Helping folks find guns

Gil Martin · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 2:17 pm Post subject: Helping folks find guns

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

Vince · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

That was very rude on the part of that guy Gil. He asked for help then basically snubbed you off when you helped him.

I don't get asked very often, but we I do I steer people towards shops that offer a reasonable deal and leave it at that...unless it is family or I know the guys really well, then I go that but further.

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Happens to me every so often. I try to help when I can. I've had good experiences with some folks but others plain won't listen. I figure that's their loss and I got to talk about/look at guns!

gelandangan · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:18 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Yes this happened quite a lot to me with camera and lens questions.
Most people just want the excitement of knowing prices rather than actually owning the item.

PaulS · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 6:25 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

We had a special event at the range today, it's called Women on Target.
Women of all ages get to come to the range and get a quick class on gun safety and then get to fire all kinds of guns from 22 rim fires to 12 ga shotguns. When they find something they like they write down the make and model and usually buy the gun and bring it to the next Women on Target event. Those who are brand new to shooting are my favorites. I was stationed with the rifles today and most of the women are drawn to the rim fires because they don't make a lot of noise and no kick. Then I explain the the "evil" black rifle is also a 22. I show them that they are both 22's but one shell holds a lot more powder. I tell then that the bullet size makes the recoil and the powder makes the noise. So the 223 (5.56) is just a very loud 22. Of the 14 women that shot the gun about half wrote down the make and model and the make and model of the scope. We are going to have some great shooters with their brand new black rifles on the range soon. These women can really shoot too. we had some rim fire groups that were smaller than a dime and the A500 plate was shot so many times in the center that it was finally penetrated by the 223. It took six hits in the same spot to penetrate. Now I get to weld it up...

slimjim · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 7:41 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Gil Martin wrote:

i do not buy every used gun that I see, but a real bargain is hard to pass up.

Did you turn you garage or basement into a gun safe? My safe is full so if I pick-up or build one, another has to go.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Gil Martin wrote:

I am just curious about your experiences in helping people find guns.
Gil

Anymore I just find them the gun they want on gunbroker.com and send'em a link. If they are serious they can work out the purchasing.

-DallanC

SingleShotLover · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Like Gil, I've invested far too much time trying to help only to have them change their minds or act as though I'm imposing on them. Now I keep a handful of cards for a couple of shops and just hand them one. The rest is up to them.

slimjim · Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 5:36 am Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Well, I had a good experience last month. A guy I had known from work asked me for advice on buying components to build a 6.8mm AR. He took my advise and ran with my recommendations - barrel, gas block, bullet, brass, even dies. Not the norm but definitely nice to have happen every once in awhile.

slimjim · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 6:39 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Well, I had a pleasant surprise. The guy I helped with the 6.8 called and invited me to shoot skeet with him as a thank you. What a treat. We did three runs. He only missed two the entire afternoon. With his coaching, I was breaking regularly on the third round. What a treat - Great!!!

dhc4ever · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 7:43 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Slim, you've just found another excuse to buy a decent shotgun.
Nothing is quite as cathardic as blowing things out of the sky....

Vince · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 8:26 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Skeet is a lot of fun, but not as much fun as Sporting Clays or 5-Stand.

I'm with Pete...you now have an excuse (not that you really need one) to go out and buy a nice Sporting Over/Under shotgun mate. Word of warning though...Skeet can be very addictive and they shoot it with all calibres....410, 28g, 20g and 12g.

slimjim · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

Vince wrote:

Skeet can be very addictive and they shoot it with all calibres....410, 28g, 20g and 12g.

Yeah, he was telling me if you really want to compete, you need all the gauges. Oh, I did significantly better with the Benelli Semi-Auto than the Over-Under. May all been about fit though.

Aloysius · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 12:47 am Post subject: Re: Helping folks find guns

a semi-auto has a barrel with less weight, so a faster swing...

Loke · Member Joined: May 13, 2013 Posts: 207

My favorite ones are the people that spend several hours (sometimes it just seems that long) at the counter asking about this or that or the others over there. Then call their brother (the Gun Guy) who hasn't even heard of most of the guns that we carry. Like Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, Glock, or CZ. Then they end up buying the High Point because it is cheap, and their brother (the Gun Guy) shot one with his buddy once.