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This post is certain to start some debate but if you read the post before your comment the desent can be kept civil. I am only posting to give some advise to guys who are new to shotguns.
I read a lot of post about guys buying police trade in shotguns. I will state that if you know the type or model of the weapon and inspect it properly these can be a good value.
I do not recommend these weapons for guys who are new to the type or model of the weapon you are buying, unless you have 100% confidence in the seller. If you don't have an oppertunity to break it down and know what you are looking at then be prepared for problems
I am mostly talking about weapons that are traded in by Departments in which these weapons were issued. I am not talking about a personal duty weapon an LEO owned and traded in. It is my expirience that when the Officers own their duty weapons the weapons are maintained properly. Many LEO's who have bought weapons from me, tell me horror storys about the Department weapons available to them and they are buying their own to increase their chances of going home at the end of each shift.
I have found that Department trade ins are for the most part some of the most abused weapon I have seen. I do not take traded ins for this reason and have lost my A double S the few times I did. Many of these weapon are assigned to a vehicle and stay with that vehicle and are used by multiple Officers. Many of these Officers have little to no knowledge of the weapon and many of todays LEO's have no respect for the shotgun as a duty weapon and prefer rifles. For these reasons these weapons are ignored, abused and do not get the proper maintenance that most all of us give our weapons routinely. Many are Arsenal weapons that are only checked out when an Officer requst one or for Certifications and some of these weapon are in the care and custody of a guy who got assigned to Armory for his "Politics" not his ablity to maintain weapons. His idea of being the armorer is simply inventory them by writing the serial number down once a quarter.
For the guys wanting to buy one of these weapon who know the weapon, here is a great buying opertunity. You can inspect the weapon and even fire it at some of the shops that have ranges. You can point out the issues and do some "Horse Trading" and get a good deal on a weapon that you can build on. However, since most are sold "AS IS" a novice buyer can simply be buying some problems and end up spending more to bring the weapon up to service quality then if he simply had bought a new one.
I only post this because I read other post that advise "New" guys to go buy these weapons, yet, the post fails to point out the issues that could be involved if a new guy thinks that it must be a great weapon since it was being used by Police and simply buys it.
I am sure there are going to be many post of guys that got great weapons at great prices that were Department Trade ins and yes they are out there. I have had many calls from guys who did not and I end up with some of these weapons in my shop. I have been amazed at the abuse, neglect and even what I know to have been deliberate damage to these weapons. I am even more amazed that some Dealer would sell that same weapon to a guy who did not know enough about what he was buying. So if you are looking for a good deal on a used shotgun, think about this post and how important it is to go over these trade ins. If you don't know much about the shotgun take a buddy who does.
Yes, this post was inspired by an LE Trade in weapon that came in to my shop that a guy bought. the barrel is pitted beyond what I can hone out, the barrel support braising and magazine braising is cracked and this is a factory repair, the ejector housing is broken and will not secure the barrel. there is more but I am getting P****d just wrting this.
I will also tell any new buyer want his first shotgun. Buy a new basic model from any of the sporting goods or gun shops in your area. Avoid the Custom Builders and all the high end "tacti-fool" mess on some of the ones in the gun shops. Learn to shoot and maintain that weapon, then, when you are hooked on shotguns, you ahve the knowledge to know what to get next.
I read a lot of post about guys buying police trade in shotguns. I will state that if you know the type or model of the weapon and inspect it properly these can be a good value.
I do not recommend these weapons for guys who are new to the type or model of the weapon you are buying, unless you have 100% confidence in the seller. If you don't have an oppertunity to break it down and know what you are looking at then be prepared for problems
I am mostly talking about weapons that are traded in by Departments in which these weapons were issued. I am not talking about a personal duty weapon an LEO owned and traded in. It is my expirience that when the Officers own their duty weapons the weapons are maintained properly. Many LEO's who have bought weapons from me, tell me horror storys about the Department weapons available to them and they are buying their own to increase their chances of going home at the end of each shift.
I have found that Department trade ins are for the most part some of the most abused weapon I have seen. I do not take traded ins for this reason and have lost my A double S the few times I did. Many of these weapon are assigned to a vehicle and stay with that vehicle and are used by multiple Officers. Many of these Officers have little to no knowledge of the weapon and many of todays LEO's have no respect for the shotgun as a duty weapon and prefer rifles. For these reasons these weapons are ignored, abused and do not get the proper maintenance that most all of us give our weapons routinely. Many are Arsenal weapons that are only checked out when an Officer requst one or for Certifications and some of these weapon are in the care and custody of a guy who got assigned to Armory for his "Politics" not his ablity to maintain weapons. His idea of being the armorer is simply inventory them by writing the serial number down once a quarter.
For the guys wanting to buy one of these weapon who know the weapon, here is a great buying opertunity. You can inspect the weapon and even fire it at some of the shops that have ranges. You can point out the issues and do some "Horse Trading" and get a good deal on a weapon that you can build on. However, since most are sold "AS IS" a novice buyer can simply be buying some problems and end up spending more to bring the weapon up to service quality then if he simply had bought a new one.
I only post this because I read other post that advise "New" guys to go buy these weapons, yet, the post fails to point out the issues that could be involved if a new guy thinks that it must be a great weapon since it was being used by Police and simply buys it.
I am sure there are going to be many post of guys that got great weapons at great prices that were Department Trade ins and yes they are out there. I have had many calls from guys who did not and I end up with some of these weapons in my shop. I have been amazed at the abuse, neglect and even what I know to have been deliberate damage to these weapons. I am even more amazed that some Dealer would sell that same weapon to a guy who did not know enough about what he was buying. So if you are looking for a good deal on a used shotgun, think about this post and how important it is to go over these trade ins. If you don't know much about the shotgun take a buddy who does.
Yes, this post was inspired by an LE Trade in weapon that came in to my shop that a guy bought. the barrel is pitted beyond what I can hone out, the barrel support braising and magazine braising is cracked and this is a factory repair, the ejector housing is broken and will not secure the barrel. there is more but I am getting P****d just wrting this.
I will also tell any new buyer want his first shotgun. Buy a new basic model from any of the sporting goods or gun shops in your area. Avoid the Custom Builders and all the high end "tacti-fool" mess on some of the ones in the gun shops. Learn to shoot and maintain that weapon, then, when you are hooked on shotguns, you ahve the knowledge to know what to get next.
-- Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun
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