Grading firearm condition and wood quality on EE

I've been mostly happy with the description of guns I've purchased off the ee..... but there is one shotgun I bought that really pissed me off last year. ..... grrrrr

It bothers me when scratches in the metal aernt disclosed and when all the chokes aernt included.
 
It's not only the EE where condition is uncertain. I drove 2 hours to a fairly well known gun store to examine a hard to find shotgun listed Excellent condition. What I was handed was very worn gun that was NRA Good at best.

For those that don't know what is meant by NRA condition:

http://www.collectiblefirearms.com/NRACondition.html

NRA CONDITION STANDARDS FOR MODERN FIREARMS:

NEW: Not previously sold at retail, in same condition as current factory production.

PERFECT: In New condition in every respect.

EXCELLENT: New condition, used but little, no noticeable marring of wood or metal, bluing perfect, (except at muzzle or sharp edges).

VERY GOOD: In perfect working condition, no appreciable wear on working surfaces, no corrosion or pitting, only minor surface dents or scratches.

GOOD: In safe working condition, minor wear on working surfaces, no broken parts, no corrosion or pitting that will interfere with proper functioning.

FAIR: In safe working condition but well worn, perhaps requiring replacement of minor parts or adjustments which should be indicated in advertisement, no rust, but may have corrosion pits which do not render article unsafe or inoperable.
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Wood grading is even more subjective because there are many different varieties of wood and personal tastes vary. A "feathered crotch" walnut stock for example doesn't appeal to me and I prefer less figure but stronger and more contrasting grain. There is also no agreed upon grading system for wood. Here are a couple of links that give a general idea on wood grading.

https://www.colegun.com/pages/wood-grading

http://rifle-stocks.com/hardwood_grades.htm

And no matter what style of stock you like please don't call it "furniture.";)
 
Clayduster said:
Struff can send you pictures, but it is not necessarily the gun you will get. I bought a model 12 skeet from him a few years back. Looked good in pics and was all original. The gun that I received had a poorly finished recoil pad added. I wanted to send it back, but was refused and he told me he had done me a favour by adding a pad. I have seen many posts by him professing to be an expert on guns and their condition, but that is not my opinion.
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It's pretty low to use this thread to take a cheap shot at a guy about a deal that didn't meet your expectations.

What is peculiar is your dredging up this deal to attack him personally when you've twice left him positive feedback on the EE iTrader rating system (12-07-2010; 08-24-2009) but nothing about any deal you weren't happy with.

Here's a link to the iTrader rating:

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/itrader.php?u=40326&iv=4&page=2&pp=50
 
While I completely agree with claybuster's recent post above, I do believe the OP brings this negative attention on to himself by starting all these useless threads in the first place.
 
Claybuster said:
It's pretty low to use this thread to take a cheap shot at a guy about a deal that didn't meet your expectations.

What is peculiar is your dredging up this deal to attack him personally when you've twice left him positive feedback on the EE iTrader rating system (12-07-2010; 08-24-2009) but nothing about any deal you weren't happy with.

Here's a link to the iTrader rating:

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/itrader.php?u=40326&iv=4&page=2&pp=50
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Thanks for pointing out the short comings of the guy whose name starts with a c.
Ill add another to the list of iggies.
Rob
 
Two truths when buying the sell always has cherry stuff and the buyer thinks it's junk until they buy it.
 
My number one turn off is when the seller describes his firearm that's not original and begins with "Professionally". Whether it be professionally reblued, restocked, repaired, or whatever; I stop reading at that point. .
 
Rod said:
My number one turn off is when the seller describes his firearm that's not original and begins with "Professionally". Whether it be professionally reblued, restocked, repaired, or whatever; I stop reading at that point. .
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Curious why? I'd rather buy a 1911 with a professional trigger job than a home made. Same with a refinish. Have you had bad experience with the "professional" designation?
 
Rob! said:
Curious why? I'd rather buy a 1911 with a professional trigger job than a home made. Same with a refinish. Have you had bad experience with the "professional" designation?
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The term 'Professionally" is so loosely used it's lost it's true meaning. .

Grading a firearm:
NIB - LNIB - Excellent - Very Good - Good - Fair -Poor

1. Rarity
2. Originality
3. Condition

If the firearm is not in original condition it automatically is lowered to "Fair" condition and price should reflect this. . . Using the term "Professionally" to describe whatever the hell was done will not bring the firearm anywhere near back to original condition. . If the repair or alteration was that good, you wouldn't see it anyways and wouldn't need to defend it. . Just my thoughts.
 
Like anything there are the a$$hats who use all sorts of crazy crap to describe their sales items, which in turn make the proper use of the terms irrelevant. It makes it so the buyer is skeptical and treats every seller, warranted or not, like a scam artist. The poor seller with a real and proper rating then gets dumped on. The idea that trader ratings should say if the condition of the rifle was as described is good, and that no one should give a good rating if they really got a "fair" firearm advertised as "BNIB."
 
"Rifle is in mint condition. Wood is an 8, metal 9." Saw it on E.E.

Just remembered another one: "Mint Pre '64 Win Model 94 30/30, missing front sight hood"
 
Rod said:
My number one turn off is when the seller describes his firearm that's not original and begins with "Professionally". Whether it be professionally reblued, restocked, repaired, or whatever; I stop reading at that point. .
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You can have a fair or beat up original firearm, Or a “ Professoinally” redone by a real Professional, We have a few on this site, ( just to name one is Chris Dawe from NFLD) who will Probably do a better job than original, And give the gun a other life or keep it ORIGINAL, It is a matter of taste,
 
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Rod said:
The term 'Professionally" is so loosely used it's lost it's true meaning. .

Grading a firearm:
NIB - LNIB - Excellent - Very Good - Good - Fair -Poor

1. Rarity
2. Originality
3. Condition

If the firearm is not in original condition it automatically is lowered to "Fair" condition and price should reflect this. . . Using the term "Professionally" to describe whatever the hell was done will not bring the firearm anywhere near back to original condition. . If the repair or alteration was that good, you wouldn't see it anyways and wouldn't need to defend it. . Just my thoughts.
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Not really sure what you mean but a gun that has been professionally restored ( no longer original finish/bluing and maybe certain parts hand made/repaired) is much better than automatically being listed as"fair condition" in my opinion, unless of course it has been well used/abused since being restored. Using vintage double barrels as an example, most were hand made. So why would having a professional who is capable of hand making necessary parts and capable of re-cutting the same type of checkering, refinishing the barrels to the same standard or engraving etc. not bring the gun back to original condition? And there have been guns where some said the gun was original while others said restored, meaning it was hard to tell one way or another. But, if a gun has been restored to where you can't tell because of being done so well, "not having to defend" the repair/restoration comes down to seller's ethics
 
Sorry, I'm not learning NRA grading system to buy or sell a few items a year. It's meaningless to me, and still seems subjective from what I know about it.

Try to make an accurate description. Ask for pictures. If they match the description and condition, that's all I can ask, or that I can provide.
 
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