Rifle you didn't buy for whatever reason...

[redneck2]

There was a guy at the LGS that planned a trip to Africa. Ordered a CZ in .416 Rigby, which required a 50% non-refundable deposit as the demand for elephant rifles is rather low in northern Indiana. After seeing, he decides he wants the other model they offer and forfeited his deposit.

LGS gets the new one in. Trip gets cancelled and he doesn’t buy the new one either, so the LGS has not one but two .416’s. LGS doesn’t want to sit on them so they are pried at what he has in them. Half price for a NIB rifle is pretty tough to pass up, and I actually had one in my hands before I came to my senses. It would have been another among the rifles that I just had to have but never used.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Those ones that got away are just for you to be able to buy now when you have more money and the kids are out of the house.

 

[Barnfixer]

There was a Marlin 1897 cowboy .22 at the local Walmart, had been on the rack forever do to the high price. They started dropping the price but I decided to ride it out a bit. Then one day it was gone. Still wouldn’t mind one to this day.

 

[Steve S.]

The stock market pays for all of my firearms; I have two safes full of very nice stuff - nothing gets away that I want. However, I have hit a wall of firearms obesity and my appetite is satiated. So now the money just piles up and firearms no longer get purchased - I do have “enough”. When I was younger, this level of means was my aspiration and now that I have arrived, it feels like OK, now what. As has been stated, it is not about “stuff” but I am not convinced that it is about experiences either - those run together over time also. Life is a rhythm of repetition and then the rhythm abruptly stops - the older I get, the more I understand the wisdom of the ending.

 

[Chuck R.]

To me rifles are a lot like some women. They look great and seem lIke a good idea until you spend a little time with them.

I had two safes full of rifles. They’re almost all gone now. There were way more that never got shot than got used. I’ve still got a Browning BPCR that I bought maybe 25-30 years ago that‘s unfired and brand new condition. Don’t particularly want to sell it but should as I’ll very likely never fire it. But it’s beautiful and way cool so I hang onto it for unknown reasons.

At 74 Y.O, I’ve figured out that we buy all kinds of stuff just because we can buy stuff. See George Carlin’s comedy routine about “stuff” and it makes my point pretty well.

I understand completely!

I've got a Steyr MOD S in 8x68S with a Swarovski 1.25-6X on it that seemed like a great idea at the time. All up it's like 10lbs and "at the time" I was a 27 year old lieutenant, doing PT 5 days a week, and a 10lb+ rifle wasn't a big deal. I've killed one bull with it and it's sat in my vault since.

I also went through a BPCR phase, competed in silhouette, LR and buffalo matches. Custom ordered a Shiloh 74 in .45-100, a Ballard Rifle & Cartridge 1885 in .45-90, another in .40-70Win and another 1885 LW in .22LR to practice with. Beautiful rifles, exhibition grade wood, etc. All told I'm sitting on about $30k worth of BPCR rifles.

All of which are sitting with the Steyr.

 

[CowboyTim]

Rifles have never really been my siren-song, but there are a few that have narrowly escaped that shouldn’t have. Most notably there was an IH Garand at the pawn shop my neighbor owned when I was about 21. It was $750 and I know I could have got it for 675 or so but I wasn’t real sure of what I was looking at. It sat there for a few weeks and I never jumped at it. A coworker had one in .308 that was eating operating rods like candy. I remember being overly cautious about the gun because of his experiences.

Not necessarily a rifle for the other side of the coin, but a drilling. When old man Whittaker still sat beside the door and ran the show at Whittaker Guns there was a rack of drillings on the back side of the long gun room, farthest corner from the front door. There was usually 15 or so with price tags anywhere from 400 to 4000 and some nicer examples on display out of reach of the general public. I distinctly remember one being 16/16/7mm but nobody knew which 7mm. It was nice but not expensive. I kick myself regularly over that one.

I've got a case of the "I wonder"s about a Mauser 98 at a shop nearby. Not sure if they know exactly what it is except it's an 8mm and it's bigger than 8mm/06...been on the consignment rack for 2 years, if the price ever drops enough I may have to find out.

 

[Varminterror]

In general, up until Covid-ish (coincidentally, I think?), I would build or buy anything I wanted, at least temporarily, and at least for anything which wasn't super-expensive based on non-performance characteristics. Multiple times in my life, that philosophy DID mean I'd find myself looking at a grossly bloated collection - or rather accumulation - of firearms in my safes which I just didn't REALLY love, or REALLY have validating use to own (NOT saying anyone needs any more excuse than "I want it," to justify owning any firearm, but for my personal calculus, I wanted other things more than I wanted 300 different firearms which I never really touched - I prefer to make use of mine).

