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Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

C

clmayfield

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 14, 2008
2,054
11
50
San Antonio, Texas
#1
I have always wondered when people list nice custom rifles for sale with round counts in the double digits and low triple digits. I was going to post in the classified section, but didn't want to call anyone else. What is going on there?

My last 3 rifles, I put at least 50 rounds through them on the first day and a couple hundred in the first month. Are people kind of estimating a little low on the round counts? Are they being stingy with ammo? Do I just shoot way too many rounds in a session?

Or maybe the rifle doesn't meet expectations? Even then, I don't really start getting top performance out of a rifle until about 100 rounds or so.

I am just kind of puzzled because I see it a lot.
 
#3
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

you'd be surprised at the safe queens in this world...

many reasons... the two biggest being that someone doesn't really need the rifle they bought ( either because they already had one or they're not nearly as serious a shooter as they thought they were ) or the rifle didn't perform the way they wanted, not accuracy, but that they spec'd the rifle wrong for what they wanted to do with it, so it just didn't work for them once they got it in.

then there are people that buy them and it takes a year to get it in, and by the time they get it their situation has changed.

then the people that build customs, be it rifles or cars/bikes, just because they want to own it, not use it.
 
#4
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

really it shouldnt be an estimation. i can tell you the exact rounds fired through my rifle. i can even tell you what ammo it was and how many of each and on what days. everyone should keep a log..
 
#5
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: force_multiplier</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
then there are people that buy them and it takes a year to get it in, and by the time they get it their situation has changed.
</div></div>

Yeah, I can definitely see that. Someone's economic situation changes. I have seen a few rifles change hands before the build is complete.

I guess the safe queen concept is foreign to me because I look at everything in terms of price per shot... cause that is the fun part... shooting. If I spend a couple grand on a custom rifle and only shoot a box of ammo through it, my cost is over $100 a shot.

Now if I shoot it a couple of thousand times, my cost of ownership is a dollar a shot... less than the cost of the ammo after enough shots.

You see... I can shoot myself rich! :)
 
#6
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I have a friend that changes rifles more often than i change underwear. He loves developing them. If he gets it where it shoots lights out then he has nothing left to do; he moves it and starts over.
 
#7
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

Ha! I've often thought that myself.

I'm the same way. I very rarely go shooting without putting a bunch of rounds through the tube.

I'm doing my part keeping the powder, primer, and bullet companies in the black.
 
#10
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EventHorizon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm going to put MikeR's Lifetime Warranty on the Tango to test. I simply cannot wait to get behind that rifle!</div></div>

I need to call him up and ask him about rebarreling. I will need a new one in a year at the rate I am going.
 
#11
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: scottieb042674</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a friend that changes rifles more often than i change underwear. He loves developing them. If he gets it where it shoots lights out then he has nothing left to do; he moves it and starts over. </div></div>

Yeah, is it jasonk who barely gets a scope mounted before he has pulled the trigger on a new one. I guess some people are ADD like that.
 
#12
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Carter Mayfield</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Yeah, is it jasonk who barely gets a scope mounted before he has pulled the trigger on a new one. I guess some people are ADD like that. </div></div>
There are a few things going on for me, I love chasing accuracy, and I love change, like I told my wife, "I can't try different women so I need some variety". Apparentyly she didn't see the humor in it like I do.
I am on my sixth .308 rifle in about 3 years and I have bought most of them Used here on the Hide, since they were used I can shoot them and when I am ready for a change, I can sell them for about the same dollar. Since I hand load I am very selective on how much I shoot, I really like the accuaracy and load developement part, so I really don't have a rifle long enough to put alot of rounds down range.
I haven't even hit my Magnumidus phase yet. 300 Win mag??????338 Lapua?????.338 Edge???? Don't get me started.
SScott
 
#14
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I'm just the opposite. I have one .308 that vie been shooting for about a year and a half. It probably has 3k rounds down the tube and it shoots better than when I got. It. Or I should say I shoot better because of the rounds down range. I did all the usual load development and chased accuracy with many bullet/powder combos but it honestly felt like work. I love that I have 3 solid "go to" loads that I just shoot and enjoy.
 
