$3000 for a single firearm

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The possibilities are endless. I know how I'd spend it but it ain't my money. I'd no sooner tell you how to spend yours than I'd want anyone telling me how to spend mine. If you don't have a clue how to spend $3000 on a single firearm, you probably shouldn't.

Just for the sake of a suggestion, my next $3000 gun will a custom Ruger. Either an Old Model Blackhawk .357 converted to a 7½" .38-40. It'll have a premium barrel, custom sights, Power Custom Colt SAA style grip frame, one-piece ivories, flat-top conversion, hand polishing, tuning, custom basepin, possibly an auxiliary cylinder in .401Powermag, 75% engraving and either a full carbona blue finish or blue with a case hardened frame, gate, hammer and trigger. But that probably wouldn't appeal to a lot of people.


I find that 90% of the questions asked here have been answered 20 or more years ago by Jeff Cooper in his Gargantuan Gunsite Gossip books.
Ain't that the truth! Seems to me that a lot of folks can't be bothered with reading books. There's only so much you can learn online asking one question at a time. The internet is loaded with people who think they know something because they heard it from some anonymous bozo on the internet.
 
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Currently I own one rifle that has a value around $2500.00. It is put away and waiting for a young man to reach the age of 21 then it's his. However the $3000.00 could be used for a down payment on having a custom made Holland & Holland shotgun built for you. Overall cost most likely would be in the $10,000.00 range but it is built to fit you and only have to wait about two years or so before you actually receive it.
 
custom made Holland & Holland shotgun built for you. Overall cost most likely would be in the $10,000.00 range

Sorry, you are off by a zero - a nice bespoke H&H with decent engraving is closer to $100,000 with a minimum of half down. Now there is a nice hand Fabbri being sold with a price of $225,000.00 and a year or so wait
 
Here's a matched pair in 20 bore:
http://www.gunsinternational.com/Ho...-Sidelock-Shotguns-pair-.cfm?gun_id=100219348
ONLY $216,000
and a single 28 bore:
http://www.gunsinternational.com/Ho...Condition-2011-Delivered.cfm?gun_id=100295708
ONLY $110,000

Now to be fair there are some deals on H&H out there, but these would be used:
http://www.gunsinternational.com/Holland-Holland-Royal-16-bore.cfm?gun_id=100298576
That's a 16 gauge from the 30's, only $42,000
For a better deal, here is one from 1910:
http://www.gunsinternational.com/Holland-Holland-Royal-12-gauge.cfm?gun_id=100267447 at only $22,500

As you can see, there ARE some deals on H&H, but the $3,000 amount doesn't quite cut it...... :D


Here's one where the CASE for the guns MIGHT be close to $3,000:
http://www.gunsinternational.com/HO...RIO-of-QUAIL-SUPERB-1987.cfm?gun_id=100234881 ;)

Going Italian? How about a nice USED Fabbri for a mere $265,000 - and the damn thing doesn't even come with a case!
http://www.gunsinternational.com/Fabbri-Best-Over-Under-20-ga.cfm?gun_id=100253163
Sorry, Griffin and Howe - I would add a Negrini case to make that gun move

The point is this - when it comes to high end guns, nothing beats the bespoke shotguns and rifles from England, Italy and Austria - they truly are works of art whose wood stock cost more than 3K, whose engraving is more like 30K (and up) but whose impeccable workmanship can be appreciated by those of us, even if we could only dream about them - much like a Ferrari or Bentley
 
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Do you hunt? This is a perfect time to have a custom rifle made for you. $3k doesn't go far as far as highest grades of woods for the stock are concerned (you may just get a good plank for one), but it definitely does build you a hunting rifle for a lifetime.

If you don't, I'd try to find something nice and rare. I'm not sure what Colt Boas go for nowadays, but that, along with the long barreled, scoped factory Python are near the top of my list. So is HK PSG-1, but prices have skyrocketed and I keep kicking myself for not getting one years ago when a local gun shop had them at MSRP.
 
I would get one of these.
It may cost more than 3K.
Dakota model 10.
SS1045.1.JPG
 
Ive sold my dear old 1990 v8 mustang for $3000. I want to take that cash and convert it to a single firearm. I have all my bases covered and don't need anything. If you were going to splurge on something, what would it be? I'm looking for ideas. Thanks.

My AR cost that much.

