This is my first [and rather long ] post.
First some background of this pathetic handgun newbe.
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For a longest time I could not get a handgun in California.
My driver’s license had a PO box and that would not do.
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Recently, a shop clerk noticed that my car registration had both my residence address and my PO box, mailing address, on it. When both documents, the driver’s license and the car registration, are presented together, they satisfy the requirements.
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[A sub-topic: How to have a PO box on your drivers license and still be able to purchase a handgun.]
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In 1966, I purchased a beat up old house trailer, for $80, a few miles from the California State College that I attended. I was a happy student. My rent was a practically nothing $25 per month.
[My how things have changed.]
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So my old guy next door neighbor was what some people would call a ‘gun nut’.
He would talk to me about becoming a proficient handgun owner.
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He suggested a 22-revolver with adjustable sights with a six-inch barrel.
He suggested that I get one that also had matching 38-special versions.
The idea was that one could become proficient with the 22, and then that proficiency would carry over to when one picked up the 38-special.
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He mentioned several brands that would fulfill these requirements:
The Astra Cadix ($64 for 22, $64 for 38) [ At the time, I thought that this would be my path.],
High Standard Sentinel,
and a couple of others.
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He also fondly mentioned the following matching pair:
K-22 Masterpiece (model 17) at $98. [ Now model 617 at $829. ]
K-38 Masterpiece (model 14) at $98. [ Now model 67 at $749. ]
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These Cadillacs were four-month’s rent. I could never dream of one of these.
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So you can see when and how the command got implanted in my brain, it never went away.
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Fast forward 50 years.
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All the other brands, except S&W, are now not available or are no longer now in business.
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In July, I went into my local branch of a California gun shop chain, and there it was,
the K-22 Masterpiece with a six-inch barrel. It is now called the model S&W 617.
It seemed nicer than the 1966 version: 10 shots, stainless steel, and a different style of a grip.
[ On the down side the current S&W list price is $829, eight times as much as the 1966 price.
The taxes alone are almost as much as the original K-22. Also, oddly the 38-special version is $80 cheaper. ]
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I told the clerk that I could not continue to live without it.
Finally, after a 50-year quest, I have my first handgun.
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Now here it gets a little difficult. I did not want to see my sidekick, Annie Oakley, being kept from the fun.
I secretly ordered her an S&W 617 with a four-inch barrel for her the next day.
[ I thought the 6-inch barrel too heavy for her, so I ordered the four-inch. I was right.
The four-inch is much more suitable for her.]
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Well her September birthday came and went without her 617 for a birthday present.
Christmas came and went, without her 617 for a Christmas present.
Alarmingly, six months go by with any word about the 617.
I am starting to develop a nervous itch.
Finally, on the day before Valentines day, the angels interceded.
I got a call that the 617 arrived.
The Valentine’s day present problem is solved.
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Now we can get to the meat of how I could use some help.
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Alarmingly, I noticed when picking up Annie Oakley’s 617 on Valentine’s day, there was a notice that,
as of February, S&W revolvers were no longer on the approved list for sale in California.
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Who knows what this means?
Now some seem to think that these revolvers cannot be purchased out of state and shipped California.
The local gun store seems to think that we have six months, until August, until the door slams shut.
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From experience, it can take more than six months to order a gun from the largest gun store chain in California.
They said that the model 67 was not even the on list of guns carried by them.
They said that they would put me on the wish list. This is a lower status than a back order.
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Unless I do something drastic, we will be doomed to never have a model 67 as long as we are residence of California.
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What can I do?
I can try to order from an internet vendor and have it delivered to a local gun store.
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Apparently the local gun stores charge around $100 to process and clear this kind of purchase.
I said “OK,” I will probably save enough on state taxes to cover it.
But the gun stores seem to think that it is their responsibility to collect the sales tax on an item purchased somewhere else.
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[ A few years ago, this would clearly be considered to be an unconstitutional interference with interstate commerce.
Traditionally state sales taxes were the domains of where the purchase was made.
But who pays attention to our dead Constitution anymore? ]
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So my question is, can anyone recommend a place to order an S&W 67?
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Actually I want two, one for myself and one for Annie Oakley.
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Can I assume that they will send me the current model [67-6] rather than an older model?
Perhaps I should contact them first to make sure.
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I have another question, or two, but I will save them for another post.
Thank you very much.
RJ

Federal Law requires handguns to be received in your state of residence, and any out of state source must go through an FFL in YOUR state.
http://www.atf.gov/files/publication...-p-5300-21.pdf

As to paying state sales tax on such purchases, we do the same here in Oklahoma, but here it is called a use tax which I simply add to my OK income tax return. Credit may be taken in OK for any sales tax paid to the source state.

As to helping you with California's firearms laws, your CA FFLs know more about it than any of us in other states, and any purchase must go through them.
Good luck.
Welcome to the forum.

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Science plus Art

Find a local FFL that will transfer the gun for you. Then buy one from someone who is willing to ship to CA. I did a quick search on one site I use frequently and found one for $619 in stock and ready to ship.

Have you considered a Model 686 as your "big boy" revolver? It will probably be easier to find in both 4" and 6" versions, and with the full underlug barrel, it will match your 617s better. The grips are identical, only the frame around the cylinder is beefed up to make it stronger handle the 357 with less wear and tear, and with 38 plinking loads they will last forever and longer! Just a suggestion, but it might solve your problem and take care of one you hadn't considered.

Regards,
Froggie

Welcome to the forum!

Just keep reading and learning. You'll sort it out.

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But then, what do I know?

Thank you for responding to my post.
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Now the promised second question from this pathetic newbie.
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After a 6-month wait, a couple of weeks ago, Annie Okley’s 617 came in.
[ I got my 617, our first handgun, at the same shop about six months ago, but it has never been fired. ]
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The clerk takes the new 617 out of the it’s case as we accept the new merchandise.
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Alarmingly, metal filings fall out of the barrel, or cylinders, onto the counter when he took it out of the box.
The clerk recommended that we clean the gun before we fire it the first time.
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Question 1)
Should I be alarmed enough to have a gunsmith look at it, or are filing falling out of the barrel of a new handgun normal enough not to be concerned with?
If there were some concern, you would think that the clerk would say that we will have our gunsmith look at this.
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Question 2)
Is there any procedure that one normally goes through before firing a hand gun for the first time, or does one simply load the first cartridges and start shooting?
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Question 3)
What should I use for this pre-firing first cleaning?
I assume some kind of a brush and some of those cotton swabs.
But what else? Would you recommend some kind of cleaner?
Should I finish off with some kind of oil?
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Actually, I did have to read a booklet, pass a test, and get a certificate, in order to purchase these handguns.
But obviously there are some things that I know little about.
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RJ

Metal shavings are common to new firearms and aren't themselves evidence of anything to worry about.

Close visual inspection to make certain there are no cracks or flaws. Mechanical inspection to ensure the revolver is timing and cycling correctly.

Here's a good read on assessing revolvers, new and used: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6Fh...hl=en_US&pli=1

A guideline many of us around here follow is that if the gun is new or just new to you, a detail strip, inspection and cleaning are worthwhile before firing.

For simple cleaning, a bottle of CLP, cotton patches, brass brush in the correct caliber size, brass rods and nylon brush are a fine start.

Here's a helpful link on general revolver cleaning: Cleaning Revolvers - YouTube

Suggest you use the search function for these and other basic questions -- there are many threads loaded with great information here.