#15
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

There's tons of reasons for this as others have mentioned.

These days it can be economic for sure, a lot of people are still falling on hard times, or are getting to the point they have to sell things to get by.

A lot of guys have a lot of rifles too, and some never get shot. Some guys just like building them to build them and that's their enjoyment. I know guys that love the 10/22's and saiga 12's because they put a lot of time and work into them.

I also know that with these expensive rifles it's very hard for most guys to ever try one out before hand. So you buy a nice, AICS stock etc. and get the rifle built and find out it doesn't fit you or you don't like it for position shooting or the balance is wrong etc.

The same is true for overall setups. Maybe someone builds a caliber or purpose specific rifle and decides it's not fitting their needs. Maybe they decide an 18 lb 308 isn't practical.

And on the shooter side, frankly you see this in every shooting sport, and most sports that involve equipment from shooting to mountain biking to snowboarding. It's easier for guys to change gear thinking it will improve their shooting rather than doing the work of practice, load development, and such. The funny part is changing equipment is usually counter productive because it hurts the most important thing in the shooting sports, consistency.

On the plus side it makes for a great classifieds section!
smile.gif
 
#16
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I am guilty as charged, i have built a few rifles and sold before even firing them. However most of these rifles i build out of curiosity to check the balance and feel, if i didn't live an hour from benchmark barrels i couldn't do this because it wouldn't be cost/time effective for me. they build quality rifles and good prices. Because they are the barrel manufacturer i don't ever have to wait on someone else if i bring them the rest of the parts.

I can tell you after trying many different rifles i have significantly narrowed down my requirements of a rifle. most importantly it must have pistol/thumbhole grip, not be barrel heavy, fully adjustable stock, feed/eject reliably, good reliable trigger.

just my .02cents and some say its not worth that.
 
#17
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

of all my shooting buddies, I pull the trigger the most, a couple of them are always working on project guns and hardly ever shoot them, they just like getting projects together, once done, they start another.
I couldn't get half the value of my rifles out of them so i shoot the barrel out and replace with a new one.
 
#18
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Team-Send-It</div><div class="ubbcode-body">most importantly it must have pistol/thumbhole grip, not be barrel heavy, fully adjustable stock, feed/eject reliably, good reliable trigger.</div></div>

Amen to this!
 
#19
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I feel like this thread may have been started because of my rifle for sale. I used to go with the theory that having alot of rifles was better than having a few that were of better quality. Later I changed my mind and decided that I wanted the best I could afford. So I slowly started making the change over. When I ordered the rifle I had some money and more time. I waited a year and a half to get it and my situation changed. My local gun clubs days for 600 yards just so happened to coincide with my evening classes and my son's sports practices. So my shooting of this gun got put off to the side, which I had hoped was temperarily. Fast forward a few months and I get laid off for the last 5 months. I have done well with savings and not having to sell off toys. Unfortunately I don't see any full time work for me in the near future and am preparing for the worst. To me our home for my son and I is more important than the rifle I am trying to sell. I also picked this rifle out of the herd because it is the one that I use the least. My main shooting hobbies, and my son's, are USPSA and 3gun and those guns would be the last to go if it came down to it. Part of me doesn't want my rifle to sell, which is why I won't be lowballed. But if it does I know that later when everything gets back on track I can buy another one.
This is just my story and hopefully gives you a perspective on why someone might have low round count firearms and need to sell them.
 
#20
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

Well I picked up my Landtec on DEC.21 and I have over 300 rds and 2 cases of walking pneumonia so far. I would shoot it every day if I could. LOL
 
#21
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

If it's a top end custom, then it better have a logbook with it. If not, then I better be getting it cheap enough to rebarrel and still save some cash.

However on the low round-count, as mentioned above some folks just like to own the best. That doesn't mean they actually use it. You would be crazy to believe that all the folks who own Ferraris, Porches, etc. top them out weekly.
 
