What are a handful of the very best guns that got away from you?

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Solomonson

Solomonson

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What are a handful of the very best guns that got away from you? For me they include:

Steyr AUG SA. A consignment. $350 in 1989 just as gun control was going nuts here in CA. Nobody really knew what was going on. I really blew it not grabbing this one.

Colt M1911 Ultimate Stainless. NIB for $300.00 at a local gunshop in 2000. I was very much in the market for an M1911 but I just coldn't see myself showing up for a match as a neophyte back then with what amounted to a ceremonial/parade gun. Apparently others felt the same way as it sat on consignment for quite some time.

IBM produced M1 carbine. Excellent condition for $129.99 at a local shop. M1 Carbines were so looked down upon back then that no one would give me much information on owning one.

MAK 90. A local shop bought a couple of sea trains of them directly from Norinco. $129.99. Not the greatest firearm of all time, but for the price I should have bought two.

I've turned down better deals, but it's these few that really bug me when I stop to think...
 
A pair of Weatherby Vanguards come to mind. One was a 223 that was an absolute laser. The other was 257 mag. Both of them were under 1/2-MOA if I did my part. The 257 was a deer killer if there ever was one. Then there was a Jap Winchester 52B Sporter that would eat out a 10 shot ragged hole at 50 yards. You had to feed it Federal Gold Medal Match or Wolf, but it was scary accurate.
 
Pair of sequential serial numbered Bren 10s. Decided to walk around and think about them and get cash from an ATM. Gone when I returned 20 minutes later with cash in hand. Just a few years ago. Still burns.


.
 
Interarms Walther PPK/S. Bought in 1990 as a BU/OD gun while on the job. Sold a few years later during a rough spell.

S&W 659. Bought from another cop a few years before that (^.) Sold under same conditions.

I don't miss the Smith as much as the Walther.
 
Too many to count. Most were sold to finance my last divorce and then the house I bought once I was a free man again. Some that come to mind are a couple WWI Colt 1911's and a WWI Remington UMC 1911. 1903 Springfield National Match, 1941 factory blued US property Colt 1911-A1, M1D Garand bought directly from the DCM and several DCM Winchester M1 carbines.
 
lost out on a damn near mint condition type 99 arisaka on gunbroker. perfect stock and blueing, all matching even the dust cover. even the screws where still staked. my bid was up to 1800$, gun ended up going for 2600$ . ever since iv been kicking myself for not going higher. the condition rarity of the rifle is unreal.
 
I had a Remington 700 in 6 MM Rem
I got rid of it after it fired when I pushed off the safety--
Later I wished I had the gun repaired---bad mistake
 
1985 - Saw a rack of 20 M-1 Garand's at a Montgomery Ward store in Houston. $100 + tax on each. It was Sunday and my bank wasn't open. Came back the next day with $350 and they were all gone. Realized later that I had my checkbook in my back pocket the first time I was there.
2007 - Father bought house in Galveston. "Borrowed" my pristine Model 19 S&W "4 until he could get something of his own. Called me a few months later and told me he bought a 1911 and I could come and get mine anytime. Before I could get there Hurricane Ike swept through taking my Model 19 with it.
2010 - Had a vintage perfect Tokarev 7.62 x .25 WITHOUT the aftermarket safety. Sold it to finance another purchase thinking I could easily get another. Still can't believe how wrong I was on that one.

There are probably a few others but that's all that come to mind right now.
 
About 1982. Tolly I think the name was. double .577 black powder rifle in as new condition cased with accessories. $1500. I dream about that rifle to this day.
 
Every milsurp I passed up the last 30 years
Click to expand...

Make that 40 years and that would be more like it. Can't even recall all of the nice Lee Enfields, Swedish Mausers, and Swiss K31s that I passed on, thinking they would be around at those prices forever.
 
Back in the 90's I was going to buy a used 681 but at the last minute I decided on a new KGP-141 for a bit more, I regreted that decision as I never really liked the Ruger.
 
Regrets.... none really at the time, but I NOW regret all the Colt Diamondbacks and Pythons that I bought and later resold. This was during the period of 1988 through about 2000.
 
I had, and sold, a 95% WWII Luger, a nice nazi marked FN Herstal Hi-Power, a WWII Rem.-Rand 1911, a pristine, in the box with all papers, Hi-Standard Victor, and a nice early 60's Ruger Single Six revolver with both cylinders.

As far as bad buying decisions, I procrastinated too long over a like new boxed Colt Python for $800 two years ago. Gone by the time I made up my mind. Also passed on a WWII bring back Nambu pistol. At the time I had the Luger, the 1911, and the Hi-Power, would have made a nice WWII collection.
 
Universal M-1 Carbine.

Yeah, I know, Universals are the Rodney Dangerfields of the Carbine world, but it was my first center-fire rifle.
 
Lots of older smiths that I passed on. A NIB 6" security six blued (2 years ago) Winchester 32-20 and 12 ga knucklebuster that were given to me but I had to have a parent come fetch, the gentleman died the next day before they got fetched and I watched them sell at auction.
 
A four digit serial numbered "Winchester" 1917 Enfield in excellent original condition. Was many years ago, but I often think about why I didn't buy it. It was a really nice rifle.
 
USPS Postal Inspector Speed Six, BNIB.

I did find another two years ago, in near perfect condition but sans box.

Have seen several on GunBroker lately, but no boxes. OTOH, none of the sellers recently have known what they had, either.

Fantastic carry revolver, but I'd love to have a LNIB one for the safe.
 
sold:
Remington 600 in .22-250, a tack driver
Colt Anaconda 6" in .45LC
Czech Browning Hi Power
S&W 669
4" Ruger Service Six

too broke at the time to snag:
pre '64 Winchester Model 70 in 300 H&H............$300 :uhoh:
Ruger MkII bull barrel
Colt Python Hunter w case & scope, would have increased >10x in value
 
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