Today was a 3 gun day

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I went to my regular FFL guy today and ordered another CZ 52 for a spare and an Astra NC-6 revolver in .38 Special with a 4" barrel. While the FFL was ordering from Century Arms some guy called on another line wanting to bring in 2 rifles to sell. This perked my interest so I sat around and yakked for awhile...it was a slow day at the store and the FFL likes company.

So, the Astra revolver was $119 and the CZ 52 was $145 (Very Good Condition price). I wasn't going to buy anything unless the price was decent and Century was pretty much in line with the prices I'd seen in my web searches. I figured I couldn't go too far wrong on a .38 for $119. Not that I really needed another .38. I have four.

And the CZ...well, I have one already...one of those hard chromed stem-to-stern deals I couldn't resist buying but am embarrassed to take to the range. Needed a spare. The chromed one will be the spare now.

So, this guy with the guns to sell walked in carrying two Savage bolt guns (model unknown) in 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag. They were cammied up with camo tape and had nice looking scopes on them. Over the next half hour the 3 off us yakked. The seller was former Army (10 years), the FFL who is about my age got back last year from Iraq having done a year there with the Alabama National Guard. We had lots to yak about.

The seller guy asked the FFL if he had in 7.65 Argentine ammo. I perked up again and said I'd always kind of wanted one but never ran across one...they used to sell them along with other milsurps in the old days at a dime-a-dozen.
The guy said he had it out in his truck, would I like to look at it? I said, "Yes."

This whole time we'd been yakking the FFL had been looking over the Savages and no values or prices had been discussed yet.

The guy brought in an 1891 Argentine Mauser manufactured by Loewe in Berlin sometime between 1891-1896 he said. It was a beautiful piece of work with very little wear and tear...~95% bluing and a near flawless stock. I knew what I had in my wallet. $173. But I wasn't going to make any offers until the FFL did his business.

So, they go about their business. The FFL said he wasn't interested in the Argentine(he'd seen me drooling). My cue...I offered the guy everything in my wallet, $173, for the Mauser. I honestly didn't know what they go for. He said they run ~$250 on the Internet and he sort of wanted to hang onto it anyway.

The FFL said he didn't really want the 7mm Savage, that he had one in his inventory and it wasn't "moving". He didn't need another. So the guy says, "I need $200 apiece for the Savages and I'll throw in the the Argentine for your buddy for $173." The FFL said he'd only buy the .300 Win Mag...sorry. That was my cue to leave, I had a new hot water heater in the back of the truck and it was fixing to rain. On my way out the door the guy called me back and told me the Mauser was mine for $173.

I felt kind of bad. It's painful to have to sell a gun. This guy was a salesman and needed cash to pay bills. I told him I wish I had $250...that it was that nice a rifle. I asked him if he was sure, I didn't want to leverage the guy because he was hard up for cash. (I was hard up for cash too...~$550 just spent today for two handguns and a hot water heater.) He said he was fine with it and we shook hand.

I feel really great about buying 3 guns in one day. It's not something I do often. The Argentine Mauser is a wonderful acquisition (for me, YMMV) but I can't help but feel some of the other guy's pain.

 

[nibb]

Yes it must had been the first version then. It was replaced some years later by the more recent version Argentine Mauser of 1909.

250$ is a good price. There are tons of them outhere but i would still buy one. A Mauser is always a good weapon. But i have 2 already.

 

[HCfan]

Just a side note: You really need to get your C&R, that was all three of those could have been delievered to your front door

 

[aaronrkelly]

HCfan,

The Astra revolver is not C&R.....but your correct, the CZ52 and the Mauser are. By the time he paid transfer fees on the CZ52 he most likely would have paid for most of his C&R license. He probably didnt, and shouldnt, have paid any fees for the Mauser as it sounded like a FTF deal. So 1 of those guns would have applied to having a C&R....the other was a "regular" firearm and the third a FTF deal.

 

[nomadboi]

What do you think of the CZ 52 as a carry gun? I've been looking for an alternative to a full-size Steyr M40 I've got, but I don't have a whole lot of cash...

