Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What's best rifle deal a buddy has told you about?

I never get good deals, but constantly hear from friends about killer deals they got on rifles or shotguns...like today:

My old work partner, only mildly interested in guns, calls up for advice on a good, but less spendy, first centerfire for his 12-year-old boy.

I gave my current stock answer: Ruger American Compact in .223 or the Predator Compact .223 if you can get him to wear ear plugs while hunting.

Then he asks for advice on a scope for a new rifle he just got a deal on, something called a "TEAK-OH" T3 Lite in .308!

I give a scope suggestion, then made mistake of asking what he paid his divorce-strapped buddy.

"I gave him $150 cash, he didn't have the box but says he's never shot it," says Scooby. "There's not a scratch on it. Did I do OK?"

"Yeah, Kev, ya did good!" says I, holding back tears. Bout punched myself in the plums when I got off the line.

Just interested in hearing about similar experiences y'all have had.

Didn't hear from a buddy but I did score a matching number k98 mauser from a pawn shop for $150 once. Ony issue with it was someone had tried to finish the stock with varnish. I sold it to a WWII collector friend of mine for $450...less than it's value but when I told him about the deal he told me that he'd triple my money on it if I ever wanted to get rid of it.

I'm usually the "buddy" who's telling others about the good deals I find.

Sako Finnwolf unfired in leather custom carry case...
I'm going to say under 1k so y'all don't cry.

My only good deal ever I screwed up during a bad period in American history.

A sportswriter at the paper I used to work at before changing careers was not an outdoorsman. He sold me his late father's pristine Model 12 16-gauge for $180 in '91.

I never took it hunting, just busted a few handthrown clays. Never checked its value either.

Two weeks after Clinton's "It's a Crime, Bill" passed illegally, I went to a gunshow swapped it for a Colt HBAR upper priced at $430.

Many times since have I kicked my own azz for that.

I'm not a big AR guy, but my few transactions with them have all been favorable to me. I bought a Clinton pre-ban Bushmaster M4 style for $1500 cash in the late 90s. Shot a box through it, put it in the safe, then decided that was too much money just sitting there not being used (it would be worth about $750 today). Sold it for $1900, bought a $600 post-ban Bushmaster as a beater. I put a few hundred in it changing out the stock, trigger, rail, etc. then sold it for a profit when Obama got elected the 1st time.

I helped butchered a cow for a neighbor down the road and he had some cheap 22 cb long that wasnt cleanly stunning the cows. I asked him if he had anything else, he went back to the attic and brought out a 30-06. When i saw it it was a nice pre-64 standard that belonged to his older brother. We finished up buthering and i asked if he was willing to let go of the rifle. He let me gave it for $400. I came home happy and the gun still sits in my safe.

I don't have any bottom-dollar deals with friends to brag about. I wouldn't rip my friend off by buying something far cheaper than its actual value, even if he offered it to me at that cheap price.

About 12 years ago, one of my buddies who spends most of his free time at local flea markets called me at work one day and said "What's a .416 Rigby worth?" "Made by who?" I asked. "Rigby" he said. I was fairly busy and said "What are you getting at George?" "There's a guy out here at the flea market with one trying to sell it to get some Christmas money." I said "A real Rigby?" He said yes. I said "I seriously doubt there's a Rigby walking around the fu*ckin' flea market in Po-Dunk South Carolina. What does it look like?" "Well, it's a old bolt action with open sights. It doesn't have holes for a scope and there's some kind of crest on the receiver. The blueing is pretty worn. He wants $600 for it." I thought George was just punking me but after I told him I needed to get back to work I thought about it. George is a hunter but doesn't know squat about big bore guns and I seriously doubt he knew what a Rigby was, at least not enough about them to fabricate a pretty accurate description of a pre-war Rigby Mauser. I called him back a few minutes later and asked if he was serious and he swore he was but while he was on the phone with me the guy sold it to somebody for $400 because that was the best offer he had gotten. I still cringe about that one...
The other one that stands out wasn't a friend but a customer that walked into the first gun shop I work at about 20 years ago. He asked if we had any ammo for a .25/35. I did and laid a box on the counter. I asked him what kind of rifle he had and he said it was a Savage. I said "A Savage 99?" He said he didn't know what model it was but that he had just bought it in a pawn shop in a sleepy little town down near the coast. "I've got it in the truck if you want to see it." When he brought it in, I almost fainted. It was a lovely 1899 Carbine in almost perfect original condition, probably 90%. I asked him what he paid for it and he said "He sold it to me for $300 because he had had it for about a year and ammo is hard to get." I nearly cried because I had driven by the very pawn shop he bought it in about a month earlier and didn't stop....

the only deals I hear about from friends are the way overpriced rifles they want to sell me

A friend told me, years ago, of a widow who was selling off her deceased husband's sporting goods. Among the items for sale were a Winchester M70, pre''64, .270, in perfect condition. Sale price was $250. I bought it!

