The best deal you have ever gotten on a firearm?

[samandglove1]

About 10 years ago, I saw a small gun shop in central Mass when I was getting off the highway to get gas/food. I quickly went in to check it out (while my family waited in the car) to just satisfy my curiosity.They mainly had new/used semi-auto pistols and hunting rifles. I asked if they had any revolvers in the store, and the guy at the counter said they only had one. It was a "broken" parts gun that they picked up as part of a multi-gun estate sale. He said that it looked ok, but it was non-functioning and was also missing parts. So for $150 I bought it and walked out of the shop.

When I got home that night, I ordered a correct thumb piece release and screw. In two days I installed the parts (took me about 10 seconds) and I was good to go. That S&W Model 13-1 with 3" barrel ended up costing me <$170 all in!!

 

[VictorLouis]

I'll start with my Colt/Armalite SP1 with its 5-digit serial number at $175.00 purchased in 1977. 480 rds of ammo, bayonet, scabbard, bipod, and 5 twenty round mags completed the deal.

Llance

About $911 in today's money. You'd be hard-pressed to find a deal like that today!

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

Sometime in the late 80's, I came upon a used Seecamp .25 in a LGS. I recall it was $90, and I think that was plus-tax, LOL. IDK what I traded it off for. Many years ago, I got a Baikal IZH-35 .22 target pistol out of Cabela's gun room for $175.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I have never overpaid for anything and have generally done very well.
My favorites:
1. 1972-pre-war all original Enfield No. 2 Mk 1, near mint. $35.00
2. 1985-S&W M-27-2 4" nickel with a polished action. $250.00

 

[Llance]

About $911 in today's money. You'd be hard-pressed to find a deal like that today!

Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value From 1913-2024

I forgot to include the 3 power Colt scope which was an option back when the rifle sold new.


Didn't know I wanted it but it came my way when I knew I couldn't pass up a good deal. I was in gander mountain looking to buy a Mossberg M150 when a gentleman came in with a Winchester Model 94 in .45 Colt. This is a full length (24in) barreled rifle, and he wants GM to give him $400.00. They won't but I did. Nearly a year later I shelled out 600.00 for a Rugar Bisley Model SA revolver to pair with it. I'm into them for what the Winchester would cost new. I did alright as I see things.

 

[sheepdawg]

GP100 3" for $399 from Simpson's LTD in 2013. It had a cracked wood panel on the grips. Had a set of GP100 grips in my box. Best trigger I've ever pulled on a Ruger.

Sig P220r Equinox from a Savannah, TN pawn shop in 2015 for $650. Just needed a good cleaning.

1972 S.W. m66 no dash from a nextdoor neighbor. Stainless sights. Memphis P.D. gun. She just wanted it out of the house. $250 in 1999. Could have got it for less but I wouldn't have felt right.

 

[RM Vivas]

Ok probably -THE- best:

My dad had a neighbor who was having a baby and the wife wanted the guns out of the house (I know, divorce probable cause right there!).

Paid $2,500 for some S&W #1's, a pair of US marked Colt SAA's (arty and Cav), a 4.75" Colt SAA in .32020, Stery-Hahn Model 1912, 4 or 5 Springfield muskets of CW vintage, one with Maynard tape primer, and some other odds and ends.

Decent enough stuff that I, as a neophyte collector I had no real undertsnading of the once-in-a-lifetime deal I stumbled into.

You know what the kicker was?

It wasn't the guns, it was the two large boxes of holsters and belts that accompanied it. I later learned those holsters and boxes weer worth a lot more than the guns. ALOT.

Every military variation of a mills belt, inc. an NCO one with 100 krag loops a dozen 38 colt loops and a sabre chape, civil war leather gear like officer sabre belts with chape and wreath eagle plate buckles, dyer cartridge boxes, those big plated lead US things that went on the cartridge pouches, the cartridge pouches, every variation of McKeever cartridge boxes, HOLSTERS! There were all manner of holsters including US military 2-hole holsters for both Schofield & Colt!

Unfortunately, I have none of that stuff left. Sold most, gave away a lot. Learned an awful lot!

Buy a book, buy a gun! Then you won't screw up like I did when a deal like this wanders along!

Next best deal:

Bought a footlocker with 50 1950's vintage Colt OP's and S&W M&P's plus holsters from the Yonkers Race way. Wont say what I paid, but the sale of the first ten guns paid for the deal!

Some of you folks remember (and benefited!!) from that deal!

Best,
RM Vivas

 

[flyfishinjunkee]

Purchased a near mint 1936 Registered magnum at CABELAS years ago for $3k. It had been sitting there for 1 day and my eyes about popped out of my head when I saw it. Ended up selling it for more than twice what I paid. It was almost pristine and I was afraid to scratch it and quite frankly it didnt fit in my collection. Shot it a couple times then sold it.

