Attitudes
I have no stake here but in my opinion surplus means used. If i buy or sell a used car it has a taillight warranty. When it leaves my or the sellers sight the deal is done and shall never be spoke of again. I bought a car and drove it for a couple days only to have the starter quit. I didn't go crying for a refund on a 3000$ car nor would i do it for a 400$ rifle. CAVEAT EMPTOR
The "let the buyer beware" attitude is quite prevalent today. However, the Recreational Firearms Community is a relatively small one, and if you are not satisfied, then the word can get around really fast, especially on the Internet and Forums. Some people on these forums think it is all right to peddle off a clunker or junker, and they come out the winner, and they think they are more clever because they pulled a fast one.
On the other hand, there are those people who will never be satisfied, with anything, whatever a person does. Most of the gun owners, buyers, sellers are somewhere in the middle.
The example of the car is interesting. If the car was driven three blocks, and then quit with a major problem, would the new owner not walk back and have a chat with the seller? In this case, the OP seemed to fire three rounds, and the rifle had a major problem.
With the advent of the Internet, a very large percentage of these transactions are done on line, without ever having seen or examined the item first. As a Buyer, you are assuming that the Seller is Legitimate, Honest, and will stand by his product. It is the Seller's responsibility to check items that he sells, so that they are safe, IN THE CONDITION AS ADVERTISED OR STATED, and if in business, a policy or conditions for return, repair or refunds. Not fine print, but if you are proud of your business, state it.
I am almost 70 years old, and have been dealing with guns for over 55 years. I buy and sell guns, and there are two things to consider...Honesty and Integrity. Most people have those two qualities, and you can make a deal over the phone or e-mail, and count on it being fair and acceptable to both parties. Many +$1000 deals are made on a man's word or handshake, but it is a sad sign of the times that this seems to be getting harder and harder to do.
As pointed out, if you are in business, a dis-satisfied customer can cause a lot of havoc if you are not honest and fair with him. Communication is a big part of a business, and it is a two way street.
Personally, if I had received a gun that should have been at least looked at and tried for functioning, and it only fired three shots and seized up, I would have a legitimate complaint with the person who sold it to me.
As another post pointed out, a rifle he received from Trade-Ex had a problem. It was replaced by Trade-Ex without a lot of hassle. I have bought over 15 guns from Trade-Ex, and yes, I did have a problem with one. It was sent back, and Trade-Ex replaced it with another rifle, and shipped to me without a shipping charge. I paid to ship it back, which I considered fair. I think that the service at Trade-Ex is the one a lot of businesses should strive to copy.
I have bought from Moreguns Supply. I prefer to deal with other businesses, no matter how good the prices are.
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