Surprise Acquisition

I got a call from the gun shop that had my Bersa on consignment. Guy in the shop was interested, made an offer. I decided to take the offer and be done with it. Not as much as I'd been hoping for, but I wanted to be done with it and the price he offered was relatively fair. Shop owner asked if he should mail me a check or if I'd come pick it up. I chose to pick it up, even though the shop is an hour away.

Drove over this morning to pick up the check, and took along my remaining gift certificate to get some ammo or see what else caught my eye.

While he was making out the transfer papers for the Bersa and cutting me a check (and cut me a break on the consignment fee while he was at it), I happened to notice a 3rd-generation S&W in the case. I asked what he wanted for it, and he told me. The cash from the Bersa put me in the neighborhood, the gift certificate even closer - and I had a check in hand from selling some .380 to LibertyMan. $10 cash out of my pocket and I had a new-to-me S&W 4053 (stainless slide, alloy frame, single-stack compact DAO) in hand. Condition is *excellent*.

Came with three magazines (all 8-round factory, one with the pinky extension and the other two with flat baseplates). I stripped it in the shop, and the insides were immaculate. Not simply "just scrubbed" immaculate - "barely shot" immaculate. Rails still have some of the original bead blast on them. Sights were a little dirty, but in good shape.

I got it home and wiped it down, and took a q-tip to the sights. Surprise surprise! The "dirty white" three-dot sights were actually "dirty glass" over tritium night sights! Score!

(Click to embiggen.)

(S&W 4053)


(With the big-brother full-frame 5946)


This brings me to the next bit. I now own no .380 pistol but have some ammo remaining. It's for sale. I can either bring it to the blogshoot, or shipment can be arranged.
~85 (89?) rounds of WWB 95gr FMJ. Some has been handled and/or chambered but all is factory new.
25 rounds (one box) of Hornady Critical Defense 90gr. Again, some has been handled/chambered but all is factory new.
$50 for both FTF, shipping at cost (probably about ten bucks).

ALSO - a set of Redding Titanium Carbide .380ACP reloading dies - three dies with shell holder and extra decapping pin. As-new in box. I bought them "gently used" and have never used them. They are immaculate.
$50 FTF, shipping at cost (5-6 bucks?).

OR:

Ammo and dies and whatever .380 brass I can find (crap shoot, it's hither and yon in boxes and bags) for $90FTF/$100 shipped.