Buying Firearms Online – Buyer Beware

There are a multitude of websites to buy firearms online. The Gunsmith and I sell guns on Gunbroker.com. There is also guns.com, cheaperthandirt.com, midwayusa.com, gunbuyer.com to name a few. I am not familiar with all or most of them by any means, but as a current Gunbroker seller and former top rated eBay seller, I have more than a little experience with online sales.

Some of the sellers are just like us, relatively small time, clearing out old inventory, etc. Most are doing their best to provide product that is as described. Some of the big name manufacturers sell on these sites, especially since the pandemic closed so many stores. Then there are the crooks. Those who advertise good items, then ship sorry excuses for firearms to buyers with little recourse.

Our first experience with this was back in Greenville, CA, when a local customer had their purchase shipped to us as their FFL receiver. The ad had said new, but when The Gunsmith inspected it, it was quite obviously used, and not worth the new price tag our customer had paid. We have seen that here in MN as well, where guns advertised as new or lightly used have had way too much carbon build up as evidence to the contrary.

We also had a case of an FFL receiver going out and firing the firearm, before our buyer picked it up, and damaging it. Not to mention the shippers that have damaged firearms in transit, which is why we all need to insure every shipment.

A few tips to help you buy online. Make sure the seller has over 100 positive reviews, read the reviews to make sure they are genuine. Know the inspection and return policy before you buy, and research prices from other, reputable, online sellers to make sure, what you’re paying is a fair price for the item.