Display Models?

[SIMP]

What are your thoughts on buying display model guns? I was looking at another Ruger P95 and the place that sells it only sells what's in the case. In other words, they have no stock, just what they display and I can understand them not wanting a huge inventory as they are a mom and pop shop.

Anyway, the gun's test fire date was 10/10/12 and they did tell me that they haven't had it very long. It looks in great shape and it's not really a collector gun, just a second one for the collection. Would you hesitate buying the gun?

Looking forward to your opinions.

 

[JimDandy]

If they had the best price I'd be likely to find for a while yeah. I'd prefer one new in the never opened box, this display model will have been dry fired and handled, and so on. But I can't imagine that happening a complete ton of the time.

 

[SIMP]

Oh yeah, I forgot mention that they do have a "Do Not Dry Fire" sign posted on the cases so I assume most people obey that.

 

[Sevens]

If I ran a gun store, I'd most likely keep -ONE- of each model (if all the features and details were the same) in the display and keep NO MORE anywhere within view. I'd not offer customers the option to buy one that isn't in the case.

NOT because I want to screw the customers
NOT because I don't want to give the customers what they want
DEFINITELY NOT because the display gun is beat up
...simply because you'd end up left with a display gun in every single model that you sell and any ding or handling mark it's ever even had the chance to get will just add up all on the same pistol. Eventually, you -will- be attempting to sell some kind of gun that is nearly used, though it's "officially" new and NOBODY wins there, especially the gun store.

In this particular case, we are talking about a Ruger P-95 here. This gun is a claw hammer, it's not something that will ever be handled with white gloves. As a utility piece, it's a fantastic tool. I own one and for the life of me, I can't see the point in spending money on another. If I were in the market to buy one, it having been a display model is completely and entirely inconsequential, IMO. But opinions vary, certainly.

It would make my top ten list for ugliest full production, mainstream guns. (in other words, wacky relics like a Dardick or Gyro-Jet wouldn't be eligible for the list)

 

[RadioFlyer8]

The only gun you shouldn't dry fire is a .22 and only MOST models of that you're not supposed to dry fire, not all. I bought my first gun from a case. I've had no complaints or problems with it.

How long do you think a gun will sit in a case for anyway?

 

[JimDandy]

Depends on the gun.. and do they let you work the action still? With snap caps?

 

[SIMP]

I own one and for the life of me, I can't see the point in spending money on another.

Good point.....but I'm actually wanting to leave a pistol in two different areas if you know what I mean.

Thanks for your feedback everyone.

 

[Sevens]

I carry -- so I always have one with me. I don't care for the idea of a firearm left for someone to get at. But to each his own, best of luck.

 

[lee n. field]

What are your thoughts on buying display model guns? I was looking at another Ruger P95 and the place that sells it only sells what's in the case. In other words, they have no stock, just what they display and I can understand them not wanting a huge inventory as they are a mom and pop shop.

Anyway, the gun's test fire date was 10/10/12 and they did tell me that they haven't had it very long. It looks in great shape and it's not really a collector gun, just a second one for the collection. Would you hesitate buying the gun?

I would not hesitate. A Ruger's not going to be hurt by handling or dry firing.

 

[JimDandy]

I was going to say he may not be in a carry-capable state.. but I see he's in Mississippi, right next door to a coupla good ole boys I used to know growing up, and those crazy bastards put dynamite on arrows! I can see situations where you'd put a handgun somewhere and leave it... owning your own business leaps to mind.

 

[SIMP]

How long do you think the store actually had the gun seeing how the test fire date was 10/10/12? I was thinking maybe about a week or so. Do they go straight from test firing to shipping?

 

[Hal]

Maybe it's an Ohio thing,,,,,
I can't recall buying any of the guns I've owned over the last 40 years that weren't in a display case - except one a S&W M617 that I special ordered.

Other than that one, every other one had been in a display case or on a rack - if a long arm.

 

[Dragline45]

The shop I go to deals with so many used guns that most guns you can buy new chances are there's a used one sitting in one of the cases. They have designated display models for newer pistols that just hit the market because alot of the times those sellout so quick they wont always have them in stock, but they still want people to be able to handle one in case they want to put in an order. Anytime I have bought new from them they go in the back room and pick out a NIB pistol.

They way I see it, shops should sell display models for slightly less even if it's never been fired. They buy the guns a dealer prices anyways, so even if they break even on the gun it served it's purpose and they got their moneys worth in my opinion. It's like going to sears and buying the floor model for a grill or exercise machine. It saw a little use so it's sold for a little less.

 

[Crow Hunter]

Almost all the guns I have ever bought have been display models.

The few times that I haven't gotten that one, I have been a jerk and made them take the one they were giving me out of the box and letting me go over it to make sure there was nothing wrong with the one they gave me from the back.

Don't forget, they are firearms. They are designed to take quite a bit of "abuse". If sitting in the display case and having some people mess around with them renders them unusable, I wouldn't want to buy it in the 1st place.

Hopefully, you will be getting it to use, not just sit and look at and it will be no where near "mint" in a few weeks anyway with some good honest wear.

 

[Tom Servo]

They way I see it, shops should sell display models for slightly less even if it's never been fired. They buy the guns a dealer prices anyways, so even if they break even on the gun it served it's purpose and they got their moneys worth in my opinion.

"Dealer" pricing is about 10% less than what the customer pays. In other words, the dealer knocks 10% off, and he's losing money. So, what purpose has the "display" gun done besides cost him?

 

[TunnelRat]

The few times that I haven't gotten that one, I have been a jerk and made them take the one they were giving me out of the box and letting me go over it to make sure there was nothing wrong with the one they gave me from the back.

That's not being a jerk, that's being an educated consumer.

I will not buy a gun, .22 excluded, if I can't dryfire it first. To me that's like buying a car without test driving it.

A few of the models I have bought have been the display model. I am lucky enough that my primary LGS is big enough to usually have a few in the back so I don't typically don't have to worry about it. In a centerfire pistol I am typically not worried about damage from dryfiring. I do make sure to triple check it for any scratches etc that might have resulted from a careless customer. My P30 was a display model that had been sitting there for 6 months. I haven't encountered any issues that I could trace to that.

 

[spanishjames]

The only time I expect a BNIB gun is when it's ordered online, and is shipped to an FFL. Otherwise it's always the one in the case.

I think SEVENS is right, there's no point in pricing every display model differently just because the slide's been racked a few times.

In this particular case, the P95 is only a month old, so consider it new.

 

[Kreyzhorse]

Most gun shops don't have dedicated display models. They simply display the guns in their stock. Check the gun over and if you like it, buy it.

 

[Edward429451]

Nothing wrong with display models. The first priority is that it is a solid brand and model. Any handling or small dings are almost meaningless and can be accepted and used without reservation, within reason. Teeny scratches can sometimes be used as haggling fodder to get them to come down a little.

One of my LGS has a nice spread of Wilson Combat guns in the case. One had a deep idiot mark, unacceptable for a pistol of that price.

 

[hardhat harry]

I guess I have purchased enough guns from my LGS that in the past two years everything I bought came out of the storeroom. The last one, I looked at the display and told the guy I'll take one and straight into the back he went to get one, and I was still holding the display model.