 

[BillBro]

I think I would have to say that monetarily the best deal I ever got was a Savage 110HSPrecision .308. I believe they were about $1200 new. 24" barreled Savage in a really nice HSPrecision stock thats Carbon-kevlar-glass stock with nice pillars etc.
I walked into a local and saw it up there and asked to see it and it looked unfired or a box of ammo at most but I could scrape any varbon from anywhere. The tag said $700, I asked if that was the best price and he excused himself and came back with $550, I left with it.
Its a very nice accurate firearm, I topped it with a bushnell DMR that I won.

 

[Rubone]

My "go to" pronghorn rifle is a 700SPS in 270WSM that I bought from a local kid. His brother originally purchased it slightly used" because he wanted a .270!" but never got around to using it so passed it on to his younger brother. As it turned out neither of them new the difference between .270 and .270WSM so after a period of frustration not being able to make it work (luckily without damaging it) the younger had it for sale. It had an inexpensive Bushnell banner scope on it and very low round count from the original owner. It cost a princely $270 and has brought home several Speed Goats to its credit. The Banner is now on a Ruger American in 7.62X39 and it wears a Vortex now.

 

[Metalhead1954]

I have a friend that was selling his gun collection because he was getting old and he knew his days were short.
He had a very nice collection of Machines guns, I was a dealer and Found them for him.
He gave me a M3 Grease gun.
It's worth about 30K.
He also gave me other things like safes, ammo and gun related items.

 

[damienph]

There are two really good deals that I have lucked into. The first was about 15 years ago. I bought a Colt 1901 .38LC for $100. I had to point it straight down to cock the hammer other wise the hammer would not advance the cylinder. I traded it straight across for a 1937 Luger that consistently made light primer strikes. I traded it straight across for a very nice Colt New Service .38-40. Nothing wrong with it but I traded it straight across for a 1954 Colt Commander in a tattered box that looked to be unfired. I still have the Colt and it no longer looks to be unfired.
The second really good deal is a Smith & Wesson model 1917 that someone nickel plated. It has modern N frame target stocks on it. I paid $75 for it last year.

 

[stanmerrell]

The best deal I ever got was for a Model 19 with a 6" barrel and target hammer/trigger for $225 in 1978. I was 14 and mowed lawns all Summer to pay for it. I still have it. It's my favorite gun. Real value comes through use.

 

[BLLefkay]

Several months ago I got a new Hellcat OSP for $400 off Gun Broker site.

 

[A10]

I've made a few good deals. A couple come to mind, both LGS:
1966 4" Python for around 400 OTD. Bluing wear on both sides of the barrel but pretty tight, with original box and test target. Traded it for a 1932 Commercial model 1911a1.
1932 5" Heavy Duty they had marked as a Model 10, for 350 IIRC. That one lives with a Forum member now.

Best deal on grips was a set of pristine Cokes for 125 also at an LGS.

 

[mtgianni]

Gun related but no firearms. They are rarely good deals in MT where everyone has a shooting relative. I bought a locker from an old armorer's estate. I paid $900 in 2007, in included 30K primers, 15 lbs of powder and about 50 bullet molds plus tools and parts. A year later I had kept what I wanted, gave some to relatives and friends and sold tools for over $2500.

 

[4896worker]

Had a local department store going out of business in mid 80’s . Got new Remington “sportsman 870 for 140.00 and Charter arms Ar7 for 45.00 .

 

[cracker57]

walked into a LGS and while looking at the used gun rack I spotted a mini 14, while looking at it a sales guy walks up and says thats the best deal in the house. He explains how a customer bought it brand new, walked it over to the gun smith counter and told Bill the gunsmith he wanted a Krieger Barrel put on it. he said the customer took it out west and while shooting out of his truck the empty case broke a window, he no longer wanted it.
I said I would think about it, waited a minute took it to the gunsmith counter and Bill gave me the same story.
A stainless mini out the door for $630.00, the real deal was when I took it to the range and found out it is a shooter.

 

[mauser9]

A 1940 Borsigwalde K98k. Got it for $0 Gifted to me from father. Yep the bolt matches too!

 

[.38SuperMan]

I guess the best deal was a 649 for $90. That was a little over 30 years ago so take inflation into consideration but it was still a good deal. One of my clients got tight for cash and said $90 was all he wanted. It was like new and probably hadn’t had a box of ammo through it.

I never cared for that design and eventually traded it. I can’t remember what I traded it for but in the end I got a great deal.

 

[The Norseman]

Big Deals

I’ve been very fortunate and all my
guns have been gotten at a good
deal.

Two stand out though;
1984 S&W pump shotgun 12ga $180 and box/papers.
2004 S&W Mdl 617 6bbl 22lr, long story but,
under $100 and box/papers.