Did your most expensive gun(s) meet your expectations?

[CBus660R]

I'm one of the few who voted no. I've never bought anything more than a standard production gun, but my early '90s enhanced series stainless Colt Gov't Model I bought with high school graduation money is a slight disappointment. It's pretty and looks well made, but when you shoot it, you can tell the tolerances aren't there and it's a bit sloppy. For $150 less, the Para-Ordnance P12-45 I bought the next year is a lot more accurate, but not nearly as pretty since it's a basic parkerized finish. One is my shooter and one sits in the safe. Then again, I didn't buy the Colt to be my shooter and I don't regret it either. Both are still in my possession more than 20 years after they were purchased. It's just that as an 18 year old reading gun magazines, the Colt came with a mystique that it didn't live up to and even now at 41 years old, I still notice that when I do pull it out and shoot it.

 

[tops]

I liked my M21 Winchester so much I bought another one so I would have a pair. Larry

 

[Bill Bates]

My most expensive gun purchase to date, wasn't all that expensive. A good shooter grade Registered Magnum would have cost more.

My most expensive gun purchased to date is a little "shot and regulated by Holland & Holland" H&H badged 12 Gauge Boxlock manufactured by Webley & Scott and shipped in the white to Holland and Holland in 1967. It is as close as I'll ever come to owning a real Holland & Holland.

It fits me perfectly and I hit what I'm looking at. I guess I could also put in the Best Shooter thread.

 

[federali]

Sako Custom

I had designed what I considered the perfect eastern deer rifle, which was then executed by custom gunmaker, George Beitzinger.
It's a Sako, Forester, rebarreled to a Douglas, 20" medium barrel in cal 7mm-08 Rem, with the magazine capacity reduced one round to achieve greater slimness through the action. It is also custom stocked. I have four figures into it and it wears a Leopold 1.5-5X scope.

The rifle is extremely accurate for a three round group but groups tend to widen as the gun warms up. To me, this isn't a fault as you're lucky to get three shots off at a whitetail using an autoloader, let alone a bolt action.

I've since stopped deer hunting but I was just a bit ahead of the rifle manufacturers when they started offering comparable mountain rifles with 20" tubes. As a result, attempts to sell and recover at least part of my investment have failed.

 

[Arik]

Yes but I don't have anything that expensive. I think my most expensive gun is a used Springfield 1911 TRP. Bought used for just under $700. Shoots great, feeds everything. I've never tested it's true accuracy since I don't really care about that

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[WC145]

I shop and trade more expensive guns carefully and if I'm not getting my money's worth I'm not buying. I'm into my custom three caliber Colt ORM 1991A1 for something over $3k and it's worth every penny and more. It's wicked accurate with all three barrels (9mm, .38 Super, 9x23 Winchester) and is a great gun for everything from IDPA/USPSA competition, concealed carry/self defense, and hunting. I have other custom and high end 1911s and revolvers that I paid in the $1250-$2000 range, and rifles and pistols that were trade deals with values up to $3500 or so. These guns all look and perform a least as well as expected and I have yet to be disappointed by one.

On the other hand, I've bought several guns at the lower end of the cost spectrum that have failed to live up to the most basic of expectations - reliable function. My last purchase off the classifieds here was an M28 that had supposedly been rebuilt buy the seller (shop owner/gunsmith) but the cylinder binds and it has other issues. Bought a SIG Mosquito that was a piece of junk. Had an ODI Viking 1911 back in the'80s that was horrible, bought another one several years ago in a fit of nostalgia and it was just as bad as the first one!

 

[the ringo kid]

This Swedish m41b was worth it the first time I hit a 10"X10" steel plate at 600 meters. The rifle itself is 98 years old. The scope is a youngster at 74 years old.

Id forgot about the 1913 Carl Gustafstadt Swedish Mauser I had. I gave it to my Nephews for Christmas one year. That thing is accurate to one inch in a mile.

 

[petepeterson]

The most I've paid for a gun isn't all that much compared to some...

An early-issue Colt 10mm Delta. All black. It's everything I hoped it would be.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Yes. I bought a SIG SHR 970 . First time at the range I was firing 1 1/4" groups at 100 yards in 270 Winchester-and I am FAR from being an experienced centerfire rifle shot.

 

[DeathGrip]

Some of my most expensive guns were real beauties...like the Colt Python I bought in 1973 when I got out of the Navy. (Still makes me sick that I sold it for rent money while I was in college.) In more recent times, I've owned a couple of high end SIGs that were real beauties and great pistols.

The biggest disappointments were the three Kimber 1911s that I had...each one was well over $1K and I couldn't run a box of ammo through them without malfunctions. The CS at Kimber was non-existent.

I've been trying to get my Kimber Compact to jam ever since I got it to the first time out and that was because I tried to guide the slide back instead of letting it go under its own power.

A couple of weeks ago I was at the range and we got a thunderstorm stoppage. It was late on a Sunday and most shooters packed up and went home. We waited it out and got in a couple more sessions before closing time. Usually they want slow shooting but this time I wanted to heat things up a little to see what might happen.

They didn't complain as we were shooting aimed shots just not at five second intervals like the rules say. More like one second intervals.

