Gun Shop Follies: Saiga 12 = Car

Strange times, indeed, when a Saiga-12 shotgun (for which in Cali a reasonable price would be $1200 or less, but which was recently on sale for the eye-gouging amount of $2400) was just taken off the market because somebody’s trading a $6k car for it.

Saw the Saiga in question myself at the gun shop today. Its owner’s quite happy about the whole situation, as you might guess.

One patron mentioned that his “uncle” had just moved to Cali from Nevada with a Colt AR, and when a chorus of voices informed him that said firearm (being a listed banned weapon in Cali) was illegal to possess, and he asked what the “uncle” should do, folks started in about how they were stripping their lowers and selling ’em on Gunbroker out of state for big chunks of change. Prices inflating as you watch.

80% unfinished lower blanks (valued in Cali because 1. unregistered and 2. you can legally make a pistol with them) are going for close to two bills. Dayum!

(Also got to drool over John Bagakis’ oh-so-sweet .510 Whisper bolt gun, but that’s another thing entirely. This may be the cartridge for my next Encore barrel….)

Best part was the cute grandma buying Glock mags who asked the clerk, “why are people buying guns if they’re going to have to turn them in?“

“Well, they’re not going to turn them in,” was the reply.

“Really?” she said, looking surprised.

“Yes, if the government wants my guns they can take them bullets first, and I mean that wholeheartedly.” To which a chorus of voices added their assent.

“Well!” she said. “I’m glad some people feel that way!”

“Oh, I think most of us do, ma’am,” I smiled.

Bear in mind, with respect to turning guns in, in Cali, our in-store gun purchases are all registered, one way or another, with the State Bureau of Firearms. They know we’re buying them, and we know they know. In free states, buying guns now is an act of forethought. In California, it’s an act of defiance.