I happen to be a fan of buying used handguns. In the past few years the only handguns that I have purchased new have been a Springfield Armory TRP Operator and a Sig P320. Other than that; each of my handgun purchases have been used prior to my purchase. Why do I do this? It is quite simply really…… used guns are cheaper. An added bonus is that used often aren’t really “used” that much before they land in the used gun dust bin at your local gun store. So let’s say that you bought a used gun; what are some things that you should do to make sure you enjoy a new purchase?
First; make sure you look over the gun with a fine tooth comb prior to purchase to make sure there are no mechanical issues. I’ve seen more than one mechanically unsafe pistol sitting in sale cabinets so try to have an idea of things to look for prior to purchase. One thing that I do prior to buying a used gun is consult the pocket computer I carry, aka iPhone, for any known issues present with the model of gun I’m looking at.
Second; when I buy a semi-auto pistol I always replace the recoil and magazine springs. These are the two areas where you are most likely going to see problems so it pays to nip the problem in the bud from the start. And where do I get my springs? From Wolff Gun Springs of course!
So follow these two simple steps and your new-to-you pistol should give you years of enjoyment.