The Gun I Wish I Had Bought, Way Back When

Ones i can recall off hand were two Remington Rand 1911a1s in the original boxes with foil wrapped extra nagazine...1300 ea.

Also the H&K SL-7 308s were uber cool but far out of reach.

Lastly a Winchester 1886 in .40-82 cal for 2k....stone cold mint.
 
I wanted a second Gov't model. The store didn't have one but I could have a 2 1/2" Python for the same price! Of course I was stupid and got the Gov't model on order.
 
I was in a LGS the last week of the year, many years back, where the "Assault Weapon Ban", in Philadelphia, was going into effect in a couple of days on Jan 1. He had two M1 Carbines, one a mint Winchester and the other a nice Underwood. He wanted $500 for BOTH of them, cause he couldn't sell them after the next week. I had a nice IBM M1 Carbine, so I didn't think I needed two more. I still kick myself.
 
I was born in 1981 and while I grew up shooting, I went hard in the late-90s working for an LGS when I was a senior in HS. While $1850 was a chunk of money for a HS senior, I wish I'd snagged a Norinco NDM-86 SVD that we had at the shop one day in the fall of '99.
 
There was a little gunshop in Grandview, a suburb of Columbus, called the Longrifle Shop. The owner, Red Boggs was known for getting unusual items in and he knew I shot left handed so sometimes would set left handed rifles back for me to look at first. Never figured out why he liked me. One day he pulled out a factory left handed Mauser in 375 H&H. He offered it to me for $275 with the reloading dies and even in the 80s that was a good price. I thought about it for a couple weeks but told him I just couldn't justify a 375 H&H. he said he understood and a week or two later when I walked in he pulled out a left handed Savage 110 which had been modified to accept to BAR magazines and Redfield peep sights added. This was a much lower price and a caliber I could justify so I took it home.

About the same time a very rough Remington 700 showed up in his shop. He had the documentation where the rifle had been purchased by the Navy, transferred to the USMC and brought back as a documented trophy by an Army infantry man who uncovered it in a hut in Vietnam. IIRC the price was around $250 and I regret not buying that rifle.
 
I think there is a difference between "no way I could have afforded it" and "had the money and a brain fart." Many more of the former and bad on you if the latter. :)
 
The I wish I would haves are.
Winchester model 94 in 44/40 intended for Australian export $400
Russian SVT40 for $400 with 3 mags and no import marks.
The Winchester factory scabbard that was with my 1887 12ga. I did want to spend the $75 for some old scabbard. Sometimes I wasn't to bright as a young man.
 
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My buddy and I still talk about the Triple-lock we handled at a gun show held a local university campus (yes, really). This would have been mid-'80s. Great condition, I don't recall barrel length or sights. The guy at the table wanted $495. What the heck is a triple-lock? We passed. Sigh...
 
I'm 50, and much too young for this thread.
I missed all the good revolvers and all the good cars, lol. I really did.
Ya know, I'm just darn glad to have what I have.
Because, most of the guns I've bought before have really been just run of the mill type stuff.
I've never really been presented with an opportunity to buy something as cool as what you fellas have been offered and have seen and been around when new. No, I'm just super happy and very content to have my 1968 27-2 3.5" S Prefix. Although I do kick the hell out of myself for selling my 1978 27-2 6" 3T - never fired......I really should've hung on to that one. But, it went to as good a home as could be.
And, it made possible the '68 27-2 S Prefix.
So, yeah I'm just gonna lay low and be happy lol
However, I would really LOVE to have another crack at a 6" 27-2 3T like I had before.
 
Marlin Camp Carbine

Lots of purchases I'd have made if I was smarter, no hope there, or had more disposable income, I've worked on that one.

I remember the Marlin Camp Carbine in .45 ACP was something I thought was pretty cool when introduced in the mid-80s and they were cheap then too (relatively inexpensive anyway). I passed for too long, discontinued in the late nineties, and now they want real money for them - more, I'm afraid, than they are worth (at least to me).
 
Years ago a coworker needed quick cash and was willing to deal on a M1 carbine. Pretty sure it was a Rock-Ola. I didn't know what I would do with it so I passed.
 
Would a', could a', should a' --- my list is long. The one that hits home is buying two Model 24-3 in the 80's; a 4" and a 6 1/2"

I should have bought "a few more."
 

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