Have you ever bought a gun online?

Have you ever bought a gun online?

  • Yes

    Votes: 314 83.5%

  • No

    Votes: 62 16.5%
  • Total voters
    376
  • Poll closed .
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I have never purchased a firearm online. BUT, I have purchased guns through ads in Gun List and Shotgun News back in the day (pre-internet) and through dealers I had confidence in their opinions/grading of firearms. There really isn't much difference other than you can send pictures almost instantly on line. How inconvenient, right? Contracts or agreements via email... how inconvenient... :) An old Colt acquaintance, Jeff Faintich shifted from primarily selling through his monthly listings (mailed) and at gun shows to auctions in the early 1990's. He was ahead of his time. I hope he is in a good place. Now things are handled a bit differently online which is so much faster and more efficient.

The problem I see with on-line listings is that it is almost too easy and "everyone is a dealer now" so to speak. Hence you have a lot of mis-representations potentially.
 
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Yes. I've bought three from Gunbroker and one from Buds. All four were new guns, and all were fully satisfactory transactions. I'd probably want to look at a used one in person first, though you certainly are more likely to find a specific or rare used gun online than you will scouring local gun stores and pawn shops. I might just do it for the right older S&W or Colt revolver.
 
I have bought several guns online. I've purchased from Bud's as well as through dealers and individuals through Gunbroker and GunsAmerica. I've also purchased from my LGS as well as FTF deals through individuals that have been selling on my home site (MichiganGunOwners migunowners.org). Stung once by a guy on Glock Talk. Traded a nearly new Glock 17 for a SIG P-6 that was nowhere near the condition that the seller claimed.
 
I bought 3 this year, all good experiences, great actually. :)

If you buy a lot online you get a radar for what's real. The majority of sellers are honorable people.
 
I've bought one, a police trade in from Express Police Supply. I got a great deal on a Sig P229 40 cal with 3 magazines and Bianchi holster to boot. I was very pleased with the gun and guys I dealt with. I would definitely do it again.
 
I've bought a number of pistols, (new & used) online; Buds Gun Shop, private
sellers (Gun Broker & Auction Arms), Top Gun & Tin Star Shooting Range. No
bad experiences so far, although I may change my mind on one. I found a FFL
that charges $10.00 for a transfer, is a fount of knowledge, and is on my way
home. :)

I also buy locally, mostly used (Cabela's). My more local gun shop won't
negotiate on used guns (go figure), a pity, I'd rather give them my business. I
do buy reloading supplies from them.

As previous posters have said; it is partly a matter of best price (gun, CC fees
(if any), shipping (if any), taxes (if any) & FFL transfer) and availability. I am
also partial to CZ's, something I have a hard time finding locally. As someone
also mentioned - read the ratings and do your research. I hesitate to
buy from someone with few if any ratings, I won't say I never will, but I
haven't so far.
 
Almost everything I buy is online. The local guns shops have the usual stuff but everything I want is weird. The last gun I bought had to be special-ordered by the importer. There isn't a single one in stock anywhere in the US.
Also, although I can afford to buy new, almost everything I want is no longer made. I took up lever action silhouette last year. Marlin used to make octagonal barrel guns with 24 inch barrels about 5-10 years ago, but not any more.
The only place I got lucky lately is that a member of my gun club was selling an IZH 35M, which hasn't been made for about 10 years.
 
Almost everything I buy is online. The local guns shops have the usual stuff but everything I want is weird.
Click to expand...
That's a factor (availability) affecting online buying also. In my area the gun shops are small with limited inventory of used guns, even common ones.
 
I only bought once - earlier this month - from GunBroker.com. It was a Finnish M39 that came from Pat Burns who can also be seen at gunsnammo.com. A good site if you're looking for a huge variety of M39s.
 
I haven't purchased online...yet. Personally, I really love the experience of being at a shop or gunshow, feeling the gun in my hand, inspecting it, the whole nine yards.
 
