Every once in a while Gun Broker surprises me

[Riomouse911]

With Ca laws making all gun transfers go through a FFL, and gun for sale want ads being shunned in many papers, I have to resort to Gun Broker to find guns I’d like to own. When limited by sellers who refuse Ca sales for whatever reason, the options can be further limited. In this case the seller is Ca based and allows for guns to be sold as a private party sale at their LA suburban location. So, auctions that have that potential often reach silly proportion’s since local buyers options are squeezed. (These did not reach thise heights.)

That being said, occasionally the gun you win and your FFL receives isn’t in as nice a shape as it appeared in the auction; the trigger is wonky, there is endshake, the finish shows scratches or hidden rust, etc. When you get it you are disappointed. These looked good upon first inspection so I started the paperwork and the wait.

After the mandatory waiting periods I took possession of two revolvers that actually look and feel better in person than they did in the auction pictures and when I first checked them at the FFL.

The first is a 3” nickel Model 37 .38 Spl. Airweight. This is just my second bright nickel gun, the other being a clean Model 48 Bodyguard .38, and this gun is in even nicer shape than the Bodyguard is.

There is a bit of carbon ring around the chamber mouths and a slight turn line on the cylinder so it has been fired, but it certainly hasn’t been shot or carried much at all. The grips look great, there are no scratches, oil discoloration or chips, which is nice to see. (Many of my others I have had grips that show wear.) These are nice enough for me to keep the originals on rather than swap for synthetics.



The other gun is a Ruger SP 101 .327. (I believe it was CoalCrackerAl’s new SP is the reason for this want .) Like the S&W, the Ruger shows very little use, all is tight and there are no scratches or other signs of heavy use.

I am really looking forward to the .327. I just got 300 new starline cases that came in the other day and a bunch of .32 H&R loaded up for my Single Six.



When I get a chance to shoot the Model 37 and .327 I will add to the post.

These two smaller-framed revolvers will fit right in with the crowd, the only one missing is the 4” Model 34 .22.



Stay safe.

 

[Rubone]

With Ca laws making all gun transfers go through a FFL, and gun for sale want ads being shunned in many papers, I have to resort to Gun Broker to find guns I’d like to own. When limited by sellers who refuse Ca sales for whatever reason, the options can be further limited. In this case the seller is Ca based and allows for guns to be sold as a private party sale at their LA suburban location. So, auctions that have that potential often reach silly proportion’s since local buyers options are squeezed. (These did not reach thise heights.)

That being said, occasionally the gun you win and your FFL receives isn’t in as nice a shape as it appeared in the auction; the trigger is wonky, there is endshake, the finish shows scratches or hidden rust, etc. When you get it you are disappointed. These looked good upon first inspection so I started the paperwork and the wait.

After the mandatory waiting periods I took possession of two revolvers that actually look and feel better in person than they did in the auction pictures and when I first checked them at the FFL.

The first is a 3” nickel Model 37 .38 Spl. Airweight. This is just my second bright nickel gun, the other being a clean Model 48 Bodyguard .38, and this gun is in even nicer shape than the Bodyguard is.

There is a bit of carbon ring around the chamber mouths and a slight turn line on the cylinder so it has been fired, but it certainly hasn’t been shot or carried much at all. The grips look great, there are no scratches, oil discoloration or chips, which is nice to see. (Many of my others I have had grips that show wear.) These are nice enough for me to keep the originals on rather than swap for synthetics.

View attachment 1100060 View attachment 1100061 View attachment 1100062 View attachment 1100063 View attachment 1100069

The other gun is a Ruger SP 101 .327. (I believe it was CoalCrackerAl’s new SP is the reason for this want .) Like the S&W, the Ruger shows very little use, all is tight and there are no scratches or other signs of heavy use.

I am really looking forward to the .327. I just got 300 new starline cases that came in the other day and a bunch of .32 H&R loaded up for my Single Six.

View attachment 1100064 View attachment 1100065 View attachment 1100066 View attachment 1100067

When I get a chance to shoot the Model 37 and .327 I will add to the post.

These two smaller-framed revolvers will fit right in with the crowd, the only one missing is the 4” Model 34 .22.

stay safe.

Like this?

 

[greyling22]

while I feel like I should congratulate you for scoring some new guns, mostly I just feel bad for califorians.

 

[earlthegoat2]

It’s not that hard to ship to CA. A few extra steps. Maybe only worth $5 or $10 extra dollars for “handling”. Just verify that it is on the roster (if they still have that) and it will be fine.

Many companies think they are somehow “sticking it to the CA man” by not shipping there when really you are depriving yourself of a large and eager buying segment. Your not going to change CA politics by inflating the prices or otherwise depriving lawful Californians your wares.

