CA Accelerates Complimentary S&W N-frames Purchase

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m3bullet

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California's new requirements for 2003 handgun purchases (mainly fingerprinting, new permit with $$$) forced me to accelerate purchases this year to round-out my collection. Years ago I took the CA Basic Firearms Safety Course (BFSC), required to purchase a handgun, and paid the $20 for a BFSC certificate. As of 2003, that certificate is void and a new course must be taken with more $$$ to the state for another certificate, plus fingerprinting at the time of purchase. So, I'm fed up - the bureaucrats won, I'm not buying another handgun in this state after 2002.

Below are my latest purchases before the year-end deadline. Complimentary S&W N-frames, Model 25-5 in .45Colt and Model 629 Mountain Gun in .44 Rem Mag. I wasn't "ready" to buy both, but CA made me do it! M629 MG of 1999 is NIB with all papers and warranty card for $550, and the M25-5 (98%) from 1988 was $400. Not great prices, but not bad for somewhat rare items only available to me from private parties here in CA. I suspect prices will only go up in the future, with CA's "approved" gun list keeping out-of-state guns like these from being imported. What a crock of s**t, eh?

I like the white-outline rear and red-ramp front sights on the 25-5. Any suggestions on replacing the black front blade on the 629 MG with night sights?

I'm ordering Winchester's Silvertips for both guns to take on my first range session, hopefully next week. I'm gonna really enjoy checking these two out. Any words of wisdom or suggestions for getting to know these two?

These could be my last handgun purchases:

CompNframes.jpg
 
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I hear you regarding the new laws. I started stocking up a few years ago and have everything I need (just not everything I want!!). I too am done buying handguns in the PRK.
As for the threatened bullet tax, I hear it won't pass this year. You know they'll try, try again until they get it passed. My answer is I just ordered a couple new bullet molds and I am making my own. That saves enough money I might just get to stay married.
Bob
 
PPTs can be really dicey, and working them out is gratifying, especially when you have located such nice pieces!

I've "accelerated" my collecting, too, during the past several months in anticipation of the new January regulations.

I've added an M57-1 6", an excellent M28 4", and a like new M34-1 for my wife. I REALLY like the big N-frames... Also grabbed a Kimber Classic Custom Royal series I, and have a Colt 1927 commercial on order.

Looking back, I wish I hadn't been so slow to snap up nicer pieces during the last five years, as the prices of older Smiths have risen.

Regards from Burbank,
--
Brian
 
S&W

Congratulations.

Brian, the prices haven't "risen", they have SKYROCKETED!!!!!

I just picked up a M28 4". My goal before years end is to purchase (in order): a S&W M19 snubby, a Hi-Power 9MM, and a S&W M625 in .45ACP.

There are a lot of guns I "want", but after December 31, 2002, I am no longer buying handguns as long as I live in the PRK.

Everytime I pick up a SGN or go to GunsAmerica, I kick myself for not picking up more S&W police trade-ins a few years back. Ugh!

Jeff
 
I assumed Kali prices would be MUCH higher than here in SE Missouri, but the 629 was at or even a bit less than usual for my area and the used 25 would have gone for at least $75 higher at every shop around here.

Forced hand or not, nice catches!
 
Thanks for the feedback on prices everyone. I had been lamenting the prices I had to pay, but shrugged it off with my predictament here in CA (dealers can only sell these on consignment -very rare-, or private-party purchase if you're "major lucky" to track one down). Nice to know the prices may not have been too bad after all.

BlueDuck357, that surprises me also. I would have expected SE Missouri prices to be lower that CA. However, per capita demand is probably higher in the great state of MO (shooting sports are not as popular or as "politically correct" in CA, per capita) and the N-frame supply seems to be diminished everywhere. Best ...
 
Actually I think it's rural economics in action M3. Many years ago when Wal-mart quit selling handguns the five dealers left in town considered it a license to steal, prices skyrocketed. Used 6" M-25 in not nearly the shape your is $575, NIB Small frame no night sight Glocks $599, Ruger Sp-101's $475, Taurus PT 92 NIB $535 etc...all local prices. All just sit on the shelf month after month. Three of the original five dealers are out of business now and the other two have yet to figure it out.. :(

Another factor I think it that we all get kind of stuck in time. Yep $250 for LNIB K-frame and $300-$350 for LNIB N-frames WAS the rule. But that was in 92- over ten years ago. Prices change ;)
 
Good goin'! I wasn't ready yet, but I too will be making final purchases before the year is up.
DAMN! I've got guns to buy...:D
 
Nice finds! I mean really!

