What's the best gun deal you've ever gotten?

Looking at past "deals," a lot of it was just buying at a time other people werent putting much value on what I wanted. A D.U. edition wingmaster with fixed rib modified barrel and smooth deer barrel for $150 at a dealer in 2005 was a pretty good deal. If anything though, we should be out looking for the great deals right now! ARs in many-a-flavor are available and priced right. I just got a nice shooting budget 223 combo (not calling it a build when all I did was snap together a complete lower and complete upper) for $307 including tax, shipping, and transfer fee. All in with mags, optic, and first 500 rounds of ammo less than $500. Think a 6.5 grendel will be joining it a tax time.

I picked up a LNIB LeMat revolver repro (about $900) for $200 once.

Had a couple.
Walked into my then LGS in 1989 where they had in the Used case a 6" blue Python, pretty much Like New, $400. Kept that gem until December 2010.
As to still owned, in 1990 I went to the AstroHall gunshow and picked up an SC 03A3 for the AMT Hardballer I brought in.

There has been a few good ones but the one that stands out in my mind was an old Mauser. I had a table at a local gun show when a man walked by with a couple of gun cases. When I asked what he had he pulled out a Nazi 22 cal training rifle that had been sporterized by a master. The metal was the deep, dark, shiny blue like the old Sakos. The wood was nicely figured, but the workmanship was what stood out. The inletting and checkering were absolutely flawless. The stock had the Weatherby look in that it had rosewood forearm and pistolgrip cap. The buttstock had a rollover cheek piece and checkered metal butt plate. There was also black diamond inlays in the forearm and buttstock. This rifle was immaculate. I got for $500. It was a safe queen for several years and I finally put it on GunBroker and doubled my money. I miss it though. It was definitely one-of-a-kind.

Late last year I decided that I needed a top break .22 .
$117. There are still deals to be had on Gunbroker if one is diligent. Iver Johnson Sealed 8 , 1940

I'm afraid that is I started listing all the super good deals that I have gotten over the years, y'all would all start to cry.

New unfired SW 1006 in unopened box and 400 rounds of ammo for $500

I don't have friends that are silly with their money.
They don't need to dump a gun now and then to make a car payment.
Seems those kinds of folks offer up the deals though (as coworkers always finding them).

Of course, some deals too good to be true, as one guy in the plant found out.

Anyway, I did score a rifle, from a shop, for 275 and after a yr of it being too nice for me to hunt with, sold it for 800.
Proly should have gotten 900 from it.

I was given a Colt Python once. I shot some critters with it, and gave it back.

Not a gun but a Dillon 650 set up for .45 ACP and .44 Mag for $200, NIB.

Don't know which of these was better:

Like new Beretta 92FS for $200
Ruger 10-22 for $40

Both were face to face purchases. Some backwoods people can't stand dealing with shops to sell stuff so whenever they get in the mood to sell something they're basically just gonna ask the people they're around at the moment if they want to buy a gun - usually at whatever price they think up. Sometimes it's too high - a lot of times it's pretty low.

2 yrs ago a non-shooter buddy sold me a 1971 made Win 94 30/30 in darn good shape for $150.

Paid 400 for a first year 10/22 mag in perfect condition with a burris scope! no box. Last year. They knew what they had but wanted it to go to a good home. Ive gotten some incredible free ones also but that should be another topic.

You guys are gonna hate me. In the early 80's my MIL'S neighbor called me and said she found some old guns belonging to her recently deceased brother in law in the attic. She wanted to know if I would like to have them. BIL was a WW2 vet and served in ETO. I got 4 pistols , P38, Luger, Walther PPK and a Tokorov. All with holsters and extra mags. I tried to pay but she absolutely refused.
D

^^^ Lucky Dawg! ^^^

Best deal? The free ones my dad gave me! Aside from that I bought a Ruger 357/9mm convert able blackhawk for 100$.

