What is your "grail" gun?

[22250Rem]

If I were to move to a more suitable state and my net worth was a lot higher I would have to go the full auto route just because I could. That would be the ultimate "grail" for me. It also would fit a previous posters definition of "grail" as being something rare and difficult to obtain. Well; full auto firearms are indeed rare in the civilian world and for most of us it would be difficult to obtain enough money to purchase / maintain / and afford vast amounts of ammunition. So there's the rare and difficult to obtain prerequisites so with enough money and a relocation that "grail" could be reached . One of my "grail" handguns was always the German Luger. But over the years I decided that they were too expensive and sort of put that idea on the back burner. Then in 1997 one of my uncles told me about the Luger he had brought home from Germany in 1945. It was in his closet and he had never mentioned it. Eventually I wound up inheriting it as his son wasn't interested in it and because of that he indicated that in that case it should go to me. So now to me it's not only a grail gun but also what I refer to as an "heirloom gun".

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Let's break this down. The Holy Grail was the chalice/cup/vessel Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper to celebrate the proto-Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. A fairly unremarkable cup made of stone, it's unbelievably special based on its history, who made use of it and for what reason.

That said I would like to own a .50 BMG M2 water cooled machine gun that had been fired at some point by Gen. George Patton. Being a native Californio I would love to one day do the following at my home range -- IN California!

This is awesome once that sucker starts firing!​

Apparently you never read the DaVinci code. The grail is Mary Magdalene.
Gun wise I would dearly love (and have use for) a .500 nitro double rifle. Any British maker would be fine.

 

[tark]

Really nice double rifle. Holland & Holland, etc. I have less than zero use for it. Just always wanted one since high school.

You too? Every since I read "Hunter" by John Hunter, the most incredible African hunting book ever written. I have had the rare privilege 35 years ago, of getting to fire several several Best Quality English double rifles, to include both Holland and Holland and Purdey examples. My favorite was the Army-Navy (determined to have been an H&H) .577-3" Nitro Express. I shot it twice, which was not fun. Okay, it kinda was, but I was hurting the rest of the day.

That's the one I want. Of course, I will have to win the lotto to get one, and even then....probably never. Only a handful left and they're not for sale.

I'd love to have a Type 1,2,or 3 gas trap Garand, but same problem. Only about fifty known to exist, most of them in museums or private collections.

So that leaves a gun that is actually available and within my budget. That gun is a SIG P-210, which I have come into contact with for the first time only a few days ago. I was gob-smacked, as the Aussies would say. It will be Swiss made, Army or commercial, and old, C&R eligible. Has to be the highest quality production pistol ever made, and the most accurate.

THAT, is my realistically attainable holy grail.

 

[Hardtarget]

My #1 has already been mentioned, but...#1...the 1941 Johnson, #2... 4" blue Python, #3...A "1 of 1000" Winchester rifles. (18** ?) Any caliber offered. I'm not sure when they were made...but I'd like to have one.

Mark

 

[Solomonson]

Apparently you never read the DaVinci code. The grail is Mary Magdalene.
Gun wise I would dearly love (and have use for) a .500 nitro double rifle. Any British maker would be fine.

LOL!! You gotta be kidding!!

 

[jim in Anchorage]

LOL!! You gotta be kidding!!

About Mary Magdalene or the gun?

 

[fpgt72]

I would like to acquire an excellent-condition G/K43 ... for no more than I spent on my 1969 MGB in 1973 ($1500).

Yeah, I know, not gonna happen ... I missed the boat on those prices.

I have even tried to find/entice someone with a surfeit of G/K43s who is interested in one of my (2 of 6) close-to-mint SVT-40s ... no luck.

I got my...just ok...G43 about 3 years ago for 1100....it has been sportered and had a repro stock....but the rest of it was there. Even came with a magazine that was modded (well) to 5 rounds. Guess someone used it for hunting.

Once and a while a good deal will show up. Go to real "collector" shows....many times the price for a real enthusiast will be more normal...or even very good.

Got a M1 Carbine BB gun at a collector show for $100....only thing wrong with it was the kid had his name on the magazine. If you know anything about those guns they are pretty hard to find.

 

[fpgt72]

Add a nice Remington model 8 to my list....not an 81, but an 8.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

A very clean, 4" S&W Outdoorsman Heavy Duty.

