Price Check - Colt .38 Special 4 inch revolver

[surajshuresh]

Hi BowMan as far i know Indian Arms market is a Monopoly by IOF because of many barriers to entry... Arms market is not a perfect market in India... Thank you...

[BowMan]

Hi BowMan as far i know Indian Arms market is a Monopoly by IOF because of many barriers to entry... Arms market is not a perfect market in India... Thank you...

[Biren]

Bud.. Go ahead & buy if you have license & money.... ppl have the habit of shouting on top of thier voice when they see someone jumping off the cliff...

Last some one known bought the same for around simliar price & left ppl grasping... Honestly it g8 feeling holding 38 special

Cheers
Biren

[TC]

ppl have the habit of shouting on top of thier voice when they see someone jumping off the cliff...

TC

Anyways that is a rhetorical question which can be debated but my immediate concern is a good deal.

Bowman, that is exactly my concern too and hence all the, as you said, rhetoric. Here's what I feel. I would never pay 10 l for a .22 SW Model 18. For that money I could buy a .32 smith revolver (or a W&S and save more money), a.22 hi standard pistol, an Indian 3006 rifle (or a Winchester shotgun), lots of ammo, accessories, a good scope etc. Most sensible members on this forum would back me up on this.
Now I will come to my demand and supply theory. Demand for "FOREN" made weapons is always on the rise because everybody wants a Walther PPK, a Smith, a Greener gun or a Winchester Model 70. AND, There are always people who can afford to pay whatever dealers looking for the KILL ask for. And all this is happening inside a recycle bin.. in a second hand arms market. If some people are willing to spend prices will shoot. No point blaming the market. If you want to pay 6.5 L for a .38 special don't be surprised if tomorrow the same person who sold you the .38 asks for 13 L for a Colt detective special which now sells at 6.5 L (in Kolkata at least). For, you have made your contribution in the price escalation mechanism by creating an artificial demand for Colt .38 special.
That's why in my very first reply to this thread I stressed on the word BARGAIN. I did not discourage you from buying the 38 specially because you have the papers which is quite impossible to get. The very fact that you have a licence to buy a weapon that 99.99 % Indians will never have gives YOU the power to fix the price and not the seller.

Hope this helps

Cheers
TC

[winnie_the_pooh]

TC,are we not wasting our breath in trying to prevent some one from throwing a lot of money own the drain?

I am willing to bet that the OP has a license for a NPB revolver.A .38 spl entered as a PB revolver would not sell for more than 5-15,000/- tops.A revolver in .38 S&W can be had for the same sort of money.

[nagarifle]

why not let the man spend his money? after all if one is willing to spend who are we to stop then by giving them negative advice?

[BowMan]

Bowman, that is exactly my concern too and hence all the, as you said, rhetoric. Here's what I feel. I would never pay 10 l for a .22 SW Model 18. For that money I could buy a .32 smith revolver (or a W&S and save more money), a.22 hi standard pistol, an Indian 3006 rifle (or a Winchester shotgun), lots of ammo, accessories, a good scope etc. Most sensible members on this forum would back me up on this.

Indeed I agree and would do same but there are such deals taking place.

And all this is happening inside a recycle bin.. in a second hand arms market.

I am amused that you are aware of the imperfections of the market but despite this consider it to be operating under laws of demand and supply.

All the .38 special bashing is not justified for the venerable grad old cartridge that has been keeping peace for over a 100 years. Perhaps the proud owners of .32 revolvers need to know that their loads ballistic performance is poorer than a .22 LR and what they call a arm is a little more than a 'plinker'.

However I do not want to dwell on it further and hijack my own thread

So coming back to the point I know 6.5 L is extremely high and I have some bargaining to do. Like I said earlier ammo is not an issue for me and I can source it.

[Risala]

Perhaps the proud owners of .32 revolvers need to know that their loads ballistic performance is poorer than a .22 LR and what they call a arm is a little more than a 'plinker'.

This link gives you actual data taken from street shootings,it might just change your perspective of not only the 22/32 but also the 38 Spl

http://www.handloads.com/misc/stoppingp ... ?Caliber=0

It is about shot placement and the quality of the bullet you would use.

