If "hind sight is 20-20" What firearm do you kick yourself on for not buying?

[kimberkid]

I had a few that in hind-sight I wish I'd bought but in recent years I found them and bought them.
Now I'm content ... I've said that before but now in my mid-60's and no gun-nuts in the family to pass them on to, I've considered selling some of them off, but even having trouble doing that ... cars, home and is paid for but still have one in collage but will probably sell off the happy-switch otto's and take a few well deserved vacations with the wife in the next few years.

There really aren't many that I kicked myself over, because if I wanted it bad enough, I found a way ... Some, I just didn't want it bad enough until years later.

Years later, I had regretted passing on was a Valmet Tube-Folder, the one I passed on was a 223, if it had been a 7.62x39 I'd have bought it then ... it wasn't, so I passed but a few years ago I found another Tube Folder in 223, bought it and discovered what the attraction is.

Also wanted a SiG 550 back in the mid 90's, but I figured there isn't anything it did that an AR wouldn't do ... so I waited 25+ years and paid 4 (or more) times as much for a used one!

Another was a Knights SR25 Match I passed on back in the day and acquired one 4-5 years ago.

Most of my problem then was not being able to appreciate the refinements.

 

[RKRCPA]

I remember sitting around with some friends in 1986 debating whether or not we should buy a full auto before the ban.

In hindsight, that was definitely a mistake.

 

[WestKentucky]

In 1999 I was 14 and I was mowing yards for a few neighbors. I saved up money to buy a rifle. I considered literally everything under the sun. I eventually settled on a savage 10 but couldn’t find one in the caliber I wanted. I would have preferred the Remington 700 but it was a hundred bucks more expensive. The Remington went on sale at Bass Pro for a fall hunting classic doorbuster sale. I got one in .270 win and loved the rifle. Fast forward to what I know now... the Savage was likely a better shooting gun and would have served me better since I could swap a barrel on myself now that it needs to happen. Even more frustrating is that I have grown very fond of TC contenders and ran across a crazy deal on one way back when and let Dad talk me out of it because I “shouldn’t be limited to one shot”. I should have bought the Savage AND the TC and only been slightly over what I ended up having in the rem700 after I put a scope and rings on it.

 

[swg1]

I sort of regret, snorting in disgust as I put the Norinco AK with the folding bayonet back on the shelf. It was $249 at the time. Buddy sold one in the box recently for over three grand,...

And now I own four differing AK's I paid a lot more for each.

 

[Justin]

In college I passed on a Broomhandled Mauser for $250.

 

[Ignition Override]

The primary regret was that the Gun Bug never really bit until age 52, in 2007. And it was only for milsurp rifles; No AKMs (totally ignorant about the very cool VZ-58!) and also No Handguns owned until roughly 2014.
An affordable HK P7 single or double-stack might be so nice.

Bought two "NIB" Saigas (.223 and 7.62x39) about five years ago - with absolutely no skills or tools for any level of "conversion". They were bought just to have two K's from a legendary Russian factory.
I easily could have afforded/justified finding a professional business to do the conversion on the 7.62x39, with wood installed.

That would have meant having a true Kalashnikov from Izhevsk Russia (why not be frank--), with the very appealing looks of stained wood. That's a solid regret.

 

[.38 Special]

That's a pretty long list! In general, I'd say that I didn't buy nearly enough old S&W revolvers. Here in California they command extraordinarily high prices, largely because our wacky laws don't allow them to be sold into the state. I bought my first pinned and recessed Model 29 sometime in the 1980s, picked out of a display case that had a dozen or so of them in 98%+ condition, and all with $350 price tags.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I remember gunshows in the late 1980s.

Vendors would have tables full of trade in Smiths; K-frames and N-frames. Dozens of them.
Take your pick, $250. Buy 5, make you a helluva deal.

The tables were full. Whenever one was purchased, the guys would reach behind them to a box and get out another to put in the empty spot.

I had to have the latest 9mm hi-cap whizbang.

Sigh....

 

[Fyrstyk]

I kick myself in the butt for not buying a Ruger Hawkeye (256 win Mag revolver with the rotating breech plug) that I had a chance to buy from a guy who said the ammo for it was too expensive. could have had the gun for $200.

 

[Pat Riot]

Wow! If I started down the list I might just go into depression.

The ones that truly stand out:
In 1983 I walked away from a brand new 4” S&W 586 for $289. Duh!

In 1998 I saw a Shiloh Sharps 45-70 on a gun show table of a guy that sold AR-15 uppers and parts. I asked him what he wanted for it and his exact words were “I don’t know anything about those things. I just want out of it what I got in it. Gimme four-hundred and twenty-five bucks.”
I figured something was very wrong and walked away. I stopped, thought about it a moment then turned to go back and buy it and there was a guy counting out hundred dollar bills to the guy for that Sharps.

