This afternoon, I walked into my favorite gun shop to pick up another 10/22 for a project. As I walked in the door, a little black pistol caught my eye. It's an HK4 w/ 22lr and 32acp barrels (matching serial numbers, 1 22lr mag oem, 1 32acp mag oem, and 1 32acp mag unknown).
It had a lot of dust bunnies hiding inside, but the blueing looked good, and there were only a few dings in the plastic grips. Skaters tape covered the front strap. The barrels looked shiny under the dust. No noticable holster wear. I've always wanted one to shoot, and this looked like a great candidate. I rated it Very Good condition.
Price tag said $400
I said SOLD!
Actually I had no idea at the time how much a VG HK4 was going for but it seemed reasonable to me, so price wasn't that much of a concern.
Anyway, I get the pistol home and quickly skim the manual. Then I sit down and take it apart for a thorough cleaning. I get the slide off, and the first thing I notice is that there is almost no wear on the slide rails. The barrel comes out, and I can only find the slightest ghost of barrel wear. I run a brushless bore snake through the 22lr barrel, and IT LOOKS UNFIRED! The 32acp barrel showed minute evidence of firing, and the oem mag had powder residue inside the body. It looks as if it was bought, test fired maybe 20 rounds, then stuck in a drawer for the next 35 years!
If I bought a new plastic grip, and replaced the magazine floor plates, this handgun would easily rate Excellent.
The Dilemma.
I wanted a pistol I could take out and enjoy shooting, not a safe queen. It probably wouldn't get fired alot. On the other hand, these pistols are long out of production, and this is such a nice pistol.
Do I shoot it?
PS pictures edited to erase serial numbers.
It had a lot of dust bunnies hiding inside, but the blueing looked good, and there were only a few dings in the plastic grips. Skaters tape covered the front strap. The barrels looked shiny under the dust. No noticable holster wear. I've always wanted one to shoot, and this looked like a great candidate. I rated it Very Good condition.
Price tag said $400
I said SOLD!
Actually I had no idea at the time how much a VG HK4 was going for but it seemed reasonable to me, so price wasn't that much of a concern.
Anyway, I get the pistol home and quickly skim the manual. Then I sit down and take it apart for a thorough cleaning. I get the slide off, and the first thing I notice is that there is almost no wear on the slide rails. The barrel comes out, and I can only find the slightest ghost of barrel wear. I run a brushless bore snake through the 22lr barrel, and IT LOOKS UNFIRED! The 32acp barrel showed minute evidence of firing, and the oem mag had powder residue inside the body. It looks as if it was bought, test fired maybe 20 rounds, then stuck in a drawer for the next 35 years!
If I bought a new plastic grip, and replaced the magazine floor plates, this handgun would easily rate Excellent.
The Dilemma.
I wanted a pistol I could take out and enjoy shooting, not a safe queen. It probably wouldn't get fired alot. On the other hand, these pistols are long out of production, and this is such a nice pistol.
Do I shoot it?
PS pictures edited to erase serial numbers.