T'were it me, I'd prefer a hammer-mounted pin on the Mountain Gun, but with a deadline looming and it being a seller's market out there, beggars can't be choosers. (Besides, it's a largely an aesthetic preference anyhow, unless you're building a pin gun or something... ;) )

BTW, based on what I've seen lately, the price on the Mountain Gun wasn't outrageous, and the 25-5 was actually a fairly good deal...
 
Thanks Tam, glad you approve.

I agree, I would prefer the M629 MG with a hammer nose and flash-chromed trigger & hammer. However, you guessed it: after 1-1/2 years looking for a M629 MG and with four months left before 2003, this is the first one I've come across and I wasn't about to pass it up or push the seller too hard on the price.

BTW, the M629 MG trigger is surprisingly smooth, with uniform pull throughout the travel and forces on par with the M25-5. I had heard about stronger trigger/hammer forces required with the frame-mounted firing pins, but I can't tell it with this M629 MG.
 
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My regrets to those of you who are still detainees in the Occupied Territory over your further loss of civil liberties. Seeing what was coming, I quit my job, sold my house, and left the OT in 1992. I miss my friends and family, but I could not live in that socialist state any longer. I knew that it would only get worse, and that eventually gun ownership would be impossible. You who are still there have become boiling frogs.
 
The heat is on ...

SaxonPig, you're probably correct with the boiling frogs analogy. All the water is not yet boiling, but the heat was turned-up years ago.

It's not just one thing, it's all the little things together in total - one gun a month, 10-day waiting period, buyer certification and fingerprinting, required "approved" gun locks, "approved" gun list, etc. I've reached my boiling point and am done come 2003.

Next step may be to rent space for a safe at next-state neighbor C.R.Sam's place. California Dreamin' may be my swan song in a few years.
 
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m3bullet,

From what I'm told, there's really no difference unless you are trying to do a superlight DA trigger job a la a PPC or Pin gun. For normal trigger jobs, the new hardware gives entirely acceptable results, as you've no doubt noticed. ;)
 
m3bullet, I'm in the same boat as you only I started my buying last year :)


Here's one of the "finds" I managed to squeek out,
http://home.bak.rr.com/varmintcong/m25/smith25.html

Shoots REAL fine too. I know others would just let it be a shelf sitter collecting dust so as to not hurt it's value, but to me it is more valuable and will be enjoyed more if I take it out a few times a year to shoot it and really get to appreciate what a wonderful gun it is. Thing was absolutely new in box, even taped up in it's original shipping box from the S&W factory or whatever distributor had it.


Also bought a M29 at the same time but it was less of a deal, it's likely going to need some work as it has a bit of end shake and could use a timing job. It was factory new too, but I just wanted to get the darned thing because I didn't know when I'd see another M29 in this cotton pickin state.



I have my name with various local gunshops telling them to call me if any nice old S&W revolvers come into their shop for consignment sale.


Back when I bought the M25 and the M29 I passed up a real nice 98% or better condition M28 that had a bluing job on it that was closer to what I have on my old 38/44 as opposed to the matte blue you usually see on them. I sat around thinking about it for a few days trying to figure out if I really wanted to have paperwork going on 3 guns all at once and when I finally went down to get the stupid thing I found out that somebody came in a week earlier and bought it, they were makin some slow payments on it or something and every time I went in there for the next month I saw the thing sitting over on the shelf waiting for the person to come pick it up.


Then the one I am still REALLY pissed about was an old M53 22Jet, it was atleast 98% condition with the original box plus all the inserts and was only 550 dollars, I came home after seeing it to try to ask some of the knowledgable folks about it but TFL was down for an upgrade or somethin, when I went back a little over a week later the gun had been sold, I had cash in hand and was ready to purchase and found that the gun was purchased by somebody else only 3-4 days earlier.



Those stories remind me, I need to make some phone calls and check up on a few things.
 
uglygun NOT!

Good lookin' M25 ... what a treasure.

What ammo you shooting in your M25 & M29?
 
I'm handloading for the most part, don't like paying the prices for the ammo I find on store shelves. I'd like to try to get a 230grn FMJ roundball to work with the 45LC but it's a short cylinder gun and they don't quite work right, been using some 230grain HP for kicks in the 25 though. Reason for the desire to use 230grain HardBall is due to looking for a larger scale version of the 130grain 38Special HardBall that my 38/44 absolutely LOVES, just a feeling of "sameness" or a bigger brother/little sister relationship.


The 29, it's usin a wide mix of stuff from 180s-240s and since it's a four inch barrel I've been trying to get away with BlueDot or somethin sorta fast to match the shorter tube. Gonna try some other powders soon though.



Still, I'm holding out and reserving some cash for some other neato stuff.
 
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