Ordering from IMA
- Thread starter zuke
- Start date
- Location
- vancouver island
Bought a repro Bess stock from them a year or so ago and arrived fine with no problems. Actually a pretty nice piece of wood as well once refinished.
Never a problem. I have made several purchases. All ordering and payment was done on line.
I did get dinged duty and HST when the package crossed the border into Canada, I paid at the post office when I picked the package up.
Smooth transaction. The stuff got here quicker than some Canadian stores' service.
I did get dinged duty and HST when the package crossed the border into Canada, I paid at the post office when I picked the package up.
Smooth transaction. The stuff got here quicker than some Canadian stores' service.
Mean Steak
CGN Regular
- Location
- Central Alberta
I have ordered several times from them. Never any problems, and every order included an antique rifle or two.
The long lever Martini Henry was by far the best of them all. Cleaned up really well.
The long lever Martini Henry was by far the best of them all. Cleaned up really well.
I purchased a number of guns from IMA. Untouched guns ( Ghedra, Francotte, and Martini) range from barely acceptable to not worth the shipping. They take the best guns, clean them up and sell them for a premium. Their cleaned up guns range from very good to extremely good. The untouched MkIII martini they shipped me $425 CDN at the time cleaned up to be a poor specimen that I would not have paid over $200 if I saw it on a gun rack.
After a half dozen inexpensive disappointments I stopped shopping at IMI
After a half dozen inexpensive disappointments I stopped shopping at IMI
I have purchased a number of Gahendra and Francotte rifles from them, uncleaned, untouched.
They were fun to clean up and repair. None of them I would consider shootable, but they do look great hanging on a wall.
Some were so poor that I did not dare dismantle anything (if I could, they were rotted and rusted solid), so they got cleaned up for display.
IMA offers cleaned and complete rifles and even have a hand select option. $$$$. I have seen some of the hand select rifles and they are in excellent condition. I have a Gahendra that was hand select untouched, uncleaned, from Atlanta Cutlery from about 15 years ago. Now cleaned up, the rifle is close to mint condition. This one I would not hesitate to shoot.
The company also has a walk in store. There you can pick through a pile and select a rifle yourself.
What is left is the chaff and dregs. Guess what they ship when you buy mail order?
Ten years ago I was happy to roll the dice and order an untouched example. Sometime very good rifles were picked at random. Not any more.
Talking to other collectors, we have come to the conclusion that the company is paying more attention to grading. The low grades go out mail order. It is possible that decent ones go out too, but it is the bad ones that we hear about, not so much the good.
This won't stop me from buying more. I just don't have too great an expectation when buying an 'untouched, uncleaned' wall hanger. That is what I get.
So buying an untouched gun is a gamble, but not Russian roulette. If you don't like what you get with your purchase, IMA will accept a return for refund. You will be out of pocket on some shipping costs. You can't ask for better service.
They were fun to clean up and repair. None of them I would consider shootable, but they do look great hanging on a wall.
Some were so poor that I did not dare dismantle anything (if I could, they were rotted and rusted solid), so they got cleaned up for display.
IMA offers cleaned and complete rifles and even have a hand select option. $$$$. I have seen some of the hand select rifles and they are in excellent condition. I have a Gahendra that was hand select untouched, uncleaned, from Atlanta Cutlery from about 15 years ago. Now cleaned up, the rifle is close to mint condition. This one I would not hesitate to shoot.
The company also has a walk in store. There you can pick through a pile and select a rifle yourself.
What is left is the chaff and dregs. Guess what they ship when you buy mail order?
Ten years ago I was happy to roll the dice and order an untouched example. Sometime very good rifles were picked at random. Not any more.
Talking to other collectors, we have come to the conclusion that the company is paying more attention to grading. The low grades go out mail order. It is possible that decent ones go out too, but it is the bad ones that we hear about, not so much the good.
This won't stop me from buying more. I just don't have too great an expectation when buying an 'untouched, uncleaned' wall hanger. That is what I get.
So buying an untouched gun is a gamble, but not Russian roulette. If you don't like what you get with your purchase, IMA will accept a return for refund. You will be out of pocket on some shipping costs. You can't ask for better service.