We went through about 400 rounds of perfecta and some other stuff I had loose. Not one problem with two shooters each loading mags for the other.

 

[824tsv]

S&W SW1911PC

I waited 5 months for it to come in after ordering it and I'm quite impressed with it in all aspects. It's not my best shooter in .45ACP, but it's a very close second.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

All my handguns have been under $1k so I really don't have what a lot of guys would call "expensive".

For the longest time I had built up very high expectations in my mind what a Wilson Combat would be like. When I finally got an opportunity to shoot a couple WC a few months ago, I walked away thinking that while they were wonderful guns I saved myself a big chunk of change and a lot of purchase rationalizing.

 

[Aircrewman]

Yes and No. Have a SIG P 210-6. Have a Wilson Tactical Elite, 45ACP. Both are well manufactured and built to exacting standards and quality. Finish is done very nicely on both. Both shoot very well. However:
The SIG "bites" (a common problem for some shooters of the model). My Browning Hi Power seems to be as accurate (factory barrel re-crowned by Nowack in his "Special Hi Power" package). The Wilson Tac Elite is a PITA to take down for routine cleaning due to the need to "capture" the full length guide rod spring. It shoots well but my Colt Gold Cup-National Match is just as accurate.....

While I am very happy with these guns, I am more circumspect now when deciding on a gun to buy that is very expensive as opposed to one that isn't IF the difference between the two doesn't amount to much difference in accuracy. So...., pre-war "pre" Model 27 or mid/early sixties to mid 70's.....accuracy the same....? Perhaps I still want the pre-war revolver....Maybe not IF I want an accurate gun..... Sometimes I feel that the hype to own one of the really desirable guns is driven more by "bragging rights....." rather than the desire for accuracy or "old manufacturing methods." Good question.....

 

[wlewisiii]

Not for me. My most expensive firearm was a Mauser C96 "Broomhandle". Even after having the barrel relined and a complete overhaul, it could rarely get through a 10 round magazine load without several failures and you couldn't hit the broadside of a barn from the inside.

Beautiful firearm and fascinating machining, but not worth the money I spent. Thankfully I got out of it what I had into it.

 

[straightshooter1]

I've never paid over a thousand dollars for a handgun. (OOPS, just remembered that I bought a Second Generation Colt SAA for $1400 once upon a time).

Rarely have I paid over a thousand dollars for a rifle.

Shotguns, on the other hand, have cost me many thousands of dollars and I just bought a Silver Seitz and a ProSoft stock-my most expensive purchase of a firearm ever.

I get a little sick to my stomach when I think about what I paid for it, but so far it seems to be doing its job of breaking those little orangy things.

Time will tell if it lives up to my expectations or not.


Bob

 

[S42N8]

Wilson X-TAC and Beretta Silver Pigeon - both pricey, but they shoot very well. However, I have several less expensive guns which are as accurate/reliable...which simply says they all shoot better than I do.

 

[e3mrk]

I'm cheap.
My most expensive Gun is My Smith and Wesson Model 29-3, 44 Magnum and it is very accurate,But if I want to show off at the Range I shoot My Rock Island G.I Model 45 acp. I dont claim to be a fantastic shot by any means but that $400.00 Semi Auto.Gives a very good showing against those big buck Pistols.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Rarely have I paid over a thousand dollars for a rifle.

Me neither. It's the stocks, optics, mounts, triggers, suppressors... that are the budget busters. The price of the rifle is often relatively insignificant.

 

[Skeet 028]

Me neither. It's the stocks, optics, mounts, triggers, suppressors... that are the budget busters. The price of the rifle is often relatively insignificant.

Boy ain't that the truth! Get a decent scope for what the rifle costs and then the other paraphenalia. Pretty wood is extremely expensive. I do not care for tupperware. Only tupperware gun I shoot is a Benelli M1 Super 90..Ugly but one of the most reliable semiauto shotguns made...and the price was right. No suppressors in my stable...but I'd probably like to have one. Just hate all the paperwork

 

[Qball]

The one i payed most for was a modell 25-3 125th Anniversary S&W revolver
And it was Very accurate. (yes i had it cut for full moon clips )

Now.. i don't do "expensive" any more, but find my guns to be quite accurate any way.

 

[Skeet 028]

Now.. i don't do "expensive" any more, but find my guns to be quite accurate any way.

I don't buy many expensive guns these days either. My most recent two was a Rem 30S and another Rem 721 both 30-06s Sold the 30S and kept the 721. Good shooter and I made a profit of 25 bucks to keep the 721. Like most of my guns...It shoots better'n I can.

 

[BC38]

My most expensive gun was my only safe queen "investment gun" - and one I never shot. But after keeping it in my safe for less than 3 years I made such a nice profit on it that I can definitely say it met and exceeded my expectations for value appreciation.

The next most expensive was the HE 44 special I paid $675 for. But since I sold the Cokes that came with it for $500 I ended up only having $175 in it. It has definitely exceeded all expectations.

The next most expensive is the classic hunter that I paid $600 for. It has definitely met my expectations.

So far all of my Smiths have met or exceeded my expectations. It is my cheap guns that haven't. Like the MAB 22 I paid $170 for that shot a foot low and a foot left at 10 yards - even with the rear sight drifted full right.