Have you ever layed your eyes on a used gun, knew that the ticketed price was average retail, had promised yourself you wouldn't buy anything unless you found a good bargain but just plain wanted to buy something & couldn't getaway from that one?
Today was the first time since the mid - 90's that our large local gun show was back at the facility where it all started - a much larger, more comfortable building than the one used since they moved. The restrictions on what they are not allowed to display & sell is a whole story unto itself - but I decided to visit anyway. This show used to have 1500 tables & take a good 4 hours to get thru once. It wasn't that big this time but the restrictions are to be lifted after the next 2 shows (?), so we'll see.
I had a small shopping list of odds & ends, & also was on the lookout for a nice used S&W revolver in preferably .357, but possibly .38 Special if the price was right. My step-daughter wants to have a gun at her disposal for home defense & seems willing to allow me to teach her how to shoot & gun safety, so I wanted to add a 3" or 4" small to mid-sized S&W wheelgun to the battery for that purpose. My 6" 686 is a little too big.
But - I'm not in a hurry, I figured if I found something in the "good deal" to "absolute steal" range I would buy & if not - another day. About half way thru I came upon the table of the dealer who I give most of my business to. He had a 4" M19, a 4" Speed Six, & a 21/4" SP101. The Speed Six was showing a little wear but was still very servicable, the M19 was almost LNIB except for the downright poor red paint on the front ramp & the Pachmyar Presentation grips, & the SP101 was like brand new. I thought the prices were high; even though I know he'll drop a little the M19 was marked at $299 & the SP101 at $290; I believe the Speed Six was $250. I figured something would come up somewhere else.
But ...it didn't. I saw a 3" SP101 that someone had globbed yellow paint on both the front ramp & ears of the rear notch - a thick, poor job - the dealer said he could let it go for $279. Another used 21/4" was going for $350
! The S&W selection was no better; cheap guns could be had but they looked cheap. One guy had a 4" Model 66 he was asking $360 for - beacuse it had what he described as the great grips - Pachmyar rubber/wood combination. The whole show seemed to be like that 
I found myself circling back to "my" dealer's table, & I was talking to him about a new Taurus (which he didn't have there but carries at the store), & I kept looking at the little Ruger. I finally had him pull it out of the case & checked it out. As tight as an anvil, some powder residue here & there but that was it. But he knows me; he said "Kevin, I have too much in it to knock anything off". I put it back, thought about the M19 which I had him to about $280 on but the red paint on the sight turned me off & the Pach grips made the gun feel huge - too big for my daughter.
To acommodate my thinking that I couldn't pay him asking price on anything he knocked $5 off the Ruger & I bought it for $285:
I know that I payed the average retail for it, but other than that know little about them. Anything I shoud know? As mentioned, the gun is tight - & the trigger pull feels heavy. Will it smooth our with use? Also, the checkering on the hammer feels awfully sharp - anyone one else feel the same or is it me? Are the stock grips well designed, or are replacements a wise idea?
On yes - was I "not smart" to pay $285 for this one?
Thanks all!
Today was the first time since the mid - 90's that our large local gun show was back at the facility where it all started - a much larger, more comfortable building than the one used since they moved. The restrictions on what they are not allowed to display & sell is a whole story unto itself - but I decided to visit anyway. This show used to have 1500 tables & take a good 4 hours to get thru once. It wasn't that big this time but the restrictions are to be lifted after the next 2 shows (?), so we'll see.
I had a small shopping list of odds & ends, & also was on the lookout for a nice used S&W revolver in preferably .357, but possibly .38 Special if the price was right. My step-daughter wants to have a gun at her disposal for home defense & seems willing to allow me to teach her how to shoot & gun safety, so I wanted to add a 3" or 4" small to mid-sized S&W wheelgun to the battery for that purpose. My 6" 686 is a little too big.
But - I'm not in a hurry, I figured if I found something in the "good deal" to "absolute steal" range I would buy & if not - another day. About half way thru I came upon the table of the dealer who I give most of my business to. He had a 4" M19, a 4" Speed Six, & a 21/4" SP101. The Speed Six was showing a little wear but was still very servicable, the M19 was almost LNIB except for the downright poor red paint on the front ramp & the Pachmyar Presentation grips, & the SP101 was like brand new. I thought the prices were high; even though I know he'll drop a little the M19 was marked at $299 & the SP101 at $290; I believe the Speed Six was $250. I figured something would come up somewhere else.
But ...it didn't. I saw a 3" SP101 that someone had globbed yellow paint on both the front ramp & ears of the rear notch - a thick, poor job - the dealer said he could let it go for $279. Another used 21/4" was going for $350
! The S&W selection was no better; cheap guns could be had but they looked cheap. One guy had a 4" Model 66 he was asking $360 for - beacuse it had what he described as the great grips - Pachmyar rubber/wood combination. The whole show seemed to be like that I found myself circling back to "my" dealer's table, & I was talking to him about a new Taurus (which he didn't have there but carries at the store), & I kept looking at the little Ruger. I finally had him pull it out of the case & checked it out. As tight as an anvil, some powder residue here & there but that was it. But he knows me; he said "Kevin, I have too much in it to knock anything off". I put it back, thought about the M19 which I had him to about $280 on but the red paint on the sight turned me off & the Pach grips made the gun feel huge - too big for my daughter.
To acommodate my thinking that I couldn't pay him asking price on anything he knocked $5 off the Ruger & I bought it for $285:
I know that I payed the average retail for it, but other than that know little about them. Anything I shoud know? As mentioned, the gun is tight - & the trigger pull feels heavy. Will it smooth our with use? Also, the checkering on the hammer feels awfully sharp - anyone one else feel the same or is it me? Are the stock grips well designed, or are replacements a wise idea?
On yes - was I "not smart" to pay $285 for this one?
Thanks all!
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