Your best gun that was not expensive

[Richard Simmons]

Best? Not sure it fits that term exactly but I purchased a Remington Nylon 66 probably 30+ years ago now. Pretty sure it was less than $100 new. Lots of fun shooting over the decades and still going strong. Never had a problem with it.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Ok- lets go back in time.
I do have that Outdoorsman that I paid, I think, $80.

 

[TeamPB]

I have to highlight my first two M1 Garands from the CMP. Somehow, my first order netted Duchess, a 1955 Springfield with its original, pristine barrel and a NM Op-rod. I immediately ordered another and got Duc (French Sp.) a 1943 Springfield, with a been there and done that feel. Both have lead us to participate in many Service Rifle matches. My Honey claimed Duchess as her's and has out shot me in every match. The new season starts soon! For a return on investment, these two have been outstanding.

 

[nachogrande]

WITHIN THE LAST 6-8 YEARS

1962??? Marlin 336c waffle top 250$, S&W 681 & 640 both no dash's 325$ each.

 

[Glouglou]

My 150€ TPH

 

[Bayou52]

These are a couple of examples:

The first, above, is a 1947 Win model 1894 in 32 Win SPL, and

The second, above, is a 1966 vintage Rem 700 with Leupold 3x9 in 270.

Each of these cost $200 less than 2 years ago.

Bayou52

 

[lifesizepotato]

Not really a refined wood-and-steel piece like some of the others posted here, but I got my Beretta PX4 Storm for I think $350 to my dealer and I really love shooting it, way more than I had expected.

 

[Chubbo]

Used But Not Abused

My best, not expensive gun would be a 4" 1965 S&W Mod. 57 .41 Mag. I bought it in like new condition, with original mahogany box, tools, and papers in 1965, for $100.00, at a OGCA show in Columbus, Ohio. It's been used, but never abused, and has been well cared for during those many years. It's only flaw, is a small loss of bluing, on one side of the barrel, at the tip of the muzzle, due to holster wear.

Chubbo

 

[18DAI]

A pawn shop "rescue" S&W 4506-1. $300 OTD with a Don Hume leather holster.

Took it home, cleaned it up and went to the range. Sub 3 inch group at 15 yards using WWB 230 ball. Using duty ammo, RA45T gave a 2 inch group at 25 yards off a bag rest.

A guy in the next stall was shooting a very expensive 1911. I no longer recall the brand. He came over and asked what I was shooting. I showed and told him the model. He wanted to know it it was a Performance Center piece. No. I asked if he wanted to try it and he did.

He let me shoot a mag through his 1911. It was nice, but his groups with both guns was very similar. He asked again if I "had work done" on the 4506-1. No. Then I told him it was a $300 LE Trade in. He got a little pale and sickly looking.

Must have been poor ventilation in there. I won't sell that 4506-1. Best gun money I ever spent. Regards 18DAI

 

[Usmc5811]

My top 3 that I have kept are my 5" 63-4 for $325. A Outdoorsman with original grips for $425, and a older marlin model 60 for $90. They all 3 get shot regularly and the 63 gets carried in the woods also. I also bought a pristine Savage 99EG in .243 with a serial number below 1 million for $350 about 5 years ago. It was gifted to my father who always wanted a 99 but was unable to afford one. Now he has 3!!

 

[Loyaljeeper]

The best inexpensive gun in my house wasn't mine, but I shot it a ton. Sometime between when I was born and I was old enough to know what a firearm was, there was a 22lr Arminius revolver in my parents' house. This gun was a gift from my mom's dad to my dad. Grandpa told me once that he bought it from a coworker for about $30 or $35 if I recall. This would have been in 1980 or the early 80s. I remember shooting it for the first time at about 6 years old. There isn't a day goes by that I don't think about my dad, uncle, and me shooting into the dirt bank 100ft off a two lane state highway. That Arminius, eight shot double action with a 4" barrel served my family well for about 25 years before it was lost; it's loss is another story I rather not share about a family friend and a domestic. I would estimate that revolver had upwards of 20k rounds through it. I remember a day of shooting when I was about 18 with my girlfriend on our family's property. That gun was shot for hours it felt like that day without getting cleaned. In all the years of shooting it I do not recall there ever being a misfire.

