In reply to:

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My intent is to be patient and look at as many doubles as possible which could take months, and try to learn how to make a good choice and avoid getting reamed on a purchase.

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or sometimes years.

The best advice that i can give you is to buy from a reputable dealer - ESPECIALLY if you are buying a used gun (of any age.)

You also need to establish an "evaluation" relationship (for a fee) with that dealer, just in case you run across something on your own.

When things go wrong with a DR, they can be expensive to repair, and if it's a used gun - you need to know that the dealer is going to stand behind the necessary and unforseen repairs.

I definitely encourage you to look at, hold, and shoot as many as you can. And be weary to a deal that seems too good to be true... as it probably is.

My advice is to hook up with George Caswell, make arrangements to go and visit him in person. Look, touch, feel his inventory and give him some idea of what you want (in terms of condition, caliber, etc.) and he'll tell you what you're going to have to spend.

Or start with what you want to spend, and he can tell you what you can expect for the money.

George is going to stand behind his guns (just ask CFA who blew up an H&H recently - George took the gun and gave him his money back.) Another less established dealer could have easily told him "tuff luck."

George aslo has a big client base, knows who has what, who might be looking to sell something out of their collections.

He's also a good source for evaluating the mechanical working order of guns you may find. Although he won't be able to stand behind a gun you buy from another dealer, he would be able to look it over for you and make sure everything is "right" with the gun before you conclude the sale.

Good luck!

PS - The other dealer you mentioned in TX - would not be as good a resource as George (IMO.)

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www.heymUSA.com

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