All of my friends are a**holes. They only tell me about deals after they buy them. 'Course, I do the same thing.

Best friend moved to Oregon a few years back calls me from a yard sale "theirs a pre 64 m70 270 win with 2x7 leo.scope there sling & gun case for 275.00 do I want it as he doesn't need it and the stock has been cut short and a recoil pad installed."

Shure why not scopes worth that. Few weeks later brings it to me (he wants the sling for his efforts). Metals perfect stock shorten and refinished so I added a hard wood spacer and a new 1 in. thick recoil and it shoot most loads under an inch. Four years later it's still one of my favorite rifles . Sure glad my buddy's a Remington kind of guy.

My friend ChipM recently found to rifles he told me abut at local joints.

Kimber Montana in like new condition for $1000 and a Weatherby U/L in .270 Win for $900. If either one is available after Christmas, it will cme home with me...

Unless Chip takes first dibs....

One of my uncles who passed on this past July, bought a Ruger 77 in 30-06, a Winchester Model 12 in 20 gauge, and a Mossberg pump 410 all for $275 back in the 90s.

Rem 700P in .308. 26" barrel, H&S precision stock, leupold 3.5x10 scope with tactical turrets.
$600. It's in the safe.

A few years ago, Cruiser1 posted a link to an Armslist ad for a custom SAKO L579 in 7mm08 with Pacnor barrel, McMillan Edge, rings, and a few hundred loaded rounds and pieces of brass for $550. My cousin lived a few miles from the guy and picked up the rifle for me a few hours later.

Hey Cruiser1: Thanks, Buddy!

A few years ago went to my LGS and one of they guys working there said weren't you in here about a month ago and asked about a 358, I said ya, was looking for a Savage 99 in that caliber.
He said we just got one in and it's yours if you have $600.
Looked it over, nice, very clean, small Savage crack just behind the tang.
Said I'd take it if they threw in a box of shells.
Took it home, did a little research and found out it was an R and the SN made it to be the first year the 358 was offered.
Still have it.

Best deal I ever got was a old Marlin 336 in a 35 Remington. It was made in the 1950's and belonged to my brother in law. I had bugged him about it several times and when he was moving I asked him about it again. He told me to put it in my truck. When I asked him what he wanted for it he said $100. It was his first real rifle but he didn't like it. I still have it and told him if I ever do decide to sell it I would let him know first in case he changed his mind about it.

A buddy of mine bought an absolutely mint Model 64 Winchester at a local yard sale a couple years back, for $100. Someone had put "Grandpa's old gun" out on the table. Probably needed beer money. Needless to say I cruise that neighborhood regularly in "yard sale season".

Got a few: A buddy bought a ANIB Beretta A391 Optima 20ga. for $600. Wife's co-worker needed Christmas money. Another buddy picked up 2 like new Benelli SBE 2's for $1800! He went to the other pawn shop in town and scored a like new SBE 1, for $550, that I am buying at a slight mark-up. Myself, I've found a Styer M III Professional on consignment for $599, a Brno 21H for $575, a 700ks for $650, a Wby MK V .300 with swarovski for $500, and..... a Pre-'64 .375 H&H for $1000. Still have the KS but sorely miss the rest of those deals.

I called my brother after I bought a mis priced new Weatherby Ultra Lightweight in .30-06 for $575.

Does that count?



P

My BIL told me about a Colt commemorative nickle 1911 a lady friend of his had that wanted $300 for it.
I bought it sight unseen. It was unfired when I got it but not anymore!
I gave it to my oldest son when he asked for it.

BTW my BIL would have bought it but didn't have the money at the time (he never forgets to remind me of the great deal I made).

Neil

Not from a buddy, but: on ArmsList last Sat. appeared 2 Cooper rifles. One was a fancy-wood fluted-barrel M22 Varminter in .220 Swift with "Shot Show" engraved on the bolt, probably unfired, for $900. Also listed was a new .243 Model 54 Jackson Hunter for $1200. The ad disappeared the next day, and its not known if the "unregistered" poster from Oregon ever replied to requests, or if there was an actual lucky buyer.