Is Gunbroker a good place to buy

[Olle]

Originally Posted by Like_Old_Guns

The downside is that bargains are few and far between. They do happen, usually with poor photos, vague descriptions and uneducated Sellers. That's where the advice above comes in. Educate yourself on what you are buying, make a list of questions, ask questions and ask for photos. If you don't, ignorance + impulse = big mistake = buyer's remorse = expensive lesson.

That's my experience too. Now and then you'll see a seller with no feedback selling an interesting pistol that's shown in one or two small, blurry cell phone pictures. Just a Joe Blow who wants to try Gunbroker, and it can turn out to be the deal of the century or the worst GB experience ever. You just never know. Then again, some of my best deals have been on local ads just like that, like the "French pistol, don't know the caliber" that turned out to be a nice, WaA stamped SACM 1935A.

I usually look for good feedback and good response from the seller. Sometimes I ask a few stupid questions just to feel him out, and if the response is slow, vague or no response at all, I simply won't bid.

Then you have the smart phone jerks who insist that the only way of communication is texting. You send a detailed question, and all you get back is a brief "txt me" and a cell phone number. Had one of those about an hour or so from me, and tried to hook up with him to look at the gun. Despite my best efforts, all I got was short, confusing text messages. I tried to call and I tried to make him call, but no luck. Needless to say I didn't bid, and last time I looked the gun was still unsold. Could have been a Gander Mountain employee trying a private sale.