Why Buy Used?

[Spiffums]

Besides a discount in price what is the upside for buying something someone else has got the "best" out of? This is mostly optic related.

[TRIDENT82]

I think your assuming that when somebody sells an item its because they extensively used it.

The majority of the time you see high dollar glass for sell in the EE's, etc. is because somebody did not do their homework and ended up not properly getting either the ret., adjustments, or all together just bought an ill suited optic for the application the said seller had in mind.

I have yet to see anything rival a NF in terms of sheer toughness and durability and you gotta bust your ass and somebody else prob. does as well at beating up a NF.

Unlike a barrel, BCG, magazine, etc., optics do not deplete themselves or otherwise wear or tear under the normal operation of them so given we are talking premium optics here, the only reason a NF, S&B, USO should ever wear out is when the end user does not properly take care of it and carelessly subjects it to extreme long term abuse.

Most Men are not exactly consumer savvy like Women who by in large shop half their lives. You just have to remember that glass is a picky aspect to please an end user with, as well as overall having complicated terminology and options associated with them.

[ucrt]

Originally Posted by Spiffums

Besides a discount in price what is the upside for buying something someone else has got the "best" out of? This is mostly optic related.

=================================

Buying used is simply being able to weigh the "risks" versus "savings".
The only way you can do this is to "know" the products: the new one AND the used one. The time to do this is beforehand...not at a gun show or on an online auction. You need to know what a new "real" one looks like and feels like, how it is supposed to be marked, color of lens coatings, etc. On the used one, look for signs of abuse-dents, knicks, scratches on the body and lenses, how does it look and feel compared to the new one, etc. Then, price accordingly.

I have bought scopes that actually rattled inside but I got it at about a 20% of a new one and I knew the manufacturer backed the scope for life...wasn't much risk involved with a lot of savings.

Warranty is a big issue. Some makers want a paper trail signed in blood that you are the original owner. So, is it worth saving 10% (or 20%...30%) to give up the warranty buying used?

Most used stuff for sale everywhere right now is too high. It was bought in the panic at an inflated price and now it is price the same or slightly less than a new one.

To me, if someone else owned it, and it is in NIB condition, that is at least a 15-25% discount on the best currently available price and the price goes down from there.

But maybe it's just me...

.

[m4gery]

Well, I think price is a big reason to buy used. Just looking on the EE you can see guys selling a $1500 acog or a $700 aimpoint that they haven't even shot, or maybe just took to a range once or twice. I think a lot of people buy that stuff thinking they're relly going to use it hard and once it sits in the closet for 6 months they'll sell it to you for quite the discount.

[Army Chief]

Trident nailed it.

Many, many shooters are forced to make their purchase decisions sight unseen, based largely upon the recommendations of others, since few local shops are likely to have a vast array of premium offerings. Oftentimes, the product purchased turns out to be something other than what the doctor really ordered for their applications, and their thoughts turn to resale. It's an inevitable part of discovery learning, and we've all been there at one point or another.

I would dare submit that most of the items -- optics especially -- that you see for sale here and elsewhere have been very lightly used, if at all. This follows a certain logic, when you consider that heavily-used items are probably going to be retained, both because the shooter is more comfortable with them, and because they are less likely to get top dollar for war-weary gear, anyway. Trading away one optic for another until the magic happens is pretty commonplace, and the fact that there is usually an associated price benefit is merely the icing on the cake.

AC

[Naxet1959]

I bought a used ML3 Aimpoint from someone on the EE because: 1. Price $275.00 delivered. 2. Its still a current product. 3. It works for what I wanted it for.

It had a shut off issue which I contacted Aimpoint on and they sent me a replacement part even after I disclosed that I was the second owner. It solved my problem and cemented me to their products going forward.

Some people may ask the same question about why some people buy used cars...

[payj]

Its cheaper. And often times many people do not abuse their products. They are like new. Just depends of course....

[Kuraki]

I buy used optics more often than new. In fact, the last time I bought a new optic was only because it was a great price on a group buy. When you're buying quality optics, Leupold, Nightforce, USO, Aimpoint, Trijicon, Burris, even IOR and Vortex, even if you get an optic with something wrong with it, chances are you can have it repaired for nothing under warranty. Optics are a device that are not worn out by normal use as previously stated. Looking through them causes no damage. The most they have to deal with under normal use is recoil from the rifle, which they're designed to withstand.

I think a better question is: Why buy new when you can get a barely used piece in a Larue mount for $500 less than new?

[captbarty]

Trident and Army chief said it. (BTW, their posts are among those I seek out when wanting to learn something on the subject). You said "got the best out of". Doesn't fully apply in optics unless damaged which is a separate issue. The optics don't "wear out" from the photons going through them. Lower quality turrets may, though. But, the purpose of used is to be able to afford top quality for a price comparable to ordinary.

