Tips for buying second-hand shotguns or rifles

The time has come to think about buying a gun, and the second-hand market is usually the cheapest option, but you have to be careful... that is why we are going to give you some advice when buying second-hand shotguns and rifles.

We must take into account several factors and certain checks that we must carry out if we don't want to make a mistake.

There are a series of guidelines to look at when buying a second-hand rifle, whether it is a bolt-action, semi-automatic, single-shot or express rifle.

The first thing to do when evaluating a second-hand rifle is an initial visual analysis. It is necessary to check that the rifle is well cared for, that there are no cracks in the wood, that the bluing and care of the rest of the steel parts are well preserved, etc.

Although the knocks, bumps and bluing of the barrels are easy to repair, this first visual analysis will tell us a lot about the care and the life it has had.

Next, we will check that the mechanisms such as bolts, chambers, possible fixed mounts or barrels are in good condition and free of rust. Sometimes, drying the gun badly after a day of rain can cause rust to appear which is sometimes difficult to remove.

After the above steps, before testing, the gun should be thoroughly cleaned, leaving the rifle in perfect condition.

This step involves cleaning the barrel, mechanisms and everything that is necessary to get the gun in perfect condition for testing.

The last test is carried out at the shooting range. This is a decisive step to know if we have a rifle in good condition and that it will meet our expectations. It will be checked that the rifle groups correctly within the minimum required for each weapon, in addition to not jamming in the case of semi-automatics.

If the previous steps are correct and the rifle is considered to be in good condition.

The steps to follow when buying a second-hand shotgun, whether they are semi-automatic, parallel, over-and-under or single shot, are similar to those mentioned in the case of rifles.

Over-and-under and parallel shotguns, after checking that they are aesthetically good in terms of wood, steel and mechanisms, the first thing to do is to check that there are no looseness in the shaft. To detect this, we must remove the handguard, leaving only the barrels anchored to the scale part. We will make energetic movements in opposite directions in order to see if it has some movement or if the parts fit perfectly. If there is a metallic sound, the shotgun is loose.

You should also check the condition of the barrels and check that they are not pitted or knocked, especially at the barrel entrance, or with dilatations or hernias caused by overpressure. These hernias are difficult to see if you are not a gunsmith, as it requires experience to see them inside the barrel. We therefore advise against buying a gun without it having been previously viewed by an experienced gunsmith.

Finally, if the shotgun has polycocks which modify the dispersion of the pellets when they come out, we must check that they are in good condition and that they can be put on and taken off correctly without effort.

In parallel and over-and-under shotguns, there are several points to highlight when checking the gun:

The opening lever, which is used to open the shotgun when inserting the cartridge, should be slightly to the right, as a more centred position of the lever will indicate that the shotgun has been used a lot.

We should try the spring-relieving cartridges, which are used to relieve the firing pins of shotguns at the end of a day's hunting.

In semi-automatic shotguns we must check that it does not jam regularly when repeating the shot, as this is frequent. This is usually due to the dirt that accumulates in the chamber, making it difficult for the mechanism to act correctly after firing.

It should be solved with a complete cleaning, but sometimes it may be due to other factors that must be identified before buying them.

Buying second-hand firearms is not an easy task and cannot be trusted if it is done between individuals.

Our advice is always to go to a gun shop where all the guns have been previously checked and analysed and where there is a guarantee that they are in optimum condition for use.