Gun(s) you wish you'd never sold?

[BlueWater]

Man, do I remember this deal. I had a Browning Sweet Sixteen. In 1960 my brother was taking his new bride pheasant hunting. They borrowed my Sweet Sixteen for her to use. She loved it. I didn’t want to sell it and I told him so but after some begging I sold it to them for $60.00 with the provision they sell it back to me if things didn’t work out. Son of a bitch sold it a year later to a buddy of his. I showed my anger and have spoken to him little since that day. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him in about 10-12 years, maybe more. I’m getting mad just thinking of that deal.

Nearly 20yrs ago, a smaller shop in Oregon had an entire rack of pre-owned rifles and shotguns, including some decent vintage ones.

Had been interested in the Belgium-made Browning A5's, specifically the Sixteen. There were several there, including other calibers. A couple hundred dollars each, except for the "pristine" ones. Passed on it. I won't even mention the Winchester .44 Trapper for three bills I passed on. That one still rankles.

 

[divingin]

My Python was a 6 " blue from the 1960's and why I sold it, I will never know. Another is is a SAKO .223 Vixen with custom XXX English walnut stock that shot a s good as it looked.

Back then (and into the 80's when I got mine), a Python was just another revolver. Mine was marginally more expensive than a blue S&W 586 bought a few months later (both, as I recall, in the $500-600 range.)

My regret a 5.5" S&W Model 41 (actually 2 of them.) Bought the first to upgrade my Ruger Mark II for bullseye work; sold to a visiting (resident alien) Japanese guy because he fell in love with it and I had bought a Fiocchi/Pardini match pistol. Replaced the 41, and then sold off that one and the Mark II. Ended up with no general purpose 22 for other people to shoot. One of these days I'll replace it again.

 

[jelenko]

In '92 I had a pair of M1A's built into NRA match rifles with adjustable buttstocks and cheekpieces. Nice walnut wood.
Traded them for an accurized 45, accurized 10/22 and some other stuff.

For some time now, I wish I had kept them. Very cool rifles.

 

[Retired Grunt]

12 years ago when I was broke, I sold a Para Ordinance P-14 double stack .45 ACP. It was like carrying an M-60.

 

[jamesdmock]

Back then (and into the 80's when I got mine), a Python was just another revolver. Mine was marginally more expensive than a blue S&W 586 bought a few months later (both, as I recall, in the $500-600 range.)

My regret a 5.5" S&W Model 41 (actually 2 of them.) Bought the first to upgrade my Ruger Mark II for bullseye work; sold to a visiting (resident alien) Japanese guy because he fell in love with it and I had bought a Fiocchi/Pardini match pistol. Replaced the 41, and then sold off that one and the Mark II. Ended up with no general purpose 22 for other people to shoot. One of these days I'll replace it again.

I think I paid $125 for the Python back in the '60's. I, too, have owned two S&W 41's and I miss them. Another was a 6.5 inch nickel plated Mod 29. I could go on, but the memories hurt.

 

[joshb]

I don’t want to even talk about it.

 

[LHSmith]

I regret selling them all - but especially these:
6" blued Python
6" blued .22 Diamondback
4" blued .38 Diamondback
.357 King Cobra
.222 Sako Heavy bbl. w/ fantastic wood
.270 Steyr Mannlicher
.243 Colt Sauer
.300 WM Rem. 700 BDL w/ tupperware stock that shot lights out
.30/06 ADL Rem 700 that Dad bought me
.222 700 Varmint Special
Model 12 Win. 16 gauge
Model 141 Rem. in .30 Rem.
Last two were my grandfathers but barn kept and in rough shape- but still should have kept them to pass on.

 

[Old Tanker]

Anschutz 1413 Match. Used it in college then for awhile in the Army. Wish for anything I had it now.

 

[300_whisper]

Serial number 1 & 2 Winchester model 70s

 

[joshb]

Serial number 1 & 2 Winchester model 70s

YOU DIDN’T!!

 

[Adam in WI]

Serial number 1 & 2 Winchester model 70s

Hey, I got both 1 and 2 Model 70s on my GunBroker watch list. Watching, of course to see if anyone buys them. Buy now price is $1,750,000 for the pair

 

[joshb]

I regret selling them all - but especially these:
6" blued Python
6" blued .22 Diamondback
4" blued .38 Diamondback
.357 King Cobra
.222 Sako Heavy bbl. w/ fantastic wood
.270 Steyr Mannlicher
.243 Colt Sauer
.300 WM Rem. 700 BDL w/ tupperware stock that shot lights out
.30/06 ADL Rem 700 that Dad bought me
.222 700 Varmint Special
Model 12 Win. 16 gauge
Model 141 Rem. in .30 Rem.
Last two were my grandfathers but barn kept and in rough shape- but still should have kept them to pass on.

