Should I buy the gun in the display case?

[Warren]

At my local they allow potential buyers to dry fire the weapons. I've done it on their suggestion. They do this to show how good the triggers are I guess.

So should I buy a gun out of a case that has probably been dry fired 100s of times? Or should I insist they order one up special for me?

Thank you,

I'm

 

[Jim March]

Hmmmmmmmm.

Depends on the make/model gun (how tough is it, generally?) and how well it tests out. Is that a primo specimen?

Has to be handled on a case-by-case basis.

One detail that may help: with *most* semi-autos, the firing pin is a user-replacable part that's not very expensive and requires no "fitting". On most revolvers, it's a complete royal pain in the tushie to swap, often requiring a gunsmith. Sometimes a GOOD gunsmith, if it's a frame-mounted type. *Generally*, the worst thing dry-firing does is bust a firing pin. (Good news: across all models/makes, frame-mounted wheelgun firing pins are much tougher than hammer-mounted.)

In a few cases, you might have reason to plan a firing pin swap right off the bat. CZ52 firing pins are notoriously weak and I personally would always swap to aftermarket. Series 70 or prior classic 1911s get a mild safety boost from Titanium firing pins, which ain't that pricey. Gonna swap anyways? Then don't sweat it.

Rugers can generally take "unlimited" dry-firing. The amount they'll get at a dealer isn't enough to worry about at all.

 

[Warren]

It will be a SA XD9.

Thanks.

 

[Josey]

SA XD-9. Buy it, strip it and clean it. Wax it twice, oil it and shoot the out of it. The only negative I know of is that they rust.

 

[Majic]

Most likely the dealer has more in the boxes back in the stockroom. When you go to buy one they get one out of stock. Ask to see several and choose the one with the best fit and finish.

 

[MrMurphy]

My Glock 30 was the only one left and had been lightly handled (this was after they'd been out only a little while) with no clue as to when a new one would come in, so they gave me $50 off and I bought it. About 8,000 rounsd and five years of shooting, three years of carrying later, no problems.

 

[Zach S]

All of my guns could have possibly been dry fired hundreds of times before I bought them....

All of my guns have probably been dry fired that many times since I bought them...

I dont worry about it.

 

[Warren]

Cool, thanks everybody. No worries then.

Josey, this is the first time I've heard I have to wax a gun. I know about cleaning and oiling but waxing is a new one.

 

[BigBlueEyedDevil]

I just purchased a Springfield XD9 that was a display model. It was only in the case for 4 days but the guy took off 50 bucks.

In fact, my Springfield 1911 and my Beretta were both display models and I have had ZERO problems with either of them. Inspect it, see what kind of price he can give you and go for it! BIG BLUE

 

[4v50 Gary]

Not that it matters now, but I also don't worry about some smoothing out the trigger for me.

 

[Chuck Jennings]

Not that it affects this specific decision, but I would be leery of buying floor model rimfire firearms (ie .22 or .17) if they have been dry fired. Some damage to the firing pin can occur with thes guns. Otherwise, it is unlikely that any centerfire guns could have been dry fired enough to make any difference.

 

[WheelMan]

this thread is blowing my mind. Where do you guys live? Where I am there's no such thing as a pistol for sale that isn't the display model. I didn't realize I should have been getting a discount all this time. I can barely imagine a shop so big that they have more than one of a certian model.

 

[Ala Dan]

I certainly agree with my friend, Mr. Jim March.
I have bought from a dealers showcase that
does allow dry firing; but ONLY after the gun
pass'es Jim's revolver checkout. And to, I do
think it depends on the weapon in question.
Sometimes good deals can be had on show
case weaponary.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Josey]

Waxing. Many blue and several stainless finishes should be waxed if you are going to be out in the weather, use a leather holster or if you sweat profusely. The wax will keep the moisture from ruining your pistol with rust/corrosion. If you work outside and sweat or are caught in rain/snow check your leather holster. They can take a day or three to dry out. I usually buy two holsters for each weapon. I even have four of some. When I was a uniform LEO I had two Sam Browne rigs. Check wood grips for moisture also. I have had rust form overnight under Hogue and pachmayr rubber grips also. Oil and wax are your friends. I use carnauba wax or Ren wax for museum preservation.

 

[Ankeny]

WheelMan:

Same here. If it's in the store it's in the case.

 

[TrapperReady]

Dry-firing on a centerfire auto wouldn't phase me. I would, however, inspect it closely for any dings. I've seen many display-case models that have nicks and scratches from careless handling... usually scraping it on the metal trim of the case while removing/replacing the gun.

