Possibly somewhat OT - What was the very best deal...

[Ysabel Kid]

you ever made on a firearm-related item (guns, ammo, reloading supplies, etc,)? Not something you were given, but a deal you made?

Floodgates: OPEN!

[Borregos]

Way back in the early eighties I picked up a still greased never fired Lee Enfield Jungle Carbine and a 1889 Marlin in 44-40 at a garage sale for $50 each, did not even haggle. Swapped the Lee Enfield for a Ruger Bisley in 357Mag and still have the Marlin.
Best series of deals I have ever made on anything

[abcollector]

okay, game is over... Pete won!

nice find Pete.

I'm still waiting and have a feeling I'll be waiting a looong time in CA.

[Blaine]

Well, a few years ago, I offered 200 for a LN no box 336 w/decent 3x9 on it, and he took the deal. I told him that was cheap, but he wanted the money and not the hassle of selling it himself.

[TX50Cal]

Well not mine but a buddy went into a pawnshop just looking around and there was a kid (18-19) behind the counter. friend saw 2 identical side by side shotguns on the rack, a 12 and a 20. He asked to see them both and after looking them over he was interested in the 20. He asked the kid how much? The kid replied $500. My friend said can you do any better on the price? Kid thought it over and said No, $500 for both is the best I can do. Friend nearly threw his back out reaching for his wallet. he ended up selling both shotguns about a year later for $900 each. Would hate to have been that kid when the owner got back from lunch.
Dave in TX

[JB]

There's been a few good ones over the years but about two years ago I went to a very large auction which only had one gun. The auctioneer was way behind and moving thorough items as quickly as possible. When they got to a Winchester 92 in 32-20 which he informed the crowd had a reserve,he started out with the normal "who'll start me out with $1,000." When nobody bid, he said put it back for the next sale. At the end of the auction I asked the auctioneer's wife "just for kicks, what can you sell that rifle for". I asked just for amusement, but when asked, "Would you pay $100?" I just told her "yes ma-am" and pulled out the money!

[JustaJeepGuy]

I once got a 98 Mauser action and barrel for $45 at a gun show. That's about it.

[RKrodle]

I picked up a Freedom Arms Mdl 83 Premier in 475 Linebaugh that had only been fired 6 times, two of those by me, for $700.00 dollars.

[Ray Newman]

One day out of the blue, I received a call from a local gun shop where I did business for 25 years. I had moved out of state about 6-8 months earlier. @ times I helped John w/ unpacking, pricing, stocking shelves, cleaning consignment firearms, etc.

John asks if I wanted a Trapdoor carbine & gives me the serial number, which turned out to be a very early second year production carbine & predated the highly lusted after & high value Custer timeframe carbines.

I told John what he had & said I couldn’t afford it. John asked what I meant. I told him that because it was pre-Custer & in really good shape (it is 85% + condition & is 100% GI issue correct), that it was worth some very serious money.

John replied the deceased owner’s grandson wanted US$500.00 for it as the grandson said he really the money right then & there. Again, I told John I can’t afford it. John said that we have been friends for a long while & I was the only one who told him the true value. Then he said, I’m shipping it UPS, send me $600.00 if you want it.

[Andrew]

I got a J.C. Higgins bolt action 12ga in decent shape, fully functional, for $56. I paid $291 for my Blackhawk and I love that thing.

[DBW]

A trade I made with my former father-in-law years ago: my Series 70 Colt Commander .45ACP for his Detonics MkVI .45ACP

Had to sell the Detonics and other firearms after I went through a divorce and subsequent bankruptcy so I could eat back in 2001. Miss that Detonics. It was a great shooter and conceal carry sidearm.

[rhead]

A few years ago I saw a box of knives at a garage sale marked used pocket knives $25. I looked to see if maybe a good buck or puma might be present. There was a handmade damascus bladed folder with fossil walrus ivo9ry scales. I got it and carried it to the maker ( a co worker) I knew that his knives had some collector value. It was his first folder and the only one made with that style of lock. Here is the gun part. A few years later I traded it even for a like new Marlin 95 in 45 70. Total cash outlay $25 and toting a little extra weight to a few gun shows.

[2ndovc]

Both .32-20s.

I paid $350 for the SRC and $430 for the rifle at auction..

Lousy photo but only one I have right now.


Or the 95 Russian musket I paid $600 for w/ the bayonet.


jb

[2ndovc]

A few years ago I saw a box of knives at a garage sale marked used pocket knives $25. I looked to see if maybe a good buck or puma might be present. There was a handmade damascus bladed folder with fossil walrus ivo9ry scales. I got it and carried it to the maker ( a co worker) I knew that his knives had some collector value. It was his first folder and the only one made with that style of lock. Here is the gun part. A few years later I traded it even for a like new Marlin 95 in 45 70. Total cash outlay $25 and toting a little extra weight to a few gun shows.

