Tucson Guns & Western Artifacts displayed very questionable business ethics misrepresenting the history of a pistol to make a sale, and not advising me of the documented safety and reliability issues of the pistol purchased for self protection. Additionally, Tucson Guns & Western Artifacts failed to provide the promised reasonable discounted price in settlement of this issue. This incident has been reported to the Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona & Office of The Attorney General State of Arizona.

On 14 Aug 09 I inquired at Tucson Guns & Western Artifacts about the purchase of a Taurus pistol, PT 111. After agreeing to purchase the pistol, I noticed salesman did not provide the manufacture's instructions or pistol case as he prepared to close the transaction. In response to my question, only then did he advised me that the pistol was used. The salesman stated he had sold it new, and that it had been returned after the previous owner had fired approximately 50 rounds. Accepting his explanation I purchased for the pistol.

However, after dissembling the pistol and checking with the manufacture, I confirmed the subject pistol was the first series of that model, manufactured 11 years ago and shipped to Florida for sale on 17 July 1998! It lacked the required safety and reliability modifications of the current model. I then returned the pistol and asked how you could sell an 11 year old pistol to the previous owner as new, and then not advise me of the safety and reliability issues of a pistol purchased for self protection? The salesman’s explanation was not clear, however, to settle this issue he offered to order the current model of this pistol at a "discounted" price.

After taking delivery of the "new" pistol, the "discounted" price I was charged more that what I verified at other local Tucson Gun dealers and on the web.