An SBR'd H&K SP5K.

 

[goldpelican]

Can you disassemble them into "salvage parts" and ship them piecemeal?

And, if you're interested, I have a S&W revolver in .32-20 (Mod. of 1905 - 4th change) with a 6" barrel. It's at least 75 years old, possibly more than 85 y.o.

Nope, can't disassemble, still need an Australian license to possess parts, and Australian Department of Defence approval to export - a barreled action is out of the question without going through the same hoops. Firearm laws are ridiculous down under. I saw a NZ woman get arrested in Sydney Airport for having a telescope in her carry-on - she was flying LA to Auckland via Sydney, and was told she was being charged with illegally importing a firearm accessory because the box was labelled "AR15", which are a "Category D" weapon. I'm pretty sure that she was *legally* allowed to possess a telescopic sight, and that a telescopic sight isn't considered an item that you need a license to import, regardless of what marketing was printed on the box, but there mere mention of AR15 on the box got her into all sorts of issues. As this happened in an arrivals terminal I have no idea what the outcome for her was, but she missed her connection to New Zealand and copped a nice international legal headache.

Thank you kindly for the offer on the S&W but it's probably out of my price range at the moment. Car needs new shoes this month.

 

[barnett]

A nice 20 ga. Holland & Holland or maybe a Westley Richards droplock.

 

[Hangingrock]

A "grail gun," by definition, has to be rare and difficult to obtain. Some of the answers here are very common guns. An M1 Carbine? Really?

Would a M14 manufactured by Winchester that I acquired during "Operation Starlite" Viet-Nam 1965 to supplement my issued 1911A-1 meet your criteria of a Grail Gun?

 

[MTNSTRYDER]

A Contender in the best long range hunting caliber for large game with shooting sticks. That I can strap to my back quiver for that once in a life time shot when I’m hunting with my Shew Clasic Longbow.

I’m open to caliber suggestions?
I do have a grail gun way out of price range .A Lever Action 460s&w carbine with a scout scope.Well over $3000.00. For me the holy grail of guns

 

[stoky]

7-30 Waters, IMO probably the best Contender Cartridge.
If elk, moose or brown bear are considered, .357 Herrett or Maximum.
There's bigger stuff around, but it will really constrain your max range.

 

[Solomonson]

About Mary Magdalene or the gun?

About citing the DaVinci Code, and suggesting that the Holy Grail is Mary Magdalene.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

About citing the DaVinci Code, and suggesting that the Holy Grail is Mary Magdalene.

It's not my idea. Ask the author Dan Brown.

 

[stoky]

we be on thin ice about now

 

[Sarge7402]

Colt Official Police with a 3" barrel in .41 Colt. Only a very few were made in the late 20's to early 30's. Have an Army Special (same gun different name) with a 5 inch barrel.

 

[george burns]

I would like a Precision 338 Lapua Mag, with a night vision scope and a ton of ammo.

 

[Solomonson]

It's not my idea. Ask the author Dan Brown.

All I'm saying is that the "Da Vinci Code" is a load of manure from a historical standpoint.

 

[GBExpat]

Deleted Silly (stupid) response ...

 

[Solomonson]

I was not aware (until now) that Dan Brown's definition was the only one allowed. Good to know.

I really hope that the person I was responding to was being sarcastic with regard to Brown and not trying to hold him up as some sort of authority? He really soiled the ottoman with that movie.

 

[Archie]

I just hope "Jim in Anchorage" doesn't get his firearms knowledge from the movies (or fictional books) as well.

I collect .32 Autos from the first half of the last Century and infantry rifles of WW I (the Great War). So my desired firearms are many and varied in those categories. Coming to mind immediately, I'm looking for an M1903 Greek Mannlicher rifle, and a Dutch Mannlicher (1909 I think) rifle. In the .32 Automatic pistol group, a Remington 51.

And even though they don't really 'fit' in my focus groups, I would be delighted to get a pre-WWII Colt commercial Government Model in .45 ACP, nickel-plated and the same in Super .38. Probably can't afford either one, but one may dream.

 

[slumlord44]

A Pope Stevens 44 1/2. Haven't convinced myself to sell enough guns to afford to buy one yet.

 

[Jimster]

I want a civil war Gatling gun and thousands of black powder rounds! That would be awesome!