 

[BourbonCowboy]

My best inexpensive gun is a Charter Arms Off Duty .38 Special. My mom gave it to me when she upgraded to a hammerless LadySmith. To this day, she still regrets giving away the little pistol, as she shot it much more accurately than the S&W.

 

[Valmet]

Honestly, an old 1964 mfg H&R Topper .410 I purchased NIB for $160 in 2012. Sure it isn't anything fancy but kinda cool it came in original
Box and it's a very handy weapon to keep around for stuff in the garden/yard.

 

[Eddietruett]

This Colt .357 was purchased real cheap in a Pawn Shop. Took over a week to get the internals clean but inside of barrel and cylinders look brand new. It is a real shooter. Loves a 148gr HBWC.

 

[raljr1]

$350 for this Simpson Suhl 16 Ga SxS. It is the prettiest gun I own.

 

[OLDSTER]

This nearly new early "Bridgeport" Charter Arms Undercover was for sale in our local paper for $175.00 last October. It came with a ( also new) Galco Paddle-Lite holster and a full box of .38 wad cutters.

 

[scooter123]

A 1992 vintage Browning Citori Sporting Clays Pigeon with 30 inch barrels. Didn't really need it due to the recent purchase of a Beretta 686 Sporting with 30 inch barrels but for only 800 dollars I could not walk away from that Browning.

Note, the ONLY fault with the Browning was wood that had been poorly refinished at some point and battered a bit more over the years. Having done furniture making in the past as a hobby stripping the finish will be easy and then I'll steam out the dents and fill one small gouge with sawdust blended into epoxy. Then I'll block sand everything and finish with Tung Oil. End result is that Browning will look nearly new and I'll have a shotgun to keep at my Sisters so I have something to shoot when I fly down at Christmas.

 

[jimgoldth]

Back in the late 1970s I walked into my local Gun Shop and the manager was looking at a barreled action and asked out loud what the heck can I do with this? What is it? I asked. A Navy Arms Barreled Siam Mauser action in 45/70 he answered. How much? I'll give it to you for what I have in it, $25. I did not know what I would do but the price and caliber was right. Fortunately I had $25 Cash. I needed to have the bolt turned down and have it drilled and tapped for a scope. I found an gunsmith that charged me only $75 for that work plus modifying the safety. A Bishop 90% stock was less than $50 so I ended up with this nice 45/70 Bolt action rifle for about $150.

The used scope, rings, bases, and sling added a bit more but still a bargain.

 

[Grayfox]

About 10-15 years ago, a guy on a local gun board picked up a Rossi 62A .22 pump as part of a trade deal. He didn't want it and listed it in the For Sale forum there. I believe he started out at around $200. Time passed with no takers and he started reducing the price every few days. When it got down to $60, I figured why not?
That little sucker is a tack driver! That rifle, a brick of ammo and a set of spinners make for a very fun day at the range.

Also a few years back: I was at the range one day and was talking to an older gentleman who I had become friends with. Somehow the conversation got around to guns we wanted to buy. I mentioned that at the time I was in the market for a 6" Model 17. In those days a nice used one was going for around $300-350. Also at that time, that was a lot of money and good used Model 17s were hard to come by around here. Joe spoke up and "Heck, I got one I'll sell ya. I never shoot it anymore." He said I could have it for $200. Being a friend, I told him he could easily get at least another $100 or more for it. He went on to say that was what he had in it and would sell it to me at that price. The deal was done and I ended up with a beautiful (95%) 6" Model 17-5.

I still have both of these guns and seriously doubt I'll ever sell either.

 

[Rubone]

4" Colt Diamondback .22 for $150 From a friend "upgrading to a model 36".
4" Colt Diamondback .38 for $400 From my LGS that was a trade in.

Both also came with factory stocks..