Time for my public confession... this will sting a bit...here's the readers digest condensed version of the story- went to my local gun show this weekend, saw an unfired 6" 14-4 w/TH, TT, (no TS tho?), in a well worn box, w/wax paper, manual, warranty card AND unopened package of cleaning gear.. for $499 + tax. No drag line visible, blueing was perfect... and I walked away. I already have 4 other S&W .38's, I said to myself as I continued browsing the rest of the show. about an hour later, I came to my senses, went back to the vendor, and to my horror another customer was holding MY gun and mumbling something incoherent. PUT THAT DOWN I screamed in my head as I warily approached from his blind side. As I got closer, I heard those dreaded words...well, you know the rest of the story... "I'll take it"...

recently passed up a $600 3" 624 (LH??) because i wanted a 625 instead. regretting it now.

Every gun I have left in gun shop, saw in a catalog or walked away from at a gun show.

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Endeavor to persevere. <><

Maybe 10-12 years ago I passed on a beautiful Model 25 in .45ACP - with a 4" barrel. Because it was outrageously priced at $400. I didn't know enough about Smiths at the time to determine of it was a -2 that had been cut or what, but I sure wish I'd gotten it.

I recently passed by a nice 625 with 3" barrel because of no money. I should have borrowed the money..........................

18 to 20 months ago, I passed on a really nice M58, box, tools, nickel, everything I wanted. The price was higher than I wanted to pay. I walked, saying I will find another for a little less. Fast forward 18 to 20 months, finally found another one. Paid more, but learned a valuable lesson. If you find what you want, can afford, buy it.

I passed on a Jovino "Effector" 29-2 a couple of weeks ago for $700, because I was shopping for a 3.5" model 27.

We've all done it. My biggest problem is that I overthink things.
If I see a gun that is way underpriced, I wonder what the deal is. I always study it too hard and by the time I realize there is no "catch", it's gone.
Last year there was a mint model 27 with the 8 3/8" barrel in a wooden display box for $450 on a local forum. I e-mailed back and forth a few times with the seller trying to figure out what the catch was. It sold while I was over-studying it.
There was a 1943 Remington Rand 1911 on the same forum about two weeks ago for $400. Same story.

I will pass on the Model 76, currently listed on GB.

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Jorge

I'm going to have my M&P40 paid off real soon and then I want to buy either a 6" model 66 or a 19. Been pricing guns for about 3 weeks now at all the sites and the classified. Since I don't want to be paying for two guns at the same time on my card I recently passed up a beautiful 6" model 19-4. The gun sold for just over $400 which was not too bad but the gun itself was almost perfect. It was being sold by the original owner and had less than 4 boxes of shells through it. Spent most of it's life in a sock drawer and the only marking to the finish was a faintly visible drag line. Target grips were perfect. Beautiful gun.

My department issued 4” Model 66. They went up for sale when we transitioned to Glock 22s, but the price to buy them was outrageous. I could have gone into any LGS and bought a trade-in S&W K-frame cheaper.

But that Model 66 was special. Our department armourer (my partner) had given it a duty-tune and I don’t think that there was another 66 in the office with as nice of an action. My wife and I both carried it while the other carried my Model 19. I hated letting that 66 go and I lose sleep over it now.

Frank

There was a .375 H&H Magnum Whitworth Express Rifle in the Rod & Gun Club at the Mainz-Kastel Storage Station years ago (shortly before Jimmy Carter made it impossible for U.S. service members to travel to South Africa on a DA 31) for the princely sum of $379.00. A South African Army lieutenant colonel seconded to the Royal Army had invited me to go hunting on his ranch if I could get down there. I had the money saved up until I went home to my government quarters in Wiesbaden and my wife told me she'd made a down payment on a full set of Rosenthal china! When Carter put the leave travel ban in force, it became a moot point anyway, but I sure would have liked to have that rifle.


It was pretty much like this.

ECS

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CPT, Armor (Ret)
Luke 22:36

About six months ago, while working the gun show in Jacksonville, Florida, I was walking around before the show opened.
I saw a 629 no dash, 6" pinned and recessed in a wood presentation box, in like new condition.
The seller was selling his collection. He wanted $700.00.
The gun looked like it had never been fired.
Unfortunately, I didn't have that much cash on me yet.
When I finally had enough cash, I went back, but the gun was sold.
I should have asked him to hold if for me until I had the cash later in the day.
I'll know better next time, if there is a next time for a gun like that.

Stu

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NRA Benefactor/Cert Instructor

Fox AE grade 20 ga. excellent condition $450.... I was in college at the time. Got a flat tire on the way to the guys house. Never made it there and gun sold soon after.

