5 Reasons to Buy a Used Gun

The United States has an exceptionally strong culture of firearms ownership. For example, the Swiss-based research group Small Arms Survey estimates that there are about 125 firearms in civilian hands in the USA per 100 people. While it’s impossible to say for certain how many there are, since we do not have a national gun registry, the point remains that there are several hundred million firearms in the United States. With that in mind, you might well be interested in buying a used firearm since there are so many of them in circulation.

• There are more firearms than there are people in the United States.
• Used guns are an affordable way to get a firearm that you want.

The idea of buying a used gun, especially for people new to firearms, can be a daunting experience. So, how can you take advantage of the sheer number of used guns available on the market?

In this piece, we want to put your mind at ease and make the case for buying used guns. We’ll get things started by going through some of the more common questions that people have about buying used guns, such as where and how to do so, especially with the option of doing so online.

From there, we’ll discuss whether or not we think it’s a good idea to buy used guns, as well as offer a few insider tips on the financial side of the used gun business. Finally, having given you some quality information on the subject, we will give you our top five reasons that we often buy used guns as opposed to new ones.

Over the years, we’ve heard more than a few people tell someone to “never buy a used gun.” We do see where that kind of advice can come from, especially if the person giving the advice has had a bad experience in the past.

• According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation: millions of new firearms were purchased in 2020.
• That rate seems to be increasing, especially among new shooters.
• Thus, by 2023, there are probably millions more used guns on the market than ever before.

With that in mind, we think that, armed with a little knowledge, you can find not only reliable and safe guns, but also some extremely good deals and interesting historical pieces if you’re willing to buy used. For example, getting a used pistol, or perhaps a used revolver, is an awesome way to save a lot of money if you’re looking for a concealed carry firearm.

Depending on where you live, your local gun store is often an excellent source of used guns. For example, many have at least reasonably good selections of used rifles, and we’ve yet to hear of a gun store that does not have at least a few used shotguns on offer.

There are some other options as well: pawn shops are a little hit or miss, but many do sell firearms. Additionally, there might be local gun shows that have good selections of firearms, including a fair number of used semi-automatic rifles in the AK or AR patterns. Of course, there is always the old standby of simply buying used guns from friends, family, or word of mouth: there are even bulletin boards at gun ranges where people sometimes buy and sell used guns.

The actual buying process of guns, new or used, is totally dependent on your local, state, and federal laws. This article is in no way legal advice, and it’s on you to read up on how to legally purchase used guns in your area.

With that said, the simplest way to buy a used gun is often to simply stop by, in person, at a local gun store and start asking questions. The vast majority of gun-store personnel are passionate about firearms and are more than happy to give you good advice.

• Stopping into a retailer like Green Top is a great option if you live close.
• But, local gun stores vary widely, so your in-person experience can vary widely, too.

Of course, to buy used guns, there have to be used guns. This begs the question for current firearms owners: how much do gun stores buy used guns for? Again, this all depends, but if you’re selling a gently used model that’s in current production, you can expect to get about half of the MSRP back on a good day. Generally, walking into a gun store looking to make a buck is not going to work out well, but you might get a decent chunk of your initial investment back as long as nothing is seriously broken.

Again, state, local, and federal law all come into play here, and it’s important to follow all of them. But, generally, you will need both a seller and a local store who are Federal Firearms Licensees, or FFLs.

• Beware of chat bots and scams: guns are a billion-dollar industry, and some people look to take advantage.
• Go to trusted retailers like Green Top. These retailers are both convenient and, through customer service, extremely knowledgeable.

The FFL from whom you’re buying the gun that you found online will ship it to your local FFL, and then you will fill out the paperwork necessary in your jurisdiction to take possession of the firearm. While the process itself is not too onerous usually, there are often fees involved that you will want to research in advance.

Read more about How to Buy a Gun Online

1. It is often much more affordable than buying a new gun and you can save substantially over MSRP in a lot of cases.
2. It’s possible to see guns that are no longer made and are simply cool to you, and the low price of used guns makes it a lot more possible to get guns that scratch that cool itch.
3. A lot of historical firearms, like surplus rifles and pistols, are no longer made, so buying them used is your only option to own them.
4. There’s always something new to learn in the used gun market, and the learning experience is a lot more rewarding than just buying something new.
5. Since a lot of used guns are bought locally, doing so is a great way to build relationships around firearms in your community.

Pros:

1. Again, you can save a lot of money if you do some research.
2. Old guns are interesting, and sometimes used is the only option.
3. If you’re lucky, you might also end up with expensive or rare accessories like bayonets or scopes.

Cons:

1. Not everyone is a careful gun owner and you might get a gun that is abused, especially online.
2. Some guns got sold back because they had recurring malfunctions that you will now have to deal with.
3. In some cases, the prices on used guns can overshadow the gun’s utility to you.

In addition to the reasons listed above, we think that buying used guns is a great way to keep people engaged with firearms as a hobby, as well as giving us all access to the vast array of interesting firearms both new and old.

When it’s time to fill a niche in your firearms collection, consider a used gun. With some recommendations from a trusted source of firearms and knowledge, you can get that new (to you) 1911 for home defense, or that Remington 700 that might be older than you are for deer hunting, both at a price that you can justify.

Stores like Green Top, both in person and online, have a selection of guns that appeals to a lot of people, and, more importantly, they also serve as repositories for knowledge about these firearms.