Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Firearms you wished you'd have bought?

HK P7 back in 1985.

This, plus a few 1970s Pythons, and some Lew Horton S & W's in 44 Spcl.

Hindsight is of course 20/20

Whole bunch of model 96 Swedes when they were 100 bucks each

More of those Weatherby Vanguards that were on clearance at Walmart, along with some of those $79 Remington 700's.

Smith & Wesson model 53, and model 17.

About 5 years ago. There was this Ruger 77 RSI tanger in .308.....

I went to a gunshow in Pensacola with my Dad around '95 or '96. He bought a new Russian SKS for $80. Seller had boxes of 'em at that price.

I remember the ads in the American Rifleman back in the 1960's advertising Mausers for $25.

Smith M15.
About 10 years as ago in LGS.
A So Cal police trade, it had been stolen and recovered.
Scuffs, a fair bit of wear, mechanically perfect.

But $125!

Thought about it, went back.
Lost to someone smarter.


Sako Riihimaki's back in the 80's-90's when they sold way too cheap at the
shows. Considered also rans to the others.

AK-47's and SKS when you could get them in condolence,
and even at case prices. F'n cases were cheaper than 1 now.

And I was buying Pre-Garcia guns, not perfect, just nice ones.
Coulda had a case of SKS's for each one.
AK's for each two.

A Winchester model 70 in 30.06 with a Mannlicher stock . Kimber SVT 22 but I did buy the ULA 22 the guy had . Should’ve just bought both .22s

Well, obviously, all kinds of guns I wish I had bought 25 years ago... but more specifically recently, I should have bought the 2" Colt Lawman Mk III at the pawn shop a few years ago for $375. It had an ugly screwdriver mark on it, and that scared me away... shoulda got it anyway.

Several years back, when I had no discretionary funds (and a wife) - gun show. Winchester M70 Westerner, immaculate - $800. Should have borrowed a knife from one of the tables and removed one of my kidneys as payment.

Still have both kidneys. Still don't have a Westerner.....

Kaiser Norton

Very often the thrill of the hunt is better than finding, and buying!

I had wished for a '94 in 444, so I got one. Then I shot it and wished I hadnt bought it.
11 round to discover the thing kicks like a mule and its sat in the safe ever since.

One of the few shops left in this
area had a pile of stainless Smith
and Wesson police trade ins they'd
got somewhere.
For some reason I only bought one,
and I should have bought a dozen.
I'd have to find the receipt to be
sure, it was a little over $200.00
out the door

Mauser 98 in 8x68 S that was only priced at $200. I had the cash in my pocket but didn't have the intelligence to grab it. Went back the next day and it was gone.

Last gunshow I went to before Papa Andy and his royal shutdown decree.... There was a Swedish made Husqvarna single shot .22 bolt action rifle. 30's or earlier, I guess.. don't really know. Beautiful little thing. The stock was shaped the way a stock should be shaped. Real cheekpiece and everything. I decided I did not NEED it, so I walked away.... dangit.

I went into a very small LGS w/ my friend, who knew the owner. I bought my 1st big game rifle, a Winchester 70 Classic in 270 w/ a Leupold 2x7 that day. As I was shopping, the owner showed me a new Dakota model 10, in 7x57. He offered it to me for $1400- which was exactly twice what I had available (and spent) that day. Haunts my dreams...

Just a couple.

One: A brand new Garand at Sportsman's Whse, assembled from left over parts found in an Italian basement warehouse. I think it was about $800. It would have been a stretch, but I could have covered the cost at the time. I left it on the display, because it was in 308 rather than '06.

Two: A Smith and Wesson 357PD. For those not familiar, 4 inch 41 mag in Scandium. Also at Sportsman's, it was priced at $500 on clearance as S&W had discontinued the model/cartridge combination.

ETA: I suppose a dozen or so 30 Carbines could be added to the list, back when they were going for surplus prices.