Admittedly, although not a rifle but a shotgun, I've lusted after a race built Benelli M4 for a long time - and I want to go through all of the hoops to modify it to supplant an M2 as a 3 gun race shotgun. I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it. I've bought 2x M4's, and I did have an M1S90 for a while, but I can't quite bring myself to put the work and money into the M4 to get what I want. Yes, I know guys are using the M2's, yes, that road is well known, but I like the M4's, and I really want to build up an "M4S90" type 3-gun competition shotgun someday. I also would REALLY like someone to convince me to buy another M1A "Socom" or whatever they're calling the 16" model today, and I've always wanted to have a Garand "Tanker" sitting around to look at, but in 2024 and beyond, I think those ships have sailed, docked, and been dismantled to build homes in the New World, and won't be returning to my port... I suppose my more tangible bucket list right now is looking at trying to modify a Marlin 1894 to accept a little longer cartridge (might have to go to a Marlin 1895 action length, smarter to use an M92 action, however) to feed my 357/44 B&D Mag cartridge loaded with Speer 180grn HotCor rifle bullets... I just can't quite get the ball rolling on that project - it's silly, but I really like the idea, and think I can get it done, all in, for around $3000, so well within reach. Probably becoming very tangible, but something I've waited a very long time to buy, I've always wanted a NICE, not extravagant O/U trap gun. My son is starting into the sport for his school team, so he'll get a decent option, not quite sure if we're going with a B gun yet, but leaning heavily towards a B gun clone to keep the price in reach that he might get an O/U and an Unsingle, and I might get an O/U to match his so we can keep practices more competitive as he learns the sport. But I suppose that's another shotgun... I'm still parlaying a proper 22LR for NRL22/PRS Rimfire, but I've started that project now by selling a few other firearms to begin funding that build - after the PRS Finale this season, I have refocused that I really want a 22LR practice analogy which perfectly matches my primary centerfire rifle - that has been ~8yrs coming, and still not realized, but I'm hoping I can convince myself to finish it this winter/spring.

 

[lightman]

I guess my "The one that got away" story was a Remington 700 in 300 BO. It had a synthetic stock and the short heavy threaded and fluted barrel. It looked nearly new but was slightly over priced. I let $50 or so keep me from buying it!

 

[ksh]

No regrets. Employ a strategy, have a plan, and have no regrets.

 

[Cornhusker77]

Springfield m1a Socom 16 Kryptek Highlander
I don't want it as bad as I once did, but I still want it.
I have a hard time spending that much money, but one day, I'll find one on sale.

 

[WisBorn]

I passed on my dream rifle in 1989. In 88 my wife and I bought our first house. It was on a lake. So we were saving to buy a boat in 1989.

Well, a used Model 700 Custom KS Mountain Rifle in 8mm Remington Magnum, found its way into a shop that I stopped at once and awhile. I passed on the rifle because that $800 was needed for the boat. Choices!!!

We loved the boat for the 18 years we owned it. Heck we sold the house in 1991....

 

[.308 Norma]

We loved the boat for the 18 years we owned it. Heck we sold the house in 1991....

So, you had the house for 2 years, and the boat you bought to go with it for 18 years?!?
That's too funny!!!
I'm glad it turned out good for you though. And I'm glad you enjoyed that boat. It sounds like you made the right choice letting the Model 700 Mountain Rifle go.

 

[hillman23]

There was a little gun shop across the street from the old Kimber of Oregon warehouse in Clackamas. I bought several guns from there but I walked away from a NIB model 89 African chambered in 375 HH that showed up on the shelf long after Kimber had moved across the country. It wasn’t cheap but the price was fair. Not anything I’ve ever “needed” but a pretty cool rifle nonetheless.

 

[dickydalton]

I can certainly relate to that. The one exception to that rule (that I can think of) would be my custom .308 Norma Magnum - which I ordered as my retirement gift to myself when I turned 62.
As I've explained before, I'd wanted a custom-built .308 Norma Magnum since I was 16 years old and my then girlfriend's dad had one. My custom-built .308 Norma Magnum rifle hasn't disappointed me even once in the 14 years I've had it - which is now 14 times as long as I had that girlfriend when I was 16!

When I was 12 I bought my first rifle, an 1891 Argentine sporter in 308. for a long time I wanted so bad, a 308 Norma Mag like a cousin of mine had. I never got one but bought a half finished custom 264 Mag in 1974 that I finished and still have and love. 50 years now and my lungs won't let me hunt.

 

[BreechFace]

Found a .257 mag Ruger #1 NIB w nice wood. $2500
The ol lady says GET IT!
I don't want to spend the money. Its so nice I'd be afraid to bash it hunting.
So am thinking an ugly cerkoted Weatherby Vanguard Talus instead.
This could end up being a double whammy LOL

Just gonna avoid thinking about a new rifle til first of the yr.

I just bid on a really nice 257 Bob Ruger No. 1 RSI with beautiful wood. I didn’t get it

 

[BreechFace]

I’ve been downsizing some guns that just sit as well. I have about 6 more to clear out.

