Looking back, what gun would you buy made new the year you graduated from high school?

For me, 1996. I would pick up a Smith and Wesson Model 60-4 .38 Spl. The one with a 3 inch full lug barrel and adjustable sights. Somehow I got it in my head that would be a perfect little packing and fishing gun. I'd also likely pick up a Browning A5 Stalker 12 ga.

A smith & wesson 686 or colt python with a 4 in barrel .

It is, and with light loads its a perfect gun to introduce women and kids to handgun shooting. I traded mine on the .357 version of the same as soon as they became available though.

As for my mid-seventies graduation gun, thats an easy choice and I own one, the Savage Mod 24C "Camper's Companion"...





Incidentally another great gun for teaching kids how to shoot.

Birdwatcher

Late 60s, a Colt Python, a Colt Peacemaker.

Jim

While in high school (1958-62) I sporterized a U.S. 1917 Enfield rifle action as a machine shop project. Try that today! So there you have it, that rifle cost what(?), about $30 from Ye Old Hunter (Hunter's Lodge), plus Railroad Express Agency shipping to my door. I couldn't resist, so I saved my lunch money and also bought a SMLE "Royal Enfield" #4 for $15.95 but just left it as issued.

Ah, the good old days.

1976 so it have to Be Ruger No1,American Liberty Md. not sure of the cal. at this time.

1956, bought a brand new Remington 721-.270 My son has it now. Rio7

brown bess musket

I bought a Winchester Model 101 20 gauge and a Model 70 in .30-06. Year was 1966.

I bought a Winchester Model 70 when I graduated in 1961. I would buy another 1961 pre-64 Model 70, but this one would be a .243 Featherweight instead of a .30-06.

gold

1994
Remington 700 SS KS Mountain Rifle in .280 from the Custom Shop.

1975, parents bought me a S&W Model 1000 12ga as a graduation gift. I wanted a gun for duck hunting and it fit the bill. Still have it too.

Colt SAA in 44 Special. 1963, had to wait almost 50 years to find it. Always wanted one and have several SAA in all three generations, but this one happened to be the year I graduated.

1968 and it would be an Ithaca 37 in 12 gauge with a 26 inch modified barrel. It would replace the one that was stolen while I was away at college. When I finally did replace it, it was an Ithaca 37 in 20 gauge.

They was made different only in the years you graduated?

I currently have a A5 sweet 16 of proper vintage but if I could go back and had the $ I would probably take a winchester 21 from the custom shop

1986 and I would get a Remington 788 and 700 heavy barrel in 6mm Remington along with a handful of Tang Safety Ruger 77's.

I graduated in '74 and took some of the money I'd saved working at a sawmill during the previous summer and bought a Rem. 700 ADL in .243 (with the bright deep bluing and gloss stock) and a Weaver V7 2-7 from Cranmans Sporting Goods in Savannah, Ga. $179.46 for the rifle, $74.99 for the scope. If I had it to do over, I'd probably get the Whitworth .308 that was setting next to it, but was out of my price range. That particular gun was gorgeous and I've thought about it often.

John

A model 70 Westerner .264..

When I got home from boot camp I went and bought a winchester 70A in .270. That was '75. I bought a Ruger #3 in 45/70 year I graduated HS in 74.

As many Colt Python .357's and Diamondbacks in both .38 and .22 as I could beg, borrow or steal the money for. I'd put those away for investment purposes and get a S&W as an actual shooter.

Then with 200 bucks left over I'd get two Old Model Ruger Blackhawk .357's (about $97.50 each in the year of my graduation - a S&W M17 was a whopping $120 or thereabouts), one to keep as a .357 and the other to send to Pachmayr Gun works or someplace similar to turn into a .44 Special.

I'd also politely ask if I could visit Elmer and Jack.

Did they make guns when 'Poo-Bah' graduated...

Did they even have schools...

Did they read and write that long ago...

When Ingwe was in school, he learned cuniform on clay tablets. In my day, we were all the way up to goose quills and Latin.

But the reason I replied was to say that pabucktail is now in the top five for Weirdest Thread Titles. He'll never top Gus, mind you, but he seems to be trying.

SS Colt 1911

Lets see in 83 I bought a few guns, to include a charles daly O/U 12 ga, a Rem 700 in 22-250, an 8 inch nickel python. Might have been a couple others, its possible it was the same year I also added an auto 5 to the stable.

What I sorely regret is not buying a colt sauer rifle...

Those Miroku Charles Daly's are SLEEPERS...

700 Classic in 35 Whelen.

700 Mountain, the classic wood/blue/BDL version.

Colt Diamondback in .22lr

Winchester Model 64 Deluxe 32 Special.

Jim, do you mean a M27 Smith?

I just remembered another one: One of the 1200 or so 16" Marlin 1894s chambered in .45 colt, "The Marlin Limited" I've got one in .44 mag, but the .45 would be oh so nice.

