Here's a good one for ya...

[csterner]

Bossman took in a used Sako Forester at the shop a few weeks ago. The other weekend I was working on getting pictures of it to put it on Gunbroker and noticed something odd...there was a slight bulge in the barrel, right near the end of the forearm. Looking thru the bore, there's an obvious ring where the rifling let go. Showed the boss, obviously we can't sell it as a working rifle. I briefly thought about buying it for the stock and action, to re-barrel. I had a WTB ad for a barrel. Meanwhile a member here asks if it's for sale, even with the bad barrel. Sure, we can sell it for a donor action. I took some quick pics the other day and sent them over to him. He looks at them and notices a few things. Some discoloration on the action, no serial number, etc.??? So yesterday I pulled the action out of the stock to take a better look at it.

HOLY CRAP It looks like when the barrel incident happened, it bulged the action as well, and somebody actually heated the action and tried to straighten it back out! In the process, the serial number was somehow removed. The bolt looks practically new, bluing doesn't match the rest of the rifle. I would think if the action was damaged, the bolt was as well and this one is a replacement. Also there's some holes drilled and tapped on the left side of the action. Peep site maybe, or some kind of side mount scope? Regardless, it's F$%@#D!

All of this is bad enough, but to then SELL the rifle off to someone, without telling, is down-right negligent. Not sure of the back story, the previous owner could have picked it up at a gun show like that or something. Either way, we can't do anything with it. I plan on disassembling and selling off parts that are salvageable. Confident we can get out of it what we have in it, but still. WOW! Hope the boss takes a better look at stuff he purchases in the future.

[bert2368]

Buyer beware!

My younger brother wrecked a rifle back in the 1970s by shooting with an obstruction in barrel. And sold it back to the original seller, without telling the gun shop owner, which wasn't a good thing.

Who buys a rifle without looking down the CLEANED barrel?

[Herb in Pa]

Bossman should have figured it out when he tried to enter it into his books and found no serial #. I would call the seller and demand a refund, if no response the ATF would be my next call!!!!!!!!!!!

[david s]

Local pawn shop had a Colt Officers model revolver 38 Special that someone had screwed a Python barrel to. Took one look at the barrel and paid Python price for it. The barrel/frame juncture wasn't even close. the back of the barrel was about 3/16 of an inch above the frame height. Sometimes it pays to take a breath and think about it for a moment.

[georgeld]

Charlie:

I'd be all over that guys a-- like smoke!
Might even take ATF agent along with the gun.

What's the boss say? He sure shouldn't have to
absorb the problem.

[L.Sherm]

I'm with Herb, how did bossman not know something wasnt right when he should have entered into his books upon buying it. ATF probably will ask the same question.

[csterner]

I don't know the backstory. You all are absolutely right. But it's ours now, broken down into little pieces. Glad I caught it! Action to be destroyed. Lesson learned.

[L.Sherm]

There is a certain way your suppose to destroy a firearm and enter into your books that its destroyed, kinda tuff without a serial #