New or Used?

20SFLV · 01-12-2013, 12:04

I bought a Draco recently that was described as never been fired, and in perfect shape. As you can see the pictures, there are quite a few scratches in it. The seller says it is shipping damage which I can believe for some of the scratches but not all. It looks like all the safety lever, and other movable items have been moved around.

Seller says shipping damage or the people at the gun store where I picked it up played with it. I don't believe the later since I have transferred items before from this shop, and never had a problem. Plus they are way to busy to play around with items coming in for transfer (at least thirty to forty boxes a day when I was there a few times when UPS came).

Seller shipped the Draco with the grip removed, and in a box surrounded by old shirts. He says it is unfired (I tend to believe that), but I could put a claim in with UPS for the damage. Obviously the seller packed it so I don't know what UPS would do.

I tend to believe that the Draco was not new in the box (if it was, why not ship the box it came in?), but what do you guys think? New or used? Since the seller is sending me to UPS, I figure that is the last he wants to deal with this but he has been good to communicate with in the past.

Thank you.

Bob Hafler · 01-12-2013, 12:23

I can tell you right now not all the scratches are from shipping. That's BS. However being the type of frirearm it is, who cares as long as it shoots good. UPS I'm sure will not cover those scratches.

FLIPPER 348 · 01-12-2013, 13:00

Don't waste your time with the seller or UPS. That firearm has been handled plenty, perhaps excessively. Shoot it plenty and enjoy, it will get more scratches. It's a Kalshna-knockoff, not a wedding dress.

bsg1 · 01-12-2013, 13:14

have you shown your seller the pictures you've posted here? as you've stated, the condition does not appear to be in "like perfect shape." i don't believe the imperfections/scratches are from shipping.

i'd get a written statement from my receiving FFL regarding the condition when received and forward that along with pictures to the seller. i believe some compensation is in order.

SPIN2010 · 01-12-2013, 13:22

Ship damage? Unlikely. Did you look for loose pieces in the pack?

Before purchase photos vs. after unpacking photos? What did you really agree to? I learned the hard way from some "good folk" here on GT that my idea of an unused firearm and theirs are worlds apart.

Get plenty of picts everytime (of all areas requested), sent to your personal email by the seller, and document everything it helps if you have to recover.

Good luck, I hope it shoots well.

20SFLV · 01-12-2013, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Hafler

I can tell you right now not all the scratches are from shipping. That's BS. However being the type of frirearm it is, who cares as long as it shoots good. UPS I'm sure will not cover those scratches.

I didn't think that all of those scratches were from shipping, but I just wanted to make sure before I went back to the seller.

20SFLV · 01-12-2013, 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsg1

have you shown your seller the pictures you've posted here? as you've stated, the condition does not appear to be in "like perfect shape."

i'd get a written statement from my receiving FFL regarding the condition when received and forward that along with pictures to the seller. i believe some compensation is in order.

i would however, keep it... regardless of seller doing or not doing anything to compensate.

I showed even more pictures to the seller, and he still says every scratch is from shipping. I would like to keep it, but get some compensation since I thought I was buying something in perfect condition, and it is far from it. I would have spent less money on it if I knew about all those scratches.

20SFLV · 01-12-2013, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPIN2010

Ship damage? Unlikely. Did you look for loose pieces in the pack?

Before purchase photos vs. after unpacking photos? What did you really agree to? I learned the hard way from some "good folk" here on GT that my idea of an unused firearm and theirs are worlds apart.

Get plenty of picts everytime (of all areas requested), sent to your personal email by the seller, and document everything it helps if you have to recover.

Good luck, I hope it shoots well.

Before pictures weren't great, but I could definitely tell that some of the scratches (specifically the levers) did not have any scratches on them. No way those were shipping damages, but seller is claiming the FFL must have played with it.

Seller didn't say unused, he said perfect and new in box.

garya1961 · 01-12-2013, 16:05

keep it and use some cold blue to hide the scratches.

bsg1 · 01-12-2013, 17:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by 20SFLV

Before pictures weren't great, but I could definitely tell that some of the scratches (specifically the levers) did not have any scratches on them. No way those were shipping damages, but seller is claiming the FFL must have played with it.

Seller didn't say unused, he said perfect and new in box.

you mentioned earlier that original box was not sent. if advertisement/description said "perfect and new in box"... that means in 'original' box from manufacturer, unless otherwise stated by seller; a separate issue, but helpful in assessing integrity of seller if you suspect he has been dishonest in his description of item for sale.