Carrying a gun you've never shot? WTF?

[One Shot One Kill]

And if it is previously-owned, you need to make sure that someone didn't unload a lemon on you.

In my experience, this is a true cautionary tale. I've sworn off the ingo classifieds because EVERY handgun (3) I've gotten off of ingo was a lemon I ended up unloading at the lgs after trying everything to get them to work. EVERY previous owner had no problems with it before I bought it, go figure...
Weirdly enough every used gun from my lgs has run fine. Not saying Ingo classies are all bad, but with my luck I have decided no more!

 

[nakinate]

In my experience, this is a true cautionary tale. I've sworn off the ingo classifieds because EVERY handgun (3) I've gotten off of ingo was a lemon I ended up unloading at the lgs after trying everything to get them to work. EVERY previous owner had no problems with it before I bought it, go figure...
Weirdly enough every used gun from my lgs has run fine. Not saying Ingo classies are all bad, but with my luck I have decided no more!

That's the luck of the draw I guess. Every gun I've purchased on INGO has been fine.

 

[Leo]

My carry snub nose gets 5 or 10 through it almost every month. This has been going on nearing 3 decades. I know how and where it hits. I hope to have it completely worn out before I die with never needing to defend myself. But I want to stay competent if that need ever arises.

 

[pudly]

In my experience, this is a true cautionary tale. I've sworn off the ingo classifieds because EVERY handgun (3) I've gotten off of ingo was a lemon I ended up unloading at the lgs after trying everything to get them to work. EVERY previous owner had no problems with it before I bought it, go figure...
Weirdly enough every used gun from my lgs has run fine. Not saying Ingo classies are all bad, but with my luck I have decided no more!

Sorry for your luck. My transactions have been 100% positive. Why didn't you leave a single bad rep? We could benefit from honest warnings.

 

[Snapdragon]

Sorry for your luck. My transactions have been 100% positive. Why didn't you leave a single bad rep? We could benefit from honest warnings.

This.

 

[sparkyfender]

I once carried a new HK for a week before I shot it.

It worked perfectly when I finally got the chance to wring it out. I wasn't surprised.

 

[WebHobbit]

Sorry for your luck. My transactions have been 100% positive. Why didn't you leave a single bad rep? We could benefit from honest warnings.

I was wondering the same

 

[chocktaw2]

A gun is like a women. I ran a couple k of hot loads thru the wife before I married her just to make sure everything was working the way it should! Same with a gun, got to use them.

 

[Amishman44]

I've been noticing a rather disturbing trend lately. I've seen several ads in the INGO handguns selling forum where people say stuff like "only 14 rounds fired...only carried for a few weeks" or "carried a bit but never shot".

W-T-F?????

I been carrying for over 25 years so I guess that either makes me OLD or OLD SCHOOL or maybe both. I've never had any formal training but I have read a LOT and shot a LOT. I got into guns before the web was a thing so I read THOUSANDS of gun magazines - American Handgunner and Combat Handguns were my favorites. Massad Ayoob is probably my favorite gun author. (incidentally I am reading his latest book now and highly recommend "Deadly Force: Understanding your right of Self-Defense" (2014) ) All these experts always stressed to TEST your carry gun with your carry ammo (as well as range ammo) for several things BEFORE you consider carrying a gun:

1) Is it reliable?

2) Is it reliable with your carry load?

3) Can you hit with it?

4) If it's an auto are ALL your magazines reliable?

The minimum amount of rounds fired before it's "good to go" is debatable and varies from expert to expert. If you are carrying a wheel-gun the answer is NOT MUCH. If you are carrying a semi-auto my personal standard is 200+ range ammo (ball) and at least 50 rounds of your carry ammo.

So I'm wondering are the new generation of gun people not getting the information they need? I guess I should have saved all those gun magazines!

I've questioned people as well...when they say they're carrying a gun they've never or barely shot...and they're counting on it for personal protection to be accurate, reliable, smooth, etc. How do you know unless you've shot a few hundred rounds through it?