Cost of Colt
Colt LE6920: ~$1,180
Trijicon Accupoint TR24G: $760
LaRue SPR-E LT-139: $230
Troy Rear Folding Battlesite: $90
Geissle SSA trigger: $200
Magpul MOE+ grip and trigger guard: $30
Magpul MOE handguard w/QD attachment: $55
IWC SMC light mount: $50
Surefire/VTAC L4 weaponlight: $160
Vickers Combat Application Sling (VCAS): $75
Daniel Defense QD endplate: $50
BCM/Vltor gunfighter CH Mod 4: $35
Total: Approximately $2,915
 
Why is that?
Sorry it took 4 days to respond.

Because I would, and do, treat those kinds of purchases as investments. I posted this just a minute ago on another thread, but I can accomplish anything I need to accomplish with a gun for far less. Good ccw gun-$600. Good shotgun-$300-600. Good rifle 500-1000. Good pistol $800. Good 22 $300. In fact I can probably satisfy every shooting need I would ever have for $3000 total. A glock, AK, ruger77, mossberg, and a 10/22. Done. When I buy guns for that kind of money I just view them different. The most expensive gun I actually shoot is my deer rifle, which I bough used but in new condition for about $1200.

Probably because I am also not a big shooter. Love guns but don't shoot much.

I would spend it on an old Winchester, a presentation type m1, etc.



Edit- answer as to a question about my comment that I would not by a $3000 gun that I would shoot.
 
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I bought my Citori new for about $800 in 1983, probably about equivalent to $3000 now. I bought it because I wanted an over and under, and I expected it to be my using shotgun for years and years (it still is). I understood when I bought it that I would use it hard and it would get some blemishes.

Now, it's a bit scratched up and the bluing is worn off from carrying it. It even has some pitting in the chambers from my neglect. Still shoots fine though.

Point is, buy that double barrel you want and and enjoy it. Let your kids and grandkids learn on it. Pass it on when the time comes. It'll be worth every penny and then some.

As for buying a $3000 gun and not shooting it, would you buy a $30,000 car and not drive it?
 
I bought my Citori new for about $800 in 1983, probably about equivalent to $3000 now. I bought it because I wanted an over and under, and I expected it to be my using shotgun for years and years (it still is). I understood when I bought it that I would use it hard and it would get some blemishes.

Now, it's a bit scratched up and the bluing is worn off from carrying it. It even has some pitting in the chambers from my neglect. Still shoots fine though.

Point is, buy that double barrel you want and and enjoy it. Let your kids and grandkids learn on it. Pass it on when the time comes. It'll be worth every penny and then some.

As for buying a $3000 gun and not shooting it, would you buy a $30,000 car and not drive it?
I absolutely would by a car for 30,000 dollars and not drive it. If I was buying it as an investment. But a better analogy would be - would I purchase a gold coin and not spend it or a stamp and not mail something with it. I see a purchase of a gun at that price the same. But the guns I own and/or would buy for that price would not be for shooting anyway. Think old winchesters, presentation grade Garands, even mid century smiths in 99% condition. Or a pre 64 Winchester in 257 Roberts unfired and in the box. That's the kind of gun I am referring too. You would be crazy to shoot those. If I need something to kill a deer with, il go spend a lot less.

Jus me though. And like I said, I am not a huge shooter anyway. Love guns. Just don't make it to the range with them too often.
 
I bought my Citori new for about $800 in 1983, probably about equivalent to $3000 now. I bought it because I wanted an over and under, and I expected it to be my using shotgun for years and years (it still is)

Exactly, and if you shoot it enough, the cost of targets and ammo will FAR exceed the cost of the gun. My Gti cost me $1,000 new back in 1994 as it was being discontinued for the then new Browning 325. I am right at 250,000 targets through that gun in 18 years. Between reloads, factory ammo, registered targets and club targets, I figure an average cost of $.30/target over all that time - that's about $80,000 - the cost of the gun becomes a non-starter
 
Fa

If you have everything covered, you can get into full auto for that.
The trouble with FA firearms is that, while they are tremendous fun to shoot, you really can't use them for anything other than shooting lots of ammo at the range.
Pete.
 
KAC SR-25 or LaRue Tactical OBR 7.62 Rifles! (Don't chinch on the scope either.) ;)
 
Hmm. $3000?

Winchester 1885 High Wall in .38-55 would be tempting:
Model-1885-Traditional-Sporter-%E2%80%94-Case-Hardened-MID-534183-m.jpg


But I'd probably either find the nicest used SxS 16 gauge I could find or else get a custom mauser in 9.3x62 for that mythical safari that I'll never actually go on... ;)
 
Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I am most likely going to go with a double barreled shotgun as I like to go do sporting clays and i am about to move to a home that is literally 10 min away from the clay range so that would be something that would get used.

For a $3000 shotgun, I'd be looking at a Browning or Beretta O/U. Either will serve you well for years on end.

I envy your proximity to those clays.
 
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