The Gun That Got Away

[gizmo]

I dont know where to begin with this one. It may be that every gun I haven’t bought is one I feel got away

 

[John Havard]

Jack Shine custom Mauser 30/06 never fired. Divorce got it.
450 Black Powder Express. Had it in my possession, wife’s Grandfather had left it to his friend who said I could keep it. I declined. He sold it to Cal Pappas who sold it to someone in Tennessee for a tidy profit.
Savage Mdl 99 Deluxe 303 Savage. From my father. Let my cousin have it because he really liked it...
After 66 years, there are lots.

 

[Gustav Snyman]

Earlier this year I was in a gunshop here in SA looking at 2 rifles. A 9.3 x 62 Vektor and a CZ550 7 x 57. Spent about 4 hours going over the pro’s and con’s as initially my plan was to acquire 1 rifle only. Went back to the shop a few weeks later and decided to buy the 9.3. Something told me I should have bought the 7 x 57 and I immediately started saving for it. It got sold about a month later and I was still short of funds. Later in July I came accross another CZ550 in 7 x 57 that a guy bought but never licenced so it was brand new still at the gunshop. His price was a bit steep but I managed to get it down a bit and I looked at the rifle at the store and immediately bought it. My gun that got away actually turned into the gun that didn’t get away as I was not making the same mistake twice.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I can’t think of any that got away from an initial purchase…

But I can think of several that I let slip away when friends decided they really wanted it.. or that got traded or sold in the interest of buying something else…

A mid 50’s built husqnavarna in 30-06 that was absolutely pristine…

A ww2 singer built, all matching parts, .30 carbine

A ww2, all matching parts, Remington built 1911

There’s a whole lot more on “the list”… but those are probably the top 3…

Oh, that Singer?

 

[7x57Joe]

The one I have regretted most for the last 20 years is a Mannlicher-Schoenauer Stutzen MCA in .358 Winchester I found at a gun show. At least 98% condition with an asking price of $1100 but, I wouldn't go more than $1000 which was refused. My bull-head let a fine carbine slip through my fingers for 100 dollars!

 

[cash_tx]

Earlier this year I was in a gunshop here in SA looking at 2 rifles. A 9.3 x 62 Vektor and a CZ550 7 x 57. Spent about 4 hours going over the pro’s and con’s as initially my plan was to acquire 1 rifle only. Went back to the shop a few weeks later and decided to buy the 9.3. Something told me I should have bought the 7 x 57 and I immediately started saving for it. It got sold about a month later and I was still short of funds. Later in July I came accross another CZ550 in 7 x 57 that a guy bought but never licenced so it was brand new still at the gunshop. His price was a bit steep but I managed to get it down a bit and I looked at the rifle at the store and immediately bought it. My gun that got away actually turned into the gun that didn’t get away as I was not making the same mistake twice.

I always love a story that has a happy ending. ;-)

 

[steve white]

TODAY!!!! I somehow did not walk out with a 16 SXS guild gun, game scene engraved for $800. May go back tomorrow, tho I have drilling and BBF in 16 ga already...

Uhhh...went back and got it today.

 

[mdwest]

TODAY!!!! I somehow did not walk out with a 16 SXS guild gun, game scene engraved for $800. May go back tomorrow, tho I have drilling and BBF in 16 ga already...

If you don’t, PM the location and I’ll go take away your temptation immediately!

 

[Safari Dave]

I have no remorse for guns that I have bought.

I only have remorse for guns that I have sold or wish that I had bought.

 

[double rifle newbie]

Two come to mind:

Sabatti .470 NE double that went for 3200 about 4 years ago on gunbroker.

The one that got away that haunts my dreams was a Holland & Holland .375 double rifle at a local gun show about 25 years ago now. a guy was trying to get $4300, an amount i couldnt scrape together at the time for an item that was more a “want” than a “need.”.

