Sell Defective Firearm?

[BE Mike]

I recently bought a used 1911 on Gunbroker. The folks who I bought it from have an excellent rating. The pistol wasn't a great deal, but looked good. I took the pistol out to the range and it went full auto on me. Now I feel the only option is to replace the hammer and sear, making this (with shipping and transfer fees) not a very good deal. I let the dealer who sold me the pistol know about the problem. It looks like they aren't going to do anything about it. I've only bought one other used gun that had a safety issue, a S&W revolver that had had the hammer block removed. It was a good deal and getting and installing a hammer block wasn't that expensive, but this deal is going to cost me over $100. I won't sell a gun unless it is good operating condition, but I know that a lot of people will dump a problematic gun onto an unwary buyer. I was just curious how people on this list feel about it. I know, some of you are going to say, buyer beware, and that's certainly true. If you'd like, you can vote on in the poll.

 

[snorko]

I have knowingly sold guns with issues with full disclosure. However, never with a defect that was a significant safety or legal issue.

 

[223 Gunner]

I have knowingly sold guns with issues with full disclosure. However, never with a defect that was a significant safety or legal issue.

^^THIS^^ I at one time, owned a Bushmaster 9mm carbine that I just couldn't get it sighted in without the rear sight being adjusted all the way to the right.
After some research, I found that it is not all that uncommon for large mfg.'s of AR's to have "indexing issues". The barrel needed to be re-indexed, which meant a trip back to Bushmaster. I didn't want to fool with it, gave a good friend a deal on it, to make it worth his while to ship it back to Bushmaster. He did, and Bushmaster much to their credit, paid shipping both ways and fixed it. He still has it to this day and on occasion I still get to shoot it.

 

[Libertarian01]

To All,

I once sold a C&R rifle to a buddy of mine that had a significant bolt issue.

The gun wasn't worth taking to a gunsmith. My friend was very mechanically inclined and enjoyed problem solving! So I let him have it for $50 and threw in about 100 rounds of ammo for the 8x56R.

It was a win-win for both of us. I got some money to throw toward another rifle of the same make & model and he had fun trying to figure out the problem and fix it.

I would never knowingly sell anything - not just a firearm - without full disclosure! It would be unethical and cause my reputation much more damage than a short term monetary gain would benefit me.

Reputation remains while money comes and goes.

Regards,

Doug

 

[MCgrease08]

I would not knowingly sell a gun with issues without at least sending it back to the manufacturer and trying to get them corrected first.

Even if it came back with the problems fully resolved I would disclose that it had issues and they were addressed.

I guess if I was super hard up for cash and need to make a deal quickly, I would explain what the problems were and see if the buyer was still interested. They could either send it back or take it to a gunsmith.

It's not worth trying to be sneaky.

 

[BE Mike]

This brings up another point. Should a retailer do safety checks on used firearms before offering them for sale? The only thing noticeable about the one I recently purchased is that the trigger pull was very light. It wasn't apparent that it would go full auto until a trip to the range. My thinking is that a retailer has a responsibility to check over a used firearm for obvious flaws, especially ones involving safety. I'm not so sure that the retailer was aware of this problem, so I'll just eat the cost of repair. At least this one is fixable.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I once traded a revolver with a bent crane. The factory warranty was covering it but at the time it was my only handgun. Not trading with the shop would have left me without a carry gun for a month. The shop was aware and sent it in for the repairs.

 

[Slawburger]

If the seller discloses any known issues then the buyer can factor repair costs into his decision and the seller can walk away with their conscience clean.

If the buyer has more time than money that is sometimes the best way to buy something.

 

[BE Mike]

I suppose the reason that this came to mind, besides my buying a defective pistol on the internet, is because a few days ago I was in a small gunshop and a fellow came in as I was talking to the owner about local gunsmiths. He loudly interjected into the conversation. He then went on about how he took a gun in to a gunsmith for repair and when the gunsmith said that he couldn't repair the gun (a Squires Bingham) that he sold it to an unsuspecting fellow.

 

[BE Mike]

To All,

I once sold a C&R rifle to a buddy of mine that had a significant bolt issue.

The gun wasn't worth taking to a gunsmith. My friend was very mechanically inclined and enjoyed problem solving! So I let him have it for $50 and threw in about 100 rounds of ammo for the 8x56R.

It was a win-win for both of us. I got some money to throw toward another rifle of the same make & model and he had fun trying to figure out the problem and fix it.

I would never knowingly sell anything - not just a firearm - without full disclosure! It would be unethical and cause my reputation much more damage than a short term monetary gain would benefit me.

Reputation remains while money comes and goes.

Regards,

Doug

Very old school...I like it!

 

[hooky]

I misread the last option and mistakingly chose it.

I've never sold a gun with a known defect, but would disclose it to the buyer if I ever did attempt to sell one. If it was an issue that was safety related, the gun would go back to the manufacturer and not see the light of day unless it was fixed anyway.

 

[throttletony]

If the seller discloses any known issues then the buyer can factor repair costs into his decision and the seller can walk away with their conscience clean.

If the buyer has more time than money that is sometimes the best way to buy something.

good point

 

[sharkey]

I have and probably will again. For a private sale, ONLY to someone who I know is not only fully aware and fully capable of understanding what issues there are and may be, but who is also competent to deal with them

 

[88E30M50]

It depends on the issue. If the issue is minor or not safety related, I would sell with full disclosure, but if the issue is safety related, I'm not selling to your average gun guy. If a safety related issue is correctable and if I could not afford to correct it, I would consider selling to a gunsmith if they thought they could correct it. But, more likely than not, if I had a gun with a safety issue that I could not afford to correct, it might be sold as parts only with the known bad parts going into the dust bin.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

It depends on the issue. If the issue is minor or not safety related, I would sell with full disclosure, but if the issue is safety related, I'm not selling to your average gun guy. If a safety related issue is correctable and if I could not afford to correct it, I would consider selling to a gunsmith if they thought they could correct it. But, more likely than not, if I had a gun with a safety issue that I could not afford to correct, it might be sold as parts only with the known bad parts going into the dust bin.

 

[Bennettjh]

I've never sold a gun with known issues. Couldn't live with myself.

 

[ModernGunner]

I've sold very, very few guns that I've owned, and ONLY to someone I know (thus, know their background and character) 'intimately', never one with a problem. However, IF it had a problem, I would likely have it fixed and tested before the sale.

Same with buying. Therefore, never had an issue.

 

[.452browning]

I've never sold a gun with issues. I'd either fix or fully disclose and make sure they understand beforehand. Closest I've ever been was when I almost sold my Mossberg 702 plinkster to an INGO member. I took it out the day before and it malfunctioned every other round. I called and explained to buyer I couldn't comfortably sell it in this condition. He understood and was pleased I informed him.

Come to find out somehow the main spring got bent. I replaced it for a few bucks and it runs fine now. Still have the rifle. Not my favorite by any means but a shooter. Now I'll never sell it, guess it was a sign to keep it.

 

[LionWeight]

I've never sold a gun with known issues. Couldn't live with myself.

This ^^^^^ In my opinion Karma is a B%&#@. It's just not worth the hit to reputation, ability to sleep.

 

[Jeremy1066]

OP, I don't see any way the seller didn't know of the issue (probably why they sold it), and I would definitely put a scuff on his "excellent" rating to protect future prospective buyers. If he never fired it and didn't know about the issue, that's on him too.