I graduated in 1953 and also bought a Remington 721, mine in 30-06. I had wanted a Winchester M 70 but, as I recall, the Rem was $88, the Win $121 and the cost consideration won out. I recently gifted the '06 to my nephew. I had long said I wouldn't ever sell it and I didn't. I've got 2 1950's era Model 70's now in 270, one standard and one Featherweight.
yooper

1960 -

A Winchester model 61 - .22 pump rifle, and another Winchester model 61 in .22 mag.

And as others, a Colt Python 4".

Myron

Perazzi MX-8

I pulled out my 1970 copy of Gun Digest to check and it seems I'm remembering a bit high.

MSRP for a Model 17 in 1970 was $98. You could get the K-22 (M17), K-32 (M16) and K-38 (M14) all for $98 each.

A Model 27 would set you back the princely sum of $143 hard earned dollars.

A "Colt New Police Python" in Royal Blue was $175, $200 for nickeled finish. Diamondbacks in .38 or .22 were $125.

While we're strolling down memory lane, a Colt Govt. Model in .45 or .38 Super was $115.50 while a Browning Hi-Power was $108.50. A S&W Model 41 was $102.50 or $108 with the 5" heavy barrel.

I was only a dollar off the price on a Ruger Blackhawk .357 - $98.50, the Super Blackhawk with that gorgeous old model bluing was $125.

To put this in perspective, in 1970 a Systems Analyst working on those new fangled computers could make a very nice annual income of about $14,000. For that money a single guy could buy a brand new Corvette for around $4,000 and still afford a nice up scale apartment. Or maybe buy a three bedroom house in a middle class neighborhood for about $25,000.

Ha Ha Ha .................

'89. The 870 I bought was a sound choice. Probably the last or second to last year that Woolworth's was open. Not really anything made that year that stands out in my mind. Would have been nice to have bought a few M1 carbines back then.

My grail gun at the time, 1969, was a Marlin 39 to go along with a Marlin 336 in 44 mag that I had bought in 67. I would have settled for a Ruger 10/22. Neither one of these showed up much in the gun racks of the hardware stores at the time. I still can't remember the last new Marlin 39 I saw in a gun rack in the "Boro".

When I graduated high school, Philly Foxes and Parker shotguns could be bought for firewood and pry bars. Wish I could have filled a granary. Especially, sub gauges. Who wanted 16s and 28s, anyway?

I bought a new rifle in 1957. My late dad got me a job on the assembly line of the Underwood Typewriter co that summer and I saved up and ordered a new M70 Varmint in 243.

They came with a target weight 26" barrel SS and a sporter stock.

I used the rifle for both 200 yd position target matches at 200 yds and for varmint hunting. It's very accurate. Now it has a 220 Swift barrel on it I got from a friend.

It's scope is now a 6-18 Leu.

Just to own and use occasionally, a Colt Sharps in 22-250, a Browning Medalist, and a Kreighoff in 28ga not that I could have afforded them back then.

What I wish that I would have bought was all of the Remington Nylon 66 gallery models that I could find.

Graduated high school in 1963, wanted a Model 70 243 Featherweight, but that was a big purchase when you were making $1.00 hour. Had to wait 52 years, the 1962 featherweight will arrive from Texas late this afternoon. Good things are worth waiting for. GW

66 Until I saw some of the other responses, I was gonna say Win 94 classic with 26" octagon. I made the mistake of selling mine. There were still Colts, Ruger single sixes, S & W, and barrels of old Mausers, Enfields, and others at ALL sorts of stores.

The year I graduated I was making $70.00 a month! Couldn't buy a plug of Red Man chewing tobacco!

My Uncle Sam provided me with a bunk!!

Shooting my M9422 (HS grad gift from my folks) in early July 1973 with my girlfriend and her brother, just days before leaving for BCT/AIT at Fort Knox KY.

Graduated in 1968... The gun I would buy that year was what a local sporting goods store put on sale in November of that year. A High Standard Flite-King 12 ga. pump. Think it was marked down to $69.95 IIRC and while it wasn't my first gun; it was the first "brand new" gun purchase I ever made. Still have it, although it doesn't see as much use these days as it did back in "the day"; its a nice gun that I've always liked.

Apple and Microsoft stock.

I'd have settled for subaru.

When I graduated in 1978, I bought a new Nylon 66 in the Apache black and crome finish for $69 bucks. Also a new Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 mag for $200 bucks.

They were selling new Colt New Frontier SAA in .45 Colt for $400. Still wished I would have bought that instead!

I have my dad's 721, 30-06, that he bought in about '52. I was 4 at the time. It's still very accurate but the safety is loose and I don't trust it to stay on safe. It also needs wheels.

