Second Hand Rifles - some thoughts

[Taff]

I would say that the fairest way would be for the seller to shoot a group in front of the buyer. A buyer shooting a group with a strange rifle, might also be clever enough to shoot a bad group with a view to getting a price reduction.

Dreaming I think, who pays for the ammo, who provides the range, how far are you willing to travel?, probably would double the price of the gun, why not do the same for new guns ?

 

[njc110381]

Oh yeah , I am a big 75 fan - frankly if i was to buy another CF rifle in the near future it would be a 75 . Heck reading about that carbon stocked one they have launched and its RRP I could buy just a sako 75 action re-barrel , re-stock and pillar bed it and still come in at less . With a Walnut or laminate stock through i woule just tart it up if it needed it then pillar bed . I paid just £500 for a std 75 recently and chopped and re- crowned / re threaded £600 -650.

I've just recently had one done on an old S491 action. .17 Fireball. It functions flawlessly, drops bullet on bullet and cost me about the same as a new Browning X Bolt. I'm not going to grumble at that!

 

[KimE]

You can even find very old rifles that haven't done much at all. I know a fair few folks who dont put a box of twenty through their rifles - Per Anum !
IF Its only the Barrel though ...? a new barrel on a good action and stock can work out a better rifle than an equivalent cost new rifle and dont get me going but many rifles just aint as well designed or made than they once where. Look at Tikka with their one size fits all actions ( just put a plug in the back) Now ! Yet the 595 was made with a metal drop box mag , action suited to each cartridge class .

Tikka still has a reputation what they will shoot as expected, at £1000 a rifle what will do the same as most £2000 rifles. I like the plastic mag I have one in the rifle and one (3+5)in my pocket or backpack , quick reload with a round still in the chamber. Like the stock of older tikkas better and I would get a short action for a 222r lenght cartridge. A used 595/695 cost about £6-700 here so its a risk of getting a lemon with a 25y old rifle.

Bergara B14 seems to be a rifle in the same price and quality range as Tikkas. SAKOs are nice if you can spend £2000 on it.

 

[JockStalk]

On the other hand, a certain rifle smith has had to completely rebuild a relatively new but badly made action for me.
Sometimes a rifle that’s already had the kinks ironed out is a better bet

 

[Bowland blades]

Dreaming I think, who pays for the ammo, who provides the range, how far are you willing to travel?, probably would double the price of the gun, why not do the same for new guns ?

I think that sneaky fool would just be labelled a poor shot and of course who would come to buy a SH rifle to use and work on walking off with the damb thing ? Be like buying a car that had a definite knocking in the lower engine

 

[pete evans]

I’ve pretty much had all my rifles 2nd hand 2cz 601 in 243 and 308 couple of hundred each a rem 700 in 270 that I initially thought was inaccurate but just took some time to develop accurate load, a sako a1 .222 that I paid £400 that came with mod mounts ammo dies case etc that needed recrowning but now shoots really well and a .22 cz that shoots ok. I’ve probably been pretty lucky as I haven’t really inspected any of them beyond a quick look over externally but currently I’d have no issue with buying 2nd hand

 

[User00040]

On the other hand, a certain rifle smith has had to completely rebuild a relatively new but badly made action for me.
Sometimes a rifle that’s already had the kinks ironed out is a better bet

Did the rifle shoot before it's 'MOT'...?

 

[Bowland blades]

Tikka still has a reputation what they will shoot as expected, at £1000 a rifle what will do the same as most £2000 rifles. I like the plastic mag I have one in the rifle and one (3+5)in my pocket or backpack , quick reload with a round still in the chamber. Like the stock of older tikkas better and I would get a short action for a 222r lenght cartridge. A used 595/695 cost about £6-700 here so its a risk of getting a lemon with a 25y old rifle.

Bergara B14 seems to be a rifle in the same price and quality range as Tikkas. SAKOs are nice if you can spend £2000 on it.

