How do you sell a gun?

[Ruffnek]

I've seen threads on here before of poeple complaining that they hate cleaning guns and that they hate buying a gun that they have to take home and clean. So what is your etiquette rule on selling a gun? Do you completely clean and degrease, clean and oil it for the buyer, our just leave it dirty?

I personally clean but I don't necessarily degrease.

Thoughts?

 

[ruger1800]

Clean guns usually sell better than dirty guns.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Clean guns usually sell better than dirty guns.

Yep. I'll clean it just like I clean my car before taking it in to trade it or sell it to another individual. The better it looks, the less likely the seller is going to try to have a reason to haggle with you.

 

[JettaKnight]

It's common courtesy to clean.

Wouldn't you want a clean gun?

 

[Ruffnek]

It's common courtesy to clean.

Wouldn't you want a clean gun?

What about degreasing? Would you expect a gun from a private seller to be factory dry or oiled?

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Depends on who I am selling it to.
If I plan on selling it, I clean it prior to listing it.
If a buddy says 'Hey I'd like to buy that if interested' then I'd be less inclined to say 'ok, let me stop what i am doing and go clean it for you'. And they'd be less inclined to say 'whoa, I want it cleaned first'

 

[Gluemanz28]

I haven't sold many because I have a sickness of WANTING MORE GUNS. Every gun I have sold though was cleaned and lubed as if it was going in my safe.

Just about every gun that I have purchased used has been dirty. I even purchased used barrels that were dirty. If your selling hook a brother up and at least run a little Hoppes #9 through it.

 

[JettaKnight]

What about degreasing? Would you expect a gun from a private seller to be factory dry or oiled?

I don't have "those kind of guns", so I can't answer that.

 

[croy]

I don't care if it's dirty. Before I trust a gun it gets shot anyway and I don't normally put a gun away dirty.

 

[Ruffnek]

I don't have "those kind of guns", so I can't answer that.

Of which guns doth thou speaketh?

 

[wtburnette]

I've sold them clean and dirty. I try to make sure they're clean, but if something comes up and I don't have time before someone wants to meet, I just let them know via PM the gun has been fired recently without cleaning. No problems thus far. I think as long as they buyer knows what to expect you're good to go.

 

[223 Gunner]

Mine are clean and lubed properly before a sale, so the new owner has a nice fresh, clean gun that is range ready. I also include every factory accessory that came with it that I have. I don't stiff people on mags etc.
Some guys will keep the "extras" and sell them separately, I don't do that, and typically won't buy those guns unless it is a smoking deal.
On a side note:
Years ago I used to clean them after every range trip, the past 5 or so years I now take whatever guns are dirty on several range trips, clean them and put them in the safe, and get another group for the range.
Yes I have a fairly large collection. I have 6 that are dirty right now, these will be my range guns for awhile.

 

[Expat]

I keep mine clean all the time so no, I do not have to clean them to sell them.

This kind of reminds me of something my uncle always said. He always said he could tell how lazy a man was by checking how sharp his knife was. He would always ask, what kind of knife are you carrying today and then check it out including the sharpness. I just can't imagine showing a dirty gun to someone else...

 

[bmbutch]

I keep mine clean all the time so no, I do not have to clean them to sell them.

This kind of reminds me of something my uncle always said. He always said he could tell how lazy a man was by checking how sharp his knife was. He would always ask, what kind of knife are you carrying today and then check it out including the sharpness. I just can't imagine showing a dirty gun to someone else...

^^^This^^^

 

[357 Terms]

"Clean" is relative, one man's clean is another man's dirty.

I know a guy who scrubs the cylinder face of his stainless revolvers after every range trip, scrubs them shiny!..every time!
I'm sure many gun owners are very anal when it comes to "clean" firearms.

 

[223 Gunner]

"Clean" is relative, one man's clean is another man's dirty.

I know a guy who scrubs the cylinder face of his stainless revolvers after every range trip, scrubs them shiny!..every time!
I'm sure many gun owners are very anal when it comes to "clean" firearms.

Mine are Marine Corps clean. In other words they will pass the most critical of inspections. This is one reason I quit cleaning them after every range trip. You can cause premature wear by constant taking apart, scrubbing and putting back together. Plus when I clean mine, they are detailed, it usually takes me hours just to clean one firearm.
Anyone who was ever in the military that had an M16A1 or A2, can attest, they either were or became very "loose" from the constant taking apart and putting back together along with hard use.

 

[LarryC]

Mine are Marine Corps clean. In other words they will pass the most critical of inspections. This is one reason I quit cleaning them after every range trip. You can cause premature wear by constant taking apart, scrubbing and putting back together. Plus when I clean mine, they are detailed, it usually takes me hours just to clean one firearm.
Anyone who was ever in the military that had an M16A1 or A2, can attest, they either were or became very "loose" from the constant taking apart and putting back together along with hard use.

Son and I collect firearms so haven't sold any for several years, however we have always cleaned every firearm after shooting prior to storage, all that
we sold or traded has been quite clean and ready for use.

Wow, I sure can't envision how field stripping a firearm would cause it to become "loose", other than the fact that once all derbies is removed it would be looser than if it were packed with dirt. I would expect that you would get far more wear ~ thus becoming "loose" from running a firearm with dirt and abrasive material left in the working areas. My son and I field strip every firearm we shoot prior to putting them in the safe. I don't dissemble the trigger mechanism or bolt after every outing but always make sure they are visually clean and oiled prior to storage.

 

[223 Gunner]

I agree with your thought process, running them with grit in the working parts is not good.
But in the Marine Corps, especially basic training, we took apart and reassembled our M16's several times a day, you could hold them up and see day light between the upper and the lower. And they would rattle a little if you shook them. Mind you this was 1983, with M16 A1's.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I'd think the brutal forces of firing said weapons would do FAR more to induce wear/slop than a human (relatively) gently removing the parts and reassembling.

That is unless you are cleaning your parts with emory cloth.

 

[wtburnette]

I agree with your thought process, running them with grit in the working parts is not good.
But in the Marine Corps, especially basic training, we took apart and reassembled our M16's several times a day, you could hold them up and see day light between the upper and the lower. And they would rattle a little if you shook them. Mind you this was 1983, with M16 A1's.

1985, Army basic, same thing.