Me, personally, I don't CC a pistol that I don't have a least 3-5x at the range with it and ran 500+ rounds through it! When I purchase a new pistol that 'may' be included in the EDC category (note: not all of my pistols or revolvers are in that category...some are just for hunting, plinking, target, etc.) I will first run 150 or so hard-ball rounds through it just to get the feel of the pistol. Then, I'll buy 4-5 different PD ammo that I've researched and am considering using in that particular pistol, and run 2-3 boxes of each through it to see how well each different manufacturer + bullet grain runs in the gun. After figuring out which one(s) run well, I will run an additional 100-150 (or so) of those rounds through it for consistency before that particular pistol gets bumped-up into the EDC category.

Fortunately, for me, the Bianchi Model #7, 3-slot, OWB holster fits and positions most pistols quite well for me (I have 5 of them for different pistols and revolvers...along with 2 Old World Leather 3-slot OWB holsters...boy do I wish they were still in business) so I have a 'go-to' holster I can usually buy and test as a primary EDC holster.

Comfort in buying a pistol is definitely a consideration as far as gun choice...as is caliber consideration. However, if you purchase a pistol that doesn't shoot well (is not as reliable...or, for some reason, you don't shoot it well) how're you going to know if you can trust it (or yourself with it) in a time of acute need?

My wife has a friend who CC'd Glocks for years...then one day she picked-up a Sig P-229...and fell in love with it! I suggested she buy it and put 300-500 rounds through it to see how well she really liked it! She ended up selling all 3 of her Glocks and buying 2 more Sig Sauer 9mm's...but I will say that she cut her target shooting groupings down by more than 1/2 by switching to the Sig Sauer pistol. For her, it was a good move! She followed a good pace...and made her decisions over a 6-month time period with 100-200 rounds per month down-range as she made the change-over.

I'm jealous as I'd love to have a Sig Sauer or two!

 

[One Shot One Kill]

Sorry for your luck. My transactions have been 100% positive. Why didn't you leave a single bad rep? We could benefit from honest warnings.

One was a member selling for a friend and I didn't wanna ruin his rating for a dishonest friend, and the others I was stupid enough to leave good feedback before trying the gun out first. If I ever try the classifieds again, I will not make the mistake of leaving feedback before trying the gun!

 

[Thor]

I've carried every weapon I ever bought without firing it. How else am I supposed to get it from the LGS to the range? Mail it?

 

[ru44mag]

I can give one recent example of my own. I few weeks ago I switched from the XDm platform to the S&W Shield. I like to have two identical carry guns so they can be rotated in and out of carry/practice. When one is being carried the other is the range gun, etc. It's part of my mild case of OCD I guess. I wont holster a dirty gun. But that's not the point of this story.

So I bought Shield #01 and ran 200 rounds of 9mm ball through it. No issues (other than my own learning curve with accuracy coming from a larger/heavier gun in the same caliber). I then ran 50 rounds of HST through it. Again no mechanical problems whatsoever. So I then bought Shield #02 (both guns were purchased NEW). I took it out to Redbrush Rifle Range for the same test and 3 rounds in the slide locks back as if the magazine is EMPTY. I'm all W-T-F!?! So I struggle for several minutes and finally get the slide released...2-3 rounds later same thing happens again! So I switch out magazines and ammo and every other thing I can think of.....added more lube....examined all parts..etc. The gun simply will not fire more than 3 rounds before it locks the slide back for NO APPARENT REASON. I contacted S&W and sent it right back to the factory ASAP. It's been there a couple of weeks now. No word on what the issue was or when it will be fixed.

So this was a Smith & Wesson Shield -one of the hottest selling guns of the last 5-6 years. It is widely respected and regarded by most knowledgeable gun people. My point is if one had bought, loaded and started carrying Shield#02 with no testing and a defensive situation was to occur requiring more than 3 rounds.....you would have been in deep dark trouble!