 

[aaronrkelly]

I think there is a over penetraton issue with the ammo, that aside I would carry one.

Im sure youve heard not to rely on the decocker but one in the pipe on safe or with the chamber empty......I would carry it.

I believe someone on GT actually carried one for a couple years without issue, I remember someone talking about it.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I only had to pay the fees for both pistols. The Mauser was a FTF transaction and I believe that because it is an 1891 model made ~1891-1896 it is not even classified as a firearm by BATF. I may have to look into the C&R thing. Most guns I buy are via the Internet involving my FFL friend. I have him use my credit card when ordering. Since it's an "Internet" sale I skip the local 7.5% sales tax.

I forgot to mention that the guy who sold it to me has the original bayonet for it and a few hundred rounds of ammo(which he said was about 20% reliable) that he'd let me have for $30. I'm thinking that I'm going to take him up on it.

Last night I ordered 120 rounds of 7.65X53 made by Prvi Partizan in Serbia for $8.95/20. It's modern stuff and Boxer primed.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

The pistols from Century Arms arrived today. The Astra NC-6 .38 Special was about what I had expected. There was some holster wear on the end of the barrel and on the cylinder, and a lot of wear on the right side wooden grip...probably from a flap holster. It locks up tight, no rattle. Even though it was advertised in "good" condition it has a very nice bluing job, quality wooden grips that fit my hand perfectly and a nice balance. I really like this revolver.

The CZ 52 is OK too. What can you say about a crude pistol? At least it has a grayish finish and I can leave my hard-chromed one at home now. That's why I bought it. Well, that and everyone should buy several before the market dries up.

I'm pretty happy with the guns. I'm now entirely satisfied with Century Arms.

When I had my FFL phone the dealer I had him ask Century for the price of each gun and the shipping costs. They quoted me:

Astra revolver = $119
CZ 52 Pistol = $145
Shipping = $10

I did the mental math and got ~ $274. I was fine with that and had the FFL give them my MasterCard number.

Here's what the invoice said today when I picked up the merchandise:

Revolver Astra NC-6 38 SP = $113.87
Bayonet & Scabbard for SP = $6.00
Pistol CZ MDL. 52 7.62 = $129.87
Mag Spare for CZ52 Pistol = $10.00
Holster for CZ52 Pistol = $10.00
Gun Lock-Chinese Mfg = $0.00
Handling Charge = $15.00
Adult Signature Fee = $2.00
FL Florida = $16.30 (presumably this is shipping)

Credit Card = $302.92

Wow! I got the CZ and Astra handguns for cheaper than I was quoted! They also screwed up the total and undercharged me 12¢! So how come I end up with a $302.92 charge on a $274 quote over the phone?

Mustn't forget that I got a CETME bayonet that I didn't order and a holster for the CZ that I don't need. (One of the belt loops was torn). Also got an "extra" magazine. Didn't need that either...I already have 5 for my old CZ.

I am fairly sure I won't do business with Century anymore. And it's a shame, because their Astra NC-6 is a mighty fine revolver for the price and except for Century's convoluted and mysterious billing I'd recommend everyone go out and buy one.

(For the record...I'd have given them the $302.92 if they'd asked up front. I just don't like getting flim-flamed.)

 

[aaronrkelly]

You didnt get the CZ for less than quoted, actually if you do the math you paid a little more. Those "extra" items like the magazine and holster are supposed to come with the gun......they just broke them down into seperate items and charged for them.

CZ $129.87
Holster $10
Magazine $10

= $149.87

Everyone else send the 2 magazines and a holster with the gun anyways....they just listed them seperately.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Took the Astra NC-6 .38 to the range today along with the new Armscor Model 200 .38 and a Hong Kong Police surplus S&W Model 10. They were all reasonably accurate...pie plate groups at 15 yards. The Astra and Armscor have open sights.

There are "classier" .38's out there but the Astra ($119) and Armscor ($159) shot well for me and seem well made. The Model 10 was ~$200. The Armscor had the most comfortable grip. If you're looking for a .38 that is light on the wallet any of these will do.