Along the lines of what was said, I've sold several optics items which were in fine shape simply because needs changed or I got something I liked/suited my needs better. Nothing wrong with them at all. And, to be truthful, I'm always looking for the magic, perfect optic, which doesn't really exist. Everything in a production environment has to be a compromise even if just to accommodate as much of the bell-curve of requirements.

[twpayne75]

I will echo some of the above.

I don't have a lot of gun shops around me that stock very many higher end optics. (aimpoints, Eotechs, and especially Acogs)

I have bought many of the above, mainly Aimpoints and Eotechs, off the boards. Every one I have bought has been atleast 30% off NIB price. And each one of them looked and performed as if they were NIB.

I have been dying to try an Acog. But no local shop carries any. How can they? They make so many models that there is no way most shops could afford to keep any variety in stock. And most likely what they had in stock would not be the one you want anyway. They will order one, but who wants to drop a grand on an optic they have never even seen in person. I know I don't.

I was able to buy a like new Acog last week for about 60% of what it would have cost me new. If for some reason I do not like it, (don't think that will be a problem), I know I can sell it and get most if not all my money back.

I would rather buy a beat up Aimpoint for $200 than a new knock off for $100.

[MTechnik]

I'd say Trident covered 90% of it. The other part is that because the quality optics don't drop significantly in value when bought, many people figure "I'll try it, and if I don't like it, I can sell it and I'm only out 10% of the purchase price."

When you know you can buy your eotech new for $350 and sell it lightly used for $300, that $50 loss isn't too much. That $50 risk is what I have used to T&E some parts I couldn't get my hands on via even "higher-end shops" in my area.

[kaltesherz]

While I think everyone has pretty well covered it, don't forget that some people acquire parts for projects, then over time lose interest or change the direction of what they want. Also many people want what's new or current, so when a new optic comes out they'll sell their barely used optic at significant savings to "upgrade". When the Aimpoint T1/H1 came out many people dumped their M2/M3's, I bought an M3 that was "used, never mounted" for $375 about a year ago.

[jklaughrey]

Or you realize that although you thought one optic would suit your needs you realized the one you ran for duty is all you needed. Hence my current sale of one on the EE. Either way as everyone else has stated good optics don't lose very much value.

[Kchen986]

I saved about $700 over MSRP for my ACOG ECOS, another $150 for my Aimpoint M4, and another $200 for my T1. All were in VERY GOOD condition.

It's akin to purchasing a certified pre-owned vehicle. The majority of the depreciation has already taken place, but the item is basically still new--just now at a significant savings.

Too bad no one's selling a used TA11RMR, though.

[TehLlama]

Since it's not unfathomable that somebody would pick up a new optic and only mount it before concluding they want something different.

For certain brands of nearly bombproof optics, used makes sense - for an S&B, Nightforce, Trijicon, or Aimpoint I wouldn't hesitate to buy a gently used one, and I've done with most of my optics (save owning an S&B - yet). The amount of abuse that would be required to knock one of these out of commission would likely be evident in pictures, whereas a cheap optic or an old EOtech I'd treat very differently.

[Clarkm]

For years I bought mostly used Leupold scope, but some new.
This year has been (4) IOR scopes all used.

I get used IOR scope at a lower ratio of new price than I can Leupold.

I get better color with the Leupold, but better resolution with the IOR.

In picking brown ground squirrels with a few golden stripes or of a field of brown dirt, it takes some good optics. The 50mm objective binocs for Nikon can spot them. But if the scope does not have the color, the rifle can't pick up what the binocs spotted.

[500grains]

Originally Posted by Spiffums

Besides a discount in price what is the upside for buying something someone else has got the "best" out of? This is mostly optic related.

I bought both a used Zeiss 6x Conquest plex reticle and a used Kahles 6x 30 mm mildot reticle for less than half what a new one cost and they had been "used" in the sense that they had made a couple of trips to the range.

I do not buy old beat to hell optics, like Leupolds whose black finish has turned purple.

Now if you are referring to AR15s, I would have little interest in purchasing a rifle that someone had put 5K rounds through unless the price allowed me to replace the BCG, barrel and any other parts that I was concerned about AND STILL HAVE A 1/3 DISCOUNT COMPARED TO NEW.

That being said, many gun owners are very economical (cheap), and will go a long way to save a hundred bucks. For example, take the guy clarkm posting on this thread... Oh wait a minute - code of conduct issue. Just kidding Clark!

[variablebinary]

I got my last T1 used.

Guy had it over a year, and shot it once. Most optics are like that, as are most guns.

People want to be cool, not shoot, so they build these uber tactical rigs that collect dust. They get bored, want to build something new, and their old dusty shit goes on the forum EE

[Pain]

Originally Posted by variablebinary

I got my last T1 used.

Guy had it over a year, and shot it once. Most optics are like that, as are most guns.

People want to be cool, not shoot, so they build these uber tactical rigs that collect dust. They get bored, want to build something new, and their old dusty shit goes on the forum EE

+1

As long as the optic wasn't dropped down a flight of stairs, they are normally a good deal.