I still have my Granfather’s Model 14s. 30 Rem and 35 Rem. Lovely little guns!
If you want solace, it can be found here:

 

[300_whisper]

YOU DIDN’T!!

I sold them for $300 a piece and some jerk is trying to flip them on gunbroker!

 

[300_whisper]

On a serious note, the one I regret, was made by long shot rifles out of Missouri. He built me an awesome M40 clone on a stiller predator action in .300WSM. l sold it to pay for my wedding. I’m such an idiot.

 

[Rick H.]

As a follow up to Uthink Uknow's post, I was working for a state law enforcement agency and we switched from our Model 66 S&W revolvers to semi-autos around 1985. I had the last NEW model 66 issued out when I was at the Academy. We had the option of buying our Model 66 if we wanted it and I bought mine as kind of a keepsake. A few months later a retired sergeant called me begging to buy my M66. He was my first sergeant and a really great guy to work for. After retiring he moved to Dallas, TX. and he missed out being able to buy HIS issued M66, or so he said anyway. After putting up with his nagging I finally sold him my M66 and speed loaders, holster, etc. There was one promise he had to make to me and that was if he ever decided to get rid of it he would sell it back to only me. He agreed and the deal was done. Besides being my first issued handgun the only "special" thing about these revolvers was they had our door shield emblem stamped on the side plates which I thought was a pretty cool touch.

A couple of years later I received a telephone call from a retired trooper who was a good friend of the retired sergeant I sold my M66 to. He said he was calling for the retired sergeant and he wanted to know if I knew the serial number of the M66 I sold to the sergeant. I told him of course I did, we had to memorize it in the Academy, but then it hit me....Why would this retired sergeant need the serial number when he HAD the gun?? After some hemming and hawing I got the story out of the guy who called me. Seems the sergeant I sold the revolver to gave it to his D/F kid for protection when the kid moved out of the house and into a fleabag apartment. Well sure as God made little green apples, the kids apartment gets broken into and my old M66 gets taken in the burglary. My wonderful, great first sergeant didn't even have the guts to call and tell me about it and instead puts another guy up to asking for the serial number for the police report. I cannot tell you how angry I was with this guy for pulling this on me, not just for giving my revolver to his kid, but for the fear that MY revolver might be used in another crime.

The icing on the Cake of Irony came a few weeks later when I was at our district HQ and was talking with our Commander. The conversation somehow went to the retired sergeant I sold my M66 to and the Commander mentioned he had managed to obtain the actual revolver this sergeant carried and sold it to him. I was caught by complete surprise and asked when this took place. It was right around the time I sold my M66 to the sergeant, so he ended up with two state issued revolvers, mine and his. So this REALLY got me cranked up all over again. I explained what happened with my M66 to the Commander and he honestly felt bad because he said he knew nothing about this incident. So for all I know now my old M66 is roaming around Texas or Mexico doing who knows what. Sorry for the long post, but this thread just got me thinking about this incident which I haven't thought about in a very long time.

Rick H.

 

[MClark]

I had a Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 in 219 Zipper improved, a 1930’s varmit rifle.
I don’t even remember what I traded it for.
The gun I saw and should have bought was a Greener Harpoon Gun, just like the one in Jaws. Was in the case with everything, $450 (1980’s in Phoenix) stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[biggun2869]

There is no way I could have kept them all but I guess it is cool to think about. I used to gun show a lot(when it was legal) and I have had so many goo and collectable guns by todays standards. I've sold or traded at todays prices would be rediculuss. But I always made money!

 

[ben lurkin]

One perhaps. A Howa 223. Nothing special. Not that I was sentimental about it, but it turns out my younger boy was! I kinda regret selling it for his sake.

Then there’s the ones I was supposed to get from my grandfather. My mom was the only child and I’m the only grandson. They were stolen after he passed. Story for another thread. . .

 

[DumpHollow]

A Pre-64 Model 88 284 Win that I bought new in a small town hardware store in Upstate NY in 1968 for $135.
.and. many Sako L-Series rifles.

 

[Tom Baker]

This really hurts to think of them.

A special order M86, 33WCF, half magazine, take down, climbing Lyman and a 15" length of pull. Hurts to think of it.
A 3" barreled Python. What was I thinking?
A 4" Python, with the factory tune, best shooter I ever owned. I'm dumb.

Most of all. An engraved Griffin and Howe pre war M70 in .30 Newton. When God passed out brains I was out digging post holes and didn't come in to get any.