Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best gun deal stories

One of my best deals just happened a couple weeks ago at a gun show. A guy was walking around with a .270 M70 SUper Grade from around 1950. He wanted $1000 for it. The gun was in good shape, but not excellent. I told him I would give him $500 for it as it did not fit in my collection. HE accepted and then said that he had the case for it out in his truck and would go get it. When he came back he said that the guy at the table next to me followed him out and offered him $650 for the gun and would I match it. I did match it and it was still a good deal but I had some choice words with the idiot next to me! The moral of the story is if the deal is good give the guy the money and don't worry about a $15 case.

About 12 years ago {give or take} I was cruising the isles at a Charlotte gun show and spied a Browning 71 .348 WCF Carbine. I picked it up and aside from a very light crease in the finish of the stock, it was minty. Even wore a Lyman peep. At this time the 71 repro's were fetching $500-$600, maybe a bit more. There was no tag on it so I expected I was wasting my time when I asked the guy how much it was. He scratched his chin and said "Would you go $375?" I nearly threw the cash at him. Considering the Brownings are bringing a Grand or better today, I think I did okay. Of course the original Winchester 71 Deluxe I was recently GIVEN beats that one....
A couple years ago the shop I work in took in a Marlin 1894CL .25/20 on trade. It was an unfired DU Banquet gun with the hang tag still on it. The boss allowed $200 on trade and put $300 on it. He passed it on to me for $240. These are bringing about twice that so I think I did okay on that one too.

My father-in-law asked, "You want a 22?"
I said, "Sure".

He handed me an absolutely 100% mint Colt Woodsman, First series, Match Target Model in the original box with the owner's manual.

I asked, "How much?"
He said, "Buy me lunch".

reading the local classifieds one morning there was an add for a double barrelled 12ga. I phoned the number and they didn't know what kind it was but it was old and they wanted $200 for it. i asked them to describe it and they said there was ducks carved in the metal on the sides and it said Parker. Said I'd come have a look, I got there and it was a Parker DHE. Guy about 45 showed it to me and asked me if I was sure I wanted to pay that much for an old shotgun....i couldn't contain my guilt and told him it was worth much more, he thanked me and asked if I had the $200, I didn't ask anymore questions.

I was at Walmart a couple years ago and they had a brand new Ruger M77MKII, stainless in 243 for $325. It was on clearance. They had two of them, but another guy beat me to it, but I still got one.

I also worked with a guy that new I hated my Mossturd shotgun. He told me he had a single shot laying around he never shot. So he brought it to work and it was an old Sears 16 gauge single shot. I asked him how much and he told me $20!!! Needless to say, I bought it.

My last good deal was a Browing 22 semiauto rifle made in Belgium. A buddy's parents were moving and he had this gun in their closet. He flew back into town to help them move and did not want to take it on the plane. He told me his late grandpa gave it to him, so he would assume someone like me should have it since he knew I would appreciate it. So he gave it to me for free!

purchased a Charles Daily (japan) 20 ga for $230 of course this was in 1965 while I was in high school

Back in 1995 at a local show, one of the 'not for sale' exhibitors had a bunch of 1899 and 1895 Savages displayed. I gave him my card and told him when and if he ever wanted to sell his collection, I would be interested. Turned out he WAS thinking of selling and within the next couple months I paid an average of $300 for a collection that included 3 1895 Savages, 34 1899/99 Savages including one factory ingraved and an MHG musket, a couple of Winchester 71's and a number of shotguns and other levers........I just can't seem to get this grin off my face! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

----another one-----
Last summer the local paper said 'for sale--6mm Rem 788--$125. I got there first--cond. 98% with a bushnell scope and 2 extra clips. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

----and yet another----

A pawn shop--Green River Wyoming--noticed a minty Rem 788. "$295" says the guy behind the counter as he handed it to me. Then I saw the ".44 Rem Mag" stamped into the barrel.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

---ok, one more--


Cody, Wyoming. Bullitin board in a local grocery store. The note said "for sale, .454 cal revolver, shot 3 times--$700" It was a custom Casull premium, hunter brushed with rose wood grips and a lanyard, leather holster and 3 boxes of factory ammo with three empty brass. I got it for $600.