I’m consolidating on calibers, I’m done with the new flavor of the day cartridges that have been coming out weekly as of late. I’ll stick with 223, 243 WIN, 308 WIN, 280ai, 450 BM and 375 Ruger. I’ll let the marketers take from everyone else on the new chambering, I’m out.

I love WWII long guns so I’ll always have those, but I have a portion of ammo for each and reloading supplies to shoot them

I’m in the process right now working on my French MAS 36 to make it more suitable for hunting and just general target shooting without destroying its value. Merging todays technology with old rifles trips my trigger if it can be done right and without ruining the value (can be returned to stock).

 

[.308 Norma]

but bought a half finished custom 264 Mag in 1974 that I finished and still have and love. 50 years now and my lungs won't let me hunt.

Good for you on finishing that 264 Mag!
The mighty 264 Mag has always intrigued me - ever since I saw a Model 70 "Westerner" stretched across the tops of two pages in a 1962 "Winchester-Western catalog in the country store/gas station my Mom and Dad owned and operated when I was growing up. BTW, $154.50 in 1962 dollars!
Sorry to hear about your lungs. I'm probably going to have to get my Cardiologist to sign off on a Disabled Hunter Permit myself this year - so that I can legally shoot from a motor vehicle as long as it's not moving or on a public road.
My wife already has a Disabled Hunter Permit (atrial fibrillation). So, most of our deer hunting anymore consists of driving around on our friend's ranch looking for a mule deer for my wife to shoot.
My wife doesn't like deer hunting that way very much. She'd rather be out climbing to the top of a ridge before daybreak like she used to do with me. She's still getting out there though. And she still makes the best chicken-fried venison steak with biscuits and gravy in the world! Come to think of it - maybe my wife's chicken-fried venison steak with biscuits and gravy is one of the reasons I've got heart issues now!
Just kidding. My wife has been my hunting partner for going on 53 years. And I wouldn't change a thing about it even if I knew that I'd have a few heart issues once I got to be 76 years old.

 

[Bearcat1982]

not a rifle. Ive only seen one for sale and it was not in person but on Gunbroker. It was my first search for one... I thought "I'll find another"... Not sure Id shell out what they would be going for now... but still keeping an eye out. Beretta Mini Cougar 9mm INOX.

 

[kimberkid]

I’ve bought things that wasn’t quite what I wanted on a few occasions, usually to save a few bucks … always regretted it. Sometimes tried to make it what I wanted and ended up spending more than what I originally wanted in the first place.

Now if I have to save a little more or wait a little longer I do it.

 

[Hookeye]

I waited too long on a used .257 mag Mark V with decent wood and a couple small dings.
Missed a StG58 clone on an old LMT made DS receiver........I was next in line LOL

About 40 yrs of this stuff and only missed two, that don't bother me.........not bad.

 

[Bazoo]

I guess for me it was a slightly beat up Ruger No.1 in 270 Winchester.

 

[unspellable]

There was a guy at the LGS that planned a trip to Africa. Ordered a CZ in .416 Rigby, which required a 50% non-refundable deposit as the demand for elephant rifles is rather low in northern Indiana. After seeing, he decides he wants the other model they offer and forfeited his deposit.

LGS gets the new one in. Trip gets cancelled and he doesn’t buy the new one either, so the LGS has not one but two .416’s. LGS doesn’t want to sit on them so they are pried at what he has in them. Half price for a NIB rifle is pretty tough to pass up, and I actually had one in my hands before I came to my senses. It would have been another among the rifles that I just had to have but never used.

I got a CZ 416 Rigby in just this this way. (Oops! This is "the one that got away" thread and this one didn't get away from me!)

 

[Jack Ryan]

The ones I regret most are guns a friend has offered to sell me and I didn't. Then after they are gone, I wish I had bought that shotgun, rifle, pistol just to have it.

 

[BreechFace]

I guess for me it was a slightly beat up Ruger No.1 in 270 Winchester.

Love me a No. 1

 

[Savage30L]

Years ago I wanted a Ruger Mini 14.
Once I finally put my hands on one and put it to my shoulder I immediately disliked it. It was like they were made for people of smaller stature. It sure didn’t fit me.
After hearing about their negatives I was glad it wasn’t for me.

There have been numerous rifles that sounded great to me in theory, but once I actually handled and in some cases shot them I was turned off by them for one reason or another.
Examples:
Browning BLR (felt awkward)
Ruger Scout Rifle with laminate stock (no balance)
Winchester 1895 (felt like I was manipulating a moose antler)

Similar experiences for me.....I bought a Mini-30, then got rid of it about 15 years later because of the poor stock design. Those guns would be good for someone about 5'4" in height. There was just no way for me to put the butt into my shoulder and achieve a cheek weld.

I also thought about a BLR, but when I put one to my shoulder, yes it was damned awkward....shame, because they're mechanically very good designs.