Used and/or refurbished?

[johnwoitalla]

I often see refurbished items on retailer inventories, how exactly are these things refurbished? Do they get sent to a manufacturer's repair facility? Sometimes I wonder if refurbished just means cleaned up and put in a new pretty box. For those of you who have experience, what do you prefer, refurbished items or used? Which one has given you the best bang for the buck? What is a reliable source for used airguns/accessories and/or refurbished?

 

[Frozenspyder]

I've bought used a couple of times. I don't have any experience with refurbished items. I've had good luck and gotten really good deals from Baker Airguns. I can't recommend them highly enough. Most of their used inventory is older items that are of more interest to collectors. But when they get used modern airguns, the prices are usually good and you definitely get more than you pay for. Just make sure you read through the description on used items you buy anywhere.

 

[Septicdeath]

Most of my airguns are used or refurbished. Have only received a couple of lemons over the years. But nothing that wasn't repairable.

 

[Spartan]

Refurbished is one of those words that can mostly mean whatever the seller wants it to mean. However, the general implication is that it has at least been gone over, inspected, and typical maintenance done. It can also mean that it came to them broken, and the necessary repairs were conducted. Either way, the implication is that it is used but has been made 100% serviceable once again. In some cases, it may mean that the seller is also offering an extended warranty based on their service, but sometimes that won't be the case at all...that often depends on the seller. The sticking point here is was the service done by the manufacturer, an authorized repair shop, or some guy in his garage? This is where it is on you, the buyer, to ensure that the service the seller performs is at an appropriate level for your expectations, and whether or not the seller will stand by their work if there is a problem.

 

[willy]

Iv had 3 reverbs,one, was so nice i could have sold it for new"but it was stamped reverb on the receiver.It was a RWS 46 i think?

 

[FLgunner]

I think it depends on what you are getting and who it's being offered by... I have purchased several refurbished Hatsan airguns, some direct from Hatsan, others through Field Supply. Some have had problems, others have been problem free. In all cases, Hatsan was pretty good about either refunding, replacing or repairing those that had issues. A few years back I purchased a refurbished BullBoss. I had a multitude of issues and after sending it back to Hatsan twice for repair, they sent me a brand new one as a replacement!

I have also purchased 3 refurbished ATN Scopes direct from ATN. At the time, they offered the same 3 year warranty on refurbished scopes as they did new scopes! I had purchased 1 new one through Optic Planet and a new ATN 5 direct from ATN. Those were the only ones I have ever had issues with. The one from Optic Planet was returned and repaired by ATN and has worked great ever since. The ATN 5 went back to ATN twice, still didn't work right and I finally got a refund. I was going to wait till those were offered as refurbs before I bought one, but I see now ATN is no longer offering the 3 year warranty on refurbs, now you have to pay extra for it!

I also purchased a refurbished AirArms S510 XS from Pyramyd Air. That rifle looked brand new and has functioned flawlessly since I received it!

Refurbs can be a crap shoot, but if you get one from a reputable company, you should get a good one, and if not, still have the backing of a good company to make it right in the end. For the cost savings, I feel refurbished items are generally a god deal!

 

[jarmstrong]

when I first got into wanting to rid the starlings I got a re furb Ruger (Chinese) 177 springer
it required a complete tear down and repair,,, cured me of buying returns
I agree, it is a crap shoot, you could win or you could get someone else's problem child

 

[JimBentley]

My nephew bought a refurbished Marauder from Crosman. All they did was repackage it, they didn’t do the required repairs. The price was good and the repair was simple. So as others have said, beware.

 

[ba49]

I bought a refurb Blitz from the factory and I swear I think it was new-unused. There wasn't a mark on it and it has been perfect for 2 years so far.

 

[MikeVV]

I've bought two "refurbished" guns from Pyramyd Air (or whatever their current name is). One from Airguns of America.
No problems.
I asked about one of my guns specifically (Pyramyd Air), because this gun is noted for a bad part in the magazine area. This is the part that was...refurbished", I was told.

I'd guess every shop has their own definition, of "refurbished". Even any given shop "may" have different definitions, depending who the area manager, and worker is !!

ANY time you buy a gun, new or refurbished, it's a crapshoot, of one sort or another.

Mike

 

[rcarlisle]

Got burned on a refurb purchase for a different hobby. Once. I've since decided to buy new unless I am buying vintage.