#22
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I have built three custom rifles over the last two years. I sold one right after I took it home. I just flat out needed the money. The second rifle I actually fired 150 rounds and I found out the barrel was too heavy for my needs. So I sold it and built a third rifle. I still have this one and plan on shooting it alot.

Definetely make sure they have good record of their fired shots on a gun they are selling. I too am suspitious of guns that are custom built for them that seem to be great set ups with only 50 or 100 rounds though them. I have put 100 rounds through my gun in one day if I am shoting. Just my thoughts.
 
#23
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I've noted many (MANY) boomers for sale with low round count (338, 300RUM, 50) and bet it has to do with 2 major factors:
1. Buyer didn't realize how expensive it is to pull the trigger.
2. Buyer wanted the biggest pecker but failed to account for the recoil.

As for low count 308s, many reasons. My concern is always that the gun doesn't do (accuracy or reliability) as the buyer expected. If it is a newb thinking a $4k gun can't miss, it might be a great deal; however, if it is a bad barrel or a hiccup in the build, it might be buying someone else's problem.

People respond to incentives.
 
#24
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I have a few low round count rigs. For me, it is because I like collecting, but every time I bring a rifle to the range that is not my AW, I just end up wishing I was shooting my AW.

So then those other guns stay home and my AW gets used. And used and used and used...
 
#25
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rancid Coolaid</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've noted many (MANY) boomers for sale with low round count (338, 300RUM, 50) and bet it has to do with 2 major factors:
1. Buyer didn't realize how expensive it is to pull the trigger.
2. Buyer wanted the biggest pecker but failed to account for the recoil.
</div></div>

There may be more truth here than anyone will ever admit.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rancid Coolaid</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As for low count 308s, many reasons. My concern is always that the gun doesn't do (accuracy or reliability) as the buyer expected. If it is a newb thinking a $4k gun can't miss, it might be a great deal; however, if it is a bad barrel or a hiccup in the build, it might be buying someone else's problem.

People respond to incentives. </div></div>

These thoughts occurred to me when I bought a used 308 custom here. The owner did say it had a round count in the 1500 range and for a custom on a Remy action the price was good (sub $2000). When I do my part it's shooting .5MOA. I'm thinking that it will be better than that when I get better. I can tell that I'm getting better every trip to the range. I can live with that.
 
#26
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If it's a top end custom, then it better have a logbook with it. If not, then I better be getting it cheap enough to rebarrel and still save some cash.</div></div>

Logbooks are great, but if car owners can crack an odometer before selling, gun owners can certainly forget to log a few shots.

I don't find a log book as convincing evidence that a gun has only been fired for a 3 shot group every fourth Sunday.
 
#27
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Team-Send-It</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am guilty as charged, i have built a few rifles and sold before even firing them. However most of these rifles i build out of curiosity to check the balance and feel, if i didn't live an hour from benchmark barrels i couldn't do this because it wouldn't be cost/time effective for me. they build quality rifles and good prices. Because they are the barrel manufacturer i don't ever have to wait on someone else if i bring them the rest of the parts.

I can tell you after trying many different rifles i have significantly narrowed down my requirements of a rifle. most importantly it must have pistol/thumbhole grip, not be barrel heavy, fully adjustable stock, feed/eject reliably, good reliable trigger.

just my .02cents and some say its not worth that. </div></div>

You should change your name to Team Spend it
grin.gif
 
#28
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bm11</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a few low round count rigs. For me, it is because I like collecting, but every time I bring a rifle to the range that is not my AW, I just end up wishing I was shooting my AW.
</div></div>

I can see that. I get collecting. But collecting custom guns built to your specs... you just end up losing money on that because when you sell, someone isn't going to pay as much for your specs.

I know plenty of folks with vaults full of guns that are rarely fired or unfired. I would classify those as collectors. But usually those rifles are in the collector category. Vintage guns or for instance an M40 build with everything correct. Yeah, I can see owning but not firing. I understand those people.

