Best and worst gun deals you've ever made

[liljohn]

What's the best gun deal you've ever made? What's the worst? Ever pass up a great deal only to dwell on it later?

I think my best was a Ruger single six in 32 H&R mag for $125. The thing was BRAND NEW, without the box, from a private seller at a gun show.

Another good one was a Browning BDA .380 in satin nickel for $80. I didn't really want it and I didn't have much money, but a friend of mine had less and needed to sell it badly. I realized later that he was the one that did me a favor.

Last good deal--an FA .454 Casull field grade, with an SSK 3-ring mount, rosewood grips, magnaported, and two boxes of FA ammo for $700. It only had 20 rounds through it.

My worst was probably a 6.5x55. I got it when they first started coming into the country and had no idea what they were worth. It is in great shape, but the price was $240.

Worst misses--a new in the box full-auto Thompson .45 with a drum mag for $750. I didn't want to spend the $200 for a federal stamp. Another was a State Arms .50 BMG for $800. I snoozed, and "lozed".

 

[lwsimon]

best deals..... I have a couple

Ruger Super Blackhawk .44mag - got it for helping a guy out with a PC problem, right before the auditors came

Remington .270 - paid $225 at a pawn shop, was in horirble shape. Several hundred patches and a bottle of break free later, I resold it for $375....

Worst deals?

Remington 244 Viper. I think that was the model. Worst .22 EVER. Only made a 10 round mag, hard to insert, and shot a 6" group at 100 yards form a bench rest. Bought it b/c i needed SOMETHING for home defense, and it was the cheapest gun in the shop.

 

[telcom911]

I traded a very, very well used

Kimber ProCarry (Series I) for two NIB Glocks, a 22 and a 27. That was both the best and worst trade I ever made. While I ended up with two brand spanking new guns, I lost what was possible the pistol I have liked more then any other I have ever owned. Boy, I miss that Kimber. I did replace it wiht another ProCarry, but its just not the same.

 

[Okiecruffler]

Best deal was last weekend at the gunshow. A .308 Savage Striker with Bushnell 2-6X scope for $260. Although my 30-30AI Contender barrel at a garage sale for $75 is a close second.

Worst deal was trading my Phoenix HP22, (which was accurate, reliable, and alot of fun) for a Charter Arms Explorer pistol (which was inaccurate, unreliable and an all around PITA).

 

[ARperson]

Best "surprise" deal was today's purchase. Found an Omega all-camo version (even the barrel) for $459. I know, that's not the deal. The deal was on the receipt which I looked at when I got home. The muzzle stuffer rang up for $399 and the 3-9 scope I bought with it rang up for $69 instead of the marked $89. It's was like getting the ammo for free!

 

[borderguy]

Best recent: $75.00 for a pre-ban Eagle Arms AR-15 reciever.

Best Overall. $295.00 for my Colt Sp-1.

Worst: $400.00 for a Century/Imbel L1A1 FAL.

Best Freebie: EG Makarov from my Brother-in-Law

 

[Third_Rail]

Best: Getting an extensive collection of US military firearms "given" to me (to be put in my hands for good upon exit of the state of MA), including a 1917, 1903a3, M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, etc., free.

Worst: Letting someone pass up a Singer 1911 for $250... after I learned what a mistake we had made, I wanted to learn more about firearms, which is why I came here.

 

[AZLibertarian]

...Ever pass up a great deal only to dwell on it later?...

I'm not exactly dwelling on it, but--yes. Just last month at the IDPA match at the range, someone had an ad on the board which went something like this...

Dillon 550b press. 6 sets of dies. Odds-n-ends in brass. Lots of extras.

$285

I looked at that, and thought: "Man. Either that guy doesn't have any idea what he's got, or somebody's ex-wife is out to shaft him. I ought to snatch that thing up." But with two kids in college, and a tight budget, it would have begun a fight with Mrs. AZLib that I don't need to start.

So I passed.

That ad stayed up on that board about 6 minutes past when I looked at it. Somebody else grabbed it.

Would-a, Should-a, Could-a. Story of my life.

 

[444]

Best gun deal:
Marlin .444 with a couple boxes of factory ammo.
High Point Carbine with laser and most of a case of PMC ammo.
Ruger Model 77 in .22-250 with dies, bullets, cases, and cheap scope.
For $275


Worst: The list is long.
But the worst would have to be paying Machine Gun Kelly in Las Vegas $1800 almost two years ago for a suppressed Ruger 10/22 and suppressed Ruger Mk. II and I haven't recieved either gun.
Another similar story: I sent a Colt Mustang, and a Bulgarian Makarov along with my own parts and cash to BEAST Enterprises in the Phoenix area probably 4-5 years ago and have never gotten either gun or money back.
Probably the worst deal I ever willingly went along with was trading a Colt ACE for a Ruger MK.II staight up.

