Stuff to look for:
Gas bloc not canted.
Front sight not canted.
Visualy inspect all the fasteners for slot or hex-hole damage.
Test for stripped or partialy stripped threads in the gas block or it's four screws.
Excessively deep impressions in the wood where the reciever sits down and where the trigger guard sits.
Too much "slop" where the action sits down into the reciever.
Insure that it takes a fair amount of force to latch the trigger guard into place.
Check the movement of the safety, that it has distinct detents, and that it actualy works.
Insure that the trigger can not cause the hammer to fall unless the bolt is in battery.
Check the bore and muzzel condition closely.
The oprod should move smoothly.
Insure that the op rod can not be made to jump it's track with the rifle assembled.
The op rod should lock back with an empty mag installed.
Look for damaged areas at the scope-mounting points of the reciever.
Personal quirks of mine which may not apply to you:
I don't pay extra for aftermarket add-on's or non-factory mags.
I'll quickly reject a gun that shows signs of table top gunsmithing, especialy if that includes any type of "action work" or having had a "trigger job" done. The only exception to that would be if the seller can provide evidence that the work was done by a professional...and that is assuming that I'd have wanted it done in the first place.
All of Ruger's Ranch Rifles were sold with the appropriate scope rings (and have always been priced accordingly). If the gun I'm interested in don't have them, I use that as a bargaining point. Reason is, they are pricey and Ruger only sells them seperately...not in pairs.
Hope this has helped.
DGW
