Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds "The one that got away"

We've all done it. Sold a rifle and kicked ourselves later for having done so. Putting this in classifieds in hopes that it may return one day! Feel free to share and commiserate.

ULA 284 Winchester 22" stainless, Mel's tiger stripe. Boringly accurate as most of his pieces are.
Colt Light Rifle conversion 300 win. Chrome Molly. Fern leaf. Fast twist for 200+ bullets.

I bought a heavily customized #3 45-70 at a local show once. Took it hunting on a 10 day out of town trip.
Before going I listen it on GunBroker to establish a value, for double what I paid.
Killed a very nice buck, but, when I got back saw that it had actually sold.
I contacted the buyer and explained to him that I didn't intend to sell it but that I would honor the auction.
Gentleman was in his late 70s and we made an agreement that he would put a letter in his gun safe stating the rifle was to be sold back me for the original full amount.
A decade later I saw the gun for sale, again on GunBroker.
I contacted the seller who happened to be a dealer working on behalf of the estate who put me into contact with the family attorney.
When I asked about the letter he said he absolutely knew what I was referring to a that he read it and disposed of it. That it had no legal binding power regardless of the old man's wishes. That I could bid on it if I wanted it.
I bought the rifle for $600 and it did sell on GunBroker at $1900.

80s Rem 700 BDL 6mm Remington. Shot 2” 300 yards groups with factory 100gr. Corelokts.

I traded it like a dumb-ass.

Let’s see…
several Ruger number 1a 7x57’s and .243’s
Marlin 336, 35 Remington
Remington model 700 guide gun 7 mm 08
Tang safety Ruger ultralight’s in. 270
Tang safety RSI Ruger. 308
Winchester 32 special
Marlin Lever action 44 mag
Tikka T3 6.5 X 55

But the one I really like to have back is my New England firearms 22 hornet. I got it as a Christmas gift at eight years old, 12 years later had a falling out with my father who decided to give that one away to a cousin. Said cousin says he still has it but will not relinquish.

So if any of you kind folks want to sell back some of those guns listed above, I am All ears!

Remington 1100 12 ga. Shouldered well and nice carry for upland birds.

Browning 1885 high wall custom barreled in 7 STW, sold it as it kicked like a mule, if I only knew then what I know now

Colt Diamondback, .38 special, 4" bbl, mint; Ruger .44 carbine; Colt Trooper, 6" Sadly, in looking back, it's the famous last words, "seemed like a good idea at the time"!

I had a custom Siamese Mauser in 45-70 that I badly miss.

This thread upsets me. For you guys.

An old man once told me to never ever sell a gun you bought for some reason or another.

I took his advise.

I’ll take the 284......












Lol

“I have never been taken with the idea of selling a gun. When you possess a firearm, you possess something of importance. If you trade it for cash, you have lost it - and the cash in your hand will soon be gone. Sell something else!” Jeff Cooper

Wise words.....

S&W model 15 combat Master piece 8 3/8 Barrel
Sounds silly but one of the first Glock 17s to come into the US

Hank

My custom Remington 700 .280ai in a faux Ti. Traded it for a riding lawn mower....

At least I never got rid of my 7mm-08 in the same setup....

I long ago resolved to never sell two things: guns and rural land. Have been successful on both accounts. My dad lost most of his guns to a thief when I was 11. Pre-64 model 88 308 and a pre-64 94 in 30-30 where the biggest loses and I still lust after those when I see them on the legs rack ( much rarer these days than in past years.

Mine would be a Ruger Redhawk I bought when they first came out in 1979. A custom 375HH built on a Mauser action with a early zeiss scope/QD mounts. A Styer 308, and a Sako 308. Sold them all about 30 years ago.

A over and under muzzle loader a 45 on top and a 16 gauge on the bottom. I was all original, and I gave it to my brother. We don’t speak anymore. I bet that gun had some story’s to tell!

Dakota 22lr. Gorgeous wood. Just couldn't get the dang thing to shoot as well as my Remingtons and Winchesters. Traded it for cash and a Browning 52.

They're only things......

Ruger tanger in .358 Win.
S&W Model 66-4 4" barrel.
...and most of all, my first deer rifle that I bought with my own money: Remington 760 in .30-06. Bought it in "like new" condition in 1969 or '70 for $70. Sold it to my brother a few years later when my parents informed me that I needed to pay my own annual car insurance premium.

There have been a bunch, but these four come to mind;
1 - A pre -64 model 70 Featherweight in 358 Win.
2 - A pre- 64 model 70 Super Grade in 257 Roberts
3 - A Colt light rifle that I bought as a 270 and had Melvin convert to a 7x57. I DID get this one back!
4 - A Remington 700 in 338 Win Mag that made two trips to Africa with me. I have a room full of trophies on my wall and that rifle should be there, as well, but it went down the road in 2016.
donsm70