Greetings All,

I need some advice on a purchase that I made on Gunbroker recently. I purchased what was advertised as a non-import Quality Hardware carbine. It had an Underwood barrel and replacement M-2 walnut stock, adjustable rear sight and bayonet lug. Also came with a 30 rd. magazine. I won with a bid of $830.00 plus $30.00 shipping. I stuck it in my safe until I could get it checked out by a gunsmith. Had it checked out and found that it was mostly Saginaw internals with an Inland trigger group. ME was 2.5. Headspaced OK. Finally took it to the range last weekend and shot it. Fairly accurate and shot fine. As I was cleaning it, I felt a rough spot on the bottom of the barrel in front of the barrel band. Looked close and found the dreaded words "ARL ORD ARLINGTON VA".

I was upset by the discovery. I sent an e-mail to the seller detailing my finding. The seller, who had been great to deal with to this point, offered to send a return label and then upon receiving the gun, refund my money. This is where things go south. I replied to the email with a counter offer. I said that since I had already invested another $50 dollars to have the rifle inspected by a gunsmith, how about refunding just $115.00 of my purchase price. This left a sale price of $715.00 plus the $30.00 shipping that I paid. A fair price, I thought,  for a gun that I never would have bid on in the first place. Well, the seller was bent by that. The e-mail that I got back basically said return the gun for a refund or keep it for what you paid. I think they thought maybe I was trying to run a scam. The problem is, Arlington Ordnance supplied the guns for Rose's that sold for around $175.00, as I recall.

So, what should I do? Keep it or return it. The gun shoots OK, but is not a collector. It has the ARL ORD taint. I would still want another Q.H.M.C. if I was going to really build a collection.

I welcome any advice from the more experienced members.

Thanks

I know some frown on import marks. Many ask "If this carbine could talk", well an import mark does talk, in many cases it can be traced to where it was imported, so you have an idea the last place it served.

Just my .02 cents

I've seen 4 rifles within a week, a Remington 03, M1 Carbine, M1D and an M14 Tactical. After looking at the I and the gun dealer are of the opinion that they are parts guns with refurbished wood with forged stamps. They were priced wrong and too clean.

For a shooter, as long as it checks out function wise and I’m happy with the price paid, all would be well.

Your initial offer to the seller was very reasonable for an import marked gun. I don't know your seller and this isn't a indictment on him because I don't know his intentions, but it's been my experience that some sellers know you won't return it because you'll lose the 30 to 60 dollars you've already spent to get it to you.

It's also not acceptable for a seller to treat it as though it's an inspection period if he's listed it as non import marked. It's a failure on the seller's part.