I did basically the same thing and have regretted it ever since. My first duty weapon was a 4" model 66. It was issued to me brand new and had been "worked over" by he dept. armorer. Best action I've experienced in a revolver. When the dept. transitioned to Ruger semi-autos we were given the opportunity to purchase our issued m66's for $189. Kids were young, money was tight, so I passed. Wish I'd had the foresight to not have let that chance pass by. I would love to have that gun back.

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SWCA #1917

I'm almost embarressed to tell about the great deals I've passed up over the years. There has been some tough times when I was cash strapped and it always seemed like that was the times I had some really good stuff come my way.

One that really stands out was a 98% Winchester model 70 made back before the great mistake (1964). I was offered the gun for 1100 bucks and should have begged, borrowed or stole to get it but at the time I was wondering where the next house payment was coming from. Another time I passed a brand spanking new Sako in thurty ought six in the box with a figured walnut stock for 499 bucks.

I should have bought the 16 gauge AH Fox. It was a CE letter gun in 97/98% for 800 bucks.

Oh yeah, the model 70 was a 250-3000/250 Savage. Go look that one up in your book of current Winchester values. I've been walking on one leg ever since I realized what I had passed on. The other leg has been too busy kicking my on arse ever since.

It almost happen to me at a gunshow last year in the spring. I went directly to a dealers table that I do regular business with and I was looking for a particular revolver that he didn't have. While I was standing there I spotted a P&R 17-4 that was in excellent condition and when I asked him what he wanted he said $550. I should have told him to put it out of sight for an hour while I thought about and he would have.

So I started going to nearby tables looking for the revolver that I really wanted. About 10 miutes later I decided to buy the 17-4 and walked back over to the table only to see someone else holding it. I stood there for what seemed like a half hour (probably 10 minutes) and the guy finally put it back down on the table and walked away. I immediately stepped up to the table and bought it.

The story goes on as the other buyer came back and found out that it was sold and he tracked me down at the show and begged me to sell it to him even offering me $100 more then I paid for. I said no and brought it home only to sell it two weeks later for the original purchase price to my friend that had been at the gun show with me. I guess I was lucky getting it and rather silly for selling it to my friend but hey that's life and what you have friends for.

Just missed a deal on a S&W mod296 .went out of town one night ,Got home the next morning and checked email.I was told I could have it if I made immediate reply.Guess what,I was to late .Also many years ago I was obsessed in buying S&W n frames.I passed on buying Colt Python's because at the time the cost around $100 more than the S&W's .What an idiot I was .I had the opportunity to buy dozens of the Colts ,some are now selling for $4000 and higher.And the S&W's are only worth about a third of that .What is it they say about hindsight.Wonder what I should be buying now for the future?

I saw a very nice s&w model 10 at my favorite gun shop late last year for sale it was my favorite style of model 10 4 inch heavy barrel nice wood grips oh how i wanted it. But unfortunately my gun fund was real low at the time so some else bought.

Back in 1962, during summer vacation from college, I worked on dude ranch in upstate NY.

The day I left to return home, I had a paycheck in my pocket. I stopped at a small gun shop in Tannersville. They had a very very nice Sharp's carbine and a Spencer carbine and an original box of shells for each.

They were each priced at $300.00. Boy was I tempted, but I needed the money for tuition for college, so I passed.

Those two guns have haunted me ever since.

Colt SAA 45 I missed at an estate auction last year. I was focused on a gun that was coming up and raised my hand to late, it went for $550. It was NIB, it was beautiful.

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Tim, USAF Ret.

I passed on a 28-2 about 3 weeks ago that was in 95% condition at a local pawn shop for $400.00. Went back the next day and it was gone...

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Cliff

Mine wasn't a S&W but a CZ-P01. It was used and slightly dirty but my LGS was asking $499.00. It came with ammo and a holster (which can be a pain for CZs).

I already have a CZ-SP01 Tactical and I convinced myself I didn't need an almost identical 9mm. Went home, realized I would love to pair the two and the P01 would have been a viable CCW. When I went back the next day to buy it, it was gone. Didn't make that mistake with my new 29-2 though!

In the 1960s and 70s when I was more active there were tons of guns I passed up for the stupid mistake of not paying a few more dollars at the time. It would be impossable to try and list even a part of them. Sure a few stand out that I am looking for now, like a browning 92 in .357. I remember a 4" nickle s&w model 21 NIB etc. What hurts more is rare guns that I did buy and stupidly sell to make a few bucks. Sharps carbine, winchester 73, 92`s, some old colt SAA`s, etc. A beautiful parker shotgun, winchester model 12 with two sets of barrels numbered to the gun etc. Just getting back about 10 of the cream of the crop of several hundred guns I once owned would please me to death!
I just remembered a like new triplelock in .45 colt that I could have bought for I think $200 or $250s from a collector friend around 1974. I wanted a .44 special. I later read that there were only about 15 made in .45 colt!!! This one looked unfired!

