The Deal That Got Away

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I've been trolling Craigslist and Armslist for a while for someone unloading a progressive press for cheap. And then it happened. . . Last night after I tucked the little one in bed I pull up Craigslist and do some searches for Hornady, reloading, and Dillon. The Dillon search brings up "Reloader - $250." This is what dreams are made of; an estate sale with someone who doesn't care what the press is worth. They just want it gone. It was a XL650 with case feeder, unkown set of dies installed on the tool head, and other dies and accessories. It was listed just two hours before I got to respond so I thought I had a good chance at it. I must have been the fourth person to respond because she said there were already three others ahead of me. But the seller was being fair to those who responded first and even though I offered more than asking price wouldn't let me skip in line. With a price of $250 I knew I didn't have a chance being the fourth in line, and before too long she responded and said it was sold. Whoever the old guy was who owned it is probably rolling in his grave right now. And the new owner is still grinning ear to ear.

Well, that's my story. What's yours?
 
Just the time I didn't buy the Colt Python...$165.00 Little kids, wife not working, everything "tight" couldn't do it.To be fair...it was early '70's.

Mark
 
Well, I just got a SMOKIN' deal on a Dillon progressive press on Craigslist!!!!

Just kidding. :D

Sorry to see that one got away from you. But, to help heal the pain, remember, if you see one, there's probably a mating pair! Keep your eyes open, you might just see the other one! (fingers crossed).
 
A few years back I came across a S&W Model 1000 Super Skeet shotgun at a local gun show. Like new in the box, it featured a 25" ported barrel, extra wide rib, right hand palm swell grip, and some very nicely figured wood. It also came with an extra 28" field barrel. Price was $250 and they were willing to listen to any offers. Looked great but I didn't know anything about it so I went home to see what info I could find out about it. Went back early the next day and of course it was already gone.

Lesson learned. If it looks like a great deal and everything checks out okay, forget the research; just get it.
 
1995...Bright shiny royal blue Python for $500 on consignment. Went home to think about it. Was gone the next day.
 
late 70,s browning 20ga bss sporter for 300.00, it didn,t get away. eastbank.
 
A S&W 2nd model 44 special that was at a local gun show for years at $525. The year I decided to buy it the guy he had ended up selling it at the last show.
 
A few years ago I saw a "sporterized" SMLE at a gun show. On closer examination it was a BSA sporter with a 26" barrel. The tag was $175.

I agonized over it for a moment, then put it back. Money was tight and I didn't need another rifle. I was telling my wife about it when I got home and she berated me for not buying it. She went back the next day looking for it, but the seller wasn't there.
 
Missed out on a new S&W Model 66, .357 Magnum w/2.5" barrel in 1994 for $300. A California vacation seemed more important at the time. :eek:
 
I was 17 in 1974 and walked into the local sporting goods to buy some shot shells for hunting. Some guy just back from viet nam got a job with the local police and had to trade his like brand new colt .22 match target for a duty revolver. They wanted $110 for it with box and papers but I couldn't buy a handgun. I went home and told dad but he wanted to think it over. I had my own earned money but it was gone 2 days later when he ok'd it.
 
Too many that got away to remember them all -

The pre-owned but seemingly unfired Sig 245 for $400. Saw it at a gun show as circled through the tables - by the time I circled back, it was gone.

Finnish M28-30 rifle - seller assumed it was a plain old Mosin, priced at $119. As I reached for it, a little troll-like dude scooted in under my armpit muttering "I got that..." :cuss:
 
4 inch stainless Colt King Cobra at $425 in about 2006 is the one that stings me. I could have put down $50 to reserve it.
 
About ten years ago a LNIB S&W Model 58 .41 Magnum for $599 at a pawn shop in Denton, Texas.

I went back an hour later and it was sold 30 minutes prior.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
I bought all of my Dillon equipment off craigslist...like absolute new. Bought an Army doctor out...everything he had...lot of high power stuff, also. Sold off everything that I did not have a use for...when it was all sold off, I only had about $265 dollars in a brand new 550, 3 caliber conversions, Dillon powder measure, Dillon dies, Dillon electronic scale, RCBS Trim Mate brass station, Dillon media separator, case gauges, beam scale, a new Lee single stage press, Lee powder dipper set, a thousand rounds of 1x fired 223 brass and all manner of other little things. I paid him, his price, for everything...$500.

