Watch: This Antique Handgun Ain’t So Antique

We all like to think we have an antique item that is worth something. Well, that is what happened to a guy on Pawn Stars. He walked into the store and offered up a flintlock muzzleloader handgun. The guy claims he bought it at a gun show, and that the guy he bought it from said it was authentic.

What does Corey do? He calls in an expert. I bet if someone brought a bottle of water to Pawn Stars, they would call in an expert on bottled water.

Shawn, an arms and armor expert, arrives at the store and looks at the handgun. At first things seemed to be going good. Then the bad news is broken.

Even though the original seller stated the handgun was authentic, it was a reproduction.

Seller asked, “How much is it worth?”

Shawn replies, “Around $75 – $100.”

Seller says, “I paid $800 for this.”

From there, things deteriorated rather quickly. The seller stated, “My wife was already pissed when I bought the gun, now she is really going to kill me.”

I feel bad for the guy, but as the old saying goes, “Buyer beware.” Several years ago I was stung with what was “supposed” to be a Spikes Tactical carbine.  Upon closer inspection, and after contacting Spikes, the serial number was shipped as a stripped lower. The guy bought a stripped lower, built the rifle, then sold it as an authentic Spikes. Needless to say, I do not do buy rifles like that anymore. I either buy the parts directly and build it myself, or buy straight from a store.

Have the readers ever bought a firearm that did not turn out to be what they expected?