I felt like Maxwell Smart today...

[Hair Trigger]

I'm putting this in this forum because of what I didn't get today. A guy I sometimes do landscape work with was at a customer's house doing an irrigation repair and happened to see in the open garage a gun safe, and a big pile of boxes on the floor, mostly cases of ammunition, but a lot of mixed-bag stuff like reloading equipment and supplies and smaller quantities of ammunition, extra magazines for semiauto's and other gun-related items. Turns out the customer's husband passed a few months ago and the lady is selling off all his firearms and supplies. My buddy told her he was interested in seeing what she had, and called me, knowing I would also be interested.

I ended up buying a bag of 250 new and primed .38 Special cases, and two boxes (100 each) of 125 grain .38 JHP bullets. I also got a new set of RCBS .44 Magnum reloading dies, 1000 Remington #5-1/2 small pistol primers, and 200 Winchester small magnum pistol primers I only wish she'd had some large pistol primers.

What makes me feel like Maxwell Smart ("Missed it by That Much") was the one revolver she had, which was the ONLY gun she didn't want to sell. She had over half a dozen Glocks, a Browning A5 12 gauge shotgun, a S&W Model ?? 12 gauge auto shotgun, A couple of Marlin lever actions, one a 30-30 and the other a .22LR, a very nice Browning A-Bolt .243 with an 8X ?? scope.

What she didn't want to sell was a beautiful nickel S&W M29-2 with a 6-1/2 inch barrel, the SN dated it to 1973. I begged and pleaded, but she said it had sentimental value and her husband bought it new the year they were married. It was dirty and needed cleaning badly, but the finish was perfect, lockup as tight as any revolver I've handled, no end play, passed the push-off test, stocks were in perfect shape. No box or papers, but I offered her $1200 to start, and even bumped the offer to $1400, but she wouldn't consider selling it. I asked her to call me if she reconsidered, and she could name a price we could bargain from.

 

[SS336]

The way things are going the primers you purchased might be worth more than the M29.
Would of liked to find a stash that could be purchased around here.
Hope she thinks about it and calls you back.

 

[Golphin]

If you would have been Maxwell Smart you would have bought that Marlin 22 lever. They are great 22's and depending on the model they can be worth so good money. None are cheap.

 

[Truckman]

Since the gun is dirty, you might offer to clean and polish it...She would probably be even less inclined to sell it, but if she did decide she would likely think of you first, especially if you write a note with your name, phone number and offer then roll it tightly and stick it in the barrel...Fold part of the paper over the muzzle and tie it with string behind the front sight so it doesn't fall out...I write this as i sit here with my own 6.5" 29-2 in my lap polishing the nickel to a high sheen...

Simichrome and nickel make a mess of my polishing rags and fingers, but it'll all wash off......Ben

 

[Hair Trigger]

Since the gun is dirty, you might offer to clean and polish it...

Actually, I did. I also told her how to keep it shiny after getting it that way, showed her what to look for in a collectible gun like that, to test function, etc. She was fairly savvy about the guns her husband had, although I'm sort of regretting not buying the A5 Light 12 shotgun, she only wanted $500 for it and it was spotless. I was hoping when I went there that there might be some nice revolvers, but the only one there wasn't for sale.

 

[Jack Flash]

This is the flip side of the "inherited gun" threads we usually see here.

You know, where everyone moans about the oblivious heirs who don't give a hoot about guns and only want money for the dear departed one's treasured possessions.

It's nice to know it will stay with someone who cherishes it.

 

[Hair Trigger]

This is the flip side of the "inherited gun" threads we usually see here.

You know, where everyone moans about the oblivious heirs who don't give a hoot about guns and only want money for the dear departed one's treasured possessions.

It's nice to know it will stay with someone who cherishes it.

It's a nice thought, but I wish she'd cherish the Browning A-Bolt rifle and let go of the S&W.

