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.

I've bought almost every handgun I ever wanted, shot them and learned from them, then moved them down the road. Not many I'd care to have back again. The ones that don't come and go are a 4" Model 29-2, a 5.5" Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt, a couple of good 22s, and a couple of 9mm Glocks.


Okie John

Have quite a few handguns but can't think of one I regret not buying.

Only have two shotguns (a 100 year old Iver Johnson Firearms and Bicycle Works 12 ga. that belonged to my Grandfather and a Remington 870 3-1/2" 12 Mag). Can't think of one I regret not buying.

Can't say the same for rifles. There are two that stick in my mind and probably always will. Beautiful, pre-war sporterized German Mauser (8mm) in excellent shape and a Ruger boat-paddle/stainless .270 Win. $225 for the first, $320 for the second.and I stupidly passed on both.

Oof, that's nice.....I have a six-inch but still looking for n affordable 4 -inch.

The list I sold is a few orders of magnitude larger than ones never bought:

Colt Woodsman
Colt Series 70 1911
Belgium Browning Challenger ($75 in 1969)
Python 8 3/8"
Model 63's (more than one)
Smith 60-4 (3" adj. sights .38)
and on and on

The increased value would be nice but they were sold because they weren't getting shot that much and wouldn't get shot that much today anyway.

The only one I regret not buying is a Browning Hi-Power when they were being made and could be had for a reasonable cost. These days prices for decent ones easily top a thousand bucks. They always fit my hand about as well as anything out there, and the ones with an ambidextrous safety would still make a very viable carry gun.

Back in the mid '90s a number of arsenal refinished Lugers had come into the country from somewhere in Eastern Europe, as had some well-worn Mauser Broomhandles. I can remember seeing both priced at around $500, give or take, but while I was sorely tempted, I had a young family and had to pass....

None that I wish I had bought, but there is sure one I wish I hadn't sold- A Colt Python Hunter, complete as a kit with scope, cleaning rod, manual, and aluminum carry case, .357 Magnum.
I decided that I needed more than .357 for my hunting, and sold it for a bit more than I paid for it- it's now worth 5-6x original price. Bummer.

I bought the Delta. It was okay. Just one of many 10mm's I owned in the 90's. Perhaps the weakest of the lot.

I've had two or three Pythons over the years. They were okay. When they really started to take off, I had one offered to me for $1100. I thought it was high. It was in decent shape-nothing special and had the grips replaced with Pachmayers. By today's standards, it was a real buy.

325 Nightguard....wouldn't mind picking up a 325 Thunder Ranch but the Nightguard is a "wish I'd bought"

For other than financial gain, I really cant think of of a pistol that I wish I'd bought that I didn't, or could rectify the mistake by ordering or bidding on today.

Well, other than my dads bring back Luger that we butted heads over & it got away. But that's a hell of a lot deeper than a purchase not completed.

I bought the Delta. It was okay. Just one of many 10mm's I owned in the 90's. Perhaps the weakest of the lot.
--------------------------------------------

At the time... early 90s is as close as I can guess.... the D E 10 mm and other 10s were hot items.
I eventually got over it and then learned a few years later that some 10 autos couldn't hold up to the pressure.

For my purpose I "would have" loaded the 10 to 40 S W specs >> water-- bridge.

I recently picked up a M P 40 Shield in 40 SW. I won't be shooting it excessively... the MP 40 is what it is. I like it and shoot it well. Happy Camper

Jerry

Ruger Single-Six Convertible back in the mid 1970's when they were $130.00, but I was only making around $10,000.00/year back then and $130.00 was a lot of money for a man with two kids.

An acquaintance offered to sell me his mint TLA #5 for $1200

At the time they were going for $1600+ on Gunbroker, so I told him he should sell it there, because I'm a nice guy. You know where they finish.

Now they sell for at least twice that.

I bought mine new from Bill Grover in 1994 after a tour of his shop and a long talk about what other stuff he had in the works. Truly a memorable afternoon. I took delivery four months later. A beautifully made piece that sold new for $985.