Another good deal was a Dillion 550 press with a lot of accssories and reloading gear from a guy on this board that was in serious financial trouble and was trying to put the money together to buy his family Christmas presents. The price was so low that I sent him an extra $50 because I couldn't do him like that.
Another notable deal was some off brand rifle in .25-06 for $250. Oh, it had a Leupold Vari-X III scope on it. I took off the scope and sold the rifle for $250. I then had the scope rebuilt by Leupold. It was a good financial deal, but I have never done anything with the scope to this day.

 

[jeff-10]

Best:
$350 for a NIB Browning HP in 40 S&W a few years back. Jumbo sports here in FL was closing and they had some nice sales.

Honorable Mention:
$325 for a 1076 out the door. It doesn't sound that great but you have to realize thats after tax andbBackground check, etc.

Worst:
$150 for a YUGO M48A at a gun show. The gun has serious headspacing problems and only sets off the primer when it feels like it. I am still trying to figure out what to do with the thing.

 

[entropy]

Best: I've recieved several freebies over the years, they certainly count among them, even if the guns weren't that great. A S&W Mod 34? .38S&W (Small & Weak) from a widow who just wanted it out of the shop after her husband died. An Ithaca 37 a guy just wanted to get out of the house because his grandkids were old enough to snoop. A Remington 58 for next to nothing, picked that up for a friend who wanted a back-up turkey gun. A Savage 311 picked up for $25 bucks, it took all of 20 minutes work to get the dent out of the barrel & spot cold blue it; got a lot of free pizzas from a friend who wanted a cheap shotgun. A Ruger 77 in .300 WinMag with a McMillan stock and a Leupold 2-7 for $290. The obscenely huge profit I made on an AR-15 during the frenzy ten years ago. and the 5 guns I inherited when my grandpa died.

Worst: Even though it was only $70, the POS Iver Johnson Cadet that spits worse that BinLaden's camel. Selling my AR in the first place. Selling my 2 1/2" Colt Python. Selling my Ruger Redhawk so my toilet would flush again. Almost losing my Dad's pre-64 Win. 94 to a pawn shop. Not being able to buy my Dad's Waffenampt P35 when he sold it. (Best 9mm I've ever shot. ) Getting hooked on Mosin Nagants!

 

[fistful]

I've already related this on other threads, but it was the best trade I've ever made. Not because I saved or made a lot of money, but because I was a lot happier afterwards.

My first gun was a new Steyr Prohunter ($800) with a Redfield 3-9X ($150). I decided I'd rather have a Mauser and also wanted an 870 riot gun. I traded the Steyr, scope, and about 300 rounds of milsurp 7.62 x 51 to a friend of mine for a 1930 vintage VZ 24 in .30-06 with butler creek stock, sporter barrel, and Simmons scope; and a wood-stocked 870 Express with riot and long barrel. The Mauser has a beautiful, single-stage trigger, though, I must say.

The free SKS I just got was a pretty good "trade" though.

 

[JuniorG]

A brand new Contender Carbine with a beautiful piece of wood and very accurate 223 bbl for $125.00

A real, Win. Model 70 Featherwieght in 257 roberts, again with a nice piece of wood and a Nikon Monarch 4.5x14 scope. Traded a Leupold 6.5x20 scope and a couple bills for it.

A new 14" Contender bbl in 35 rem for $50

I'll post my worst deal as soon as I get one

Only regret so far.....Years ago I bought a Norinco J15 22 bolt action for $89
That thing will shoot cheap ammo in to amazingly small tiny groups.

I regret today that I didn't buy 2 of them!!

 

[Kodiak AK]

The one I regret the most would be passing on a real russian SVD for $500 back in 95 . I said let me think about it and called the guy the next day and it was gone .

My best deal would be a free Marlin Model 60.

 

[uglymofo]

These are my 3 best deals so far:

I found a Wilson Combat SuperGrade for $1800; the lady selling it didn't know how an auction was supposed to work, and neither did I (at the time--it was my first), and in a private mail, I said, "I'll do it for $1800 shipped" and she did.

Some poor guy was hurting I guess, and listed his NIB Ed Brown Kobra Carry for $1200 "BUY IT NOW" and I did. I couldn't believe it.

Found a Leica Televid 77 w/ 20-60mm offset lens for $770, and a Nightforce 5.5-22 NXS for $750.

Was given a 1911 Remington Rand that started my entire collection; maybe that's the day and 'favor' that killed my bank account for the rest of my life.