My buddy ended up buying a Russian-made AK-47 and 1000 rounds of ammo for it. Not sure exactly about the AK; it was a polymer stocked rifle, but clearly had Cyrillic lettering on the barrel stamp, "Made in Russia" and an importer mark in English (I forgot who that was). It's a new rifle, not some shot-out milsurp. He got 4 30-round magazines with it. There was probably 4-5000 rounds of 7.62x39 ammo there, plus assorted ammo for the other caliber guns. Of the Glock pistols, most were in their original plastic boxes, but I saw a 3rd Gen G20, and 4th Gen G17 and G19. Lots of 9mm and 10mm ammo of various brands, and there must have been 10-15 extended 30-round magazines for the G17 and 19. He also had an older Browning Buck Mark .22 pistol, and several thousand rounds of .22LR. There was quite a bit of older reloading stuff, a Lyman single stage press and powder charger and a number of loading die sets, mostly RCBS. Not much powder, and I bought all the primers I found. There were bags of brass, both rifle and pistol. I jumped on the .38 Spl brass because it was already primed , but passed on a bag of 500 new Starline-stamped .44 Magnum brass. I'll probably load up the .38 brass into some +P rounds for my .357's.

 

[bigmoose]

You didn’t miss anything. The gun was not for sale. Simple as that. But you probably did gain a “first in line” spot if it does come up for sale. I’m sure the lady got the impression you were an honest guy, and will keep your contact info. Patience, patience. Good luck to you, sir.

 

[rwt1405]

If you would have been Maxwell Smart you would have bought that Marlin 22 lever. They are great 22's and depending on the model they can be worth so good money. None are cheap.

Golphin beat me, and said it perfectly.

For me, the Marlin 39 is/was the most interesting firearm you listed.

 

[Hair Trigger]

If you would have been Maxwell Smart you would have bought that Marlin 22 lever. They are great 22's and depending on the model they can be worth so good money. None are cheap.

I wasn't there for the long guns, and I already have two pretty nice .22LR rifles. If I'd have bought any of the rifles, I would have gotten the A-bolt .243, and of the shotguns, would have bought the A5 Light 12. My primary search right now is for a Model 25 in .45 Colt, I don't have the funds for more than that; I was sort of hesitant about making an offer on the M29 she had, knowing if she accepted, it would put me back money-wise for a while. The way my luck runs, I'd find a perfect M25 the very next day if I spent my money. I already have a very nice M29-2 6" in nickel, but it's a commemorative and unfired and I want to keep it that way. Buying this M29 would have given me a range gun with collector value. The SN put it around 1973.

 

[Neversink n Klapperthal]

that babys cherry

 

[quikdraw67]

I thought you were going to say that you got a shoe phone.

 

[Mbrgr1]

I thought you were going to say that you got a shoe phone.

I thought agent 99! Or at least the Sunbeam Tiger!

 

[batman4706]

No powder?

 

[snowman]

I thought you were going to say that you got a shoe phone.

Or the cone of silence.

Andy

 

[22hipower]

I wasn't there for the long guns, and I already have two pretty nice .22LR rifles. If I'd have bought any of the rifles, I would have gotten the A-bolt .243, and of the shotguns, would have bought the A5 Light 12. My primary search right now is for a Model 25 in .45 Colt, I don't have the funds for more than that; I was sort of hesitant about making an offer on the M29 she had, knowing if she accepted, it would put me back money-wise for a while. The way my luck runs, I'd find a perfect M25 the very next day if I spent my money. I already have a very nice M29-2 6" in nickel, but it's a commemorative and unfired and I want to keep it that way. Buying this M29 would have given me a range gun with collector value. The SN put it around 1973.

From the prices you've mentioned, sounds like you should go back and buy most everything she has. The A5 if Belgian is worth closer to $1k than $500 and even if Japanese at least $800. The M39 depending on condition might go to $1000 too and even the 30-30 assuming JM marked is worth between $500-$1000 these days.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
T

 

[colt_saa]

What makes me feel like Maxwell Smart ("Missed it by That Much") was the one revolver she had, which was the ONLY gun she didn't want to sell.

And I opened this thread expecting to see your suppressed revolver

Here is the one the Chief of Control issued to me

 

[Hair Trigger]

No powder?

Didn't have but two cans of powder, and both were old metal cans of Remington something-or-other. I didn't give them more than a glance, I have plenty of powder.

I may go back and get that A5 Light 12, if I strike out at this weekend's gun show on my M25 quest. I'm also hoping I might strike a deal with a guy at a local gun shop, he's got a M25 with a 4" barrel, don't know what dash it is, but it has a pinned barrel, so probably an early dash 5. I couldn't be so hopeful that it would be a -2 125th Anniv. model. It's his Dad's gun, and his dad doesn't want to sell it, but I'm hopeful I can convince him.

 

[jimbo728]

missed me by that much. and loving it.
Jim