...develops a problem shortly after he's sold it?
Who gets to define "shortly? Is that a few days days or a few years in the life of a gun? How can a seller be held responsible for how a buyer handles a gun?
Seems there're 2 perspectives...the legal one (warranty express or implied?) and the ethical one. If I were the seller, I'd offer to share the expense. If I were the buyer, I'd expect to bear it, and be ecstatic if the seller offered anything at all.
I had a celebrity gunsmith rust blue a set of double barrels. Most readers will appreciate the "hands-on" time that requires. After firing 2 shots I found the rib was separated. Couldn't have arrived in his shop that way.... how can you rust blue a set of barrels and not recognize a loose rib? The famous gunsmith disavowed all responsibility but offered to repair for his usual fee. I ungraciously declined to let him touch my gun again.
I gave a celebrity stocker a complete gun so he could make me a forend to match the butt. While in his shop, my butt got dinged. He fessed up and offered to fix it, obviously without charge, but I declined since I did my own finishing. He returned it with a superbly matched forend....gratis. I thanked him and insisted on paying for the wood, accepting his free labor. That man I recommend without hesitation.
