My first purchase was my M1 Garand from the U.S. Army's Director of Civilian Marksmanship in 1993: $165. I had to wait a year to receive it via USPS. Boy, was I excited when I got a card from the Post Office asking me to come and get it. It was one per lifetime back, then.
Next was a U.S. Mossberg Model 44US WWII trainer from the CMP for $75. Heck of a shooter with the Redfield peepsight. They came with no magazines and their plastic (Bakelite?) grip strips were cracked, but Haviland carried magazines and machined aluminum grip grooves.
#3 was an H&R Model 12 US from the CMP for $300 from the CMP. Heck, the Palma sights alone were worth a couple hundred bucks!
#4 was my Kimber 82 Government Model. $300 from the CMP.
#5 was the M-1 War Baby, as mentioned above.
I'm now 70 and I would need a cherry picker to get me up from High Power sitting position; so, about a year ago, I traded the Garand for a nickeled S&W Model 58 LNIB. I sold the Mossberg and the H&R to good friends who wanted them for their grandkids. I sold them for reasonable prices to promote shooting sports among youngsters. I still have the Kimber, which I use in RFBR matches, and the Model 58 is probably my favorite handgun. I'm happy!