NGC - What firearm(s) did you pay little for that turned out good?

[lucydad2]

Bought from Barney's Cannons about 1969.  Smooth bore, 120 pound cannon.  Buddy built a naval carriage for it.  Loaded with about 3 drams of FFFG black powder, then wet grass, then lead fishing weight.  Fired with dynamite fuse.  Big boom.  I mean BOOM.  Blew down a telephone pole with it once at gun range.  Backyard firing Fourth of July and New Years ALWAYS brought cops out looking.  Rattled windows.

Mom sold it at garage sale when I went to college.  What a loss.

There you go.

[Frulk]

Well not sure what the "Turned out good" part of the thread is...but..

Picked up a very lightly used Ruger GP 100 in .327 Fed Mag about 3 years ago for $525. Considering how hard they are to to track down and procure I thought that was a GOOD deal.

Bought a practically new stainless Ruger M77 in .22 from a friend with a Mannlicher Walnut stock for $175. THAT was a SCREAMING deal compared to the M77 Blued version in .22 mag I bought for $869.00 with tax about a month ago.

Same friend sold me a stainless 10/22 with Mannlicher stock for $150 (if I remember correctly) about 2 months before he sold me the M77.

Picked up a stainless Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt with birdhead grip for $350 about 2-3 years ago...I considered that a great buy because it was practically new and they were selling for around $600+/- at the time.

Bought a Savage 99 in .243 Win with approx. 160 rounds of factory ammo for $650 several years back. Gun looked like it left the factory yesterday. Thought that was a VERY Good Deal.

Forgot to add. Years back I was able to purchase a Dan Wesson in .357 with 6 inch barrel for $150 from a gun shop I went to frequently. Story behind it was a guy from the Texas hill country used to shoot off his patio. He forgot he left it on his  patio table for a few days when it rained and it rusted. Brought it into the shop and traded it for a stainless version of something else. Gunshop owner parkerized it and sold it to me. Like my other Dan Wessons it's a TACK Driver. I smile every time I hold the gun in my hand.

[oldbike54]

Quote from oldbike54:
Well...I wouldn't want to be hit by a flying tater. I imagine concealed carry would be a bit of a challenge however.
GliderJohn

 It's the air compressor that presents the real Challenge  Several years back we loaded a baseball in the chamber and shot it at an old washing machine . The results were interesting   

 Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

At this point Faulk may be the winner. Made some great buys!
GliderJohn

[flip]

Several years ago I picked up a used 9mm FM Hi-Power for $25 from a gun dealer. A set of rubber grips and extended safety and mag release got the total up to about $100. It works just as well as my Browning Hi-Power.

And I got a used 6" Anaconda for $325 from the same dealer for $325 the same day.

[Perazzimx14]

I had a 95% 1911 series 80 GoldCup that cost me $250.  Sold for $1200.  I still have a Colt Anaconda 6.5" in stainless that I bought for $325 off of ebay back when that was possible.  It's worth north of $2000 now ($2700 is not unheard of), and unobtainium new.  Ii really hope things don't get so bad that I have to let it go.  It's put down/finished a lot of game and is an excellent grouse gun (grouse can be legally hunted with non-shotshell firearms).  My go-to shotgun since the 70s is an early Ithica 37 featherlight in 12ga with the original modified choke barrel and a 25" Hastings barrel with a vent rib for grousing in scrub.  I had a screw choke installed.  I bought it for $50 in a pawn shop because it's a lefty's gun.  It has put down more game and varmints than all my other hunting pieces combined ad suffered a lot over the years.  It has held up well and will be passed down.

The best deal though was when the local dealer bought a lot of misc long guns by the pound.  I was there when he opened the cartons and cherry picked a nice Winchester 30.30 lever for $75.  I can stitch a smiley face on paper at 100yd, which is about the range I want to shoot a lever carbine.  I like it well enough that when it came time to convert some to cash last month I sold my virtually unused Ruger .44 lever and kept the dinged up Winchester.

