What sort of inspections would you do when purchasing a C&R firearm?

[8391JE]

What sort of inspections would you do when purchasing a C&R firearm? What do you check for safety in operation?

The ones that I can think of when first picking it up:
Make sure that the action is locking up properly.
Do basic function checking like decocker, safety, trigger, mag release, slide stop as applicable.

After I brought it home:
Disassemble, clean, and lubricate it.
Check head space before firing.
Make sure the ammunition you have for it isn't too hot (with an internet search?).
Take it to the range and shoot it with my left hand first

Did I miss anything? What sort of things do you look for when inspecting an old firearm before shooting it?

[MajorSideburns]

I would add to make sure you have a good look at the chamber if you plan to shoot it. Bring a flashlight and check closely for defects or pitting. I have been burned before buying an unshootable rifle due to heavy pitting in the chamber that I never noticed after doing my usual scan of the bore from the muzzle end with a flashlight. The disassembly inspection is controversial with some collectors who like to keep things in absolute original condition but I would say it's necessary if you plan to shoot the firearm and arguably even just to preserve it. You really need to take a rifle apart to examine critical areas below the wood line. Examine the receiver and barrel fully to make sure there are no drilled holes or cuts or severe pitting that could present a safety issue. Obviously this is not always possible before buying it but you should definitely perform a thorough breakdown before shooting it. If possible, ask the owner or shop to do the disassembly before purchase but chances are most won't want to bother or take the risk of breaking or losing something before a sale. I would also add to inspect the wood and stock for fitment and for cracks at vital locations. Make sure the rifle action is bedded well and fits snugly and doesn't move back and forth or side to side in the stock. For most C&R rifles a new replacement stock will cost as much as the rifle itself so this is important. Old handguns can also have grips that are susceptible to cracks from use and age so keep in mind that replacements can be expensive and difficult or impossible to source depending on the firearm. I would also say when you are doing your basic function and headspace check to really inspect the firing parts and their mating surfaces to look for signs of alteration. Check the firing pin hole for damage, check the bolt face for smoothness and uniformity, check the extractor for chips and breaks. Look for signs of Bubba anywhere. Freshly buggered screws can be an indication the rifle was taken apart in recent history. Look for dremel and sanding marks. Smell the blued finish for cold bluing. Shine a light along the rifle at oblique angles to look for finish discrepancies which could be done to hide alterations or repairs. Check the barrel along its entire length with your fingers for bumps and ringing. These are just a few tips that come off the top of my head in the few minutes it took me to write this post. Ultimately you will need experience to help guide you and that comes with making a lot of mistakes.

I am also not opposed to the cautionary fully extended left arm hipfire-while-shielding-the-face at the range for the first round through a new acquisition even after all the previously mentioned inspections have been performed.

[echo1]

I bring a bore scope, flashlight and magnifying glass and give it the ounce over. A turd usually jumps out at you. PAX.

[beerman]

Make sure there’s not a “duffle” cut of the stock under the front band.

[echo1]

Make sure there’s not a “duffle” cut of the stock under the front band.

Why not? I picked up a rifle from a garage sale that was "broken", an early M95 Calvary Carbine. The little old Dutch lady said that the rifle had been her grandpas, and he brought it back from France after WWI, he was a Doughboy she added. The broken part was actually neatly sawn with a hacksaw. I'd never heard of a duffle cut at the time, but this was obviously one. Undocumented WWI capture, a dowl and some Gorilla glue...voila. For $25 bucks I'm buying every rifle that crosses my path at that price. PAX

[8391JE]

Smell the blued finish for cold bluing.

Is this to just see if the firearm has been recently refinished? Can you smell it even if it hasn't been cold blued recently?

[prob]

First, check the bore. If it looks like sewer pipe, move on. However, if there are signs of rust or corrosion, as long as the bore looks pretty good and there is strong rifling, it’ll probably be fine.

Check for matching numbers, that in itself is not necessarily a deal killer, but matching numbers will always add to the value of a surplus arm.

Look at the stock to see if it has been refinished. For me, a refinished stock is almost always going to drive me away.

Speaking of the stock, keep an eye out for cracks. Very minor hairline cracks can be fixed with CA glue, but stay away from large ugly cracks with splinters missing.

Check the metal for refinishing as well. You can oftentimes tell when a gun has been reblued because there will almost always be weird polishing streaks running off of the bottom of stamped letters. This is a sign that some ham-handed rube was not watching what he was doing while polishing the gun before the reblue.

As others have pointed out, check for mechanical function.