I purchased Colt Detective special for $100. A local person new of my love fore firearms contacted me after her husband passed away. She said she wanted to be rid of all his "guns". I looked at his small collection and immediatetly spotted the almost pristine Detective Special. Mpst of the other pieces were run of the mill. I was very honest and open with her and gave her a pretty accurate valuation of all the pieces.
She stunned my when she replied " Just help me get rid of them all. This I did and got good prices for them all. No one made an offer for the Colt and several times I notice she didnt bring it out to show a potential buyer, When we got down to the Colt and a .High Standard she siad that will do , WOuld you like the last two? I told her I would love them but they were worth a lot of money. Her response shocked me, SHe said give me a $100 and they are yours! I explained that the Colt was worth many times that. She said I know but you did what I asked and got rid of the collection. Take the Colt and enjoy it. I gave her the money and told her I felt guilt paying that little, She smiled and said go enjoy it.
That was my best buy ever and I treasure that Colt all the more because of how it came in to my collection.

I've posted most of these before.

Best deal ever was the first GB auction I bid on, for a near mint Dan Wesson 715 .357, in the box, with custom sights (Apparently factory done, as I have seen others recently with the same sights on them), three grips (Factory, finger groove, and rubber, some parts, a gun rug, and all the paperwork, including the bill of sale), for $269!!


Other great deals...
Dan Wesson 44 6" VH for $400 in excellent condition. Very low serial number. I like the "Barney" frame.

Jericho 941 9mm "semi compact", NIB for $400. 3 mags.

Astra A100 9mm blued, excellent, was "rusty" according to seller, but it(Very small area at front of frame) didn't look like rust, so I gambled. It was jeweler's rouge, apparently the gun's original owner tried to do a half baked "polish job". Gun was pretty much perfect, in the box with paperwork and 3 mags for $279. I made a crazy profit on it when I sold it.

S&W 5906, barely shot, in the plastic box with extra grips, 3 mags, trigger job. Issued to a police officer and it appears he put it in the closet and never carried it. Slicked up action, bright nite sights, $325. I found the officer whose name was on the box a while after I got it and he said he doubted it had more than a box of ammo through it as he carried it only for awards ceremonies and used another 5906 as his carry gun.

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1967 .38 Colt Diamondback
$360 out of a gunshop in 2014 or so, saw it in the case while I was in completing a transfer for a S&W 10-8 LE gun. The Diamondback was only $50 more than the M10.


.32 Walther PPK
Found in this condition in a pawnshop for $375. Once I started looking into it, I found out it is an RSHA 5th version PPK. This means it is verifiable to have definitely been issued to a member of the Nazi SS during WW2. Of all my guns, this is the one I wish I knew more about.


Custom PPC revolver in .38, built on a 10-8.
Looks like it was built then never shot. Incredibly accurate, butter trigger, one of my favorite shooters. $356 off of an auction site.


Marlin 336 in .30-30.
I have no idea what this is. Whoever carved the stock had some pretty solid skills though, I wish they had finished it before pawning it. $150 out the door of a pawnshop. No idea if its chopped or factory.

Various other deals,
a LNIB Ruger #1 tropical .375 H&H for $650 two years ago,

an all US made late production USFA SA in .44spcl LNIB purchased last year....gorgeous gun, the Turnbull case color is amazing. The owner just wanted what he paid for it when he bought it new, so the auction was listed with a $1000 buy-it-now. It pays to scour newly listed auctions with biy-it-now options.

a like new M6 scout survival rifle for $105 at a pawnshop. Stupidly sold it a few years later for $125 thinking I did all right...until I found out what they are actually worth.

A .45 ACP S&W 625 with a 3" barrel for $250. Bought it in a pawn shop in the early to mid-90s. In those days I used to make Saturday morning road trips to gun stores and pawn shops every few months.

The clerk was not happy as he intended to buy it the next Monday. The shop owner would only let employees buy a gun if it had been on display for a certain period of time. That Saturday was the final day before the clerk could buy it.

It is a great shooter. Several people have offered to buy it from me after shooting it.

Nickle plated 2 shot Davis 22 mag derringer 50 dollars.

In the mid 90s I bought a Remington 600 in 6mm from a neighbor. He was asking $200. I had to RUN to the bank for the cash.

A new Tikka T3 at typical street price.

Doubt I’ll ever beat that deal!

It's been 35 years and this was better part of a week's pay at the time. Joe