But my deals weren't always so rosey....If there's a lesson for any newbies reading this, it's read, read, read, study long, then look hard (for the unscrupulous are out there too):

In 1970 I bought a sporterized Mauser 30-06 with Bushnell scope for $120. With factory ammo, no one could keep it under 6" at 100yd. Dealer said it was a collector's piece because there weren't many '06 Mausers

My second skinning came at a different dealer's hands--I bought a Walther P38 in 1970. A fine German war specimen, if ya believe him; it was pretty--I paid $140 as I recall; fell on hard times, and 2 months later took it back to him to sell. For a war specimen, it sure lost value in a hurry--he gave me $55 for it. Hell, it covered the rent.

 

[jefnvk]

Worst misses--a new in the box full-auto Thompson .45 with a drum mag for $750.

Ouch. I wish that sometime in my life, it will be legal to buy a new manufactured MG.

Best acquisition was a 10/22, Long Branch No.4 Mk.1 Enfield and T38 Arisaka for a NIB Rem 870. I was going to sell the 870 to buy a 10/22 anyway, so it was like getting two free guns.

Luckily, the only thing I regret not buying is a $40 M44. But, theyre still sll over for $60-70, so I'm not worried.

 

[Cosmoline]

$100 for a Finnish M-28 at a pawn shop was pretty nifty. It was worth three times that amount and was marked as a "Russian Rifle" by the owner.

$250 for a mint Iranian Mauser carbine with NO import markings was also very, very nice.

 

[Sead0nkey]

Bad deal - first gun a beretta 96 vertec $700 in MD


Great deal......still waiting

 

[Brian Williams]

95%+ 1950 S&W 38/44 Heavy Duty matching grips, small turn ring, light muzzle wear...... $295 otd


NIB Marlin 1894c $265 + nics and tax

S&W 35-1 like new $250 i think....


Like new Ruger MKII comp mod with Leupold m8 2x scope for $300

 

[Edward429451]

Worst: Streetsweeper 12 ga for $399. It may sound good but it was a POS.

Best:
Rem 700BDL 30/06 NIB w/sling, 2 boxes ammo...$250.

Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag, 7.5" used w/cowboy belt & holster...$160. (friend owns pawnshop.)

SKS in folding stock, used but great condition...Tip on a job!! (It pays to do your job well.)

Bushmaster XM15 20"--A late payment for an A/C install that I did for my sons friend's dad. He didn't have the $$ for the install, I did it anyway, he bought the equipment and was supposed to get back to me with payment or a trade in compensation. Few years later, I had written it off in my mind, here he comes...He didn't forget! I consider it free since I had written it off in my mind as just doing a favor for my sons friends, and to make my son look good. (It pays to be flexible.)

 

[C/O]

Worst: Beretta 84FS for a Keltec P-11. I thought I would get something smaller; which I did; But quality sucked.


Best: Free Glock 23. ( It was a gift )

 

[Monkeyleg]

"Worst misses--a new in the box full-auto Thompson .45 with a drum mag for $750."

Yeah, that would hurt. I sold my like-new full-auto Thompson in 1996 for what I'd paid for it in 1989: $1800, plus $300 for an original Bridgeport drum. I could buy a good used car for what FA Thompsons are going for now.

Another bad deal: bought a Spas-12 folder NIB for $450. Never shot it much (Spas 12 folder owners understand why). Sold it two years later at a gun show to a dealer who literally ran up to me. He sold it immediately to a customer at his table for $900.

A good deal: In exchange for doing a website for a friend's gun shop, I got a new Kimber Eclipse Target. I'm expecting another gun sometime this year or early next year.

Another good deal: got a NIB Leupold 6.5x20x50mm scope with target turrets and sunshade for $425. Retail is around $800.

A snooze an' you lose story: a friend came back from a rummage sale to tell me they had a belt-fed, Czech heavy machine gun for just a couple of hundred, fully operational. I didn't bother to go, but the BATF did.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

Worst deal. Charles Daly 1911 standard blued one, $500 OTD.

Best deal. Springfield Mil-Spec, the one with the lowered ejection port and nicer higher sights, $250 even.

 

[50 Freak]

Best:

S&W 686 357 mag Stainless = $225
Glock 27, 4 mags less than 100 rounds fired = $325
Glock 20, 3 factory highcaps (this was 3 years ago) + lasermax (worth $300 in itself) + nightsights = $450
NIW Unissued Enfield = $189
Norinco SKS paratrooper = $89

No bad ones. As I'm pretty careful with what I buy.

 

[ilcylic]

Best: $200 S&W 696 .44 Spl from my roommate in lieu of rent.

Worst: $1200 Romanian Romak-3 tagged as a "Dragunov" before I had any idea what a real Dragunov was. I don't go to that shop anymore.

-Ogre