Buying a second-hand speargun in Thailand: the full checklist

Thailand’s second-hand speargun market is big. Facebook groups, Lazada listings, forwarded-on-WhatsApp “friend selling his old gun” deals. Sometimes you get a bargain. More often you buy a gun that was mis-treated, mis-matched, or imported grey-market — and then it is your problem forever.

Rob Allen himself recorded a full second-hand speargun checklist in 2026. Here is the check, adapted for what Thai buyers actually encounter.

Before you drive to see it — three questions on WhatsApp

1. “Do you have the original Rob Allen warranty card?” If no → the gun was bought grey-market, or the warranty is already used up. Either way, no warranty transfer to you.
2. “What rubber is on it right now?” If the diameter does not match the original factory spec for that barrel (check the Rob Allen spec sheet), someone has modified it. Usually to more power. Usually causing accuracy loss.
3. “Has it been dropped, dry-fired, or hit hard structure?” Rob: dry-fire damages the trigger mechanism. Hard structure impact can hairline-crack barrels.

If any of these answers is bad, walk away before seeing the gun. Saves you time.

The 10-minute physical inspection

Once you are looking at the gun:

Barrel

• Straightness: sight down the rail from both ends. If the rail waves or curves, the barrel is bent. Walk away.
• Corrosion: obvious pitting or white powder around muzzle or handle attachment. Deal-breaker.
• Screws all present and tight: muzzle screws, handle screws, line release screws. Any missing, any obviously over-tightened → walk away or heavily discount.
• Rail alignment: sight down the rail. Components should be exactly on the centreline. A kinked rail means the gun has been dropped or bent and it will never shoot straight again.

Muzzle

• Line release position: lines up with the rail.
• Band attachment point: no cracks, no deformation.
• Muzzle eye(s): round, not oval (ovalising means the rubber has been over-powered and the muzzle is pulled out of shape).

Handle + mechanism

• Trigger pull: crisp click, not mushy. Mushy = worn mechanism, needs rebuild.
• Safety: engages and disengages cleanly.
• Line release: releases cleanly, spring returns to position.
• Handle material: no cracks, no warping around the handle-barrel joint.

Spear

• Roll test: put the spear on a flat surface and roll it. Any wobble = bent. Replace (but budget for a new spear — 1,000-1,500 THB).
• Tip condition: clean point or clear file marks = OK. Rolled-over tip or rust = budget for replacement.
• Barb: snaps back flush against the shaft when pressed down. Sluggish return = barb spring fatigued.

Rubber

• Age: if seller does not know when it was fitted, assume it is old. Budget 800-1,500 THB for replacement rubber.
• Elasticity test: stretch a section by hand. Snaps back crisply = usable. Slow return = done.
• Visible cracks or sun damage: replace immediately before use.

The grey-market reality check

Even if the gun passes every physical check, ask yourself:

Did this gun come through an authorised Rob Allen distributor in Thailand?

If yes — the seller bought it through me or the previous Thai distributor — there is a factory invoice on record and warranty service is a real option. I can verify any Rob Allen purchase against my records or Rob Allen’s. Just ask me.

If no — the gun was imported in someone’s luggage, ordered from overseas, or bought off Lazada from a grey-market seller — there is no warranty path. Rob Allen will not service a gun with no factory-invoice trail, even if you have the original warranty card. The warranty is by invoice, not by card alone.

For a second-hand gun, this matters because:

• Trigger rebuild from Rob Allen: free under warranty with invoice trail, $40-80 parts + shipping without it.
• Barrel replacement from Rob Allen: discounted under warranty, full retail without.
• Band matching: I can spec you the right rubber based on the barrel’s original factory spec. Random online sellers cannot.

A grey-market second-hand gun might save you 2,000-4,000 THB on purchase. Over a 5-year ownership with two warranty events (common), you spend more than new-price getting it serviced.

For more on the grey-market economics, see why import tax and grey-market gear cost more than they save.

What is worth buying second-hand

• 1-2 year old Rob Allen with clean history + original warranty card + verifiable Thai distributor purchase: legit bargain, usually 60-70% of new price. Fine to buy.
• Rob Allen gun from a friend who bought it from me: ideal — I can verify and still service warranty claims on it through the original invoice.
• Well-maintained older Rob Allen (5+ years) from a Thai-based spearo: good value if the trigger is still clean, but budget for a full rubber swap and inspection.

What is not worth buying second-hand

• Any gun that fails any of the physical checks above: walk away, no matter the price.
• Grey-market-imported gun: no warranty path, no local parts support. You are on your own.
• “Mystery” gun with no brand markings: sometimes these are Chinese-factory copies of Rob Allen designs. Do not shoot these — the trigger mechanisms have been known to fail on loaded guns.
• Dirt-cheap Lazada / Shopee “new Rob Allen”: if the price is under Thai MSRP minus 25%, it is grey-market or counterfeit. See the counterfeit warning in the Rob Allen buying guide.

What I will do for you if you bought grey-market

If you already own a second-hand or grey-market Rob Allen and need service, I can still help in most cases:

• Rubber replacement: standard retail pricing, fast turnaround. Book via maintenance service.
• Trigger rebuild: possible if the parts are available through my Rob Allen supplier. Paid service, not warranty.
• Authenticity check: send me photos on WhatsApp, I can usually tell if it is real Rob Allen or a copy in 30 seconds.
• Spec matching: I can tell you the correct rubber + spear for any Rob Allen barrel as long as you know the model.

The warranty side is the hard part. Everything else I can generally work around.

The bottom line

A second-hand Rob Allen from a verifiable Thai distributor purchase, with clean component condition, at a fair price, is a legit bargain. A grey-market or mystery-origin second-hand gun is a long-term liability even if the purchase price looks good.

If you are eyeballing a specific second-hand gun right now, send me photos + the seller’s details before you pay. Five minutes of my time saves you the wrong purchase.