Notes from the gun shop...

Yesterday was no great shakes for sales. While we did about 7 transfers/background checks, we didn't have a lot of people in the shop. It was raining fairly heavily on and off and that probably slowed traffic but even the regulars weren't in so much.

The Virginia State Police have a new on-line computer system for doing the background checks. The front end is unwieldy and much slower to use in some ways. It uses data from BOTH the state and the federal 4473. It also requires "certification" by typing one's name and checking yet another box. One now enters the VA CHP number when that ID is used as the second ID for purchase of a handgun. That is a good thing. Unfortunately, it doesn't streamline the process in that it is not used by the computer to verify the individual's identity but only by the state police "checker" after the computer delays the sale. The two delays we had yesterday were back to the previous 4-hour length. Maybe a lot of people were out sick.

We received a number of S&W M66s traded in by some Puerto Rican police agency to S&W for M&P pistols. Both the 4-inch and 2½-inch 66-7s have the counterbored muzzles. Presumably this is done by S&W to eliminate any muzzle crown damage from cleaning rods. All these guns that I've seen have the lock. That really put me off the guns but I did work a deal on one. I figure I'm not into it for so much that I will get hurt on the deal. If I don't like it I'll move it on. The 2½-inch 66 is in demand locally and Boss Man has sold 2-3 already.

He still has the 2-inch Model 10 and now has a neat pre-MIM Model 37. He's also still got the blued and stainless Ruger .44 Special Flat-tops. There was also an Argentine made Hi-Power.