I picked up a damascus blade Morseth bone handeled fixed blade knife at an auction for $25 in a box of stuff. I sold it at a show fr $450.


jb

[505stevec]

An aquaintance of my dads was selling his guns. He has a bunch of them. It always seems that when a good deal comes along I dont have the cash to take advantage. Well upshot of it is a made a deal for;

1-Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag (like new)
1-Marlin 336cs 30-30 (about 85%)
1-Mossburg 590 12 ga.(about 95%)
1-Ruger Blackhawk .357 mag (Kinda Rough finish but smooth action)
1-Taurus Mod 33 (Like S&W 586) in .357 mag (like new)
1- vz-33 in .308 (really nice bolt action, older but in great shape!) I know nothing about this except I think it is a Mauser or something.

Anyway $800 out the door for everything. He is a General Contractor and has taken these and others as payment over the years. I will try to post pictures later.

[AndyM]

I walked into my local FFL holder to get a copy of his lic. to send out to purchase over the internet a Winchester 9422 in 80% condition for $350 - when I looked upon his shelf and he had a 95+% late 1970's model 9422 up there - I asked to see it and asked how much - he said the guy wants 200 for it - I said I'll take it and walked out of the shop with it.

In terms of money made or saved - it is not alot, but this rifle has become a favorite of mine and shots great.

[RIHMFIRE]

well after winchester closed, i bought a as nib trapper 9422 in
near perfect condition with a simmons scope on it for 375...
cant find em now for less than 8 bills

[Charles]

I bought a mint condition Woodward (British) best quality 12 ga. over and under with an extra set of barrels, all in a leather trunk case for $300.00. I sold it six months later for $3,000.00. Today it would be worth $200,000 at least.

[jeepnik]

Well, it wasn't a trade, but a new purchase. When Randall announced that they were going to produce left handed 1911's, I manage to get one. It took a bit of arm twisting from my local shop, but since they made less than 500 of the model I got, it was by far the best "deal" on a firearm I've ever made.

[creosote]

Back in the early eighties as i recall it ,the price of silver went sky high due to some wealthy speculators.
I had been saving any silver coins I came across in my daily activities and some other coins from my metal detecting excursions, not a whole lot really .
When it got to the point that I could trade one dollars face value in silver for eighteen paper dollars I sold my coins and was talking about it at work.
A coworker only heard the part about me being interested in old coins and asked me if i would be interested in some old coins he had, I said sure and bring them in for me to look at..
Sometime before all this had taken place I had brought an old "KING NITRO" hardware store side by side in to show the boys at work and this fellow wanted it.
He stepped out to his car and returned with a large Nestle Chocolate milk tin and handed it to me, I pried open the lid and it was half full of old coins.
To cut this short he got the King NITRO and I ended up with some old pennies and nickles and $44.00 in silver that
got me a PILE of cash.
creosote

[TedH]

Traded a 110 volt mig welder ($400) for a pre-64 Mod. 70 375 H&H in mint condition. Been seeing them bring upwards of $2500 these days.

[jhrosier]

I bought a used-like-new Winchester 94 for $200 OTD, 3 days before Winchester announced their closing.
A few months ago I traded a very nice Swiss K31 even for a like new S&W 625 pre-lock.
The owner of the 625 made the offer.
I had bought the K31 for $79 when the market was flooded with them.

Jack

[morgan in nm]

There has been a few good deals I have come across but the best was probably a pre-WW1 Winchester Model 12 that appeared nearly unfired (had one tiny spot in the stock finish near the wrist). An older gentleman had it on his table at a gun show without a price so I asked him for curiosity's sake what he had to have for it and he said he figured it ought to be worth at least $150 "as they don't make them anymore." I ended up pulling the threads loose on my pants pocket getting the money out. I felt pretty bad about it so I went back and told him that it was worth more than he got for it and offered more money to him but he said no. Apparently, it had been on his table all morning and nobody even asked about it. He also had a remington-made pocket pistol in 41 rimfire that was new in the box. He only wanted $150 for it too but I convinced him to take it to a friend's table who was a collector of those things and he got considerably more for it.

At that same show, I bought an early flat-top single six for $100 and the lady gave me a holster she had made for it by Bob Mars saddlery out of Amarillo. I gave them to my dad as a birthday present.

[Jaguarundi]

Bought in 1992 a gunshow dealer labeled "Swedish 96/38"rifle for $85 out the door.Problem was it actually was a unconverted excellent condition M96 swedish contract german Obendorf manfactured in 1898 with all matching numbers.Sold it six years later for $600 to a collector.