Egun for yonks.

Watch out for certain dealers, particularly.

The telltale signs are usually a gun that is photographed from interesting angles, which you may mistake for arty photography - and a low buy it now price.

I have had two issues from the same dealer in the same manner. The first time I thought it was a fluke and indeed the damage was not easily visible, the second, the fancy photography gave the impression that the gun was a near minter when it was rusty and someone had taken a rasp to the stock at the trigger guard area, conveniently excluded from any photography.

A private seller also claimed that the buttpad photographed with and forming part of a stock I bought must have "fallen out" of the box while in transit. Must have unscrewed itself, too.

I'd recommend never rushing for the buy it nows unless you feel good about the deal and are prepared to risk it, and ask for as many additional photos are you think you need. What you don't see, especially if you don't get a response to your request, assume the worst and hope for the best.

[Garvin]

That's good news indeed.

Unfortunately a word of warning.

Not all people are honest, not even those vendors that have been on Egun for yonks.

Watch out for certain dealers, particularly.

The telltale signs are usually a gun that is photographed from interesting angles, which you may mistake for arty photography - and a low buy it now price.

I have had two issues from the same dealer in the same manner. The first time I thought it was a fluke and indeed the damage was not easily visible, the second, the fancy photography gave the impression that the gun was a near minter when it was rusty and someone had taken a rasp to the stock at the trigger guard area, conveniently excluded from any photography.

A private seller also claimed that the buttpad photographed with and forming part of a stock I bought must have "fallen out" of the box while in transit. Must have unscrewed itself, too.

I'd recommend never rushing for the buy it nows unless you feel good about the deal and are prepared to risk it, and ask for as many additional photos are you think you need. What you don't see, especially if you don't get a response to your request, assume the worst and hope for the best.

All excellent advice. I've been very fortunate over the last decade on eGun, just dealing with a single rogue seller, who turned out to be a soldier in the German infantry. A letter to the local chief of police (with the generous help and advice of the BBS's Mik B) produced the missing air rifle, after his commanding officer was warned that criminal proceedings had started!

The point above about the pics on eGun is correct. They are often awful, mainly I think innocently, but I'm sure there are dodgy dealers among the legions of honest folk.

Bad pics can very occasionally work to your advantage, though, in disguising something valuable. I once bought a beautiful, near flawless Feinwerkbau 300T for about £50 because the one dark pic showed part of the right side only, with just a hint of the reverse curve of a Tyrolean cheekpiece - enough for me to be fairly confident of what it was, but fortunately not enough to tip off other bidders.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks for the advice gents, which I will always keep in mind.

Just because I was lucky this time, I won't become complacent.

Unless you know something about photography and have decent equipment (neither in my case), I find it is very difficult to take good photos of guns.

And it's true that even good photos can tell lies.