How to return a gun when "ALL SALES ARE FINAL"?

[buzz meeks]

Oh boy. Looks like a bought a bum rifle and I need your advice.

Here's the story. A week ago, I found an Interarms Mk. X in .300 WM at a local pawn shop. I checked it over and it seemed decent. The only glitch was in the trigger. The side safety stuck going back and forth. I had researched Mk. Xs and the trigger/safety arrangement was a common problem area. I figured some cleaning and trigger tweaking (these triggers have four adjustment screws) would correct the little safety problem.

As I was wrapping up the deal, I asked the clerk if I could return the gun if I had any problems. He said I could not and wrote "All Sales Final" on the bottom of the receipt. This didn't bother me too much because the Mk. Xs have a solid reputation and I was only into the rifle for three bills.

Later that night, I broke the rifle down and gave it a thorough cleaning. I had noticed a little hitch in the bolt stroke, a little roughness I though some TV-time bolt work could correct. It was then that I noticed a problem with the trigger group. Three or four tries out of ten, I could get the striker to fall as the bolt rotated into battery. I fiddled with the adjustement screws using an e-mailed copy of the Interarms manual but the problem only got worse.

I was still okay with all this because I intended to install a Gentry three position safety and Blackburn trigger. But today was the deal breaker. Today was the first day I had to get to the range. I only made it through three shots. On each shot, I got successively harder bolt lift. The cases didn't show any real signs of pressure but on that third shot I had to beat the bolt handle with the heel of my hand to get it to open. BTW- factory Winchester ammo, 76 degrees, low humidity.

So here I am with a rifle that is certainly unsafe because of the condition of its trigger. And I think there may be other safety problems related to that sticky bolt lift.

So do I stand any chance of returning this rifle even though I bought it as is? Seems to me this shop would not want to be known for selling unsafe rifles? What do you suggest? I'm a pretty tactful person but want some perspective on this situation before I enter that pawn shop again.

 

[stealthmode]

wow tuff position to be in i would of chose not to buy it especially since the guy wrote on receipt all sales final. that makes me suspect of his business practices.

 

[buzz meeks]

stealthmode- I agree. I should have walked. But I didn't.

So I'm wondering what recourse, if any, I have?

 

[TimRB]

You gambled and lost. Take the rifle to a gunsmith and forget it.

Tim

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Sell it to someone else (and disclose its condition to be ethical), part it out, or have it fixed. You're not going to get your money back from the shop.

Look at is this way--it was cheap for a reason. You took a gamble and lost.

If the rifle had been easy to fix and you re-sold it for twice what you paid, would you have passed the profit on to the shop? Didn't think so.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but you've gotten a lesson in the horse-trading biz. Keep it in mind next time you see something that looks too tempting.

(And yeah, I learned this lesson myself a few years ago.)

 

[buzz meeks]

Thanks to all who contributed. I just went down to the shop and stated my case as calmly, politely and reasonably as I could. Before I could ask for one, the manager offered a refund. I gratefully accepted. There is still hope for the human race.

What a lesson learned, though. If I ever have doubts about a gun's condition, I will walk away or get some return agreement up front.

Feel free to lock this thread. Thanks again.

 

[jsalcedo]

Glad everything worked out.


I buy about 90% of my guns at pawnshops. If they don't offer me
at least 7 days to check out the gun I pass on the deal.

I have returned a defective keltec .32, a Mas49/56 and a single shot .22mag target pistol. Each time I received store credit.

It is too bad that some pawnshops try to unload crappy problem guns on unsuspecting folks.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I buy about 90% of my guns at pawnshops.

Wow! I wish I could find prices at local gunshops like you have at yours. At the local Arrow Pawn, they wanted almost $600 for a used Glock. $350 for an SKS? No thanks.

 

[Jim March]

Sometimes you know you're buying something cheap, you know there's "issues", and you think you can deal with 'em. So you gamble. I bought an old motorcycle recently and scored big...but I *knew* I was gambling.

 

[cracked butt]

I would take it back to the pawnshop. I don't think "all sales are final" would hold up if they sold you a defective or unsafe product, this goes doubly true if they knowingly sold you something defective without disclosing it during the sale. I would bet that the pawn shop owner did know about the problem as they do carefully inspect guns that they buy. A reputable shop WILL take it back, if they don't then make it clear that they will no longer get your business as well as the business of everyone you know.

