Helping folks find guns

[Gil Martin]

I am just curious about your experiences in helping people find guns. Many of my friends and acquaintances know that I like and collect guns. From time to time someone will come to me on bent knee asking me to help them find a firearm for personal defense, hunting or as an investment. Most of them are not really serious and have failed to follow up on my efforts. One father had two teenage sons whom wanted to go small game hunting and needed a shotgun. Shortly thereafter, I was in a gun shop and found a mint 20 gauge Remington 870 Wingmaster at a dirt cheap price. I called the father and gave him the details. He acted bored and disinterested and advised me that he and his sons were about to eat breakfast. I apologized for the intrusion and bought the Remington for myself. Please understand, i do not buy every used gun that I see, but a real bargain is hard to pass up.

There are many other stories that I could relate, but the fact is that I often end up with decent cheap guns that were not on my bucket list. Perhaps one third of the folks that approach me follow up on an actual purchase. I still get the requests, but now take a very critical view and am less eager to assist them. What have you experienced? All the best...
Gil

[wrenchman]

many none gun people think of it like buying used cars a pain

[captain2k_ca]

Wifes coworker wanted me to find a scope for his son....
Wanted a Tactical style...Prefer Bushnell Elite Tactical....6-24x50(ish)

Well, heck....I showed him LOTS....But apparently he thought he was gonna get one for free.....

[Jack]

My experience finding guns for other people hasn't been bad at all. Maybe because I tend to talk people out of buying a gun unless they are serious.
Quite a few years ago, a friend of mine took up deer hunting, using a borrowed sporterized 98 Mauser. When it came time for him to buy his own rifle, we went to a big gunshow in my area that drew a lot of people and was very crowded. I instructed him to bring cash and stay right behind me as we surveyed the whole show, moving quickly around the show. I went from booth to booth, looking down the gunracks for 98 Mauser cocking pieces. Once we'd identified the possible choices, we went back and studied them in detail.
Long story short, he got a Parker Hale Mauser sporter in 7x57 that probably has only 20-40 rounds fired through it. He's killed a lot of deer with that rifle.
We still laugh about whizzing through the crowd that day looking for rifles.

[Adam Helmer]

Jack,

Like your experience, I would say about 95% of people asking for my assistance to buy a gun were serious folks asking for expertise. I have had many success stories. There is ONE fellow that "takes the cake."

A neighbor and gun club member went and got his CCW a few years ago. He wanted a carry revolver, so we went to the local gun shop. I saw a 95% .38 Special M10 S&W for about $250 as I recall. We handled the gun and he said he had to go home and speak with his wife before he bought it. I went home and resumed farm work. About a week later that same fellow came by with the M10. He asked, "Can I buy .38 ammo in less than case lots?" I told him he could since a case is 1,000 rounds, he could buy a 50-round box. He said, "No, I mean I only want to buy six rounds." I told him I thought that was a bad idea and suggested a box of wadcutters and a box of duty loads to check out a used handgun and get used to the noise, recoil, etc. He refused and asked me to sell him 6 rounds. I refused.

Adam

[Rapier]

I go to quite a few big shows every year and I always offer to take guns for one or two friends and I usually get a request to see if I can find X, but unless I get money on the buy up front, I do not bother "nope none at that show." Now I have bought a nice gun for a friend that had money and knew what he wanted and I knew what he wanted. I bought a 12ga 30inch 425 Citori for one hunting buddy, he did not ask for it, but at 98% and $1,000 out the door, that was a you want or I keep deal. I do not mind helping a friend.

Brings up another story or side to the story, widows. I want you to sell Joe's guns for me. OK, we will make a list on a yellow legal pad of every gun, description and serial number, you tell me what you want as an asking price for each gun, now tell me what you will take bottom line for each gun, both prices are written down next to the gun. We both sign at the bottom and she gets a copy of the list. I take the guns with me. When I return, we make an accounting of every single gun, she gets the money or I return of the gun. I do not keep anything. If I know she needs the money then, she only gets the money, no guns go back. I have had a couple of friend's wives tell me not to bring the guns back, then they all get sold, if I have to buy them myself at her price. If you ever hand a widow, with four children, $22,000 in cash, after her husband just died of small cell cancer, without any health insurance, pretty darned special. But you need to spell out exactly what is what before you step out the door. And if her brother starts with the its worth more or I want that, gracefully fold your tent and walk away.
Ed