just some advice to any new guys out there considering a cap and ball secondhand purchase.i bought an 1858 remington from my local pawn shop.i gave it a cursory inspection(a case of "hadtohaveititis")there was a little bit of rust which wasn't a deal breaker.having no experience at the time,i realy didn't know what to look for. the timing was good,however there was a cylinder gap you could stick 3 or 4 sheets of paper in(brass frame,someone apparently liked heavy loads)upon firing,recoil would unlatch the loading lever from the catch and the nipples were all mushroomed from I suppose,dry firing. fortunately,local pawn shop got in a 1858 buffalo that was in way better shape so I did some horse tradin and got a much better gun.So any guys new at this,do your home work,or better yet buy a new one(the difference is small ).hope this can help some one out there avoid a lemon.
second hand cautions
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Billnpatti
Cannon
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Good advice swamp chicken. :thumbsup: There are many folks out there who will neglect or damage a gun and then unload it on some unsuspecting buyer. Pawn shops often have this happen to them. Usually a gun store will know enough not to buy or take such a gun in trade but some sneak through. So, anytime you are buying a used gun it is buyer beware. If you don't know guns, you might be better off buying a new gun rather than a used one. If you happen to get stuck with a gun with problems, it might cost more to fix the problems than it would to have bought a new gun to start with. Just a new set of nipples will cost you in the range of $35. 
You got that right,if I evere buy a used gun again im bringing a microscope,better yet(unless its a deal I cant refuse)ill stick to new ones.most used ones,they want 70 to 80 percent of new in the box.definitely wont make that mistake twice.
Given Cabela's prices for new specially if you wait for a sale and sometimes free shipping too I wouldn't even look twice at a used BP revolver unless it was unusual or something a friend had that I know had good care.
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I have a little different take as I love to buy beaters for a song and rebuild them into fine guns.
The above advice is very sound for folks who like to shoot and not rebuild guns but for those who have the means to fix them good as new or in most cases better than new, we look for the old girls who need a hand up the trail to get a new lease on life.
Actually some times those old beaters are diamonds in the rough but have been rode hard and put away wet, so to speak.
The above advice is very sound for folks who like to shoot and not rebuild guns but for those who have the means to fix them good as new or in most cases better than new, we look for the old girls who need a hand up the trail to get a new lease on life.
Actually some times those old beaters are diamonds in the rough but have been rode hard and put away wet, so to speak.
I can understand the satisfaction in taking an abused or worn piece and making it functional again. I've spent a lot of my life in making a sow's ear into a better sow's ear specially with cars but NIB revolvers usually require enough work bringing them up to my standards to satisfy my cravings.
I understand that, quite well. I've only bought 2 new guns in my life. One was a Pietta 1858 Remington, that needed a little tweaking, and the other was a Taurus PT-1911 that just needed to be cleaned and lubed before being taken out to the range.
Mean Gene
40 Cal.
When you can find a gun at a fair price for what it is, but I've been looking at sights that sell used bp guns and prices are unreal.
Guys are wanting top dollar for there old six shooter sometimes with clearly visible rust and for guns that they paid $99- for when they bought it now they want $200 to $300 now.
Can't figure out what's behind that. It reminds me of the housing market.
Guys are wanting top dollar for there old six shooter sometimes with clearly visible rust and for guns that they paid $99- for when they bought it now they want $200 to $300 now.
Can't figure out what's behind that. It reminds me of the housing market.
"It reminds me of the housing market."
That's scarrey, I don't think I could handle being out of work again. :grin:
I regularly see used BP revolvers for 75% to 125% of what you can buy one on sale for and people are paying the price. :idunno:
That's scarrey, I don't think I could handle being out of work again. :grin:
I regularly see used BP revolvers for 75% to 125% of what you can buy one on sale for and people are paying the price. :idunno:
Mean Gene
40 Cal.
Hahaha yah Hawkeye I guess it was a bad comparison, thanks for keeping it real friend.
Every time I see a used revolver they seem to want new price but that's from dealers. I never seem to see them from a private party.
Choctaw
40 Cal.
Me too. Heck, even new guns sometimes can turn into a project just trying to get them to function correctly.
Mort Scott
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guns have always been an investment for me , i think tha'ts why the prices stay up so high.
Billnpatti
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Not having the knowledge or tools of a gunsmith, any project gun that I take on can't need much more than cleaning and cosmetic work and it has to be priced very right for me to even consider it. :hmm:
