The Ones That Got Away

[Robert Delk]

Model 21 skeet gun in the box for $800 which was about 10 weeks wages back then. Purdey 28 guage with 2 sets of barrels for $5500 at the old A&F store in Chicago which was a years salary so I suppose they don't really count.More recently I had the chance to buy a LC Smith A2 with 2 sets of barrels for $1000 and when I got back to the table after I borrowed the money it was gone.

[charlie cleveland]

my dad passed on this one..a lc smith 8 ga in really good shapoe for 250 dollars this was in the year 1959...i personally had to pass on a winchester model 21 12 ga that was as new in a oak carrying case..my friend wanted 250 dollars for this gun.i wanted this gun bad but atlas did not have the money this was in 1966... man if i could just go back in time....charlie

[Bill Zachow]

The other side of the coin....at a Syracuse Gun Show, many years ago, I came upon a Winchester model 61 in .22 shot. It was the early one with the feame matting and looked like a miniature model 12. The dealer wanted $800 and I was willing to pay $700. We could not come to terms and I left to find my wife, Sylvia, at the coffee shop. I told her about the gun. She said, "where is it, and give me the money." I did so and she left. About 10 minutes later with the gun and a smile. The dealer sold her the gun for $650. I still have it today. They now go for the price of a nice DH.

[Dean Romig]

Hey Bill, would you ask Sylvia if she would be willing to go gun shopping with me?

[Paul P.]

I was driving truck accross Nebraska a few years ago. I stopped in Cabellas store in Sydney. There in the used gun racks was a pre 64 Mod 70 in 30.06
with a beautiful blonde maple stock. When I picked up that rifle it just jumped right into place. Everything fit just right. If I remember correctly it even had a Leupold scope. But alas I didn't have the 1200.00 they wanted.
Another time I was at a pawn shop here in town and found a Greener SxS. they wouldnt come down off the price the 100.00 I wanted to pay so I walked out. 2 days later I went back and it was gone. I could have afforded the asking price but was too hard headed. I think my wife will attest to that without hesatation.

[Mark Brady]

I've let a few nice guns slip through my hands over the years, but never a quality double, especially a Parker. I own half a dozen Parkers of various grades along with a lot of Ithacas, Bakers and some nice English guns. But my favorite is a Parker 16 gauge Trojan on a #1 frame that I got from my mother on my 12th birthday in 1958. My dad had purchased the gun for the lofty sum of $18.00 as a present for my mom in 1938. I harvested a lot of grouse along with pheasant and rabbit with that homely little gun. I've been offered more than it's worth a couple of times, but it's not going anywhere.

[C.O.B.]

Paul if it's any consolation I doubt that the stock on the M70 was original to the gun.

[Paul P.]

Oh, I know that wasn't the orginal stock but it was this close to being the perfect gun.

[Blind Dog]

I recall back in the early '60s, when I was a law student in Salem OR with a wife and two little ones and a night shift job, I saw an ad in the Statesman for a 70, 300 H&H, 26" bbl. and a Redfield scope, for a $100. I went to check it out, and it was in top shape. The seller was in a similar family/financial situation as I was and needed to part with his hunting rifle. I had (still have) a nice Mauser '06 at the time and didn't really need another rifle; so I passed. Bet that old 70 is still out there getting game.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

Well guys, what about that 32" DH Titanic steel barreled 10 ga that Bill Hadfield over at Robin Hallow had a few weeks ago for $4,500. I saw it day one and called him. Yep they were Titanic steel barrels, supposed to be only a few hundred of those made. But, I already have one with 30" Titanic steel barrels....

Gee maybe I ought to buy that one with the great wood and sell mine, hmmm let's think about this for a couple of weeks.

Too late, it's gone.

I can't get that boot out of my butt.

I rarely hesitate, but I just couldn't get excited about it at the time.