Guns that you shouldn't have let go

[ancient-one]

Dorothy's nephew bought one of the early Ruger S.A. 357's for use in fast draw competitions. He had cut away part of the trigger guard and because of the light trigger pull I am sure he did some work in that area. Later his hands became so disfigured with arthritis that he could hardly pick up anything.
One time while visiting him in Colorado he handed me the whole rig, belt, holster and gun and said it's yours, I wanted you to have it because you will know how to be safe with the modifications that I did.
I kept the outfit for years hanging on a peg on a coat rack. I shot it once and the trigger was so light that it was dangerous. I didn't want my grandson or great grandson getting hold of it. One of my friends wanted the gun and he was gun savvy enough to handle it so I sold(practically gave it to him) it to him.
What I should have done was send it in for the modification and it would have been safe to shoot or pass on to my grandson. I have always wondered if I had of sent it with a note explaining the guns history, would Ruger have returned it with a new frame along with the modification.

 

[Echo40]

Fortunately, I've seen so many threads on the subject just as I was getting into firearms that I developed a strict policy against selling any of my firearms.

I've got more than enough regrets in my life without selling off treasured possessions on impulse, and fortunately my general lack of funds has resulted in me only purchasing firearms that I was 100% sure that I wanted first, so there's less temptation for me to sell off any of my guns since I absolutely love them all.

 

[mikerjf]

I regret surprisingly few of the guns I've sold off.

There was a really cool Beretta 948, 22 auto. Really fun to shoot but had some kind of issue, would occasionally let off a couple/three rounds at a time. Never even tried to fix it, just traded it in, but in retrospect I should have put in the effort.

I like J frames so much that I wish I'd kept my first, a 2" Model 60.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Only 2 guns I really regret selling, my 3" 65 and 2" 64.

Sometimes I wish I still had my Gen3 Glock 23, but then it passes.

 

[ggibson511960]

Regrets??

A few years ago I carried a Luger, P-38 and a Python to the Tulsa gun show. They never made it to the show. I was besieged at my motel. I netted a bunch of cash, and every now and then regret selling them because I know I'll never have another, especially at the ridiculously low prices I paid for them 25 years ago, vs. the even more ridiculous prices of today, but I gained a lesson. I never shot them and none of my heirs has any interest in them. I have far more than enough firearms for recreation, so I'm fine with somebody having them that wants them. They will face the same decision point. I've had my fun and the firearms hobby is passing into a new phase with expensive and scarce guns, ammunition, and ever more restrictions.

 

[Flattop5]

1. S&W Model 60, stainless .38 snubby revolver, 2" barrel, pinned barrel, made circa 1979. Near mint. Like a fool, I traded it off circa 1981. Happily, I later replaced it -- although the new one (made circa 1984) does not have a pinned barrel.

2. Remington Model 1100 semi-auto shotgun, 12 gauge. Excellent condition. But I needed the money. Now, the money is gone, and so is the gun.



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[OLDSTER]

My list is long, and I'd be sobbing before I could finish posting.

 

[mauser9]

Yeah a couple. A S&W 39-2 and the Model 19 snubby. Paid $125 and $180 back in the 70s respectively. Always looking for the perfect 1 gun. Ha the jokes on me!! Heard they are going for a lot more than that now!. A least I got a CS-9 and always held onto my 1100 TB shotgun.

 

[mckenney99]

As soon as I graduated from the Academy I bought a 2in M64 as a backup gun to my issued M10HB and as a off duty gun. After carrying it for several years I learned about the M49 and traded the M64 in towards a new M49. I now regret letting the M64 go as it was a tremendous shooter.

When the M649 first came out I figured it would be the perfect upgrade to replace the M49, so the M49 went as a trade-in for the new M649 which I carried as one of my backup guns until I retired.

By the time I retired I was a died in the wool 1911 carrier off duty and figured I would never have a need for the M649 so I sold it to one of my old retired Sergeants. I now really regret selling that M649 as we traveled a lot of miles together.

 

[AJ]

All of the ones that I sold, I wish I had back!!

 

[ContinentalOp]

My list is long, and I'd be sobbing before I could finish posting.

 

[deanodog]

Two stand out more than many others. S&W 22-4 acp and a 21-4
in 44 special. I had more than one of each and got traded out of all of them.

 

[d524ax]

Model 19

I traded a never fired 19-4, 4" nickel straight up for a 29-3 6" blue. I still have the 29, but i wish i had kept the 19. Sometimes lessons are hard learned.

 

[loknload]

Two pieces I have now regretted selling,,,
1. No1 MKIII British Enfield,,, My first rifle I ever purchased.
2. Colt Trooper MK III ,,,, I purchased from an old friend of mine as he was leaving the police force. It was his duty weapon.
At the time I needed cash and I decided they were the ones to go. I know who has them but they will never sell them back.
From that point on I have never sold another gun except for one I really didn't need and someone needed it more than me? It was a vintage Berra Md83 .380. It was a good little handgun but a friend of mine needed something for his wife and didn't have a lot of money at the time.
But anything that I've really collected has never left once it hit the safe!

 

[Kinman]

Regarding Rugers, I've heard from a number of people that sent back old school single action Rugers built before the trigger block that Ruger sent them back with the trigger block installed. Probably in a way of covering their collective posteriors.
I regret letting go every Browning Hi Power I have ever owned, I believe at least six...always replacing the one let go with another one, this last one is the last one...unless a nice C-Code with fixed sights falls into my hands. I shot it today, always a pleasure to shoot.
Others firearms have come and gone, I'm sorry I let a Colt Officer's Match .38 with full King treatment go. I would have hung onto grandma's Brno mauser in .22 hornet but only miss is it for sentimental reasons.

 

[Black69]

Traded a nickel 39-2 for a New Ruger 30-06 with scope and sling and case and traded a 19-2 for a 66-2. Should have kept them both.

 

[RWPBR]

Too many to list, but I fondly remember a 1918 manufactured 1911 Model of US Army and a 44 triple lock that no longer reside in my safe.

 

[Deceasedeye]

Had to!

I'm sure I'm not the only one who in order to get the gun you were in love with you had to sell or trade the one you had. I divorced 3 pythons, 2 lugers and a High power in order to move up to what was in my dreams at the time. If you looked up the word (fickle) in the dictionary you would find my picture!

 

[Ματθιας]

I had a NIB Gailil ARM in 7.62 that I sold when I was unemployed. I traded an early M1A and a Norinco Type 84S + cash to get the ARM.

I had two Colt Anacondas, one w/4in and the other 6in barrels.

The Galil I had no choice. The Anacondas, I didn't really want to sell them, but I got talked out of them.

 

[2152hq]

It hurts too much to think about them...too many to count.
The best thing to do is to rationalize the hurt away with the thought that the value was 'inflation adjusted''

But buying GI 1911's for $50, Luger's for $100 & Colt 1903's for $35 & $40,, then a couple yrs later selling them for what seemed like a Lotto Winners dream ticket come true is only a nightmare now when you think about it.

Later on I figured I smarten up a bit,, I learned to hang on to stuff.
Now I'm at the age where I wonder why I hang on to the stuff.

There is no easy way out of this.