[orgagsUpsepsy]

I was with a friend of mine the other day in the capital to help him collect his new (used) S&W 9mm from the police. He has an ownership permit as well as a carry permit but purchased a used firearm because the cost of new ones, if you can find them, is exorbitant.

For example, we stopped in one of the Armas shops in the area and looked at a used Steyr M-A1 9mm. This is a pretty decent pistol and costs upwards of $500 in the US (new). I asked the shop keeper what the price was here and he said RD$160,000. Naturally I had to ask two more times to make sure my hearing and math skills hadn't instantly abandoned me!

Over $4000 for a pistol that in the US would sell at a swap meet for a few hundred. I don't think we need to worry about anyone buying a new handgun in this country in the near future! I'm sure glad I bought my Glock 17 over 5 years ago when it was so "cheap" by comparison.