 

[SteveP-52]

Everyone of these was bought used, whether from fellow members, Ebay sellers and one from AoA.

I've got others, never had any issues with those either. Nowadays, I tend to stick with guns bought from fellow members. They're totally honest about what they're selling, you'll get a good deal and a rifle that's been well taken care of.

 

[Maxheadroom]

I noticed there are a number of "used like new" Amazon options for some guns, like the hatsans. Sometimes just with packaging damage.

I can't decide if they're ones that someone bought new and rejected after testing, or something else. The big advantage is you can return them easily for free, so you can buy a few, pick one you like, and show up at whole foods with a stack of rifles to go back.

 

[Ranchibi]

I have purchased used from AoA and they stand behind their sales if something goes awry.

 

[IKnowNutin]

Most of my rifles were purchased used either from AGN classifieds, AoA or Utah Airguns. No Lemons yet and I've amassed a pretty good collection in less than a year.

AoA- Brocock Commander

Utah- Taipan Vet 1, Airmaks Caiman X

AGN Classifieds- Brocock Ranger, Brocock Ghost, Airmaks Katran, 2 x Edgun Leshiy 2's

I recommend educating yourself before purchasing, of course. AoA and Utah are pretty good at supporting what they sell even if you didn't buy from them. LOTS of good info in this forum as well.

 

[orangeokie]

I have had very good luck with several fine (used) rifles from Airguns of Arizona (They were rated excellent/like new)

 

[Airgun Al]

Im not a gambler.

Some of the major airgun dealers have a "NO RETURN" policy on used airguns.
And the used offerings are usually priced at 80% or more of BRAND NEW, so not much of a savings, in my opinion.

No different than buying from an individual, that is a complete stranger and they request that you pay via paypal friends and family, in which case, depending on the individual, you may not have a return policy, in the event there is an issue that warrants a return.

Buying used from an individual, and paying with regular paypal would be a much better option, especially if they have positive feedback here.

I prefer to purchase brand new, with a warranty and a return policy, whenever possible.

 

[KatoKevin454]

I buy used leakers and Refurbished all the time, got great deals on leaker, don't expect Refurbs to be complete, I bought my Avenger .25 from Pyramyd air and it was missing the Baffle, some screws for the stock and only one Mag, no big deal, I made a Baffle on the 3D printer and had the m5 screws, bought some extra capacity magazines when I bought the gun, all easy fixes, used or Refurb, it's a good idea if you are getting into this hobby to learn how to work on the guns, it will save a lot of headaches... Beside they are very simple, just tubes, O-rings, Valves, springs and seals.... Easier than tuning a 2 stoke engine.

 

[gdc999]

I had been thinking of buying a used Diana 34 in .22, but had not seen any good deals on ebay or elsewhere. I stumbled across refurbished Diana Classic 34 with T06 trigger and fiber optic sights for $229 at Pyramid Air. I had a $25 off catalogue coupon from them, plus $5 in bonus bucks, so I "pulled the trigger" on the deal. It came in a brand new plano hard sided case. It actually had some minor dings in the stock caused by the hard plastic "pillars" in the case its self, but for what I wanted I didn't care. However, the rear sight was missing the two 2.5mm ball bearings that act as stops for the elevation screw. I contacted PA, who referred me to Air Venturi, who is sending me the missing bearings for free. I also asked if the red grease on the main spring was "Tune in a Tube", and was told it was the lubricant that they put in all of their refurbished springers. I was told the seals had been replaced as well. This Diana 34 is very accurate, and has no twang to it. Too bad they sold out very quickly, or I would have been tempted to order one in .177 too

 

[Chief Ten-Beers]

Im not a gambler.

Some of the major airgun dealers have a "NO RETURN" policy on used airguns.
And the used offerings are usually priced at 80% or more of BRAND NEW, so not much of a savings, in my opinion.

No different than buying from an individual, that is a complete stranger and they request that you pay via paypal friends and family, in which case, depending on the individual, you may not have a return policy, in the event there is an issue that warrants a return.

Buying used from an individual, and paying with regular paypal would be a much better option, especially if they have positive feedback here.

I prefer to purchase brand new, with a warranty and a return policy, whenever possible.

Agreed. If they are indeed "Refurbs" for the little discount that you see, they should come with a full warranty. JMO