Not sure of your point to quote me on so cant really reply as regards what was in my post . However the 595 was a metal mag until its later days . All due to the SAKO and Tikka being taken in different directions by the new owners ( one of less compeating with each other and raising profits ) . Its got far worse no

 

[Ratel]

Bought my last rifle (that I will buy) secondhand. I wanted to go back to my early days after my hornet excitement ceased and I got Grandfather's 7x57. I found one at Ivythorne, a Mannlicher stutzen so went down to try it. I met Steve and he showed me a target shot with two different cartridges which gave a good group and explained that the bore was pitted but obviously it shot ok. I didn't bother shooting it myself as the chap in my opinion was one to be believed. Well I took it home and it did exactly as he said and within a day or so I sent him a photo of my first fallow shot with it. Plenty of shots since still getting 1.5" groups, not bad with a dicky right eye. If I was ever tempted to buy s/h again I know exactly who I would go to.

 

[enfieldspares]

And 20 to 30 years ago a rifle that shot a 2” group was considered more than good enough. And frankly it is. The Internet and marketing has led us all to believe that all rifles shoot 1/2” groups and that any rifleman can take any rifle and shoot 1/2” groups. Most cannot.

The voice of commonsense and reasonableness.

Sadly crying in the wilderness with those who claim such miserable grouping ability is now no longer adequate for when they are headshooting rabbits for You Tube at three hundred yards...and that with a .177" as, of course, on FAC too, it's a flatter trajectory over distance.

 

[20-250]

Not sure of your point to quote me on so cant really reply as regards what was in my post . However the 595 was a metal mag until its later days . All due to the SAKO and Tikka being taken in different directions by the new owners ( one of less compeating with each other and raising profits ) . Its got far worse no

The 3 round magazine the 595 was equipped with from new was always plastic. The 5 round magazines were always steel bodied.

 

[Bowland blades]

I cant really agree . Most stalking rifles are not shot very much at all ( exception being those owned by the keen ) . I know many who do not fire 20 rounds per annum and i have known a few farmers who buy a rifle , zero it and leave it in a safe. Because of the fear the barrel is shot out the second hand rifle market knocks massive amounts off between new on the shelf to 2nd hand , death of the owner can leave a rifle without someone who can keep it and the family just want to fix the legalities and get it gone ( 6mths storage fees can take a thousand into - just get it gone please in these circumstances )
The buyer just needs to allow for what can go wrong , are parts still obtainable for the model etc? what does it look like with a bore scope ? What would similar today cost brand new ?
Today a new rifle from the likes of sako is best part of say 2k plus , while an older one with some wear and tear might be £500 even a new barrel ( after market ) wont take that to new price and bore scopes are in most dealers now and are no longer expensive for hobby home gunsmithing

 

[JockStalk]

Did the rifle shoot before it's 'MOT'...?

It did, but gradually more erratically. Accurate but with unexplained flyers that became more regular.
And then started having problems feeding.
Lost confidence in it so it sat in the safe.

 

[pete evans]

I suspect that the licensing system in the uk creates plenty of lightly used second hand guns. If you want to “upgrade” or change calibre then you generally have to chop in your current gun. Forums like SD and Facebook forums are full of posts where people are looking for something different or “better” and there seems to be more fashion for certain calibres these days so I suspect the upshot is perfectly serviceable rifles in the more traditional calibres.

 

[25 Sharps]

I purchased a 223 new , and it shot like a dog after the usual runaround with its your mounts/ scope / cheek weld / lack of skill and 100 rounds of various ammo the RFD bore scoped the barrel and it was awful. Returned it as not fit with no bother and got an exceptional deal on a TIKKA. very happy now . With the limited slots and aggravation of even a 141 I cannot risk the time and tears to save a couple of hundred pounds.

But you purchased new and that was a dog, so even new is not a guarantee against the hassle of our licensing system!