What does NIB mean?

[Hobie]

Well to me it means exactly that, new, in the box in which it came from the factory, untouched, unfired by other than the factory, unaltered in any way. Any shooting negates that. If a seller says, "appears to be unfired" that doesn't cut it with me. I will presume it to have been fired. If a seller says that it is NIB and that such-and-such has been done such as trigger work, defarbing (and you reenactors know what that means), etc., it is NOT NIB. If the seller says NIB but I don't have the box, not NIB. If he says I can provide a period correct box, it ain't NIB. I've even seen/heard sellers say, "well, it is NIB and I only put 10 rounds through it." Nope, it has been shot, is no longer NIB and FWIW to anyone that cares, I have no earthly way of judging how many rounds actually went through the gun. Frankly I don't care. Shot is shot is NOT NIB. "NIB with a small scratch." Nope, not NIB. Is the gun missing the accessories (like Ruger bolt guns missing the rings or S&Ws missing the cleaning rod) or paperwork/manual, nope, not NIB. "Like new", maybe, "nearly new", maybe, "fine", definitely, but not NIB.

Firearms are not the only area in which sellers attempt to maximize apparent condition to make a sale or increase the price. Further, you'd better look at the item in detail and if you can't personally examine it have excellent, detail photos AND a good return agreement.

So, what does NIB mean to you?

[bunklocoempire]

Licorice nibs? mmmm.... New in box. As you do: new in the box in which it came from the factory, untouched, unfired, unaltered in any way etc.. Be it guns or any item.



Bunkloco

[Ben_Rumson]

Same as you Hobie
I agree about detailed fotos too.. out of focus close up.. don't cut it
Bought a "mint" Weaver J 2.5 scope.. good fotos of the scope I thought..except for the hidden dent.. Seller later said.."Well mint for it's age"..Ya right.. a sliding scale of mint! Sheesh!!

[bogus bill]

Shes just like new. Take her or leave her!

[JerryB]

Hobie, I agree 100%, NIB has to be what it says, "new in the box" not one on the rack that has been handled for six months.

[TedH]

Hobie is exactly right.

[marlinman93]

I agree totally Hobie! If it's not, then it's not. I accept the terminology, LNIB if it's "like new in the box", but doesn't have the box and all papers.

[Mike D.]

Hobie nailed it. A gun that is new, but without the box and "papers", should be LNNB. Or, how about LNWOB? LNNBWOP? Sorry, I can't help it.

[AJMD429]

Since I really just shoot guns and don't have any 'museum' pieces, I really don't get too bent out of shape over dings and scratches (I'll put my own in them soon enough ). However the "NIB only shot ten times" kind of thing reflects on the credibility of the seller, which might be enough to turn me away, moreso than really caring if the gun had been shot or not.

[Chuck 100 yd]

How can one tell if it has been fired (outside of the factory) ? The last two marlins I ordered through my dealer, my Uberti 1873 .45 and my
Chaparral 76 .50-95 came to me new with the barrels left fouled from the factory test firing. All cleaned to perfection so no problem.
How do you tell if the seller fired it to see if he wanted to keep it or not? I know my local dealer did not.

[Boreman]

+1 What Hobie said !!!!!!!!!

[Pete44ru]

For me, "N I B" means : Factory new, unfired, never sold at retail, and never used.

That means in absolutely perfect condition, w/o any "handling" or "storage" marks, rust, scratches, or dents - and with all it's factory supplied original accessories & paperwork/box, serial-numbered to the gun.

Anything less, so labeled, is sucker bait IMHO.

.

[Kansas Ed]

How can one tell if it has been fired (outside of the factory) ? The last two marlins I ordered through my dealer, my Uberti 1873 .45 and my
Chaparral 76 .50-95 came to me new with the barrels left fouled from the factory test firing. All cleaned to perfection so no problem.
How do you tell if the seller fired it to see if he wanted to keep it or not? I know my local dealer did not.

Precisely! It is an unproveable statement, so the statement has no meaning. But NIB to me means that it hasn't been fired or altered in any way. On a dealers rack but unfired I think is NIB, provided the box and all accessories come with it. By most of yours' standards if the gun was removed periodically from the box to wipe down for rust prevention, or stored in a safe separate from the box, it ceases to be NIB. I don't think that way...for me NIB means unused.

Ed

[Old Savage]

I agree with Hobie but aren't they all test fired at the factory?

[morgan in nm]

I really don't like the term "NIB." It can mean so many different things to many people and that is why I usually don't look at an item if it has that term applied to it. I do believe that it should mean that it has never been handled outside the factory. Some people seem to refer a commemorative as NIB but when you buy it, it has rust from salty fingers that have been playing with it. I get so mad at my dealer when he orders lunch for himself and his workers and goes to playing with a rifle that had come in earlier in the day without washing there hands. When they are through playing with it, they put it back in the box and say NIB.

[Hobie]

On a dealers rack but unfired I think is NIB, provided the box and all accessories come with it. By most of yours' standards if the gun was removed periodically from the box to wipe down for rust prevention, or stored in a safe separate from the box, it ceases to be NIB. I don't think that way...for me NIB means unused.

