BBuying a Used Revolver

By Dan Wagner

So, you saw this great looking revolver at the store. It's used, it's MUCH cheaper than a new gun for sure. The guy behind the counter tells you this particular gun is very popular, and he's had 3 people looked at it just today! This gun won't be around long! What do we do?

It's an age old question asked by buyers since the beginning of salesmen. There are once in a lifetime deals, some people win the lottery, and a few folks out there have been struck by lightning and lived. But I'm not a big fan of luck, and I'd simply prefer to avoid lightning in the first place. A little care, caution and research are in order. Buy smart and you will seldom be disappointed.

Buying a used gun can be a little like buying a used car. We can wander around without a plan and believe anything the salesman tells us. That is the closest thing to a legalized form of rape imaginable. Not a good idea. First we should have some idea just what it is we are looking for, and BE EDUCATED. You like the Ruger Old Army? Great! Read up on it. You're interested in it, right? This should be fun reading. Go to Ruger's website. They have manuals for you to download for free. Learn how to operate the gun. Does it have a half cock? How do you load? How do you remove the cylinder? Learning these things has 2 great effects. 1.) It will help you when you are giving the gun it's inspection. 2.) It will prevent the dealer from thinking you are a tenderfoot ripe for the picking. By coming across knowledgeable, I have had dealers detail the problems with a particular gun BEFORE my inspection. They don't want to waste their time, and they want me on their good side for this and for future purchases.

But wait! This is a discontinued revolver! I can't download a manual, nor find a parts list! Ok. Your job just got a little tougher, but the info may still be available to you. Look around on the web. See what sites there are devoted to your particular choice in revolvers. Try asking someone who owns such a gun. Odds are you might not know someone with this model, but there are plenty of forums, chat areas and discussion boards all across the web devoted to guns in general. Someone out there knows, and if he's as proud of his guns as most are, he'll be more than happy to talk about it. He can likely tell you far more than any owner's manual ever would.

Well... now we know our preferred revolver most intimately, we're eager to own and shoot our selection, so it's off to the gun shops we go. The more shops we visit, the better our comparisons. What are we looking for? Well, let's start with fit and finish. Look around the frame, hammer and barrel. Is the blue worn through in patches? Is the stainless tarnished? Any sign of rust or pitting? Deep scratches? These are points of negotiation. Do be on the watch, some folks can be a bit tricky. You might not be looking at the original finish. The gun might not have been cared for well at all, and they buffed out the damage. Have a look at any writing you can find on the barrel or frame. The lettering and numbering should be clear and well defined. If they look a little blurry and faded despite a bright and clean finish, it is a sign of a reblue or polishing.

Next on our list is to check indexing and the slots in the cylinder which engage the bolt. Make sure the edge of the slot is sharp and straight. Curvature or deformation is a good sign of 'hammer fanning'. That suggests you are going to be replacing several parts in short time. Keep in mind that although it might be a good price, how good is it when you factor in a new cylinder, hand, springs etc? Keep that in mind. When we go to check the indexing itself, it's best to cock the hammer slowly and gently so you know momentum isn't throwing the cylinder into place. We want to be sure the hand pushes as far as it's supposed to, no wear on hand or ratchet. Once the bolt has engaged, wiggle the cylinder back and forth. Does it lock tight? Great. There should only be the smallest amount of lateral movement when the bolt is engaged. Bring a small flashlight with you so you can have a peek down the barrel to see if the cylinder is lining up with the barrel. You'll sometimes see a very minute segment of ring to one side. This is not uncommon, but use good judgment- if that crescent of cylinder you see is a half moon, you've got a serious problem there. The more in line the cylinder is, the more accurate your purchase will likely be. One thing that helps see is to stuff cotton balls or something reflective into the chambers. Some gun shops might not be entirely comfortable with this. If you really want to have fun, bring a handful of miniature hot cocoa marshmallows and ask the clerk if you can cram them into the cylinder. Watch him stutter. On a related note, try asking him if your stalking and domestic violence convictions might affect your ability to purchase this gun. Now ask him to hand you some ammo.*

Now that we've checked out alignment, it's time to inspect the bore, chambers, forcing cone and crown. You'll want to remove the cylinder for this. Fortunately we studied up on how to do this, so we won't fumble about, sending out the greenhorn 'overcharge me' flag. Have a good look at the cone and crown, they should both be crisp and even. You will see the grooves of the rifling. Those are supposed to be there. Don't point them out to the clerk with a smug look. He'll laugh at you and so will we. Now look down the barrel and all six chambers of the cylinder. It must be clean and polished. If there is any leading or residue, ask the clerk to clean the gun. It's not a ridiculous request, he should have done it before the gun was ever laid out. Moisture can get trapped under residue and pit it straight to Hades. You don't want to discover your gun is a mess upon your first cleaning.

Well. You've given the gun the once over, and all is good? Take her home, and all the ride think of a good excuse to tell the wife as to why you spent all that money on yet ANOTHER gun.

*BPR forum members not liable for injuries to body or reputation resulting from wisenheimer behavior in or out of the gunshop.