Model 14/141 Buying Online / Gunbroker & Others

Topics related to Post - 1898 Remington Rifles
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nambujim
Posts: 597
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:16 pm
Location: Charlotte, NC

Model 14/141 Buying Online / Gunbroker & Others

Post by nambujim »

I have been meaning to put together a post on the Forum on this subject for some time pointing out the shortcomings of buying vintage rifles. I have been getting 3-4 inquiries a week from "nice people" who purchased a 14 or 141 online only to find out it has problems. These problems include missing parts, broken parts, won't feed, won't eject, slam-fire, and others!

I list items regularly on Gunbroker under the name of "Xcuzme", they wouldn't let me use Nambujim because its part of my Email address. When I list a rifle for sale I state clearly "this rifle loads, feeds, fires, and ejects perfectly" and I also state clearly "I don't sell crap"!!

If you are going to make a purchase of a Model 14 or 141 you need to make sure the bloody thing works so if they don't make a statement like the one I use OR if they say something like "this rifle should be inspected by a competent gunsmith" then you probably are purchasing Crap. Finding a gunsmith that has actually seen one of these rifles is a problem, if you go with a "smith" who is decent but never worked on one, he will most likely make the problem worse.

What I am saying is you need assurance from the seller that it loads, feeds, fires, and ejects properly OR get a 3-day inspection with it so you can run some rounds through the system to make sure it works. If you don't do these things you have essentially purchased a "parts gun" and will be calling me to see if it can be made workable. I'm no longer doing repairs, no one wants to really pay the cost for my time/knowledge, I'm too old & cranky, I lose my patience, and my eyes suck. I try to answer emails but some go on forever.

This model rifle is complex and most Model 14's are "parts specific" in that they were made from a matched set of parts unique to that rifle. Model 141's were much better in that most parts interchange with the exception of late production guns where quality workmanship was lacking. Yes, you can find 141's in 60-70,000 range that work fine and take-down just fine but they are the exception, and that isn't just my opinion its fact!!

Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC
Jim Peterson
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