Back in the early eighties, while on a deer hunt in Mississippi, one of the guys I was hunting with told me of a revolver he wanted to sell. It was in his truck! A six and a half inch S&W M29, like new in the box with all that came with it. He said he shot six rounds and decided it was too much gun for him. He wanted $350 for it. I thought “hell, I can buy a brand new one for that and have money left over!” But not like that one!!! Wish I had bought that one.

I had one, it spit lead all over me. I sent it back to S&W and it came back worse. It was a mess. I swapped it for a good autopistol that didn't spit lead out the barrel/cylinder gap, as it had none.

Many I had........wish I'd kept........rifles too. Oh well, can't afford them all, and only can shoot one at a time....well maybe 2

Wish for a C96 broom handle from when they were waaaayyyy cheaper than now. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Browsing through a pawn ship in NC, 2004...spotted a 3 inch (yes 3 inch, not 2½') Colt Python in a case for $1k. I knew it to be rare, looked at it, and thought, that's a great deal, I should grab it...but look around to see if there is anything else. I walk away from the case, and after maybe 30 seconds say to myself, "grab that Python". I turn around, just in time to see another guy holding it, with a big grin on his face, saying "I'll take it!"

At GB right now, the cheapest 3" Python has been bid up to $5k with several days left on the auction. 3-4 of them are over $14k

Colt Diamondback .22 LR 4”

Colt stainless Anaconda I saw in a local Walmart probably 30 years ago.

A set of matching serial number Ruger “Buckeye Special” 32/20 and 38/40 Blackhawks. I bought a 32/20 “Buckeye Special” a few years ago and it is a tack driver. I keep checking Gunbroker for a 38/40 with a matching serial number.

44 AMP and the Wildey.

I have wanted a Walther PPKS for decades - But every time I got close to buying one, I'd switch to something else that I wanted more.

Yesterday, I went into Mr. Money to be paid for a handgun I put on consignment. While there, I saw a like-new Walther PPKS .22 LR pistol
with case, lock, & papers. at a very low price - and he knocked off some more as a favor.

I know what a lot of people think about this particular model - pros and cons - But I think it's perfect and about time!

I had one that went to a collector. He wsnted it a lot more than I did. About doubled my money.

It's a nice gun, mine had an issue with the sear. Sent it to Dave Clemens who recut and hardened the sear notch. He said that wasn't the first Bill Grover gun he'd fixed. Grover was a genius, but wasn't the best when it came to hardening metal parts.

This one had factory fitted .45 Mag and .45 Colt cylinders. The .45 Mag was slightly more accurate.

The holster is a Bill Grover design, crafted by Ted Blocker.

DF

Gorgeous.

Yeah, the Nightguard line was cool.

This!!!!

About 10 years ago I thought $700 was too much for a 6" blued Python. Who knew a few months later the price would skyrocket.

Always loved the P7. But....never saw one so cheap that I thought I should've bought it.

Maybe a green Colt 38 Super that I passed up. And probably a Woodsman.

But mostly I wish I hadn't sold a couple.

I like big old revolvers and little steel 380's, along with old 1911's. Hopefully I'll be ready when the next deal shows up. But all a guy really needs is a decent 9mm.

Dan Wesson .445 Supermag
Another M29 Silhouette 10 5/8

Back in the '70's an Army buddy needed money, sold me his near mint 6" Python for $185. He later wanted to buy it back, but I kept it.

When it got to be worth $1,500 or so, I thought about trading it. My son, who ends up with my guns one of these days, said, "Dad, don't trade that gun, it's one of my favorites". So I gave it to him. Those things in that condition sell in the $3,500 range these days. He's keeping it.

I like to tell my wife that story just to reinforce what good investments guns can be.

DF

About 15 years ago at a local gas, guns, chainsaw...store.

A S&W M-15 LEO trade in. It had been stolen from that store
years before, and recovered in Baltimore in a home invasion.

Mechanically perfect, it had some dings, no rust.
$125.

A week later, I was back and wanting to buy.
But, someone else had shown more wisdom.