Radagast
Member
Mwahahahah! No I'm not nuts! Today my karma balanced out for the crap I've had to put up with lately. You can probably see where this is going!
I'm in Australia, so the range of available revolvers is limited, old clunker war relics for the collectors and long barreled target models for the target shooters.
My pride and joy revolver is a 4 inch 66 no dash from 1971/72.
I've a shoulder injury that makes high round count training with centerfire firearms a no-no, but I used to be on the Aussie IPSC team, so I like to shoot a lot. I don't like heavy underlugs or long barrels, so I have been desiring a model 18 for a while.
I've been thinking seriously about ordering a new Model 18 Classic for pain free training, but this is out of my price range, after taxes and currency conversion I would be looking at $1800 Aussie.
On Monday I told Peter (a fellow shooter at my range) that I wasn't going to the local gun show (today) as it was always the same old junk on the tables. He became quite intense and told me that I had to go, if I did I would find something I have been looking for for years and if I didn't I would miss it. Even if I couldn't afford it I should buy it.
Ten minutes after posting my recommendation of the model 18 & 66 in the .357/22lr thread I called my brother in law and offered to pay for gas and entry to the show (he's been short on work and low on cash). I took $500 out of the bank, which after lunch, fuel and entry left $426.00 in my wallet.
We wandered around for an hour, greeting friends and eventually stopping to check out some inexpensive .22 auto pistols that one dealer was offering, mainly so my BIL could get an idea of what was available, but with no intention of buying.
As I turned away from the table I noticed a Combat Masterpiece with rather small chambers and asked to look at it. Yes I could look at it but it wasn't for sale, they had a customer coming in to look at it.
It was a model 18-3. Serial number put it in 1977, the polished blue finish was almost perfect except for the cylinder drag line, the double action was smooth, single action was light, no cylinder end shake, slight side to side movement on the cylinder and the trigger return wasn't positive on two out of a total of twenty four dry fires, so It will probably need a tune up. I looked at the sticker. $425.00.
I looked in my wallet. $426.00!
I pointed out that they could wait for this other customer to potentially show or they could take cash now. The boss was called, the money was waved, I pointed out that the gun could be transferred straight off his books to my friend (a dealer on the other side of the show) so no waiting for permits and the sensible decision was correctly made.
I now have a model 66 and a model 18 to compliment it. Even if it requires a major rebuild it will fall well below the $900 I was willing to spend to get a second hand model 18. It is a Bangor Punta gun, so I can only hope that it turns out as accurate as my 66, I guess I'll find out in a week or so.
But the fact is I haven't seen a model 18 for sale here in OZ in the last nine years that I have bought, sold, traded and shot handguns.
Did I do a happy dance? You betcha!
Now I have two questions.
How do I pay the rent this week?
If I buy Peter dinner do you think he can give me next weeks lottery numbers?
I'm in Australia, so the range of available revolvers is limited, old clunker war relics for the collectors and long barreled target models for the target shooters.
My pride and joy revolver is a 4 inch 66 no dash from 1971/72.
I've a shoulder injury that makes high round count training with centerfire firearms a no-no, but I used to be on the Aussie IPSC team, so I like to shoot a lot. I don't like heavy underlugs or long barrels, so I have been desiring a model 18 for a while.
I've been thinking seriously about ordering a new Model 18 Classic for pain free training, but this is out of my price range, after taxes and currency conversion I would be looking at $1800 Aussie.
On Monday I told Peter (a fellow shooter at my range) that I wasn't going to the local gun show (today) as it was always the same old junk on the tables. He became quite intense and told me that I had to go, if I did I would find something I have been looking for for years and if I didn't I would miss it. Even if I couldn't afford it I should buy it.
Ten minutes after posting my recommendation of the model 18 & 66 in the .357/22lr thread I called my brother in law and offered to pay for gas and entry to the show (he's been short on work and low on cash). I took $500 out of the bank, which after lunch, fuel and entry left $426.00 in my wallet.
We wandered around for an hour, greeting friends and eventually stopping to check out some inexpensive .22 auto pistols that one dealer was offering, mainly so my BIL could get an idea of what was available, but with no intention of buying.
As I turned away from the table I noticed a Combat Masterpiece with rather small chambers and asked to look at it. Yes I could look at it but it wasn't for sale, they had a customer coming in to look at it.
It was a model 18-3. Serial number put it in 1977, the polished blue finish was almost perfect except for the cylinder drag line, the double action was smooth, single action was light, no cylinder end shake, slight side to side movement on the cylinder and the trigger return wasn't positive on two out of a total of twenty four dry fires, so It will probably need a tune up. I looked at the sticker. $425.00.
I looked in my wallet. $426.00!
I pointed out that they could wait for this other customer to potentially show or they could take cash now. The boss was called, the money was waved, I pointed out that the gun could be transferred straight off his books to my friend (a dealer on the other side of the show) so no waiting for permits and the sensible decision was correctly made.
I now have a model 66 and a model 18 to compliment it. Even if it requires a major rebuild it will fall well below the $900 I was willing to spend to get a second hand model 18. It is a Bangor Punta gun, so I can only hope that it turns out as accurate as my 66, I guess I'll find out in a week or so.
But the fact is I haven't seen a model 18 for sale here in OZ in the last nine years that I have bought, sold, traded and shot handguns.
Did I do a happy dance? You betcha!
Now I have two questions.
How do I pay the rent this week?
If I buy Peter dinner do you think he can give me next weeks lottery numbers?