I've got to quit this, you all will think I'm braggin'!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I believe it was in 1985 or 1986 that I went in a local gun store where I knew the proprietor. I'd been ragging him for a year or two about old guns. That day he was in the right mood and drug out an old hatbox full of handguns. I know this story sounds like lore but it is the truth. I dug through the box and came up with a Colt Peacemaker. I knew a little about old west guns at the time (I was 24), but certainly was no expert on them. I DID know that the $240 he asked me for it was a bargain. I bought it for that after trying to talk him down to $200 (which was obligatory lest he pull the offer because I took him up on it too quickly). It turned out to be an all-matching 1884 vintage SAA in 44-40, nickel-plated with about 2/3 of the "Colt's Frontier Six Shooter" panel intact. I would rate it about 60% overall. It was from a local collection.

kidd

Many others, but that's my all-time bestest.

Guy came by the house several years back to sell me a shotgun that belonged to his deceased father-in-law. He knew he had a good shotgun but did not know how good. Since he knew he had a good shotgun he asked a good price, at least to him.

I bought it. Holland & Holland Royal in traveling case $1000.00


BCR

Nothing to compare with some of the deals just described, but two Allentown shows back I bought, from a knowledgeable dealer who wasn't quite knowledgeable enough, a Bob Owen 1903 Springfield based on a NRA Sporter, mint bore, X out, $1600. And late last year, at one of the New Hamphire auctions, an 1898 Krag sporter by the good Austrian maker Peterlongo, Bavarian stock, claw mount scope, new condition, $350.

Oh, and at another Allentown show maybe five years back, a bunch of cheap Japanese 3/4" tube scopes sitting upright in a flowerpot, $5 each, among them a real Weaver M73B1 World War II sniperscope in mint condition. Even then they were bringing three hundred bucks plus. I guess that proportionately that is my best deal ever.

My best score:

1990 at the skeet range. A very accomplished shooter we all knew and shot with, and who was going through a divorce, walks in and tells us his soon-to-be ex needs to sell her 4 gun set of Rem 1100's. "Price?" Without a flinch, he says, "$800 for all of'em".

"SOLD" came outta my mouth before anyone else.

I asked the (ex) husband why such a low price???? He laughed and said that's what SHE wanted for HER guns and since she was ALWAYS RIGHT, he wasn't gonna argue with her. LOL!

I still laugh when I think about that conversation....

I meet his ex the next day, hand over the $800 and get 4 Remmy skeet 1100's; 12, 20, 28 and 410. The 12 B grade (nice wood) was used a bit, but still in excellent condition, barrel was ported, forcing cones lengthened. The 20 had been shot a whole bunch and needed worn parts and springs replaced. The 28 and 410 were all but NIB-two boxes of shells through each.

Still have'm-they're ready for 'lil Sako when old enough.

Sako

I knew the manager of a local pawn. She had sold me quite a lot of tools through the years. One day she asks me if I like guns. She brought out a like new 1100 rem from the 70's and a like new 444 timber carbine. I had never owned a gun, and the hole in the barrel of that win 94 looked huge. I started my gun collecting for 400 bucks. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

O.K. Here is mine; At a real small N. Id. gunshow I espied a real nice 03 sporter. I was flat broke and could not afford the 300bucks. I told my father in law about it. We went back together and inspected it closer. It has a beautiful piece of walnut, with the original buttplate inletted in. The action has been polished and it has an aftermarket barrel. The trigger is superb. It has lyman peep and post sights. And this is pre-wwII as it is not an A3. All in all a beautiful conversion. The guy says "I'll take 250." My father in law whips out the cash and hands me the rifle!!! To end the story on a final note; After working up some loads...sub moa!!!

if rarity makes the deal then

browning micro medalion in 284 wearing a short tube leupy 1.75x6. absolutely mint. as new. shipped to my door for $550... i thought i had done good by selling rifle for purchase price....

dooh..............

woofer

My best buy was my first one. I had been shooting a hand me down Remington 721 when a guy in the hunting club asked me if I would like to buy a new rifle because he could get me one at cost. I wound up with a Rugar M77 7 Rem Mag for $175 and a Leopold Vari XII 3 - 9 x 40 for an additional $75. $250.00 for around 60 deer - and the darned thing was a tack driver. Finally retired old Thumper this year, but she still goes with me as a back up in case my new fangled Weatherby decides to go on the fritz.

I paid 175 in 1976 for the same gun, dies, two holsters, a handful of boxes of bullets, and a cleaning kit.

Like a dumb azz, I sold it a few years later. I REALLY wish I had that one back.