Rental Guns - Anyone buy them?

[AirForceShooter]

Pro: it's a springer. Break it and Springer will fix it.
Con: $465 for a very well used 1911 loaded? No way. Offer him $200 and settle for maybe $250

AFS

 

[erwos]

Rental guns are almost infamously abused, and generally not cleaned all that well. At a minimum, I'd ask that a full dis-assembly and cleaning be done by the range armorer. That's not asking a lot.

That said, like any used item, there could be a good deal to be had if you factor in the cost of replacing the most commonly worn-out components - springs, barrel, etc.

 

[Uncle Buck]

C'mon, guys... If the OP had said he came across this pistol and wanted to buy it, you guys would have told him what to look for and how to inspect the gun.
But because he said "rental" almost everyone dumps on the gun. Maybe the range decided it did not want to rent that particular gun any longer, maybe they could not rent that particular gun to their clientele, maybe it has been in inventory, and not shot as often as they thought it would and their accountant said it could not be depreciated any more... There are many possibilities as to why this range is selling this gun and there are many things anyone should check when purchasing a new to them gun.

 

[erwos]

He didn't specify any of that, though, and every range armorer that I've ever talked to has always hated the "clean/fix rental guns" part of the job. It's not doing a disservice to tell him to be extra careful with range guns.

 

[BigJimP]

A used gun - where someone took decent care of it is one thing ...

but a rental case gun is another .....

but in either case, you need to be able to break it down and take a look at it internally and evaluate it ...but in general, it better be in very good condition, before I would consider adding it to my collection. Any signs of abuse - for any used gun - and I will pass.

 

[Samuel2001]

Having worked in a ***** range, I'd never buy a range gun, unless it was next to free.
The Glocks, H&Ks, Sigs, Berettas and just a few others could go 4000-5000 rounds between cleanings. Cleanings consisted of dunking 'em in the ultrasonic cleaner, running a bore brush, drying them with conpressed air and lubricating them with the free sample lube of the week. Tetra-gun sucked!
Most 1911s, paras and smith autos stopped working after just 1500-2000 rounds and had to be cleaned.
As stated before, for $200-250 no biggie, for $465? No way!

 

[armoredman]

Must have been nice to have an ultrasonic cleaner - we had to clean the old fashioned way, which meant some popular rentals rarely saw the brush, always being out.

 

[Mr. James]

Probably not, and certainly not at that price.

One range I used to frequent (and rent guns whenever I was shopping) never cleaned rental pieces; they were so dirty and so dry they screeched.

Another range appeared - appeared, I say - to take better care.

In all likelihood you're looking at high mileage/low maintenance, a bad combination with any tool.

 

[Bradybuncher]

Years ago I bought a Glock 19 that was a prior rental and it still shoots good today. Never replaced anything. It's never failed me and is my choice of carry when I leave Illinois. I have numerous CCW licenses so I'm covered most everywhere else.

 

[allenomics]

More typically, range guns are trade-ins that have been checked out. If you can buy one really super cheap and check it out, it might be a good deal. But fifty percent off retail would not be a good deal.

 

[jad0110]

After seeing too many morons "Bogarting" the cylinder on rental revolvers (violently slamming the cylinder shut with a flick of the wrist), I probably wouldn't buy an ex-rental revolver without first shooting it and checking it out VERY thoroughly. And it would have to be a raging deal, like a S&W Model 19 for $250.

And it depends on the range. Some I know clean and maintain them very regularly. Others only touch them when the crap out. But the latter type of range usually don't sell them anyway. Those guns only leave the range when they experience a total meltdown, like the Ruger GP100 that blew a giant chunk out of its forcing cone at the 6:00 position.

I might buy a semiauto, as they usually withstanding the abuse of idiots more than revolvers. But again, I'd have to check it over extra careful.

 

[jersey_emt]

It really would have to depend on the range.

Some ranges take impeccable care of their rental guns -- cleaning after every use, replacing worn parts before they actually fail, etc.

Another good thing is that many ranges require renters to only purchase and use ammunition from the range in their rental guns. If they use decent quality ammunition, you will know that only that ammunition has ever been fired through it -- only a rental gun can give you that peace of mind. Someone may say that they've only fired high-quality, factory, non-remanufactured ammunition through a gun that they are selling, but that may turn out to be a flat-out lie. Some ranges will keep detailed records of rounds fired -- as they control the ammunition supply, they can provide an accurate total number of rounds fired through that particular gun.

Of course, there are many ranges who do not take proper care of their rental guns. You really need to know how the range operates if you want to make a good decision on whether or not to purchase a rental gun.

 

[S&W-Keeper]

One of my ranges has a model 15, that they use for a rental gun. It is as slick as glass.I hate to see it abused. That is the only one that I have ever considered buying.They get treated pretty rough.