Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Guns you should have grabbed, but walked.

A Paul Jaeger / Dietrich Apel customized Sako in .270 with a really beautiful stock for what was basically a steal, and in great condition, too. Thought it over a little too long.

Smith and Wesson Model 18 with a King Sight for $500.

In 1965 my old gun guy neighbor offered me his mint condition pre-war M70 .30-06 for $125. and I bought a push feed ‘65 M70 instead for that same $125.00. Later I thought that I might like a Dakota M10, but had never even seen one. I went into a gun shop and they had two of them on the used rack. A.250-3000 and a .270. I’ve put a moratorium on selling anything because history has shown that I could be the poster boy for buy high and sell low.

FN Hi Power for $389

Consignment original Ithaca, NY Parker DHE 16ga on #1 frame w/28" barrels. One ejector didn't work but other than that "really NICE". My friend was looking for a Parker 16ga so I called him up and sent photos. Price tag was $3999. My friend said to offer $3600 so I did. I wanted to say screw it and me pay the $3999 but I didn't feel right cutting out my friend.
The shop told me they would contact the buyer the next day then call me. I didn't hear from them all day so called late afternoon. Gun was SOLD!

I kick myself for not buying it. I do remind my friend he screwed up because it was a steal and he will NEVER find or buy one for that money again.

A Remington African Plains Rifle from the Remington Custom Shop in 375 H&H. Came with the box of Remington ammo he bought with it....4 rounds remaining unfired. It had the green McMillan stock on it rather than the laminated one and the metal was Parkerized. -Al

Kabuko

I have a never fired like new Biesen p64 M70 270 just like JO’C’s. Interested?

Jeffery 450/400 3” which had been rebuilt and stocked by George Hoenig. Oh the pain.

Oh geez, where do I start..........

Damnit!

are early 760's in 35 rem very valuable?. I always thought that the were fairly.common.
I inherited one from my father in law and have only used it to take one deer.

Mauser ES.350B made in Oberndorf in 1937..

I didn't want the hassle of importing it from France.. but I remember it was well within my budget.
I think its the only one I regret..

Aww, jeez. That could be my dream rifle.....

And what was the price? :-)

Most people don't have much use for a .450/400 3"--though I considered buying one or two, back when I was hunting Africa more. Both were Mantons.

Of course, actually using (or imagaining a "need") for a lusted-for rifle isn't always part of the equation....

Valmet 412 .375 Win

Many, but the ones that stick in my mind are:

1) Post war(?1948) FN commercial mauser in 6.5 x 57 with some engraving built for an Army Captain with the original order and receipt paperwork. $275 at the Davison Gun Show by the original owner. Perhaps my worst walkaway mistake.

2) Ruger No. 1 in .270 at Ebels shortly after they opened the new shop. $700 IIRC. I thought it was a lot of money but had not priced No. 1s recently. Not there the next time I stopped by.

3) Ruger No. 1 in .223. Varmint weight Lilja SS barrel. Being held by a dealer at the Midland Gun Show while the owner browsed elsewhere. I waited a half hour and had to leave for family obligation.

4) Ruger M77 tang safety in 7 x 57 at LGS. Clerk called me because he thought I would like it. Reasonable price but I didn't have the cash. Never occurred to me to pull out the plastic. Decades later I obtained one at the Novi show in a 3 way trade that involved a M700 6.5 x 55, some nice knives, and something else...cannot remember. At the same show there was a Czech version of the G33/40.....seller did not know what it was. But only in fair condition and I wasn't sure it would clean up, especially below the stock line.

John,
$20,000 was the price. Same story as you with that 375 H&H.
Rick

Remington Mountain Rifle in blued walnut chambered for .257 Roberts. Back in those days I thought I wouldn't own more than one rifle in each chambering, so passed it up as I already had a Roberts.

I've never seen another in almost 25 years.

Same here, RJ

Oh, you're one of those people. At least it helped a widow.
A guy standing in front of me was looking at a delightful Mannlicher double trigger Sporter in 6.5 for only $250. I was eagerly waiting for him to move off of it when instead the jackass told the Shop owner that it was worth a lot more than $250 and the Shop owner removed the price tag.