 

[dh1633pm]

Not as bad a California, but many sellers will also not ship to NY. We have no gun list. We do have many that are outlawed and now we have to get a permit for semi auto's. I have had sellers say no to allowing me to buy a bolt action hunting rifle. Certainly not on anyone's banned list. Excellent finds with the two pistols. I have been meaning to get my revolvers myself. Guess you beat me to a couple nice ones.

 

[Tallball]

Nice job scoring those two fine revolvers!

 

[Speedo66]

A 3” J frame is a great revolver.

Good luck with your new guns!

 

[Barbaroja]

Nice looking revolvers! I really like that Sp. I just went and paid for my Single seven earlier today. I’m excited to start loading for it.

 

[Walkalong]

I wouldn't mind having of of those SP101s in .327.

 

[Jonesy814]

Nice revolvers! I recently bought a nickel model 27 on Gunbroker. It was expensive and I was not extremely comfortable even though the seller was A+ rated with over 1,000 transactions. Like the OP said, you never can be sure about some things until the gun is in hand. My purchase turned out fine & I am glad yours did too

 

[Tallball]

Nice revolvers! That Smith looks like a lot of fun to shoot!

I have the same SP101. It's been nice after I tried some different grips on it. It's my second my accurate 32 revolver, after my Single Six.

Looking forward to a range report.

 

[Old_Grouch]

I don't understand dealers' reluctance to ship to California. We do it fairly regularly. It's at most 5 minutes extra work to plug the receiving dealers CFD number into the DOJ website to get the shipping approval.
I think there may be a misconception that whether or not a gun is on the California DOJ's approved list affects dealer to dealer transfers. It doesn't. If the gun isn't on the list that's not the shipping dealer's problem. It's a problem on the California end if the buyer didn't do his homework and bought something that the receiving dealer can't transfer to him.

 

[Glenn Berryhill]

With Ca laws making all gun transfers go through a FFL, and gun for sale want ads being shunned in many papers, I have to resort to Gun Broker to find guns I’d like to own. When limited by sellers who refuse Ca sales for whatever reason, the options can be further limited. In this case the seller is Ca based and allows for guns to be sold as a private party sale at their LA suburban location. So, auctions that have that potential often reach silly proportion’s since local buyers options are squeezed. (These did not reach thise heights.)

That being said, occasionally the gun you win and your FFL receives isn’t in as nice a shape as it appeared in the auction; the trigger is wonky, there is endshake, the finish shows scratches or hidden rust, etc. When you get it you are disappointed. These looked good upon first inspection so I started the paperwork and the wait.

After the mandatory waiting periods I took possession of two revolvers that actually look and feel better in person than they did in the auction pictures and when I first checked them at the FFL.

The first is a 3” nickel Model 37 .38 Spl. Airweight. This is just my second bright nickel gun, the other being a clean Model 48 Bodyguard .38, and this gun is in even nicer shape than the Bodyguard is.

There is a bit of carbon ring around the chamber mouths and a slight turn line on the cylinder so it has been fired, but it certainly hasn’t been shot or carried much at all. The grips look great, there are no scratches, oil discoloration or chips, which is nice to see. (Many of my others I have had grips that show wear.) These are nice enough for me to keep the originals on rather than swap for synthetics.

View attachment 1100060 View attachment 1100061 View attachment 1100062 View attachment 1100063 View attachment 1100069

The other gun is a Ruger SP 101 .327. (I believe it was CoalCrackerAl’s new SP is the reason for this want .) Like the S&W, the Ruger shows very little use, all is tight and there are no scratches or other signs of heavy use.

I am really looking forward to the .327. I just got 300 new starline cases that came in the other day and a bunch of .32 H&R loaded up for my Single Six.

View attachment 1100064 View attachment 1100065 View attachment 1100066 View attachment 1100067

When I get a chance to shoot the Model 37 and .327 I will add to the post.

These two smaller-framed revolvers will fit right in with the crowd, the only one missing is the 4” Model 34 .22.

View attachment 1100068

Stay safe.

With Ca laws making all gun transfers go through a FFL, and gun for sale want ads being shunned in many papers, I have to resort to Gun Broker to find guns I’d like to own. When limited by sellers who refuse Ca sales for whatever reason, the options can be further limited. In this case the seller is Ca based and allows for guns to be sold as a private party sale at their LA suburban location. So, auctions that have that potential often reach silly proportion’s since local buyers options are squeezed. (These did not reach thise heights.)

That being said, occasionally the gun you win and your FFL receives isn’t in as nice a shape as it appeared in the auction; the trigger is wonky, there is endshake, the finish shows scratches or hidden rust, etc. When you get it you are disappointed. These looked good upon first inspection so I started the paperwork and the wait.

After the mandatory waiting periods I took possession of two revolvers that actually look and feel better in person than they did in the auction pictures and when I first checked them at the FFL.

The first is a 3” nickel Model 37 .38 Spl. Airweight. This is just my second bright nickel gun, the other being a clean Model 48 Bodyguard .38, and this gun is in even nicer shape than the Bodyguard is.