I recently was in the market for a 2 1/2" model 66 in decent shooter condition. I had been watching GB for some time and saw a real nice one that had a bobbed hammer and tuned trigger...just what I wanted. Trying to save a penny, I foolishly bid $30 under the "Buy it Now" price (which was reasonable). Well, predictably when I logged back on, the revolver was sold for the buy it now price. I ended up later paying a little more for another one that probably wasn't as nice!

I can think of two or three I should have decided to buy, and maybe a couple of auction items I should have bid a little higher on. But at the time I didn't know how much I was going to regret letting them go.

The memorables:

About three years ago I was in a gun store in San Diego with the self-granted permission to buy one gun that day. It boiled down to a choice between a 25-5 in .45 Colt and a longnose 57, both of them models I had never seen before. Both were in high-90s condition. I chose the 57 (which I don't regret, because it is an excellent gun); but when I went back 10 days later to pick it up, the 25-5 was gone. I have subsequently seen more 57s than 25-5s, so I called that one backwards.

About a year and a half ago, when I was dipping my toe into Colt waters, I found an Official Police in .41 Colt that I took a run at in a Greg Martin auction. I stopped bidding at about $350 and put my money into other guns. I like the other pieces I got, but I should have pushed another hundred or so toward the .41; it was in decent shape for a shooter-grade gun and had a former owner's unusual name scratched on the backstrap, and I later identified him in census records. I still dream about that one.

Recently I have been on a .22 Ladysmith kick. About three or four months ago I saw that a major S&W dealer had a six-inch target Ladysmith available for $3000, or maybe it was $3500. I thought, "No Ladysmith is worth that much!" and let it pass. That gun eventually ended up in a Gunbroker auction where it sold for nearly $5000. Can I have another chance at that one, please?

But I can't complain too much. I have been successful and lucky in my buys far more often than I have had cause to regret a missed opportunity. And there are still thousands of guns out there in the categories that escaped my grasp the first time. I can probably connect with one of those. Except for Mr. Chronister's .41 -- I think I am out of luck on that one.

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David Wilson

A nice Third Generation Colt Detective Special around 1997 or 1998 for $225. My wife's friend wanted me to help her find a carry gun and took me to a small gunshop. I told her to buy it but she wanted an automatic so I think we walked away with a PPK or something. I went back later that day with the cash and they'd sold it. Amazing I still think about it.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

after having both a 58 and a 520 in my hands and not having the $
to close the deal. Got to eat I guess. I always wanted to carry a 58 as
a duty weapon but Plastic got in the way, but new policy allow what
you can buy will fly but, the good ones got away by now...

When the Steyr AUG first came out they were @ $550.
I passed. Price one now......

1992 , Standing at a gunshow table with $500 dollars in my pocket. Guy walks up and asks the vender if he's interested in a couple of .22 mag pistols . He says no so I say watcha got , he opens the 1st rug and there is a absolute mint unfired blue to kill for colt officers model match .22mag that takes my breath away and i knew what it was worth. While admiring the colt he opens the second rug and there is a mint 6" full target model 48 that i just briefly glance at because of the colt having my attention. I say what are you asking and he says $250 each or both for $400 .I quickly peel out $250 and head for the door and home with the colt. Only later when i had regained my senses did i realize i had passed on the smith for $150.

Passed up a 1945 manufactured, numbers matching NRA excellent condition M-1 Garand for $599 out the door last July.

Haven't seen one that nice since and the prices have been $700 and up.

I guess if you are serious about buying and adding to your collection you probably would never be able to say there wasn't one that you should have bought and passed as that's the nature of this game we all love to play. It might have to do with cash flow timing or whether you had a different model in mind when you saw the really nice gun that you should have bought but didn't.

I like this thread because the accounts apply to so many of the people that read them, not just the posters. I saw a few references to model 25's and if I see a nice used one in 45 Colt I'm certainly not passing it up next time.

About 35 yrs ago I responded to an ad for a Browning pistol for sale. It was beautiful, in a presentation case with a detachable shoulder stock. The owner wanted $300, I went to get the cash. Spoke to a friend about it, mentioning it was 30 Luger caliber. We were not very familiar with this round, so we did some research (books, no internet). When I went back, he'd sold it an hour earlier. I still think about that gun every now and again

Too many to count over the years. Either money was tight at the time or I was too hesitant.

Now, I make sure of my funding when I get the itch for something new for the collection or as a shooter...and I don't hesitate.

The worst one was the nickle 29-2 4 inch with a set of really stupid looking grips made by some unknown goober with a belt sander...I could have had that for $400....

The right grips would have been a cheap investment in that gun.

Duh.....

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Take your time..quickly.