It sounds like a lot of the time, peoples' eyes are bigger than their stomachs. Like I would really like to have some sort of feather-weight build, but would I ever shoot it? For me, the fact that I know it wouldn't get enough use is reason for me to focus my funds elsewhere, but for some folks, they imagine themselves shooting the build, but then they end up back at Ole Faithful after a couple of rounds. Kind of like guys that have affairs and never intend to leave their wives, I guess. I hate to use that analogy but there is maybe some truth to it.
 
#31
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I went from one extreme to another. For 15 years I only had two rifles. Both are older Remington 700 VS. One is a .222 Remington and the other is a 25-06. Between them, they fullfilled all my shooting interests from hunting to target shooting. Both are tack drivers (although the 25-06 is getting a little tired and probably needs re-barreled).

About 18 months ago, a friend let me try out his AR on a varmint hunt. I loved it and before I knew I had three new ARs (one RRA Varmint, one Robert Whitley 6mm AR Turbo 40 custom and one Dtech 25 wssm custom). All three are excellent shooters. I had so much fun with these I decided to get a new bolt gun as well. So, I picked up a Cooper M22 in 6mm Remington. Great rifle! Easily shoots sub .5 moa right out of the box. Now, I have one of the Euro Optics .260 TRGs on order. I really have the bug, lol. I keep catching myself thinking about buying yet another rifle, but I have definitely exhausted my toy budget for a while, not to mention my wife's patients.

Funny thing is, I have very limited time to shoot due to my work schedule. So, all the new guns have very low round counts. I keep saying I will sell something, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I like them all.

I'm going hunting in early March down in Texas. I'm actually stressing out trying to decide which rifle to bring.
 
#32
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I did all the usual load development and chased accuracy with many bullet/powder combos but it honestly felt like work</div></div>

Yep, sometimes I think my hobby is reloading and I just shoot because I have too. This is a live and learn sport. If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought "fill in the blank" rifle and been done with it.
 
#33
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Carter Mayfield</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Logbooks are great, but if car owners can crack an odometer before selling, gun owners can certainly forget to log a few shots.

I don't find a log book as convincing evidence that a gun has only been fired for a 3 shot group every fourth Sunday. </div></div>

I agree, however that is a concerted effort to defraud. Not just a little lie. The best bet is to deal with someone who has a good reputation and as always "Caveat Emptor".
 
#34
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I've bought and sold a bunch of custom and other nice firearms this year. Some I got bored with, some looked cool on the web but weren't exactly what I was looking for, and others got me that look from the wife.

If you don't have regular access to finger and shoot new guns, you have to experiment a bit. Last year I sold two rifles with zero rounds through them and a couple of pistols with 5K+, it just depends on how fun or useful the gun was when I picked it up. I use the proceeds for my next build or to do something nice for the wife so she forgets that I just used all of our disposable income. For me this is all part of the fun, and I have learned a lot.
 
#35
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

My log books aren't nearly as detailed as the ones some people keep. I track date the rifle was fired, type of ammo, number or rounds fired, total rounds fired, and any relevant comments for that day. Comments include things like exceptional weather conditions, exceptionally good or bad performance, any relevant changes in point of impact.

Log book also includes dates the rifle is cleaned, whenever it is removed and reinstalled in the stock, inch pounds of torque on the two screws (usually 55/45), changes in scope, mounting systems, zeroing at different distances and anything else I can think of that is a major factor in performance. I don't log in the temperature, and wind speed every time I shoot unless it is a major change.

So, on the rifles I keep logs on, I know exactly how many rounds are fired every time it goes out. I also keep a range notebook that has details about things that don't go into the log book. Type of target used, number of rounds fired any time I use various rifles as I often take more than one rifle to the range.

Having a number of rifles means some of them don't have many rounds through them, while others get more use. My 300 win mag has just over 300 rounds through it, while the TRG22 has over 3000.
 
#36
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

Carter,

Another situation is where people like me like to build rifles for themselves and then sell them.

I have built a bunch of rifles and sold them with putting no more than 50-100 rounds through them.

