Sometimes in life you get a second chance

[PJR]

One of my greater shotgunning mistakes was selling a very nice 28 inch, early 90's vintage, 20 gauge Wingmaster LW that I bought it in 2006, unfired and in the box.

It was sold about a year later because in the interim I'd found a 28 gauge Wingmaster and my then rampant 28 gauge addiction caused me to get out of 20 gauge entirely and focus on the 28 and 12 gauge. But try as I might the 28 gauge 870 was not a gun I could shoot particularly well unlike the departed 20 gauge.

The man who bought the gun wanted a complete set of Wingmasters so I resigned myself to having lost the 20 gauge forever. That was until last week when he called to say he was putting all but one of his 870s on consignment at a local store.

Fingers crossed I casually asked if he was keeping the 20. When he said no negotiations began and he agreed to the same price he paid for it a year ago. The gun is now mine again and in the same condition as when I sold it. I don't think he put more than a box of shells through the gun.

It's okay to make mistakes. What's unforgiveable is making the same mistake twice.

Here is the original thread when I bought the gun.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=2734733

 

[waterhouse]

Congrats on getting it back. I've never gotten the exact gun back, but I have replaced a sold gun with the same model after missing it. Great feeling to have it back in the safe.

"if you love something, let it go . . ."

 

[DaleCooper51]

Congrats! It's always nice to get a do over.

I love my 20ga Wingmaster. It is quickly becoming my favorite shooter.

 

[chas08]

I wish I could get back the Remington 1100 12ga that I bought in 1972 when I was 16years old (my Dad had to pay for it and carry it out of the store, But it was my hard earned money) That gun never failed me. I sold it to buy a benelli sbe1 that failed me twice and I no longer own. At least it's resale value was good.

 

[bigwinchesterfan]

Congrats on your once again new shotgun.

 

[Milkmaster]

Congratulations on the good luck and happiness that came with it. I did the same thing and sold my Ithaca 37 in the early eighties. Since then I have racked my brain trying to remember who it was I sold it to in order to try and regain ownership. I have even asked a couple of people I thought would know. So far I have not been successful. Maybe someday I will find out and bring it home like you.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Gotta love it!!

 

[Virginian]

In 60 years, I have sold only 2 guns I really regretted selling. One was a 1974 Wingmaster Magnum I bought new. I have never shot any other shotgun as well as I did that Wingmaster. I do not know precisely why. I started doing a lot of hunting out of a floating blind back in 1980, and went to an 1100 Magnum. I sold it to a friend. He rarely hunted. About a year later he casually mentioned he was going to get some other gun (I forget what). I asked him if he wanted to sell me the Wingmaster back, and he said he would, for what he paid for it. When he got home that afternoon, his house had been broken into, and the Wingmaster and other items were long gone.
Four Wingmasters later I have a 1976 Wingmaster Magnum that is about as close as I think I am ever going to get. At least I have quit trying in any event.
On a brighter note, two months ago my doctor said I was cancer free, and if I died now they will have to blame somebody else. On balance, I'll take it.

 

[minutemen1776]

Virginian, congrats on your medical report. What a great blessing!

On topic, I've bought and sold a lot of guns, some of which I've missed and others I've not. On at least one occasion, I've even bought a gun, sold it, bought it back, and then sold it again. Usually, but not always, there's a pretty good reason for why I get rid of a gun. It may be specific to a particular gun, or maybe I dislike something about that design in general. Now, I try real hard to articulate to myself why I'm selling something so that I won't forget and start pining for that same gun all over again. It makes me feel real dumb to buy something more than once and be disappointed every time.

 

[Virginian]

I had to buy a Taurus 431 .44 Special twice, too. Originally, and after a dee-vorce. Cheaper new don't you know. Ouch!

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks,PJR and Virginian, you made my day better.

I love happy beginnings...