So, it is worth your will to check craigslist regularly. Also, don't forget to investigate buying things out of state...I have bought a pile of stuff from across the country and never had a single problem. Most gun guys are honest.
 
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About fifteen years ago- 6" Colt Python that looked brand new for $650. I was just buying a hi power when I saw it and didn't have the heart to change my mind.

About 10 years ago, another shop had a S&W revolver, not certain of the model . Beautiful bluing, that wonderful contoured pencil barrel (think it was a 5 or 6 inch), .38 and the previous owner's name in well done cursive down the back of the grip frame (only knock against it). It was $225.
 
Not a gun story but when I was shopping for my canoe, I found one on craigslist. Located about 2 hours drive from me. A Old Town Discovery 169. A 1100 dollar canoe selling for 250. I was the second caller and it was already sold to the first guy.
 
***** You guys need to not just add the price it was but what you think it is/was worth. Otherwise no one knows what you missed out on. *****


Example: I had the chance to buy a Colt Python for $500. Didn't. It was worth about $5,000 at the time.
 
Used S&W Model 28s, 27s, 29s, 66s, 19s, 586s and 686s when people started trading them in for Glocks, Beretta and Sigs. It was 10-20 years that it started and I probably made a 3rd of the money I make now. Only ever bought a 686P ($500) and a 29-3 ($300). Both were mint and great deals 10-15 years ago. Even back then I knew all the 19s and 66s for $250 were a good deal but I just didn't have the capital.
 
In the early 2000s I did a fair bit of trading around guns until I learned what I liked and what I didn't. I had all sorts of crazy offers for really nice stuff I didn't think I wanted...a python 4" blued for a deer rifle and a Taurus 66 was one offer that stands out. I was also offered a trooper mkIV straight up for the Taurus 66 from the same guy. Problem was that my Taurus was a real shooter, and neither colt was. Another one that slipped away was a Dakota 45 colt that I could have bought for 150 but I needed beer for opening week my sophomore year at college. I was an idiot.
 
Passed on a couple of $1000 K32s, then passed on a $1500 K32. *sigh* Last one I have seen close to that.
 
When SKS's were going for $300+, a guy came into the LGS where I was browsing the used racks with a '54 Russian SKS that still had cosmoline in the barrel and a bolt in the white. The magazine was a Chinese Star marked mag that he was having trouble getting to fit. The shopkeeper, the guy, and myself pondered over the thing for a while and the guy just wanted $100 for it. The mag wouldn't fit due to some rubbing of the stock where the magazine was supposed to fit in and could have been fixed in less than a half hour. I didn't think I had the $ for it so I passed. Once back at work, I checked my wallet and what did I have in the ol' Mad Money spot? $100 exactly! Called the shop back to see if they could track the fellow down, even said I would do the xfer through them, and they said they had never seen the fellow before.

Oh, well, now I don't have to stock 7.62x39!
 
A few years ago I saw a "sporterized" SMLE at a gun show. On closer examination it was a BSA sporter with a 26" barrel. The tag was $175.

I agonized over it for a moment, then put it back. Money was tight and I didn't need another rifle. I was telling my wife about it when I got home and she berated me for not buying it. She went back the next day looking for it, but the seller wasn't there.
Click to expand...
I got one like that.



The wife. We must have long lost sisters.
 
This one is a little different. At a gun show in Birmingham AL many years ago (late 60s) a guy came in and told me about a scrap yard with barrels of Thompson parts for sale. I looked into it and discovered the yard had bought 5,000 Thompson SMGs at an auction at Anniston. After taking delivery and transporting the guns to their scrap yard, they had a visit from a car full of Army guys who said the guns were supposed to be demilled prior to removal from the depot. The yard owner was smart enough to disassemble the guns and cut only the receivers, a mix of 1928 and M1 models. I found several pallets full of 55 gal drums full of parts and he wanted $5,000 for everything to disappear. Before I could get the money together (that was a lot of money back then) someone beat me to the lot. Today that same lot of parts, frames, and cut uppers would be worth.....well, you do the math at about $1000 per kit.
 
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