Ever buy out of a pure sense of nostalgia?

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CAS700850

CAS700850

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Growing up, my grandfather (a dentist) carried a High Standard Derringer (.22 Magnum) everywhere. I cannot recall how many times I would see him take it from his pocket at the end of the day, with his wallet, pocket knife, etc., and set it on the mantle. No, none of us kids ever touched it. We new better. We'd go to his fishing/boating cottage in Kentucky, and he'd fire it occassionally at a snake, or just for the fun of pulling the trigger a couple of times at a can. I can still picture the blue/black pistol with the off-white grips. Never got to fire it, as he moved to Florida long before I was strong enough to safely pull that trigger. Gun is still there with him, as far as I know, along with his .38 Super 1911 that I also covet, also blue with off white grips.

Anyways, I'm browsing a local gunshop when I see that gun in the used gun case. In good condition, price was $225. After looking on-line, it seems to be a pretty fair price, though a staring point for haggling.

Besides wondering what the little thing is like to fire, I wonder how many of you have made purchases out of nothing more than a sense of pure nostalgia? I have no use for this gun, really. I can carry a much more efficient gun, in a better caliber, just as easily. And, it would only be purchased as a shooter, not a collector's item. Anyone purchase for nostalgia and regret it? Anyone's memories ruined by reality? Should I pursue this one, or let it go and stick with the memories?
 
I don't know about the High Standard 22 Magnum derringer, but I did buy a Winchester 1873 made in 1887 and a Colt Model 1849 pocket pistol made in 1863 just for pure nostalgia's sake. YMMV
 
I would buy the following for nostalgia, if I could - P38, as it was my brother' very first pistol, (mine was an Astra A-80...we won't go there...), a Harrington and Richards Model 88, my first long departed shotgun, Wards Western Field, (Mossberg), 22 bolt action, my Stepdad's rifle, went bye bye for the wrong reason many moons ago. That was a cool tack driver, with scope and peep sight installed, and a one screw takedown. :cool:
 
Sure. That's why I got my Mosin that started me on the slippery slope of gun nuttery - that's what my grandfather carried in the war. And the Nagant and TT were what my other grandfather carried.
 
sure. Not so long ago I got a Marlin 995 because that was my first gun that I stupidly sold somewhere along the line. I also have a Remington Model 8 that I got a couple years ago because I thought they were cool when I was a kid. Several of my recent purchases of old S&W 38's have been out of nostalgia. Not a thing wrong with it.
 
Should I can I would buy a Winchester lever action because I loved rifleman when I was a kid.

CZhen
Fl
 
That is the very reason I purchased my Colt WWI reissue .45 ACP

There is absolutely no reason other than my Great-Uncle Bill carried "her" in WWI. Everytime I pick "her" up, I think of how "she" protected my uncle, his friends...notice the "her", "she". If that doesn't fit you bill of the why I purchased "her", nothing else could. She's a beauty and my wife is jealous, but that's okay. She and my wife are the only two ladies in my life. No regrets. We'll have to see if the "marriage" will last as-long-as that with my wife of 20 years.

Doc2005 :D
 
Hell,

I'd like to STOP buying out of nostalgia!

I have all the carry-hunting-self defense guns I will ever NEED.

Now I buy what I like, and hopefully like what I buy.

I guess that is why when someone says "My Daddy had a gun like that..." I can reach into a safe and show them another one!
 
Nostalgia is why I will buy a M1 Garand at some point.

I can't help thinking about my Grandfather everytime I see one.

I don't need anymore reason than that.

Of course I will then have to buy a Springfield M1 after that....oh well.
 
Buy guns for nostalgia? Sure, along with a hundred other reasons.

I used to own the very derringer of which you speak. The trigger pull is the safety, so to speak, because it takes two men and a small boy to manage it. On mine, the barrels didn't shoot anywhere close to one another. Despite all that, I shot it enough to spread the frame at the hinge, because I didn't have any other handguns at the time.

Every time I see one for sale, I think about buying it, just for nostalgia, and because I think they're kinda cool.
 
(In my best "Curly" voice):

"Soitanly"

US Rifle Cal .30 M1...Dad was a WWII Army Infantryman, carried one through the Pacific Theatre. Also was one of the guys making them during the '50's in the Evansville, IN 'Refridgeration & Machine Works' plant of International Harvester.

Same reason I have one of Springfield's "GI-45" models..closest to Dad's sidearm that I can afford. Much as I would like to have A Remington Rand or Ithaca 1911, on my budget..."A.H." . . Ain't Happenin'

Mosin-Nagant M-44 and an SKS...because I wanted a couple of arms from "The Other Guys". Eventually, I will get a Mauser, an Arisaka, and probably a Carcano (sp??). Gotta put one of the SMLE's on the list, too

Also on the distant future 'wish list'...One example of Georg Luger's "Pistole Parabellum '08" and an authentic WWII vintage Walther P-38. Also one the Japanese "Nambu" (sp??) handguns. A Nagant revolver, and maybe one of the Brit Webleys.
 
The lever actions that I've bought were mostly for that reason. My father had (has) a Marlin 336 that I used to admire, so I bought one of my own when I started getting interested in firearms again. I like alot of the 'cowboy' guns but haven't gotten into CAS.

jmm
 
Rossi 20 gauge coach gun... My dad had one and it was one of the first guns I learned to shoot with so when I needed a shotgun I bought a Rossi coach gun exactly like the onemy dad used to have (got stolen along with most of our other guns when my dad's house got burglerized). The Marlin lever action I have on order might be another example, again my dad had a marlin chambered in 35 when I was growing up (it had belonged to my grandfather originally). When I needed a cowboy rifle I decided on a Marlin purely on the performance of my dad's old Marlin lever gun and the fun I had shooting it when I was a kid.
 
Bought a .32 Browning Pantented Colt Hammerless Pocket Pistol for that very reason (it just happened to also have "U.S. Property" markings on it)
 
i bought a 1911 becuase of a couple of storys of my uncle and his .45 in veitnam.
 
Yep.

Every Win 94 type and C&R gun I buy is out of some sort of respect for the past. Lots of fine memories of my own tied up in these kind of guns...as well as for the more "elder shooters" I share them with.
 
I bought my son a Ruger 10/22 because it was the first rifle I ever actually owned.
 
Recently I picked up a Remington SPortsman 48 12 gauge. My dad has one and, at 84, still seems to be in no hurry to let me inherit his. I now have my ow!
 
I guess I'd like to get a Harrington and Richardson made M16A1 like my issue rifle was, but probably not in the near future.

I of course wonder at the history my C&R guns have; I have a Finnish Mosin Nagant that could have been in six conflicts, and looks like it has been.

I have a Colt M1860 replica my uncle built for my grandpa, who's own grandpa was an Artillery Sgt. in the Civil War. I and my grandpa were named after him.

As for my own nostalgia, I'd like to get an H&R .22 'Schofield' like the one I took apart when I was ten,(intending to put back together again, and yes,I was able then[maybe even now ;) ]) and my Mom threw out. My Dad bought a similar H&R 999, which I get to shoot when we visit. :)
 
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