Expert Tips for Inspecting a Used Rifle (VIDEO)

By Kristin Alberts

New rifles are great, but buying from the used rack often has its own advantages. In many cases, a buyer can find a used item in excellent condition but at a fraction of the price. Perhaps more importantly, buying pre-owned is the only way to get classic, collectible or otherwise out-of-production long guns.
Of course, buying used also means just that – the gun has already been used – and what kind of use may not immediately be known. To learn how to inspect wear and tear on a rifle, I turned to gun shop owner Mark Micoley who has been in the business for more than 30 years at his shop rock Ridge Shooter’s Supply. According to Micoley, looking for obvious problems is the best way to start.
He explained that you should first give the rifle a once over. “We’re going to being looking for damage. We’re going to be looking for cracks in the stock. We’re going to be looking for rust on the metal,” he said, adding that if the rifle stock has a crack and you fire it, you could have “a very bad day” as the shooting could make the damage worse.
Racks of rifles await buyers

Source: Guns.com