Not that I would have a problem with that in most cases. I would, however, point it out to the salesman and give him the option of getting me a new one from the back or knocking something off the price. I've done this a couple times for trivial scratches, and have received an additional $30-50 reduction in the price.

 

[Lord Bodak]

My 22/45 was a "display model"... no idea how many times it may have been handled or dry fired but it looks fine.

The 10/22 was new in the box... Dick's seems to stock some inventory, which makes sense considering how few models they carry. Handled the floor model then he pulled a new one from the back.

My USPc was brand new-- local gun shop had sold all of them, I bought the day the shipment came in, he actually had to unpack it while I waited.

 

[Smaug]

From what I've heard:

Rugers - It's OK to dry fire them.

Glocks - It's OK. (and probably anything with a striker is OK also... Does the XD have a striker or a firing pin?)

Rimfires - It's NOT OK. (except Rugers. Rugers' manuals tell you to dry-fire them as part of the assembly/disassembly instructions)

Centerfires in general - It's OK, but if people here have personal experience, such as with the CZ above, you might heed that.

 

[Tom Bri]

Give em the same check-out you would a used gun. If they check, fine. I buy used guns with no worries, why should a new display gun have problems? If it does, take it back to the shop.

 

[JohnBT]

WheelMan - Everyone should have a local store as big as Green Top on Rt.1 just north of Richmond. Most of their guns are in the back and you have to know to ask. These days they can check the inventory for specific models and features on the registers before they take the long walk to the back of the store. If they're not slammed with customers they'll bring 2 or 3 guns from the warehouse and let me pick. Note the blurb below - over 4,000 guns and hundreds on display.

John


"Green Top stocks more new and pre-owned firearms than you will find anywhere. With over 4,000 handguns, rifles and shotguns selection is never a problem. Hundreds of new and pre-owned firearms are always on display so our customers can handle a range of firearms you will find nowhere else."

www.greentophuntfish.com

 

[Waxed Canvas]

1911'S NO. DO NOT allow the slide to slam home on an empty chamber. How many " Barneys " have you seen do just this at a gun store.

 

[greyhound]

Same here. If it's in the store it's in the case.

Ditto. I always assumed its because MD is not gun-friendly, maybe that is not the reason...

 

[Detritus]

on teh subject of "guns in the back".....

i frequent 3 shops, only one, the little "mom and pop" shop that has a showroom not much bigger than my livingroomadn kitchen combined, does NOT have a "stockroom" in back (and even HE keeps a few examples of the more popular items stowed int eh back room.
of the rest of the places i've been during that portion of my life where I have been AWARE to notice such things, i can only remember 3-4 other decent shops (out of a few dozen, in three or four different states) where "what ya see is ALL we got" was literal, and not a stock rotation scheme.

if the display gun is and has been for a while, the only one in the store then i BETTER be getting a good deal.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

I live about 15 minutes from downtown Los Angeles. The sorta local Turner's Outdoorsman has display guns and usually others in the back. You play with the display gun and if you like it, you have the guy bring one out from the back. Check it out to make sure everything's okay, then buy it. They can also use a computer to check out what is in the warehouse or in other stores. I haven't bought a display model from them, but one of the sales guys said that once a year they put the display models on sale just to move them out and replace them with new display models.

The two Mom-and-Pop gunshops I like to go to don't have "display models." The only reason they have stuff in the back is because they didn't have room to put it out in front. Otherwise, the one in the case is the one you buy.

As an aside, it's kinda funny now that I think about it. . .when I buy a new gun, I want to be the first guy to hold it since it left the factory, in part because I don't like the idea that someone else might have been messing with it before I bought it. But I also like buying old milsurp rifles . These rifles have probably been subjected to a lot worse than being dry fired by some prospective buyers .

To I'm: I would either ask for one specially ordered for me or a discount . I like to feel like I'm special.

 

[FunYet]

Gun Abuse

I always wonder how much abuse display guns must go through.

The other day I was at the gun shop looking at a revolver from the display case. I decided I liked it and told the salesman "I'll take it". I handed the gun to him with the cylinder open. He said "it's a sweeeet gun!". He spun the cylinder, slammed the cylinder shut with one hand, then snapped it open one-handed. I commented that I thought you aren't supposed to snap the cylinder, to which he replied "no, it won't hurt the gun. I do it all the time". Terrific! He does it all the time.

I asked him if he would check to see if he had another gun in stock.