Let's see; during my "FFL time": Ashland 3" 66's for $239, KY Imports NOS 27-2's NIB for $229 blue or nickel your choice, Jovino's 624's in 6 1/2" for $199, RSR Model 520's for $199 or $189 (CRS again) on closeout or the HK line 91's, 93's or 94's for $399 and the 9mm VP70Z with 4 18 rd mags for $199. Can I stop now or I'm going to need Prozac. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

You'd be payin' 2 1/2 or 3X that amount today......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Not a S&W but several years a go on My way to the Hunting Club for a afternoon Deer Hunt I stopped by a Pawn Shop on the other side of town in their gun rack was a Winchester Model 73 Rifle in 38/40 caliber in great shape even had the original cleaning rod in the butt trap asking price was $799.00 they were very busy that day and for some stupid reason I walked out,When I got to My truck I was thinking that I should be buying that gun but I went hunting instead & did not see a thing,The next day at lunch I raced back over to that Pawn Shop & of course the 73 was long gone! It was likely at that time worth 6 times their asking price & I remember that the serial # placed it near the end of production & ended with 00

Back in the early 70's while laid off, I had a guy offered me Thompson full auto sub-machine gun, that he brought back from Vietnam. Wanted $150 for it. First, I didn't have the money and 2nd, it couldn't be registered so I passed on it. A year later, I saw a pre-64 Wnchester Model 70 factory target rifle for $300 with all of the sight inserts and let it go.

When a 520 came my way, I jumped on it

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M24 Lew Horton

Back in 1989, I almost bought a FN FNC. You can find FAL's all over the place, but not many FNC's, and with that model being listed in the assault weapon ban back in the 90's, you can't get one in CA anymore, no one bothers to make a clone.

Earlier last year, I passed on a 25-2 for $300. Oops. I've kicked myself many times.

Stopped in my LGS a while back to get some ammo and saw an early 60's Detective Special with a Tyler T for $225. The finish was 75% and the grips had a few nicks. I went to the range and decided to stop and put the DS on hold - it sold while I was at the range.

Like so many others, our department offered us our old revolvers when we switched to autopistols. Ours were 2-year old S&W 681's with a weird matte finish, we were told we could buy them for a hundred bucks each. The kids were little, we were broke, and $100 was a lot of money back then. The department armorer called me up and gave me one last chance, there were seven guns available and he said I could have my pick. I couldn't do it, so he bought them all himself. He doubled his money in a month when he sold five of them, and kept two for his kids. I still have nightmares about those 681's.........they're on a table a few feet away but my legs won't move. Or my wallet is stuck in my pocket. Oh, the agony!

Most regreted not buying would be an almost perfect 4" Python Bright Polished Stainless Steel no box or papers for 650.00 this was around 2000
at about the time we were building our current home,
I know it is not a S&W but

My "regret" gun was a German re-manufactured WWII Luger. These were spectacular in fit & finish, VERY commercial grade. The one I should have bought was carried in a shoulder holster during the Cold War by an AF pilot who was stationed in Germany. He was always on alert to "drop the big one". Fast forward to Vietnam (he carried a different sidearm in VN) where he was a Wild Weasel pilot that went in first to get Hanoi to turn on their AA radar with his wing men behind to "take care" of the radar/missile batteries. He was shot down and spent 5+ years in the Hanoi Hilton. Just before he was shot down he had saved the life of one of his wing men and was awarded (after he returned home) the Medal of Honor. I met Leo Thorsness when he ran for the Republican nomination for US Senate in WA state. I worked on his campaign. Leo was selling off stuff to help in his run and I found buyers for 3 of his firearms. The Luger went for $600 to a friend. I should have bought that one.

To this day, I consider Leo a friend.

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Bill - SWCA #2327

1. A Model of 1950 .45ACP for $650, with box about 7 years ago. Passed it up because I already had a M25-2 and a M1917. DOH!

2. A consecutively numbered pair of pre-M21's for $400 in 1975. Just couldn't afford them at the time.

3. A Model 1928-A1 Military "New York" Savage Thompson SMG in 1996 for $3,000. I had recently retired from military service and was back in graduate school and did not think I could afford it. Three years later I saw the identical model at a GS for $18,500, and more recently for over $25K.

4. This story has to have a happy ending, right? Three years ago there was an Appleton ASP M439 9mm in my LGS. They didn't know what it was, and listed it only as a "customized S&W." $695 OTD. Blue book was $1250 at the time. Last year I was offered $2,000 and have seen them go on Gunbroker for $3,995. My wife (bless her) told me not to sell it because it doesn't eat much and we don't need the money. Anybody have an ASP rug they want to sell?.

New Winchester M1 Carbine, still in the cosmoline. $75 from the DCM.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

A Model 27-2 made in 1963 with a special order 4" barrel. It was a presentation to the late entertainer Buddy Hackett in recognition of some charity work he did and was inscribed with his name. This was about 8 years ago and the price was about $600 and I now wish I had bought it.