I agree that buying used can be somewhat risky. It's up to you as the buyer to educate yourself for your own protection. If the original owner or some other gunbutcher (not all gunsmiths know the 1911 as well as they think they do) has done some commonly advised tricks to "cure" feed problems - not so good. If the original owner simply dismisses the gun as unreliable and decides to sell it unmolested - good for the aware buyer. This can be a two-edged sword for the buyer. Most often these issues can be fixed easily by someone who really knows the gun - usually with a simple adjustment or parts swap. Because of that, some guns leave the factory with feed issues. The thing to keep in mind is this.the 1911 (or reasonable facsimile thereof) is produced by many manufacturers, and some are better than others at staying within working range of original specs. If the 1911 seller refuses to allow disassembly of the gun for measuring and inspecting.unless a 100% return policy that you can trust is guaranteed - walk away. With aluminum frames, any sign of finish removal on the frame ramp is a deal-killer. Red flags also include too small of a gap between the barrel clearance bevel (often mistakenly referred to as "barrel ramp") and the top of the frame ramp, and rounded off edge at the top of the frame ramp. You can make a simple go-no go tool or modify a protractor to verify the frame ramp angle and carry it in your pocket while shopping. A lot of good information can also be found at in the gunsmithing forum. You can start with the Kuhnhausen 1911 manual. If you are going to shop used (and I don't advise against that out of hand), you will need some knowledge and some tools to do it safely. One of the most common problems is also potentially the most fatal - aggressive polishing of the frame ramp (to the extent that the angle has been changed or edges have been "softened"). This can cause damage that may be very expensive or almost impossible to resolve. Too many 1911 owners apply dubious advice from the internet with a dremel or a file. While Glocks and Ruger MK's see a lot of parts swapping, the 1911 gets a lot of that treatment - plus, it is sometimes subjected to permanent "fixes" involving the removal of metal or protective treatments. The 1911 may be the most fiddled with handgun ever. Used 1911's can be a bit risky, compared to other guns.