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I've been thinking about it several times, but my local FFL has prices equal or close to the lowest prices I can find online, and I can see the gun before I actually buy it. So far I've always ended up buying my guns locally.
 
I've bought several from gunbroker and local backpage.com ads too, also some mags from aimsurplus, always a good experience. a few years back I was looking at Springfield XD's in 5" and the new FDE color and it had just came out, literally a week ago at the time. I had called Springfield directly and they wantred 580 + shipping, then I went to bass pro and they wanted 520, but I found a guy on gunbroker who sold me one 430 shipped. Very happy guy.
 
Yes, I Have

and while the "deal" worked as it should; I was very dis-satisfied with the
firearm, an older Smith & Wesson model 28-2 in .357 magnum. When you
loaded a full cylinder [6 rounds] and closed it; the cylinder would not rotate
when attempting too fire in the double action mode. Finally, got shed of the
gun [and problem]; and have never looked back, or done any other "deal's"
over the world wide web~! :evil: :cuss: :fire:
 
Yup, 3 this year. I even sold one online.

I bought 2 handguns about 3 years ago at a local shop. I haven't been in a gun shop looking for a gun ever since. Other stuff yeah, but not guns.
 
I bought my Bushmaster M4 from a Gunbroker dealer (Northern Firearms) Best buy ever. Had it shipped to the local gunshop for a $40 transfer fee. You do not waste time driving from shop to shop to gun show. And you do not have to 'Settle" for a gun you didn't really want.
 
Yes. Muzzleloaders - five. Antique pistols - three. A Webley pistol, a Martini-Henry rifle, and a modern .30-06 sporting rifle from Gunbroker.
All were very smooth transactions.
Gunbroker for five of them. Antique Guns.com for three.
Pete

PS - Merry Christmas morning.
 
I have only made one "firearm" order online, actually had to make payment over the phone. It was for an STI Custom Shop pistol, took 19 weeks, exactly as they described, worth every penny. I live about 2 miles from Budsgunshop.com / Gun Warehouse, so I can get a better deal walking through the door. Both Gunbroker, Guns America seem to have high prices IMO and the gunshows here just can't compete with the local dealers in Lexington KY. I use the net to determine price points and then make my best deal locally, I do make a lot of parts and accessories orders online, MidwayUSA, Top Gun Supply, CDNN get most of my online business.
 
I've bought 2 different guns through Gunbroker in the past. I don't anymore though. Most shops around here have raised their handling fees to receive guns. And, frankly, I really prefer to handle the gun before I buy it.
I do still buy magazines and grips and holsters, etc., if I see a good deal on an auction site, but even that is getting frustrating. For some reason sellers don't seem to care about giving feedback on small items anymore. I recently bought new grips fro one auction, and a couple extra mags from another. I paid quickly, gave the sellers good ratings, but never got any feedback from them.
My rating on one auction site makes me look like a newbie, though I've actually completed a couple of auctions.
The auctions are fun, you can often satisfy an itch for something you can't find locally, but you need to read the descriptions carefully and don't be afraid to ask questions.
 
Guns America

Thought I bought a gun today when I got the confirmation back from GA - only to find it was already sold. Heard bad things about GA. Now I know why.
Gun buys from Gunbroker and Auction Arms have been flawless.
 
I live in a large metropolitan area. There must be 50 gun stores within 25 miles of me. I've been to most of them. I rarely have a good experience. Either you are ignored, or if you ask they say, "If we have any, they should be over there." Then the price is above retail.
So, I go online, find what I want, bid, buy.
Here's what I do. I set a maximum price I'm willing to pay. Once the auction goes over that price I let it go. Don't fall into the trap of "winning, or losing". If I am the high bidder, I e-mail the seller with my plans to pay, then I pay that very day, usually a postal money order. I've never had a bad experience.
You will have to pay shipping (about $25) but that is offset by not paying sales tax.
Ship to an FFL near you, and it's yours.
 
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