For genuine Guzzisti content, (read that FREE), I was willed a S&W K22/convertible "combat masterpiece" by a friend.  It's mint and too pretty to shoot.  I was given a LC Smith Damascus/sxs in 12 gauge by the Dean of the Engineering college at the UW when I graduated.  It was his grandfather's and an original percussion cap conversion to centerfire cartridge.  Damascus is dangerous to shoot, but I made a batch of 'plinking' shotshells in black powder substitute and took a turkey in an antique shootoff (21/25).  That's a good score for never having fired the piece before.  I was very impressed by the gun's natural swing and point geometry.  You throw it up and it is naturally in line with my eye and the bird.  It must have been a sweet shooter in its day.  It's been a wallhanger next to the 10-ga Damascus sxs I inherited when my dad died -- also not suitable for shooting.

The worst I ever did was a free .45x.45 derringer.  No trigger guard, so it was a dangerous and illegal carry piece, and no way to control the rolling recoil of a long colt round.  I usually loaded with .410 buck or shot.  I once emptied it, reloaded, rinsed and repeated ad naseum with a covey of Ptarmigan as my target.  At about 20 feet they were completely safe from me and embarrassingly unconcerned about the noise I was making.  I finally got dinner by hitting one with a stick thrown like a boomerang.  I think those aussies are on to something there.

Damascus barreled shotguns can be "proofed and/or re-proofed with modern propellant" and if they "proof" they are safe to shoot modern smokeless shot shells. You must also make sure they have proper length chambers. Reloading with bklack power is an option but the easiest is getting a set of sub gauge inserts. you can turn your 12 gauge into a 16, 20, 28 or .410 

[sib]

Not sure if this qualifies, but when I was about 10 I had a pair of nifty Roy Rogers cap pistols.  Best (and only) firearms I ever owned.

[AMGeneral]

Nothing better than free! My father gave me my first firearm,  stainless Ruger Single Six, I also got a H&R Topper 20g shot gun from one of his buddies. I purchased a Super Single Six several years ago, can't remember what i paid, but i know it whas a deal.

[cj750]

I purchased a Chinese SKS carbine back when they were readily available for $79.99 in the mid-nineties. It's fun to shoot, surprisingly accurate, and utterly reliable.

Jay

[rocker59]

Picked up a very lightly used Ruger GP 100 in .327 Fed Mag about 3 years ago for $525. Considering how hard they are to to track down and procure I thought that was a GOOD deal.
 
 

So what do you think of that .327 Magnum round?  Have you shot it much. 

I had thought of getting an SP101 in that chambering, but didn't.  Now the 1st series .327 SP101 is selling for more than what they sold for new!

[Lannis]

My gun safe is right here next to me, so I opened it up and realized that:

1) 3 guns I inherited from my grandfather and great-grandfather.

2) 1 gun inherited from my father.

3) 1 gun inherited from my mother (her late-model purse-gun, a Colt Detective Special)

4) 6 guns (all VERY nice) I inherited from my B-I-L, now deceased, who was a fanatic about quality guns

5) 2 military surplus Swedish Mausers, made of the nicest steel I've ever seen or rubbed my fingers over.

6) 8 guns I actually purchased myself at gun shows, or ordered from Shotgun News via my FFL guy, and only 1 bought from a shop.

So that's 11 that I got for free, and 10 that I bought myself.   That's about the Guzzisti standard, I would think .....

Lannis

[drlapo]

Brand new Colt1911 government model new in box for $289
Series70 in 1978
It still shoots great

[Frulk]

So what do you think of that .327 Magnum round?  Have you shot it much. 

I had thought of getting an SP101 in that chambering, but didn't.  Now the 1st series .327 SP101 is selling for more than what they sold for new!

