Best buy on a rifle you had to pass up.

Gunner46

Gunner46

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 6, 2003
Messages
3,307
Location
Frigid Ohio
It happens to most all of us along the way, but it's inevitable, a Great deal is right there and you have to pass on it, because....
Let's see some teary eyed "Sorry, I wish I could, but I gotta pass" experiences.

#1: Ruger International RSI, 250 Savage, Excellent, excellent condition! Tang safety. The guy just wanted to move it because 'NOBODY' in NC wants a 250 Savage. Small gun shop in NC. $250. I've rode many a night on the self kicking machine over this one, but the EX would have blasted into 5th degree Bitch Black Belt if I came home with it. (Value be Damned)

#2: M1A1 Springfield, hard case, 4 magazines. Less than 300 rds fired. My brothers neighbor needed divorce money to pay the lawyers. $375, cash. Sorry, but I was in the same boat and scrapping for my own Divorce money at the time.....

#3: Rock Island M1911A1, 45 ACP. Never fired. $150. I passed on this one because I was dubious as to the character of the person offering it, but still......
 
Years ago I lusted for a Ruger #1 in 25-06. Then one day in a gun shop in Ft Collins, Colo I found it. This was the original one not one of the later ugly one's. Picked it up and fooled with it quite a bit. $265! Had the money but walked away. I think it would have ruined a dream I had. Won't now and I don't dream of it anymore. The #1" that came along after it I didn't like at all.

Another time in a gun shop in Salem, Ore I found a Rem 541S! They were brand new then and that was the nicest 22 I'd ever seen or held. Didn't have the money, hundred and some dollar's. Still would buy one if I saw one I could afford but most I've seen are over $1000 now! Great decision waiting huh? :-(
 
At an auction some years ago, perusing the available guns were 2 I was interested in. One a .444 Marlin (very interested), the other a .17HMR Lever (Browning if I remember) that had a Leupold 3-9 VariX 3 on it. I wasn't too interested in the .17 HMR, thought it might be fun.

I ended up getting the .444 Marlin (it came up first). Paid more than I wanted, still a bit less than retail. The .17 came up and went for stupid cheap (like $200). I knew it was going cheap, but figured if I came home with 2.... at least someone got a good deal. And the hesitation was on my end, my wife would have just rolled her eyes.
 
Missed a 1950's transition Simson O/U w/ the three piece forearm for $750. That hurt.

So did a 1970's vintage Marlin 45-70 w/an 20" barrel in about 90% condition w/a nice ghost ring for $600.
 
Glad I'm not the only one that's done it.

I found a left hand Remington 700 SS in 338RUM that didn't appear to have been fired in a Gander Mountain used gun rack here in PA for $350. Still have no idea why I didn't buy it.

Savage Model 24, 22 over 410 for $100 - pretty sure it was hot.

Winchester lever action 375 Win in pristine condition for $300 at Cabela's in WV. I walked away and it bothered me enough to turnaround halfway home to go back and buy it but was already gone.
 
The only firearm regret I can think of is trading (more like gave) a coveted #1 for a mule kicking inaccurate Weatherby. I still have the Darwin award for that one.
 
Remington Mtn Rifle on a Deal of the Day in an Ogden Utah pawn shop for $150. Freshly married and in graduate school, so I scooted home to get the go ahead from the wife. 'Twas gone before I got back...
 
Had a chance to buy a Winchester 88 carbine in 308 shortly after college. I remember thinking that the 308 was a dead cartridge then and passed on the deal. I regret it always.
 
A co-worker of mine bought Rem Model 700 30-06 BDL with a beautiful wood stock for $350 and shot it once. He decided it kicked too hard and wanted to sell it to me for $300. It was like new, never even had a scope mounted on it.
This was 26 years ago and my son was only 5 years old, we had a newborn daughter and there was no spare $300 and it seemed like it would be forever before I needed to buy a rifle for him. I'm still kicking myself.
 
Last edited:
Nicely priced and good condition Savage 99F in .284 win. 2008, didn't have the money to even buy the price tag. Still hurts..
 
Not a rifle, but while 3 hours from home I passed on an LC Smith sxs 20 bore which someone had sanded the case hardening color off of but was otherwise in great shape; $300.00. I could have had it rehardened for $75.00 but thought maybe I didn't need it so when I got home I told the wife about it and she asked why I didn't buy it. Go figure! Called back to my uncle to have him go pick it up for me but it was gone when he got there.
 
While visiting my brother in Maine last year, we decided to go walk around LL Bean after the bars closed. Being a lefty I'm always looking for that odd ball in the used weapon section, well I found it, a slightly used Wingmaster 870 in left handed. $400. Knowing how well they shoot and how much I loved my grandpas old wingmaster I really wanted it. I'm sure if I had been there an hour earlier the alcohol would've helped the decision, but the sober me decided to pass as it would be a hassle in my mind to buy it and ship it before I left. I still feel ill over that passed deal.
 
A shotgun for me just in the last year at a gander mountain store that was closing it was a brand new browning citori 725 with the high grade wood for $1200, still mad I didn’t jump on that deal!
 
It's not a directly related to the OP. Was shooting a m25-5 at an indoor gun range in Oklahoma, Guy next to me asked if I wanted to shoot his (then) new 357 sig. We shot each others weapons for a couple of magazines, he asked what it would take to own my revolver, I offered a number I thought was stupid high, until he started peeling bills off a wad in his pocket. Miss that revolver.
 
Dang this thread brings back painful memories! There are 3 instances that come to mind for me...

1. a Barrett single shot .50 BMG at a pawn shop in Butte Mt for $400!!! I was a broke college kid, probably didn't have the money to by a round of ammo for it. No practical use, but it would have been cool to own none the less.

2. At an auction for a pawnshop closing in Helena, the gun selection was selling ridiculously cheap. I was in high school and was practically begging my dad to buy these old mausers that were going for $50-75 each!! But alas he wouldn't, His words were something along the lines of "why do you want those old beat up rifles?" My reply:Why not?!

3. At Capital sports in Helena, a reproduction Sharps 1874 in 45-70 for $450. I walked away from that one, being recently married I figured it wouldn't be a good way to score points with the wife. I was on the phone with her and mentioned this cool rifle I had seen and she said well why didn't you buy it?? So I hurried up and called to have them hold it for me, but someone else did't need to stay in his wife's good graces and bought it not 10 minutes after I left the store.
 
.375HH double rifle in a Reno pawn shop. Heavily engraved. Well used, but locked up tight. It was made by an Austrian maker that I was unfamiliar with at the time, and they were asking $1200. I went home did some research and about passed out when I saw what they were going for $8-12K. I sped back to buy it, but it was gone.
 
T Bone said:
.375HH double rifle in a Reno pawn shop. Heavily engraved. Well used, but locked up tight. It was made by an Austrian maker that I was unfamiliar with at the time, and they were asking $1200. I went home did some research and about passed out when I saw what they were going for $8-12K. I sped back to buy it, but it was gone.
Click to expand...

You win.

Ouch.
 
This thread proves why you ask for forgiveness instead of permission.

I'd have a lot more money if I cared that my wife was mad at me.......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Cav1
My new Bear Medicine: a .460 Rowland in a Kimber 6-inch Longslide
Replies
10
Views
3K
BUncommon
B
Use Promo Code Randy for 20% off OutdoorClass

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
111,034
Messages
1,944,385
Members
34,974
Latest member
ram0307

Share this page

Back
Top