 

[steve white]

Back in the, I think, late 80's Billy Hodges in Dallas showed me a Lang 465 engraved and in pristine-ish condition for $5000 (remember when Kynoch went out of business, and there was supposedly no ammo to be had for the big doubles? And who was ever going to want them then...) AND I DIDN'T HAVE IT, AND DID NOT GO GET IT SOMEWHERE....AAAGGHHHHH! There were others buys in his shop at the time.
Oh, and what about the Francotte 7mm mag at Ray's Hardware, nicely engraved, great wood, tang strap went down the grip and up onto the buttstock, NEW FOR 1500 DOLLARS (early 1990's), and there were two of them in diff calibers.
Oops, forgot the engraved and inlaid Peterlongo (who is that, I thought at the time) 30'06 for 1500 dollars--after they told me the game inlays were not actually precious metals, I took just enough time to think it over for someone who knew they WERE precious metals to scoop it up. (I was young, but possibly also stupid)
I could go on, but it makes me depressed a little...especially that Luftwaffe Drilling for 3K

 

[steve white]

If you don’t, PM the location and I’ll go take away your temptation immediately!

Sorry, temptation won out. I thought the barrels were longish--they are 29 1/2 inches, weight just above 6 lbs, cocking indicators, sideclips, and one tiny pit inside the left barrel. But the horn trigger guard was seriously cracked (acraglass is curing) and I still have not measured the chambers to see if anyone let them out to 2 3/4, though I doubt it given the short forcing cones. I'll post if I run across another. Waidmannsheil

 

[9412765]

Not too many regrets here, I don't peruse the stores much but a couple dealers who know what I like rarely call me if something comes in.

There was a really nice unfired Miroku Winchester 52 I wish I had picked up for $800 a couple years back. I really like and shoot 22s quite a bit.

I regret a little passing on one member's Ruger 77 in 358 Win they had for sale here. Trying to accumulate rifles/revolvers to pass on to my three boys some day and that would have been a good one.

 

[Captain Munro]

Reminds me of another one, a Miroku Winchester 1895 Saddle Ring Carbine in 30-06. The centennial edition. Saw it at a gunshop a few years after they released, it was sitting at $1300 or $1600. Now, when they pop up on gunbroker and the like, they are well over $2k.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I had a Barrett Fieldcraft in my cart multiple times in .243 win for $1,100 clearance. Decided I didn’t really need another deer rifle…. A few months later Barrett announced they were discontinuing all Fieldcrafts and prices doubled! Would have been a perfect caliber in that light weight rifle shooting heavies with the tight twist and 2.99” COAL!

(At least I have one in 7-08 )

@wildwilderness
Anything in 243 is left on the shelf by me no matter how good it looks.
I will admit to looking at a Remington 788 in 243 for 250 dollars not long back. The only reason I thought about it was I have a soft spot for 788s and it would have made a great 358 Winchester.
It sat there for months before it sold. I did offer 175 dollars and he could keep the barrel but he declined.
Bob

 

[gbflyer]

The local Kmart had a slug of left hand stainless/walnut model 70 classics standard and magnum in the mid - 1990’s. Wish’d I’d have bought every one of them.

 

[John Telford]

Doctari’s 505 Gibbs…

 

[OldnLazy]

Always wanted a full auto Thompson, prices are so high now I regret not buying one many years ago when I had the chance. I thought prices will go down and boy was I wrong.

 

[Adam S]

We have a local auction house that accepts online bids during live auctions. I was not able to be there in person, so I planned to bid online for an excellent condition pre 64 Winchester 1894 that I really wanted (as an aside, I have no lever guns. What in the world is wrong with me?). I put my bid in, but something got messed up with my internet connection and the bid didn't go through. Of course, I don't know what the high bidder would have been willing to pay, but the rifle sold for $400 less than I think it was worth and much less than my bid had it gone through. I'm still a little frustrated about that.

 

[Woodcarver]

We have a local auction house that accepts online bids during live auctions. I was not able to be there in person, so I planned to bid online for an excellent condition pre 64 Winchester 1894 that I really wanted (as an aside, I have no lever guns. What in the world is wrong with me?). I put my bid in, but something got messed up with my internet connection and the bid didn't go through. Of course, I don't know what the high bidder would have been willing to pay, but the rifle sold for $400 less than I think it was worth and much less than my bid had it gone through. I'm still a little frustrated about that.

This is a problem I could help you correct. Don't let another one get away!