Rocker, I got in the .327 Fed business by default. Had 2-3 single six's in .32 H&R I was reloading for and well, one thing let to another. Figured since I already had the bullets and dies I'd make the jump to the .327. I originally wanted the SP101 6 shot but those were like gold and NOWHERE's to be found. After almost a year of looking the GP 100 became available and I "settled" for it. Shortly after that, maybe a couple of weeks (?) after I bought the GP I was at the same shop and lo and behold, there was a clean  SP101 in .327.  Even better they weren't asking the $900+  the internet auction sites were asking for starting bids at the time.

Put about 2,000-3,000 .327's down range. Primarily in the GP100 and all three barrel lengths of the Single 7's. Mostly Hornady XTP's and 115 Grain hard cast lead SWC's. Playing around with various powders and ammo combo's and doing a lot of chronographing. At the high end of the FPS spectrum the sound signature is pretty oppressive. The little .327 is a laser and very accurate when I decide to get serious. Recoil is a non issue. Definitely a hand-loaders proposition as shelf ammo is still pretty expensive.

I would love to see the following:

A Ruger 96 lever in .327...A Ruger #1 International (Mannlicher) in .327. A Marlin Cowboy in the same caliber or if the God's truly felt I was worthy a scaled down Sharps/Rem Rolling Block/Winchester low/highwall....

[Green1000S]

Original Springfield Armory M6 Survival rifle. Bought it for about 3 peanuts and its worth a buck or two today. (not to be confused with the Scout edition)

Lahti M35 officers pistol (9mm), bought 4 years ago for $750, now easily triple that.

Hell.... I don't think any of the guns I have owned have gone down in value, so I consider them all as good investments!

[davevv]

Best deal was an early 22 caliber Ruger Single-Six.  Bought it with a left hand Lawrence quick draw rig for $40 around '64.  Since I'm right handed, I sold the belt and holster to a lefty when I was in college for $40, making the pistol free.  It has a fantastic trigger and is extremely accurate.  I've killed a lot of squirrels with it over the years.

Next best was a .22 Browning automatic for $60, also in the early sixties.  It too is very accurate.  Has won a number of turkey shoots to go along with all the squirrels and rabbits it brought home.  Still looks almost new and they go for a pretty good price these days. 

I still have both of those guns and others that were decent buys, but not as good as those two.

[SmithSwede]

Ok, so I'll chime in again since this is such as excellent topic. 

Another of my big scores was being bright enough to snatch up 8 or so M96 Swedish Mausers back when they could be had for $89 in perfect condition.  These are, in my humble opinion, the finest military bolt action rifles ever made.   You can disagree, but then you would be wrong. 

And the 6.5 X 55 Swede is the best centerfire rifle cartridge ever developed.   

Then there is the Norwegian Krag in 6.5 Swede my wife bought me.

So you can see the pattern.  Smith and Wesson revolvers.  Swedish (Scandanavian) firearms of all sorts. 

Hence my moniker "SmithSwede."

[rocker59]

Rocker, I got in the .327 Fed business by default. Had 2-3 single six's in .32 H&R I was reloading for and well, one thing let to another. Figured since I already had the bullets and dies I'd make the jump to the .327. I originally wanted the SP101 6 shot but those were like gold and NOWHERE's to be found. After almost a year of looking the GP 100 became available and I "settled" for it. Shortly after that, maybe a couple of weeks (?) after I bought the GP I was at the same shop and lo and behold, there was a clean  SP101 in .327.  Even better they weren't asking the $900+  the internet auction sites were asking for starting bids at the time.

Put about 2,000-3,000 .327's down range. Primarily in the GP100 and all three barrel lengths of the Single 7's. Mostly Hornady XTP's and 115 Grain hard cast lead SWC's. Playing around with various powders and ammo combo's and doing a lot of chronographing. At the high end of the FPS spectrum the sound signature is pretty oppressive. The little .327 is a laser and very accurate when I decide to get serious. Recoil is a non issue. Definitely a hand-loaders proposition as shelf ammo is still pretty expensive.

