The one that got away

[rock jock]

Sunday afternoon I happened to browse a local website with a rather sizable classifieds section of guns. An ad was listed that had been posted ten minutes before:

"Glock 20, excellent condition, 6 factory high-capacity magazines, 500 rds NIB 10 mm ammo. $350."

My jaw hit the keyboard and I re-read it in disbelief. But no, this was not a misprint. I sent an email requesting a phone number and waited and waited for a reply. Got a response a half-hour later and called the guy but he had just sold it. Here's the kicker: the guy said mine was the first inquiry he receivedhe and he had sent a reply email immediately. I checked my email settings and the "check for new messages" was set at 30 minutes. AAHHHH!!! How cruel life can be. That was a once in a lifetime opportunity, now gone.

 

[10-Ring]

OUCH! Life can be cruel

 

[New_comer]

I've lost out on two occasions: A HK P7M8, and a Kahr E9.

With the latter, I had just turned my head to call the wifey to boast about my find, when the guy beside me pulled out a bundle as his deposit, and I lost the chance to own possibly the rarest pistol in our neck o' the woods...

 

[Tamara]

A couple of months back, I passed on a $400ish blued Delta Elite because it was kinda ugly.

I got home, came to my senses, went back to check on it, and it was gone. The sad thing was, it had sat in the showcase for a couple of months up to that point (it was really ugly) and only sold once I had made up my mind to buy it. Ain't that always how it works?

 

[JJohnston015]

Watched a 3" M29 go un-bid-on several times on Auction arms. I made up my mind to bid on it the next time it showed up. As soon as I did, I was in a bidding war with another guy (wouldn't surprise me if he was a shill). I had already decided it wasn't going to get away, but I paid more than I wanted to.

There have been several that got away, not because I didn't act, but because I was broke. There was the Delta Elite, the Coonan, all those standard capacity magazines, etc.

 

[clubsoda22]

HOLY CRAP! Those 6 factory high caps alone are worth twice what he was asking for the gun and magazines togeather!

 

[rock jock]

club,

Yeah, I conservatively figured the package was worth $1,000, assuming $80 each for the mags and $150 for the ammo. I asked why it was so low and he said it belonged to his cousin and that the cousin wanted another gun and just wanted to get rid of it. I replied that the mags alone were worth more than that and he said that three of the mags didn't work real well anymore, but that the other three were essentially unused. I asked him if he knew he could buy replacement mag springs for about $6 but he didn't sound too interested. What really hurt about that deal is that the G20 is the only handgun I really want to complete my collection and have been watching out for a good used one for some time.

 

[Mute]

Ha! That's nothing. Some guy on another forum missed a chance for a Wilson SDS for $1000.

 

[sturmruger]

LOL

The one that got away. Those are always the best stories.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I passed up a HK VP-70 with 2 mags for $375 or so. Should have bought it. Just a year or so ago CDNN had VP70 mags for cheap.

I'm sure there were others over the years but I think that was a deal.

 

[coldshot03/04]

Preban UZI pistol for $250 about 7-8 yrs ago. Still kicking myself in the butt.

 

[A Haslem]

I traded a genuine Swenson Colt 1911 for a Kimber Compact CDP, this was before I knew what a Swenson was worth. Education can be expensive.

 

[stans]

Mauser 98, Nazi marked, Portugese crest, $175, if I recall correctly and it had all matching numbers. It was in with a whole bunch of mismatched Mausers. I did not have the money at that show, but I determined to save my money and hoped to get it at the next show. Well, between shows the company figured out what they had and it was re-priced at way over $300.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Before the 1994 Black Gun ban, an aquaintance of mine was unloading a ton of guns that he didn't want anymore. I could have had an HK 91 for $700, an Uzi carbine for (IIRC) about $400, a like-new Python Hunter package for $600, and an assortment of other guns. I didn't have money for more than one, so I chose a Colt Delta HBar for $800.

Before the crash of collector car prices in the early nineties, a client of mine offered to take my Jag XKE in trade for one or possibly two of his three Colt SAA's. All were from the late 1800's, in 90-95% condition, nickle-plated and factory engraved, and with a letter from Colt. In March of 2000, I sold my Jag for $20,000 and put the money into a mutual fund. :banghead:

 

[Tamara]

Monkeyleg,

On the flip side of that, I passed up an XKE in the early '80s for only a few grand. Despite being through a fresh mechanical & interior restoration, I wasn't about to pay ~$3,000 for a car that needed a paint job and a new top.

D'oh! (At the peak of the collector car boom, less than 10 years later, that same car would have been worth ~$50k. )

Then again, I sold a '70 GTO for $500 (it needed a new distributor) and an HK SP-89 for ~$1,200 (and felt like a financial genius at the time for doubling my money.)

 

[Ky Larry]

Not a handgun but...... A lady I work with was recently widowed and sold her husband's new deer rifle. It was a Browning BAR Safari Grade in 7mm Rem mag with a Leopold 3x9 Vari-x 3 scope. It had been fired 5 times. She sold it to a guy at work for$300. In case anything happens to me, I have a list of what I paid for every gun I own. I keep the list with my will so my wife won't get robbed. Shoot well and often.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I once bought a Colt Python half an hour after it was put in the display case. I missed buying a Smith & Wesson model 657 with a four-inch barrel at a pretty good price because I went home for my check book. Win a few, lose a few, I guess.

 

[Legionnaire]

Tamara,

Reminds me of a story about an E-Type in the Pittsburgh area in the late 1970s. Seems there was an ad in the classifieds listing the Jag for $700. The guy who bought it thought it must have been a typo, but called anyway. No typo. He went over and found the car was in beautiful condition. Paid cash on the spot.

He asked the woman selling the car why the price was so low. She said, "My husband ran off with his secretary. He called me and said, 'Sell the Jag and send me half the money.' I need $350, so ... "

 

[rock jock]

Legionnaire,

Good story, but I have heard it three different ways with a different city and car every time.

 

[RTFM]

Passed on a S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman 6"NIB later found out it was a first production gun. $175..... D'oh I said I did not like wheel guns.

By the time I realized my mistake, the seller realized his cost mistake and raised the price another $300

 

[Trumpet]

Heck,
Just the other day I missed (by hours) a S&W 686 3" CS-1 (Customs Service issue). NIB, unfired. :banghead: :banghead:

Rich