I did this a few years ago at a Dunham's store. I purchased an old mauser and when I took it home and cleaned it, I had found that the barrel was bulged a few inches back from the muzzle. I took it back to the store, but the trained monkeys there would have nothing of it saying that "all sales were final on guns" I left them a note to give to their manager the next day. I took off from work during my lunch break to talk to him about it, and he did take it back. I returned the favor by buying another rifle off the rack, and still buy stuff from his store.

EDIT:

Thanks to all who contributed. I just went down to the shop and stated my case as calmly, politely and reasonably as I could. Before I could ask for one, the manager offered a refund. I gratefully accepted. There is still hope for the human race.

Oops, I missed that post before I replied. Glad it worked out for you. Now go buy yourself a Remington, Browning, Savage, CZ, or Winchester.

 

[Freedomv]

When I buy something Questionable I only pay what I know would be resonable if I had a worst case senerio and had to spend big bucks to fix the item.
The last such item was a Canadian Made FAL-L1A1. I've got $100.00 in it plus repair time etc. and I made it work.
I was under the impression that they were supper good rifles etc from what I had read here on the High Road and else were. But in my opinion it doesn't hold a candle to an M-14/M-1A. but considering the money I have in it, it can sit and rust untill I find some one who can't live without it. or If I break it down into a parts kit I would probably double my money.

 

[whm1974]

Me I'll be warely about buying guns(or anything else for that matter) from pawn shops.

-Bill

 

[TechBrute]

It never hurts to ask.

Also, small claims court is only a few bucks to file. If he's obstenant, let him know you've already researched filing a claim in small claims court and/or the BBB. If it was just a poorly performing rifle, that's one thing; you're talking safety issues.

 

[ID_shooting]

"If he's obstenant, let him know you've already researched filing a claim in small claims court and/or the BBB."

I know the situation has allready played out to the positive, but man, I am glad you didn't take that advice.

Any business owner/operator will tell you, the second somone says "court" or "lawyer" the conversation is over, period. I usually smile and say "good day" and turn my back.

Sorry to take the thread off topic, but this is exactly the attitude that is getting us into hot watter:

"I knew it had problems when I bought it, the price was marked down accordingly, I thought I could fix it, I found out I can't, and now I want to get my money back and make the place that sold it loose money"

What drivel. This is nothing more than "the creep shot my son, it is the gun company's fault for making it"

 

[bogie]

Suggestion:

When firing a bolt action rifle, after you clean it, and before you put the bolt back in the receiver, put a little dab of good high pressure grease on the back of each lug. Your bolt will thank you.

 

[TechBrute]

Any business owner/operator will tell you, the second somone says "court" or "lawyer" the conversation is over, period. I usually smile and say "good day" and turn my back.

As any consumer will tell you, you only say "court" or "lawyer" after the buisness owner has already tried to end the conversation.

 

[joab]

I just went down to the shop and stated my case as calmly, politely and reasonably as I could. Before I could ask for one, the manager offered a refund

Sounds like this guy knows the value of customer relations. If he has posted signs and marked a reciept that all sales are final and you accept the deal you will have a hard time proving your case in court. unless you can prove that he knowingly sold you a lemon. Most pawn shops do nothing more than a simple action and hammer release check before they give you 25 cents on the dollar for your gun.

I think he did right by you, you should give him a plug for good service

 

[TimRB]

"Sounds like this guy knows the value of customer relations."

It sounds to me like the pawn shop owner was foolish. Look at what happened:

1) Customer goes to pawn shop to buy a used rifle.

2) Finds rifle, finds defect in rifle. Decides to buy it anyway, since the price is right.

3) Pawn shop makes it known in no uncertain terms that he will not take the rifle back. Customer buys it anyway.

4) On further inspection, customer discovers still more defects in the rifle. Depending on what is meant by "striker falling before bolt goes into battery", possibly a very dangerous one.

5) Despite known defects, customer *fires the rifle*, making the situation progressively worse with each shot. After three shots, the rifle is unusable.

If it was broken before, it may now be nearly ruined.

Tim