[BowMan]

Thanks for this tool Sanjay but i think .32 S&W Long is not on the list.

Perhaps the world has so much as forgotten about it only to be kept alive in our 'perfect markets operating under demand & supply'

[hellfire_m16]

Hi BowMan,

From what I can gather over here no one is saying that the 38 is not a good caliber and the revolver is not good…members are just trying to highlight that being a prohibited bore you are lucky to have the paperwork and you can use that to your advantage by trying to bargain and get your self a good/realistic deal on the 38.

All the best with your purchase and please do post pictures once the deals goes through for all of to enjoy the 38 vicariously.

Best.

[BowMan]

All the best with your purchase and please do post pictures once the deals goes through for all of to enjoy the 38 vicariously.

Best.

Yes I will try by best mate.

[TC]

Hi BowMan,

From what I can gather over here no one is saying that the 38 is not a good caliber and the revolver is not good…members are just trying to highlight that being a prohibited bore you are lucky to have the paperwork and you can use that to your advantage by trying to bargain and get your self a good/realistic deal on the 38.

All the best with your purchase and please do post pictures once the deals goes through for all of to enjoy the 38 vicariously.

Best.

PRECISELY .... BOWMAN I HOPE YOU GET IT NOW

[TC]

TC,are we not wasting our breath in trying to prevent some one from throwing a lot of money own the drain?

I am willing to bet that the OP has a license for a NPB revolver.A .38 spl entered as a PB revolver would not sell for more than 5-15,000/- tops.A revolver in .38 S&W can be had for the same sort of money.

Winnie.. as a responsible forum member who has studied the Indian gun market since the 80s I am only sharing my personal experience to help a fellow member. Just like we all do.

And, anybody with a licence for NPB revolver will have to walk through hell and fire to get .38 special LEGALLY registered as NPB weapon. The difference in case length/ bullet weight/ load presure etc doesn't change the views of our law enforcers armed with the Arms Act. At the end of the day it is a .38. and is possible to chamber and fire lower pressure .38 S&W cartridges in a .38 special revolver. Just like it possible to fire .38 special cartridges in revolvers made for .38+P of .38 +P+ cartridges.
Bowman must be having a licence that mentions .38 or .38 special. If he is is lucky then he should use this to his advantage.

Cheers

TC

[BowMan]

Curiously a .357 mag revolver can also chamber and fire a .38 special and a .38 S&W. So do you also fence a .357 magnum revolver in the same category - a weapon to be discouraged from being acquired?

To me there are few handguns that are the holy grail - 1911a1 in .45 acp, a S.A. revolver in .45 lc, a Luger in 9mm, a colt snake in .357 mag...a good service revolver in .38 special is also right up there in this list.

And I can walk through hell and fire and do so 7 times to lay my hands on any one of these and you will pry it only from my cold dead hands.

I have always reiterated that I have the paperwork and wherewithal for the ammunition but that has not been considered. All I needed was some ball park figure and not a judgement.

I hope mate you can appreciating what I have been saying. I am a bit personal about my arms (hope this is understandable).

[winnie_the_pooh]

BowMan,

You wanted a ballpark figure and you got it.If it is to be entered on a NPB license Rs.45-65,000/-.If it is on a PB license Rs.5-15,000/-As far as a .357 Mag goes,I bought mine for Rs.1.15K.I was able to get a box or two of .38spl Federal Hydrashoks for it from time to time and I did not have to travel abroad to get them.However it was a PITA getting them.Eventually sold it.

As far as logic goes,it does not operate in govt. offices.As far as being able to swing things making it easier,it does not always work.I have seen 9mm pistols entered on a NPB license 15-20 years back, getting confiscated and then they were worth nothing.Have a look at what has happened in Nagaland.I am sure something like that is going to happen to the .45 pistols entered on NPB licenses as well.The police has .38spl revolvers.As per the Arms Act/Rules that places them in category of Service Pattern Firearms and thus in the same category as other PB firearms.Do what makes you happy.We are just doing our duty to warn you.

BTW what category of license do you have ,NPB or PB? I have only seen very rare PB licenses granted under any category other than heirloom basis and in that case it is for that specific firearm.