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I never saw any issue of Backpage. It may have been available in Reno, but not in the tiny town where I live. I've never bought a gun from another citizen. I always figger-out what I want, then go look for it and buy it new. I have bought one from a pawnshop. It was in really nice condition and at a good price, so I melted and paid the money. I would suspect that when you buy privately, you have no recourse if the thing has problems. You bought it, you own it and it's up to you to pay the 'smith to have it fixed. I'd have to ask why the seller wants to unload it. A good gun is always worth keeping, no matter how infrequently it's fired. Maybe that $200 stainless Kimber has expensive problems?
 
I did a lot of transactions, and the only one i ever got stiffed on was a watch, if you can believe it. I happened to encounter a bunch of reputable people and have bought every kind of boom stick, and every one worked, and in some cases have actually appreciated in value. I modified some and also sold some at a profit, so it goes both ways. I've also turned down purchases and/or sales with people who just "didnt seem right"!

I was just thinking about it the other day, I havent bought anything but parts on line, but not from individuals, rather a few on line merchants. I really do miss Backpage.

Funny, I'm a bit skittish about pawn shops, but not private parties!
 
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I've also turned-down purchases and/or sales with people who just "didn't seem right!"

I'm a bit skittish about pawn shops, but not private parties!
Always a good idea to nix a sale to someone who just turns you off in how he acts, speaks, dresses, smells (like marijuana, maybe) or just generally looks (like Charles Manson, maybe). You have to protect yourself if the buyer turns-out to be someone who should not have had a gun. Even if all you did was sell him a gun in good faith, it puts you into the case if the law ever gets involved because the gun was recovered after some sort of crime was committed with it. The survivors of the victim will certainly sue you just because you were the source for the firearm he used in the crime. Makes no difference to their lawyers that you did not know the buyer was out on parole for domestic violence with the subsequent murder of his ex-wife.

Pawn shops are fine-- if it's a honest shop. You have a recourse if there is a problem-- if it's an honest shop. Most are honest; they have to be because a dishonest shop will very quickly earn a bad reputation and will very quickly go out of business. My pawnshop says no refunds; just store credit for a later purchase. That's fine with me. I may see something there in a month or two that I want, and I've already paid for some of its cost. What's not to like?
 
I never saw any issue of Backpage. It may have been available in Reno, but not in the tiny town where I live. I've never bought a gun from another citizen. I always figger-out what I want, then go look for it and buy it new. I have bought one from a pawnshop. It was in really nice condition and at a good price, so I melted and paid the money. I would suspect that when you buy privately, you have no recourse if the thing has problems. You bought it, you own it and it's up to you to pay the 'smith to have it fixed. I'd have to ask why the seller wants to unload it. A good gun is always worth keeping, no matter how infrequently it's fired. Maybe that $200 stainless Kimber has expensive problems?


I find it amusing that you think broken guns are sold for less money--Many of the private sale guns I have bought were already broken when I bought them and I had to pay full price to get them. They certainly have helped me learn more about gunsmithing tho, as I simply repaired most myself. Some like the Wildey in .475 Wildey Magnum, I sent back to the factory for repair

Some guns such as Taurus have a lifetime warranty and the factory will repair them at no charge, if you send them in
 

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