There is a bit of carbon ring around the chamber mouths and a slight turn line on the cylinder so it has been fired, but it certainly hasn’t been shot or carried much at all. The grips look great, there are no scratches, oil discoloration or chips, which is nice to see. (Many of my others I have had grips that show wear.) These are nice enough for me to keep the originals on rather than swap for synthetics.

View attachment 1100060 View attachment 1100061 View attachment 1100062 View attachment 1100063 View attachment 1100069

The other gun is a Ruger SP 101 .327. (I believe it was CoalCrackerAl’s new SP is the reason for this want .) Like the S&W, the Ruger shows very little use, all is tight and there are no scratches or other signs of heavy use.

I am really looking forward to the .327. I just got 300 new starline cases that came in the other day and a bunch of .32 H&R loaded up for my Single Six.

View attachment 1100064 View attachment 1100065 View attachment 1100066 View attachment 1100067

When I get a chance to shoot the Model 37 and .327 I will add to the post.

These two smaller-framed revolvers will fit right in with the crowd, the only one missing is the 4” Model 34 .22.

View attachment 1100068

Stay safe.

The Ruger SP101 .327 looks great. Anxious to get your opinion on that revolver.

 

[Riomouse911]

I found a couple of free hours this morning and was able to hit the indoor range this morning with the .327 SP 101. I didn’t have time to whip up any .327 Magnum loads with the new cases I picked up, so I brought three .32 H&R loads: an ACME 115 gr coated RNFP (.32-20 bullet) over 3.9 gr Unique, a Brazos coated 100 gr SWC over 3.6 gr HP-38 and a Brazos coated 100 gr DEWC over 3.2 gr HP-38. All of these work very well in my Single Six.

Disclaimer; these .32H&R loads are near maximum and are safe in my Rugers. They may be too much for guns made by other manufacturers, please consult a loading manual for starting loads good for your gun.)



This target was shot at 10 yards. The top two cylinders were fired with the WC load, rested over foam blocks. I had to dial the sights in a bit. It started hitting to the left, I then went too far to the right. I was able to finally get it close. (Those are 1” dots.)



Once the sights were close, the100 gr load was next. I think I have a load this gun really likes.

The 115 gr load was third. This one the SP did not like as much as the 100 gr load.

The bottom was then fired two hand DA at ten. One clunker, the rest look pretty good.

Observations:

The factory grip felt juuuust a tad short for me with the 4.2” barrel out in front. My 2” .38 SP 101 feels right, this one feels a bit nose heavy. Of course the .32 H&R loads don’t have much recoil so it was controllable, with full-house loads it probably will be less so.

The sights were good. Not as good as the hi-viz front, white outline rear on my .44 Spl. GP 100, but good indoors where lighting was a bit dim.

The trigger pull was a bit long and rather heavy from the get go. I also made one error with this gun that I don’t usually make; I did not clean and lube the gun before I shot it.

BIG MISTAKE! The trigger pull became progressively heavier as I fired it, and it got to the point where it easily eclipsed 15 pounds DA. I quit shooting it after about 50-odd rounds were fired and moved on to other guns I brought.

When I got home I braved the high-noon heat in the garage and disassembled the SP. (It really is easy to take down for a good cleaning.) Sure enough, the previous owner probably didn’t lube or clean it much, under the cylinder it was all gummy and thick. I had to spend quite a bit of time cleaning inside the cylinder where the ejector rod goes through the crane. I also polished inside the trigger return spring tunnel and touched the sear area with 1500 grit sandpaper. This, and new lube in the proper places, brought the trigger pull back to a more respectable level in both SA and DA modes. ( I haven’t had a chance to weigh it yet.) I am still going to swap to a lighter hammer spring, probably a 12# one.

This test wasn’t really a good one. I owe the SP another run now that it is properly cleaned, plus I need a batch or two of .327 FM whipped up to see what it is like with some higher octane loads.

Stay safe.

 

[Riomouse911]

Ok, I pulled out the Lyman trigger pull gauge.

DA average for 5:



SA average for 5:



When the cylinder gummed up at the range I think my 15 lb estimate was low, it was probably closer to 20.

Stay safe.

 

[Barbaroja]

Time for some new springs and a date with some Flitz!

 

[ECVMatt]

Congratulations on a couple of great pick ups!

I really like the model 60 3".

Glad you got the SP101 fixed up and running correctly. I am planning on working with my GP100 .22 LR today. The trigger is OK, but I am going to take it all the way down, polish things up, and see if that helps. I have had great luck with this in the past, so it should come out better.

Enjoy your new shooters!

 

[Mosin77]

I make a point of pride to ship to CA. I want every single resident to be armed. The more guns, the more difficult restriction may become. And I bet my auction sells for 10% more if I clearly spell out how happy I am to ship there. The only issue is whether or not it’s legal, which does, truthfully, become a pain with modern handguns that may be on/not on the roster. Has only been an issue once or twice though.