Ed

I'd go along with that, but I'd deduct for handling marks.

[Hobie]

I agree with Hobie but aren't they all test fired at the factory?

That's true which is what I thought I said, but didn't. I've edited my post...

[RSY]

For me, "N I B" means : Factory new, unfired, never sold at retail, and never used.

Hmmmmmmmm. "Never sold at retail" is an interesting element I've never thought of. However, it is obviously very pertinent to being considered "new." Good point, Pete.

Scott

[Sixgun]

Hobie,
Exactly what the words imply---New, unfooled with, box, papers, hangtags, factory grease, everything all nice and "crispy". Before buying, I make sure the seller and I have this understanding.---------Sixgun

[Old Ironsights]

New, In Box.

NIB may be NOS, but it is still New.

It may have been sold a dozen times, but if not enviornmentally damaged, fired (post factory), dropped or molested, it is still New.

[Griff]

What Hobie said. I've had the pleasure of buying a couple of guns from fellars off this forum, and on each ocassion the firearms was received in EXACTLY the condition they described. Other venues have not been quite so satisfying.

[El Chivo]

why are there so many NIB guns anyway?

When I bought each of my guns I couldn't wait to fire them. Except for commemoratives, who buys guns (or anything) to just stick in the closet?

[Borregos]

What Hobie said +1

[rjohns94]

i agree with you Hobie though I would extend it to purchased NIB from ffl, took it home and never shot it, still has box and paperwork. Little different there then if it sat on the shelf at the shop. for instance I just sold a remington sxs here on the forum, I didn't shoot it, didn't have it out of it's box. I considered it NIB.

[AkRay]

I once went to buy a Colt Python that a local store had in their display case. The price was reduced as they were selling out their old stock, and the price wasn't bad. When I examined the gun in the store though, it had so much finish wear that I couldn't bring myself to buy it. The bluing was worn, and the finish on the wood grips was down to bare wood in spots from all the times of taking it out to show a customer, who would then cycle the action and roll it around in his hands to look at it before handing it back to the clerk. There was a prominent line around the cylinder from all the times someone looked at it and then pulled the hammer or trigger back. It was unsold and unfired, but it was definitely a used gun.

One local store instituted a policy of the customer paying a quarter(that went to the Salvation Army) for every time a customer handled a gun and then didn't buy it. I didn't like the policy much at the time, and didn't ask to see any of their guns, but at the same time, their guns all looked nice and new.

[Dirty Dan]

I agree with Hobie.

One other thing that really is a sore spot with me...
the vast number of poor quality and low number of photos.
It galls me for somebody to ask $500 and up for a firearm,
then stick 3 or 4 dimly lit, blurred pictures up.
By golly, if you want my money, learn how to take a dang photo
and they better cover every part of the gun from every angle and
be close enough, in focus, to show every speck of dust.

DD

[Idiot]

NIB, new in box means it is new (has never been fired outside the factory, has not been altered in any way, has not been cleaned, and all of the accessories that left the factory with it are still with it) and comes in the factory box with all of the paper work. A gun meeting the above conditions may have been sold many times over and still be NIB. A gun meeting the above conditions may have set on a retail rack and still be NIB. If a NIB gun has a blemish that it left the factory with, and many do, it is the responsibility of the seller to disclose it. If a NIB gun has a scratch or rust from either storage or handling, the seller must disclose it. NIB is a term of art, not science, and I may like Van Gogh and you may like Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, so if you don't want to be ratted, the transaction begins with a clear explanation of NIB. When I buy a new gun in a store, I look at the display model, then ask the seller to bring out all of the untouched, in the box guns he has in the same model, and pick from them. If he won't do it and I still want it, I'll make an offer on the gun on display based upon my determination that it's NIB, but with unseen damage caused by all of the handlers before me. As long as the money remains in my pocket, I'm in charge.

Now, as far as buying something NIB unseen off the internet - what, am I an idiot? Come on, you've got to be kidding.

Mint, mint means unfired as it comes from the factory sans the box, paper, and any accessories.

LNIB, like new in box means nothing at all except that the seller is trying decieve you into believing the gun's condition is something other than it is. This is a term of science that translates "buyer beware."

[Hillbilly]

New in box.......never sold retail.

I have bought a few guns that were a valid "appears unfired"... and upon examination I could not tell if the peice had been fired at all.

Sorry to say this... but we are all subject to our own examination and determination of the sellers word these days...let the buyer beware.

[stretch]

I agree with Hobie.

Synonymous with virgin.

It is, or it ain't.

[Rexster]

I believe that, regarding firearms, "NIB" is something only a dealer can claim; an unsold, never-ever-sold gun, with no mods or handling marks. "LNIB" is the best that can truly be claimed by anyone other than a dealer.

[Ysabel Kid]

You all hit it squarely. NIB means that it is exactly the way it left the factory; original box and paperwork, packing, never fired. I don't mind if someone has handled it - carefully, as long as they haven't adding the infamous "light handling marks" (then it would be "100% NRA New" rating). Any customizing of any kind means it is not NIB - though it might now actually be worth more depending on the gun.