I could go on, but it’ll do me no good. I have gotten some pretty good deals in my time so I guess it all evens out.

 

[jeepnik]

Webley Fosbery. It was only about $7000 at the time. Can't touch them for less than 5 figures now.

 

[Elkins45]

I regret not taking out a loan in 1985 and buying an M-16. Unfortunately I was just graduating from college and poor as a church mouse.

I also regret not taking out another loan in the early 90s and filling my basement with AKs and Colt pre-ban ARs. And I regret only buying one S&W model 10 when my favorite gun shop had a pegboard full of them for $139 during the police transition to 9mm autos.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I looked at a Thompson in the early 80s. Price was $1200 with tax stamp, and I had the money. I figured it would just be an expensive range toy and passed.

My dad was an antiques dealer and would buy and sell estates. He bought several guns out of one estate, and one was a Johnson Rifle. Dad was strictly a hunter so he didn't want it. I took it out and put 50 rounds through it and wasn't really impressed. He sold it for $150 after taking it to several gun shows.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

My list is easy as it closely mimics my *watched for* list:
Dan Wessons. Why...... OH WHY wasn't I buying more when they were still looked down upon?

Johnson Rifle. Was a time when they were literally in *pickle barrels* in pawn shops off Fort Bragg. Always figured there'd be time.

Most ANY Class III.... See above.

Open bolt MAC 10 & 11. See above and above THAT.

When Jim's Pawn Shop was selling Russian SKSs for $79.95 and the case price was $69.95 - I just never got around to buying a case.

Todd.

 

[SundownRider]

HK P7. Had a chance to pick one up for $700. Price one now.

 

[Phydeaux642]

HK P7. Had a chance to pick one up for $700. Price one now.

Same here. The last one I ran across before they went through the roof was $1,399 with five magazines and the box it came in. I was about to lose my job, so, I had to pass. At about the same time J&G Sales was selling P7 PSPs for $499 and $699.
A friend of mine has three P7 M8s new in the box with...wait for it...consecutive serial numbers. He also has one he used to carry.

 

[Palladan44]

A WW2 Colt 1911 about 10 years ago at a gun show.
Guy was asking 1000$ and i went for the cash in my pocket.....somebody literally stepped in front of me with 1000$ and took it... apparently this other guy had previously engaged the seller, but had to go to an ATM to get a few hundred more. I didnt feel so bad once i realized that. But it looked like he was about to let it go to me....if only that other guy was 10 seconds later..... oh well.

 

[Riomouse911]

Smiths, Dan’s, Coonans, HK SL 6 and 7 rifles, Pythons... there have been far too many “Wish I hads” to list .

Stay safe.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

HK SL 6 and 7 rifles

Yup!

Todd.

 

[George P]

Steyr AUGS for $450 WITH the LH bolt cinversion as well
30 carbines for $169
98 Mauser for $100

HK P7. Had a chance to pick one up for $700. Price one now.

Bought one for $600 2 years ago, another for $800 the year before from a retail shop - I love mine

 

[gunlaw]

Detonics combat master no sights. $600. Dang I cheeped out on that one.

 

[DrDeFab]

If I had to pick just one, it would be a particular K31 - all matching, 95% or better finish, spotless bore, very clean blonde beechwood stock. It really stood out in a stack of well-worn walnut stocked ones. Showed up at a couple of shows in a row back around 2008 - $279 including accessory bundle, IIRC.

 

[Jeff62]

H&K P7.

 

[Bronco72]

Yep, my list is long ! But the one I think often was an original 1886 Winchester deluxe take down, at least 90 %. Could of had it for $5000. Now this was in the 80's !

Edit: I forgot to mention that it was a 50-110 .

 

[DustyGmt]

Oh boy, I have a few of those. Oh jeez there was a nice Mossberg 500 I should have bought for $150 and a double stack Para 1911 for $500.

On the Para it was a buddy of mine who had his military insignia engraved on it so it was kind of a personalized firearm. I could have stolen it but I didn't feel right about paying as lil as he wanted and tried to talk him into keeping it but he sold it and then a few years later won 3mil Lottery so I guess I should have bought it, lol.

There was a Winchester M1 carbine I could have bought for $500 I wish I'd bought and I once found a classified ad in the paper for an M1 Garand for $175, I thought it was bogus but I called anyway, the gentleman who answered sounded like he was 100 years old and told me he was just walking back into the house to the phone ringing and had literally just concluded the deal with some lucky guy. I always wondered if it was the issued rifle to the man on the phone, it would kind of make sense since it was pretty clear he was WW2 demographic and was asking so little.... hmm, I'll never know but I wish I'd picked it up.

I know there are a few others I wished I'd bought but can't think right now. They'll come back to me sooner or later.....