I had a similar experience with the Shield. I shot a friend's 9mm Shield and fell in love with it. Trigger was awesome. 100% reliable. And accuracy was outstanding!! So I bought one. My trigger sucked. My groups 8 to 10 inches instead of under 3. It was unreliable, and would not always go into full battery. I traded it.

I have friends that have been getting into shooting and one of them was carrying his XD before shooting it. I kept after him until he finally brought it out and we tested it. I really liked it, but it did have some issues not going into full battery every time. I'm sure once broke in that issue would go away, but the point is, he was carrying it before he ever shot it, or broke it in.

 

[King31]

This boggles my mind as well! When I acquire a new gun to me, used or NIB, the first thing I can't wait to do is quite simply, SHOOT it. I don't carry much, but you better believe when I do, the gun I am carrying has several hundred rounds down the pipe. The whole reason behind purchasing a firearm is so I can enjoy the shooting aspect. Some shoot great while others need minor adjustments. Either way, to figure that out you have to pull the trigger a few times and I definitely do not want to find those problems out when I'm in a hostile situation.

 

[Sniper 79]

I am with the OP on this one. When I get my hands on a gun it gets some serious range time before it goes on duty. If it has any problems at all it goes on down the road to someone else. If I cant trust my life its gone.

On a second note that relates to this topic. I have seen plenty of ding dong people in gun shops before opening day of deer season buying long guns to hunt the next morning. Same principal applies here I believe. Blew my mind that someone would take an unknown firearm into the woods to hunt with.

Then again nothing really shocks me anymore. People are people.

 

[Leo]

I once carried a new HK for a week before I shot it.

It worked perfectly when I finally got the chance to wring it out. I wasn't surprised.

I am glad it worked out fine. The whole thing that some brands are flawless might leave you in trouble. I bought a brand new H&K Red Lion semi auto in 12 gauge. It fired exactly one shot. I looked it over and it got sent back to H&K. Months later it came back "repaired" with a note that it is designed for "premium Shells only". OK, I'll play, I bought Remington Nitros, Federal Gold Medals, and Winchester AA, full three dram loads. I also bought 3-1/4 dram loads, high brass hunting style. It would not function on any of them either. Send it back again. Several more months and it didn't show up, the dealer allowed me to trade it back, even though he didn't physically have it in his possession. (good dealer) Nearly a year later I talked to the dealer and the guy he sold it to used is having trouble, but seems to get it working sometimes. You cannot always think that spending premium money guarantees you will not have a problem.

It is a good thing I still had my 1100 and 391 Beretta.

 

[Amishman44]

Sorry for your luck. My transactions have been 100% positive. Why didn't you leave a single bad rep? We could benefit from honest warnings.

To date, and after several dealings with INGO people...no negative issues to report whatsoever.

 

[halfmileharry]

When it's a Glock you know it's gonna work, no need to waste ammo before carrying it.

My glock didn't work out of the box. I stopped out at Parabellum one day and decided to run a few rounds through it. The trigger wouldn't reset.
Luckily NHT3 (aka Charlie) was working and did some magic grease stuff to it. ...
NEVER depend on a gun you've never fired to save your life. Chances are it's going to work but I don't like living by chance. Odds? Yea I know. yadda yadda yadda.

 

[Small's]

No worse than the redneck deer hunters who arent guns guys and go out and buy a gun then throw on a scope, bore sight it and think they are good to go and wonder why they shot bambie in the leg instead of the heart or lungs. Seem it way to many times. That or they just go out and buy random different ammo they have never shot and load up.. GTG!

 

[ru44mag]

No worse than the redneck deer hunters who arent guns guys and go out and buy a gun then throw on a scope, bore sight it and think they are good to go and wonder why they shot bambie in the leg instead of the heart or lungs. Seem it way to many times. That or they just go out and buy random different ammo they have never shot and load up.. GTG!

I got a better one. I met a guy once that was going bow hunting. He had not shot his bow in a year, and had not even scouted the area he was about to hunt in.

 

[Captain Bligh]

I have a business associate who has a permit and carries. I invited him to the range once. He said he never goes to the range because he shot his gun when he first got it and knows it works.