Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Handguns You Wish You'd Bought...

This should be easy to participate in. What discontinued handguns do you regret not buying when they were available? Four that come to mind for me are:

S&W 631 4" Kit Gun .32 H&R Mag
S&W 396 Night Guard .44 Spl
S&W 544 .44-40 Win
Browning Hi-Power .30 Luger


These all show up on GB from time to time, the 544s are pretty easy to find, just wish I'd got them when they were new and affordable.

How 'bout you?

Colt Woodsman (Match Target)

Do I even need to explain or justify?

Colt SAA, 1st generation with a lot of floral engraving. The expert I was talking with thought it was factory engraved. It was a good gun, probably originally silver-washed. It HAD been re-nickeled. The guy wanted $1500 for it and it would have been a great piece to have had in my collection as IMO it was a great price for a gun that wasn't quite in the Collector's category due to the re-nickel. I forget what year it was manufactured. Probably around 1900.

Not a handgun but I once walked into a bank vault full of collectible guns, mainly of the "Safari" variety. Lots of outstanding double rifles and such. The guy had several Winchester 1873 muskets from the Australian military. I looked at one that was literally unfired with the cosmoline still in the barrel. It was a little over $2000.

I once bought an 1886 Winchester in 45-70. It was an excellent gun that I got rid of in a fit of madness. Right beside it when I bought it, was another 1886, highly engraved, in 45-90. I don't recall the price but it wasn't that much.

The guy with the Colt also had a Remington Army cap and ball that was probably unfired. There were some scratches on it from handling, but the outside looked good too, just not as good as the innards. I think it was $2000 and I passed.

Just ONE for me. In the early 90s I handled a couple of Colt Delta Elite 10 mm
at a gun show. Different dealers had both of them priced +/- $400.00

The 40 SW was so new at the time I didn’t know much about it and didn’t research
enuff. I really wanted a 10 but settled for a nearly new 6906 which I still have.

I WISH I’d payed the diff and got the D E 10mm.....hindsight.

Jerry

This one. One of many I sold for a friend in a collection; should have bought it for myself. Mint, in the box with all paperwork and accessories. At least I have a picture.
Bob

S&W 632-1 .327 Federal...could have had either a stainless or a blackened stainless for in the $600s...they go for a little more than that now...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/859888127



Another was the USFA Sparrowhawk .327 Federal....was about $1400 new and now bring over $3K...they only made a handful of them before the owner pulled the plug on the whole business...

Bob

My regret was a Smith and Wesson model 24 four inch .44 special with red ramp front in the box for $350.00 The revolver was in Randy's gun shop in Newtown, Pa

This of course was time time in the 90's.

S&W .45 Colt Mountain Gun

Browning Medalist
HK P7M8

Automag
Wildey
Ruger Hawkeye .256 Win Mag
Colt Diamond Back .22

There are a few that I had and wish I'd hung on to.

Really, what I have today satisfies me better than all I've owned before. I believe that the longing for stuff that's no longer easily available is more wishing for times past than really desiring the particular item

These are the days.

HK P7

First and foremost I would replace the 6" Python I had stolen in the mid 70s. I kick myself regularly for not buying another one when I had the money to do it.
Next would be the '89 models of the S&W 16 in 32 magnum, the S&W 627, and one of the full lug 29s

An HK P7K3 three caliber set (.22, .32 & .380) a local shop had for $300. Also wish I had bought several more of these when they brought them in as police turn ins.

The S&W 16 in 4 inch, which was nowhere near as expensive as they are today. I really like the .32 H&R cartridge (have owned at least 5 of them, still own two) and that would have been the cat's meow. I finally broke down and bought a 4 inch Ruger SP101 in .32 H&R but it doesn't hold a candle to the Smith in terms of finish. Shoots well, though.

Just bought a 16-4 4 inch and I wish I would have got one when they were still in production

I wish I would have bought a Smith 631 back in the day. I finally found one priced fair a couple of months ago. Neat piece.

It's seem like this thread has diverged in two directions--those that miss a gun because they liked it and those who wish they'd bought it because of the increase in price and the profit they would have made.

Ed, that's a dandy revolver. Good score. I remember when you first posted it.

I too wish I had bought a 631 32 H&R when they came out. Not because of the increased value and chance for profit but because I've come to realize just how handy the 32 H&R is as a cartridge. I'm pretty fond of it. I do have a kind of rough Bisley I picked up a few years ago and have come to really like the round. I wish I had realized it years ago.

It's one I wish I had re-bought.

Back in the 90's I bought a ANIB Colt 1911 in 38 Super. Came in the old, small cardboard box. Bought for 500. GF got pregnant and sold it back to the store. Owner said I could always repurchase it at the 500 when my situation changed.

I never did and should have.

A cartridge I fell in love with, a pistol I really enjoy and a price that's robbery.