Summary: Welcome to Episode 125 of Gun Guy Radio! This is the podcast that shines a positive light on the firearms lifestyle. I’m Your host Ryan Michad, standing in for Jake while he is on sabbatical, and this is your weekly dose of positive firearms talk, without the politics. This week, we have on first time Gun Guy Radio guest Weer’d Beard of the Squirrel Report and of the Weer’d World blog to discuss the ways you can check a used handgun to help ensure it is going to be a good purchase.Announcements:Looking for guns & gear reviewers, bloggers and editors for the Firearms InsiderContribute to the show by shopping Amazon.com via our affiliate banners.Main Topic: Buying Used HandgunsBuying a handgun does not have to be a hugely expensive experience! I know I am often floored by the MSRP of some new handguns I see offered and I can’t imagine spending that much money on a handgun unless I was rich! (I wish!) However, just because the new ones cost a lot of money sometimes, doesn’t mean you can’t get a good quality handgun. “Used” should not be a dirty word when it comes to purchasing a handgun! If you know some of the proper ways to check the handgun for aesthetics and function, then you can really find a great used handgun, often for a fraction of its original price. I am not ashamed to admit that I have NEVER purchased a factory-new handgun. All my handguns have been bought used. This topic will cover some of the ways you can check a Revolver and Semi-Auto pistol for function and to ensure you get a quality used firearm.Checking Over the Revolver (Single & Double-Action):It should go without saying, but check to ensure the revolver is unloaded. The techniques discussed here may vary slightly from brand to brand, but in general can be applied to the vast majority of revolvers.Give the revolver a good external inspection for scratches, dents, wear and any other unusual things externally. If the gun has been visibly abused on the outside, then there stands to be a good chance the gun was not taken care of internally as well.Unless the work was done by an established company such as Turnbull Mfg., be wary of any refinished gun. A gun that is refinished to hide abuse or damage may also be hiding similar surprises internally.Another good indicator when looking at a used handgun is multiple damaged screw heads. One buggered up screw head may be a mistake or a slip of the screwdriver. Multiple damaged screw heads could be indicative of someone who did not know to use the properly fitting screwdriver for that particular screw. Most people who know how to do proper gunsmithing work will always use the proper fitting screwdriver.Look carefully at the sights on the gun, whether fixed or adjustable. Look at the edges on the left or right. If they are bent or damaged, the gun could have been dropped and damaged in a way you may not be able to see with the naked eye. At best, you may just need to replace the sights.The cylinder should only move VERY slightly fore and aft in the cylinder window. This is called cylinder endshake. Having excessive endshake can cause primer issues, headspace issues and potentially a very dangerous situation in which the cylinder is unlocked. If you are mechanically inclined, excessive endshake can be corrected using the Yoke Endshake Bearings from Brownells. These small shims can be placed inside the cylinder to correct the excessive endshake. Many instructional videos can be found on YouTube regarding this process.The cylinder should not hang up when opening, and the cylinder latch you push with your thumb should operate smoothly as well. Make sure the cylinder crane swings out smoothly when opened and when closing.Some revolvers have fixed ejector rods, others have screw-in ejector rods. Most Ruger double action revolvers use a fixed ejector rod, where the Smith & Wesson revolvers use a screw in ejector rod. Make sure you pay particular attention to the ejector rod. If it com