My time allotment for actual shooting has been severly cut back with two kids who are active so I build a rifle here and there to keep my mind in the shooting game.

I guess it is like cars! There are a lot of good deals out there on low milage rifles, but there could be some real snake oil salesmen to deal with as well.

Brian
 
#38
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

Honestly from my experience always double or sometimes triple the round count on guns.. The more gadgets the more you round up..

Just about every person on the classifieds lies about round count by at least half to make it seem like they are selling a unused gun because honestly we can never really tell the round count..


But from a ton of users I know about the round count when sold they always quote the count half if not more off than the actual count in the barrel/rifle.

I never give an exact amount because I just assume due to me reloading I lose count of what brass went through what rifle how many times.. But I try to keep it fair
 
#39
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CK_32</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Honestly from my experience always double or sometimes triple the round count on guns.. The more gadgets the more you round up..

Just about every person on the classifieds lies about round count by at least half to make it seem like they are selling a unused gun because honestly we can never really tell the round count..


But from a ton of users I know about the round count when sold they always quote the count half if not more off than the actual count in the barrel/rifle.

I never give an exact amount because I just assume due to me reloading I lose count of what brass went through what rifle how many times.. But I try to keep it fair</div></div>

I was kind of thinking that... I have been really really suspicious when I read about a rifle that "only shot the 5 shots to make this group." I have seen that more than once. Who buys a rifle, goes to the range with a box of factory ammo, shoots 5 shots, and leaves? More likely, somebody blew a box getting it sighted in, it did not shoot to their expectations, so they shot until they got a decent group, posted the group and posted the gun for sale. Not that it makes much of a difference between 50 and 5 shots, but 5 shots sounds a whole lot better.

And on the other side, I see a lack of rifles for sale with round counts of 3,000+.

I am not calling everyone a liar. I saw someone sell a GAP 243 with a beautiful digital camo paint job a while ago. The guy was honest about round count. About 3,000 IIRC, and he had to deeply discount it because basically the barrel is pretty close to being shot out in a 243 at that point if it hasn't been shot out.

Not only was the rifle deeply discounted, it stayed up for a long long time with a couple of price drops. I was thinking that I am almost sure that there have been a few less-than-honest folks who have moved guns with higher round counts and posted lower numbers and this poor honest guy is getting punished. If I had the cash, I would have bought, because the price basically figured in a rebarrel. I would think that most used guns should get closed to factoring in a rebarrel. I have to assume for the worst.

But then, there are probably plenty of guys as well as mentioned above who have ADD or spec out a rifle and end up not liking it for one reason or another. How is a buyer supposed to know which he is buying from?

There was a famous economist who came up with the "Lemon theory" that basically all used cars sell for below market value. As a result, the people more likely to sell a car are the ones who have something the matter with a car. People who might want to sell look at the price they could get their car to fetch and decide not to put it on the market. As a result, when you buy a used car, you are much more likely to get a lemon.

I can't say that this holds true. I got a steal on a 22LR here on the Hide that is an absolute tack driver... then again, it takes a lot of work to shoot out a 22...
 
#40
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CK_32</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> But from a ton of users I know about the round count when sold they always quote the count half if not more off than the actual count in the barrel/rifle.</div></div>
I don't quite understand this sentence, but it seems like you may know some true ass clowns.
 
#41
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

My rifle has seen one trip to the range and within a few hours it had over 50 shots through it, and that was taking it easy.

I do however see the guys that come to the range, shoot four or five times, then pack up and leave. Mostly because they are frustrated at their rifle.
 
#42
Re: Low Round Count Rifles for Sale

I have one rifle that I can never sell because I've shot the bejeesus out of it. A few others get moderate use and would take huge depreciation if I tried to sell them.

I have three low-round count rifles in my safe right now that never seem to make it out of the safe because of rifle #1.

I generally believe that the folks on the board are honest. With that said, I'm always leary about rifles that have had 2-3 owners with really low round counts. Every low-count rifle I have has 150-200 rounds on it--what it took for me to get a feel for them.
 
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