I would love to see the following:

A Ruger 96 lever in .327...A Ruger #1 International (Mannlicher) in .327. A Marlin Cowboy in the same caliber or if the God's truly felt I was worthy a scaled down Sharps/Rem Rolling Block/Winchester low/highwall....

Thanks!  Yeah, I've been surprised no one has put .327 into a lever gun.  Since they've all done .32 H&R Magnum, going to .327 wouldn't be any big engineering feat!

A Rossi 92 in .327 would be cool, too.

[Gliderjohn]

Don't know if they still do but Uberti was making a "baby" Sharps. That would be nice in the .32 mag.
GliderJohn

[Dilliw]

Don't know if they still do but Uberti was making a "baby" Sharps. That would be nice in the .32 mag.
GliderJohn

The best "bang for the buck" IMO was the 6.5x55 Swede mousers that were imported and sporterized by Kimber during their bankruptcy years.  You could buy them at your local Roses store wearing a Ramline synthetic stock and a scope for $200.  They are not worth much more than that now but if you find one they are fantastic hunting rifles especially for game in the U.S.

The best return on investment is pretty much any 4 screw or 5 screw S&W revolver.  For most sellers a S&W revolver is just another S&W revolver and will be valued accordingly.  However, the earlier 4 and 5 screws, especially the K and N frames, bring 2-3X money in the right markets.  Just check any of them for the 4th screw located on the front of the trigger guard and you can end up with a deal. 

Score a 4 screw Model 29 with the early "coke bottle" grips and you can make some real bank.  I took one for an estate I was helping with to a gun show just to get some prices.  Not one of the dealers let on what it was and offered me the same $300-$400 that you might get for a Mod 29. It was only when I would start to walk away that they would show any real interest.  That gun brought $1950 on the S&W forum.

[Lannis]

The best return on investment is pretty much any 4 screw or 5 screw S&W revolver.  For most sellers a S&W revolver is just another S&W revolver and will be valued accordingly.  However, the earlier 4 and 5 screws, especially the K and N frames, bring 2-3X money in the right markets. 

The Colt "snake guns" (Python, Cobra, Diamondback etc) were in that same state a couple years ago.    Now they're two or three times the price they were in 2014.   Why?   Who knows?   People take a notion that something is worth a lot of money, and they'll give it ... !

Lannis

[Dilliw]

Ok, so I'll chime in again since this is such as excellent topic. 

Another of my big scores was being bright enough to snatch up 8 or so M96 Swedish Mausers back when they could be had for $89 in perfect condition.  These are, in my humble opinion, the finest military bolt action rifles ever made.   You can disagree, but then you would be wrong. 

And the 6.5 X 55 Swede is the best centerfire rifle cartridge ever developed.   

Then there is the Norwegian Krag in 6.5 Swede my wife bought me.

So you can see the pattern.  Smith and Wesson revolvers.  Swedish (Scandanavian) firearms of all sorts. 

Hence my moniker "SmithSwede."

We think alike!

[Luap McKeever]

It was 1995. I just got out of the Air Force. I went to a gun show and bought a whole case of SKS's.  10 of them.  Paid $89 each for them.  I had an FFL then and was doing this part time in hopes to become a full time dealer. I held on to them and 5 years later, I sold all but 1 for $350 each. There was a time I had over 300 guns in my collection/inventory. I got out of that because I was getting nervous.  Very nervous.

[cwiseman]

I too am a big fan of the 6.5X55 Swedish mausers, had a kimber and was not impressed by it.  Bought my first one for around $80.00 it was my first mil surplus firearm and have cherished it since 1995.

7.5 Swiss is another great shooting gun, paid around $175.00 a few years back

But the gun that gets used the most for hunting and is holy shit accurate is my deer rifle, savage .50 muzzleloader with smokeless powder, 200 yard shots for a clean kill are no problem.  Stayed up late on a gun auction and got her for $500.00 to the door.