He did not have it fixed. Still attempting to work out the problem with the dealer. Seems to me something like ejectors on a Brit double aren't quite the same as the motor blowing up on a Rolls. If something fails on a gun 6 months after purchase, and especially if the buyer has put a lot of rounds through the gun, then I'd say it's on the buyer. But if it fails in the first round or two of trap or skeet or sporting clays, I'd expect the seller to stand behind his gun.
I think you may have missed my point. So we'll say the water pump or alternator quit on the Rolls after 4 days. Unless there was a specific and agreed upon warranty expressed or implied, I'd say the buyer eats the cost. Anyone who offers a bullet proof warranty will need to charge higher prices to compensate for warranty repairs or replacement. We've heard various opinions of what a reasonable period for a gun dealer to stand 100% behind his guns is. Whether it's 3 days non-firing or 30 days of unlimited firing, the dealer has no control of what the buyer does after it is out of his sight. I used the example of someone adding thousands of rounds of wear and tear on an Argentina dove shoot as an extreme example. I still think that it's possible that since your friend's gun quit ejecting after several days, the problem may be nothing more than one of dirt or lubrication. Also, there are examples of guys just buying a gun so they can exchange hard to find broken or worn parts from their own gun, and then returning the new model within the inspection period.
I've often wondered how a dealer might know if I've fired a used gun during a 3-day non-firing inspection as long as I thoroughly clean it before returning it???
I totally agree about the goodwill thing, but I also agree with AmarilloMike that it should be on a case by case basis.
Well, the standard used car deal--not talking newer ones on which dealers often offer longer and more comprehensive warranties--was, for a very long time, 30 days or 1,000 miles. The used car dealer, like the gun dealer, doesn't know what the buyer is going to do within that warranty period, once it's out of his sight. Assuming a 3-day inspection period, no firing allowed: how about a gun that does not fire (broken striker or something) which you do not catch with snap caps and through a visual inspection? Seems to me, especially if you spend a lot of money on a gun, it really ought to go "bang".
If the seller agrees to send the gun to a reputable gunsmith, like Kirk Merrington or JJ Perodeau, that's one solution. Another is Jay Schacter's warranty that the mechanics of the gun are also good--and in that case, the seller is taking on the added responsibility (and cost) of making sure that everything is in working order, vs the buyer.
