cayugad

If you want to buy a used sidelock (an I have bought many of them) take a bore light with you. A good pawn shop or gun shop will not object to you dropping a bore light down them to check for rust and pitting. If you see a lot of rust and pitting be sure and point that out to the store. It should be a good bargaining point.

Also check the hammer or lock. Look at the nose of the hammer close, especially inside the nose. You will see how well the rifle was maintained here. If the inside of the nipple nose is rusty and pitted it means they do not pay close attention when cleaning. I always take Q-tips, dip them in solvent, and scrub the nose of the sidelock out real good. After they are clean I oil them and around then with a Q-tip saturated in oil.

Also at the shop check the way the hammer cocks. There should be a very definite half cock to it without play, and then a good strong full cock. Cock it and beat on the off side of the lock with the flat of your hand and see if the lock will slip. Give it a sharp rap. I am sure they would frown if you suddenly pull the lock on the rifle. Then holding the hammer back with your thumb, pull the trigger and feel how clean the hammer breaks... if the barrel is clean the and the lock functions, and the trigger breaks clean, normallythat means the rifle was well taken care of.

If the rifle has a set trigger, be sure and check that also. Then check the stock over real close for hair line cracks. Look especially near the back of the tang, and along the bottom of the lock. That is where they seem to crack most of the time. If the stock has no cracks, or large chips, then you need to decide how bad you would like the rifle and how much a new one would cost. Then start bidding or dickering if they will. If not consider spend a few dollars more and get a new one and tell them they can keep the old used one...