more of a "please talk me into it" than a price check... i need my enablers here to be the devil on the shoulder

I have a line on a 4 inch HD that is currently nickle that started as blue.
and the nickle is old and flaky as it is. serial number is from the 50s

although its C&R this is CA and getting people to ship here is a pain and adds significant cost to the transaction (approaching $125 when adding FFL and shipping) if i buy local FTF all i pay is $35 DROS and no sales tax (almost 10% that PRK now collects on out of state inbound transfers)
so thats close to 200$ extra

does have diamond grips still inquiring if those are original or not.

i regret selling my 4 inch HD and the asking is less than i sold mine for 5 years ago. even though this is refinished.

if i can get this gun at a good price, i would seriously consider getting this really nicely reblued and a quality set of grips for it

thanks
Tim

Being a big HD fan myself, I would say get it if you want it. They are getting harder to find. Even if the price is a little higher than you want to pay, I don't think you will loose money if you ever decide to sell it.

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Ken

Tim, at the condition you are describing with an extra $200 for shipping I probably wouldn't go over $350 or $400 for the piece. I would think you could find much nicer HD's at similar or slighty higher prices within the state. I bought my 50's HD with a 4 inch barrel from a shop up in Northern California so they are there.

Tim, I think I take the same position as Daniel -- be patient and keep looking.

On the California thing, there should be no sales tax charged on ship-ins from out of state. You will pay sales tax on a consignment sale if you find a gun you like in a dealer's display case, but not on a ship-in. I have bought dozens of shipped-in guns in the last two years in Orange County and have not once paid sales tax on them. All I have to pay is their handling fee and the DROS ($35). One of my current receiving FFLs is my shooting range, and I get a $50 break on the fee as an annual member of the range ($50 instead of $100, the fee charged non-members). You could explore that approach.

Assuming you can find a receiving FFL up in your neck of the state who understands the tax thing and won't charge an arm and a leg, you ought to be able to find a good HD on Gunbroker that won't bust the budget after you pay to have it shipped here. Remember the C&Rs have no problem coming into California, and inform the seller that the only novel issue with selling into California is the nuisance of the CFLC program -- and that does not apply to individuals or 03 FFL holders. With CFLC out of the picture, it is no tougher to ship into CA than into AZ. So buy from an individual, find a receiving FFL who will accept from an individual, and you have cut a lot of dollars out of the transaction, not to mention the CFLC compliance nuisance. (Which is not big deal anyway, if out-of-state FFLs would just take the time to read the rationale for the process and save themselves a hissy fit. The CFLC program does not challenge their right to ship to California; it is to guarantee that the receiving FFL has a valid license and is legally able to receive the gun that will be coming from out of state.)

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David Wilson

There's one local FFL that charges 65 but he's a good 30 min+ drive all the rest Charge 100. I've had more than one tell me the state board of equalization has them collecting tax on incoming out of state transfers. I don't think they are making it up. it does hurt to see gun inflation since my last 3 HD's I bought for less than 1,000 combined and sold 2 for a lot more that and gave 1 to my dad. My OD was free I traded a BUNCH of Notaries for it. I just havnt seen many HD offered for sale lately maybe if the economy stays down more will come on the market. I just really liked the 4 incher balance and want to get another

As many of the collectable firearms are becoming harder to find and the price certainly has not come down, so if you can afford it make an offer on the H.D.

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Always Stay Strong!

Hi Tim;

What about the guys at Contra Costa? Are they still in business? If so I would get them to keep their eyes peeled for a nice one that's not refinished.

Something weird happened with contra costa. Lots of rumors, but the state DOJ came took all the guns and you had to go to the state to get yours if you had one for pick-up. Most plausible rumor was he was going thru a divorce and wife filed a restraining order and since guns are his biz he basically got shut down. He was also in a wicked car accident a while back that broke his back and he could barely walk with a cane so his life got turned upside down in a hurry. Chuck is a great guy and I bought one of my HDs there.

I talked to seller of gun and I can get all in and out the door for about 500. Mechanicly and metal seems ok except for nickle refinish years ago. We'll see

Five bills out the door seems pretty fair, given your location. Since its your money, I say go for it!

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

For what it's worth, here are two data points. I spent $500 for a '50s 4" HD I wanted for a Bowen conversion a couple of years back It was pretty beat up, but nothing terminal, and I was hot to trot. The second input is two or three years ago I saw a pre-war 4" for sale in the classifieds herse for $400 and something, which I thought a screamin' good deal. Long gone by the time I saw it tho.

I think 4" pre-wars are pretty hard to find. Post war 4" are comparitively plentiful. Several times on the forum we've seen guys pickin' them up at good prices when the seller mistakenly thinks they are M10s.