I would have bought a pre 64 Win FWT on 270 with Redfield 4x40 for $120. My buddy did exactly that. I opted to go cheap with a 1917 Enfield from J.C. Whitney (yes the car parts place through the mail and no 4473) for $12. Put black walnut stock, milled the ears off, chopped barrel to 22" and Lyman receiver site. Joyce Hornady did my reloads for me. Killed a lot of stiff with that setup, Mule deer, whitetail, antelope, coyotes and jacks, for a couple of years that was my tractor gun.

Browning Superposed. Of course that was out of the question money-wise.

All of the SP1 CARS and Pythons I could afford

Graduated in 1966....mine would be Full Auto AR16 & M14 and all a Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum in each barrel length.

6" blued Python.

Winchester 101, 28 gauge, 26" barrels.

I graduated in 1989 and bought a new gun in 1990. Ruger M77 tang safety .30-06. Nothing fancy but it has served me well. My dad had a M77 in .25-06 that he bought the second year they were made according to the info on the ruger site from the SN.

1980 for me. It would have been a nice double, but one I could afford, not some fantasy whim. A little 20 gauge Fox Model B or the likes.

Back in 1972 when minimum wage was $1.00 per hour and gas was 24.9 cents per gallon, I used to hover near a Browning Safari 30-06. The local gun shop had one hanging on the wall.
$232.50 iirc.
It was made in Belgium and had the FN Mauser action.

Many years later I found a beat up one at a gun show and had Ahlmans in Morristown reblue it. It is almost to pretty to use.
I would like to find another one in 375 H&H Magnum.
I see one in .458 at gun shows it was magna ported and must have kicked like a mule. Maybe I should buy it?
Might be fun with cast lead bullets?
whelennut

For all those of you who really had to struggle to make it through highschool, it might sense to buy a gun just to commemorate it.

In 1966, I knew without a doubt that if I had the $119.99 dollars required to buy a Remington Model 600 in 6MM Rem from the Montgomery Ward catalog that I could destroy any coyote within a 5 county area around my home, Unfortunately I didn't have the required tariff at the time.

I thought about one for quite a few years but never ran across one until about 5 years ago I did run across one totally by accident one day. It was in LNIB condition and still in the original box. I asked if it was for sale and the owner immediately decided it could be, so a quick trip to an ATM to gather the necessary cash (which was a bargain price) took place.

It's a definite looker (vent rib barrel and shark fin front sight, etc. )and it's also a great shooter. The best part is its now mine complete with a Leupy 2.5X8 scope on board.

I think it was available in 1984. Marlin lever in .41 Mag.

As many M1 carbines from the CMP as I could.

It wasn't a particularly good period for Remington / Winchester / Ruger bolt actions, nor for Winchester / Marlin lever actions, nor for Ruger #1s. It was a year or two before the Single Six in .32 mag or Blackhawk .357 Maxi or Redhawk in .357 came out. Nothing special about the S&W revolvers right then either.

I guess maybe a Ruger Security Six?

Spent much time and $$$ at Cranmans back in the day

I was working at my first gun shop when I graduated in '87 and vividly remember a competing gun shop had a Valmet 412 O/U double rifle in .375 Winchester. The owner offered it to me for $500 but $500 to me at the time might as well have been $5000. I have never seen another one since and would love to go back in time for that one.

I would buy a 4" Python, stainless wasn't available back then so I'd buy it in blue, and have it hard chromed.

Otherwise, I'd buy a S&W model 18 in .22lr.

I bought a new Ruger M77 mkII in 30-06.

In 1963 St. Elizabeth High School released me and my gift to myself was a Smith & Wesson .41 magnum revolver, blue, 4 inch barrel, and a shoulder holster.

Terry

never struggled with highschool never had to compensate

I spent a lot of time in Cranman's, but not nearly as much money as I would have liked to spend. I always enjoyed my trips in there and got a lot of hunting and fishing stuff, but I don't think I ever bought a firearm from them. They probably had the best selection of firearms in the area in the late 60's. Cranman's would have been the place I would have bought the gun the OP was asking about.

Graduated in 1956 & bought a Model 70 (1955 Mfr.) Featherweight 30-06 in 1959. Little did I know how desirable they would become! Still have it & will pass on to my son or one of thirteen grandchildren. Would do the same now; would buy a dozen if at 1956 price!!!

1993, it was the first brand new gun I ever purchased, Remington Model 700 Classic in .222. Only year they made em, paid $424.00 and still have it today with the box and paperwork. Topped it with a Leupold 3-9 i bought used for 100.00 and killed a ton of critters over the years. That gun will shoot 52 grain anything, loaded with just about anything into tiny little groups.

I graduated high school in 1978 and turned 18 over the summer. So I bought my first gun, a 10/22. Paid $89 including sales tax. Back then they still had real walnut stocks on the base model.

Knowing what I know today I would have chosen a 39a instead but no regrets.