Learning Experience or "Stupid Tax"

[hobbeeman]

I made a bad trade today at the gun show. I had an old Beretta 300a 12g I traded for a Winchester model 70 in 22-250. I thought, "well he's happy and I'm happy"

When I lifted his gun for inspection, he lifted mine and then someone handed me $100 to make change for something else. When I got back to inspecting the model 70, the other guy was long gone with the Beretta, and my new accquisition was in sad shape.

The reciever has a 3cm crack on the right side just above the magazine, the barrel was loose and I simply unscrewed it by hand, and then inspection of the bolt yields that not only is the extractor missing but one of the small ears that holds the extractor in place is broken off.

Guessing what happened to this gun, someone probably fired a double (or more) loaded cartridge in it. The floorplate of the magazine is even out of true!

The moral to the story is this: Be on your guard when making trades. Don't let someone assume that the trade is done until all parties are satisfied! Of course, someone would have had to stand in front of this guy to block his exit in order for this to have happened today! Some people will sell or trade you a DEATH TRAP! I am grateful that I did not simply place the rifle on my table without inspection!

 

[buttrap]

Sounds like you not only ran across a idiot but a not so honest idiot too.

 

[Robert Hairless]

An old rule of horse trading is to make sure the horse you'll be getting is alive.

Write this one off as a learning experience. Me, I'd probably mount that Winchester in a wall display with a plaque explaining its significance so I could look at it often. Never hurts to laugh at yourself, does it?

 

[ColinthePilot]

wow, and I felt bad about selling a guy an SKS I hadn't cleaned since the last range visit!

 

[Starship1st]

Unfortunately not all the people at gun shows are honest. Lesson learned: If you do trading or purchase again don't get distracted.

 

[Blackbeard]

I wonder if the person who asked you for change was intentionally distracting you so the trader could escape before you inspected it.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Planned dishonesty...

Hobbeeman--Sure does seem from yr description that there was some planned, deliberate, dishonesty going on.

I like to think that the shooting sports are populated by a higher grade of individual than the "run of the mill," but if you line up 10,000 people who engage in ANY particular activity, be it shooting, ballroom dancing, dog training, or tiddlywinks, you'll include a few whose moral fiber, aah, "ain't what it oughter."

Unfortunately, you drew one of those. It is to be hoped that he's in the "vast minority" of the people you deal with @ gun shows.

And take comfort in that you had to deal with him for a few minutes and several hundred bucks' worth. He, on the other hand, gets to live with himself for his whole life, 24/7/365 1/4.

 

[NASCAR_MAN]

Sorry to hear about the loss.

The guy was looking to steal a gun from you. This was not an innocent mistake on his part.

NASCAR

 

[kungfuhippie]

Really too bad. It's a shame that people would do that. I say save it for the next gun buy back (unless those don't exist in Texas) you can then get the unsafe thing destroyed and get some money to put towards a good gun or some ammo.

 

[Educated Hillbilly]

I wonder if the person who asked you for change was intentionally distracting you so the trader could escape before you inspected it.

Sounds fishy to me. Maybe you were distracted on purpose. Is a very old scam that has been going for about as long as man has traded and bartered items.

 

[hobbeeman]

I plan to take the gun to the "show and tell" at the collectors meeting this Thursday. Several of the more experience "gunnies" have inspected it and most agree that it may be salvageable However, we have some very Highly educated members (engineers and the like, some that even work at the local nuclear weapons facility ) that have strongly urged me to not ever use the fatigued parts on another operable gun...that the metal may be able to withstand 200 or even more shots, but the one that blows will be unforgivable

I say save it for the next gun buy back

I actually like this idea but I have never heard of one of those around these parts

I have thought about what a good breaker bar that thick barrel would make. and I am sure that the stock and trigger group could be sold.

Before I part it out, I will try to get some pictures posted on some sort of thread for what to look out for when purchasing a used rifle. This one has about everything wrong but still looks pleasing to the eye with a cursory glance.

Is there a thread already with this info in it? I would be happy to just add to it. I will search for one, but if you all have any suggestions...

Thanks,
David

 

[kungfuhippie]

Just google "texas gun buy back" or something...
I've heard there are lefties in Dallas.