What were your all time great gun deals/steals?

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I've had a couple good ones but I guess my best would be a friend of mine who really wanted my Bersa Thunder satin nickel .380 in the worst way. I really did not want to selll it, till he came up with an offer I just could not turn down. He gave me $70 and a LNIB 1981 Marlin 336 30/30 that layed under his bed in the original box unused for 25+years. He swears it only had ten rounds through it that he put through it before it went under the bed.,and by the shape it was in I believe it.
I still have the 30/30 not sure if he still has the BT.380.
 
I traded a well-used .380 AMT Backup, a well-used Taurus PT-100, and $30.00 for a brand new 6" Colt King Cobra back in 1996.
 
Two years ago.
Sweet, 1963 Winchester Model 42 .410 pump shotgun.
25" full choke barrel, Fagan Skeet stock, Simmons rib,
red bead, white mid bead and perfect bluing.
$650 plus tax.
 
'that thang is broke'

Best deal ever, picked up my 1903 .32 Colt for <$100 dude said it didn't work. :scrutiny:

$35 in parts later it is still my carry gun. ;)
 
Hoo

There have been a few.

20 years ago- Shiloh Sharps #3 deluxe sporter .45-70 for $800 bux at an auction, back when the wait was like 2 and a half years and they ran 1500 bux or so.
I also picked up a Sako Safari in .300 WM wearing a Leupold 1.5 x 5 in sako rings with a bunch of reloading supplies at an auction for 850 bux. I eventually sold that for 2500, I turned around and bought more sakos...


In the past 15 years-
Colt match target 2nd series 4"- $400 bux
4" Diamondback .22lr- $400
BAR-22 used $200 bux
B-92 44 mag $200 bux (with brass tacks added by a N. Arapahoe "artist")

Winchester Pre-war carbine 30Gov't06...(350 bux. not drilled) I may go to hell for this one.

On friday I bought a 541-T sporter wearing a 6.5-20 Leupold ($650) and a Win repro model 52 b with a leupold 2-7 ($550) and three extra mags.

I always try to keep gun money on hand for those unexpected deals.
 
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Got a barely used Ruger SP101 .357 for like 150 from my parents neighbor.

Neighbors dad passed away from cancer and he didnt want the guns. Most were black powder and some shotguns but the .357 was pristine and a steal
 
Years of gun collecting has netted some incredible scores - right time, right place.

The following were good finds in the last 3 years. (Looking back past three years, it's crazy and interesting to see how the value of the dollar and the price of guns has fluctuated so dramatically, due to inflation and the gun crazes of 2009 and 2013).

The best is perhaps when I traded an average Mak90 AK47 with black plastic furniture (probably worth $600) for a LNIB stainless Springfield TRP 1911, worth $1400, at a gun show.

Also purchased a Beretta .380 model 85 Pietro for $50 from a girlfriend because she didn't care for it.

Traded a SW .38 model 64 for a HK USP worth twice as much.

Bought an original Springfield 1903 for $475, in very good condition.

Picked up a LNIB Springfield XDM for $300 from owner that didn't like it.

Home defense Mossberg 500 12 gauge for $160.

Stainless Ruger Security Six 4" for $380.

Home defense Maverick 12 gauge for $115.

DSA FAL in beautiful condition, with 22 magazines. $1200.

Loads of surplus guns at about 1/2 of what they cost today.

Loaded Springfield M1A, match barrel, VLTOR rail, bipod, 5 mags, AND 4000 rounds of .308 for... $2400.

Years of buying ammo at 1/2 of where it's at today.
 
Not a steal, just a good price:

Ruger No. 1 blued/walnut (only 2 rounds fired) in .458 Lott with a brand new Nikon Monarch African 1-4x24 scope, Hornady dies, 100 Barnes bullets, and 90+ new brass for $900 including transfer and shipping fees.

Now that Ruger has discontinued their .458 Lott No. 1's, I'm especially happy.
 
I bought two S&W .32 Lemon Squeezers on an online auction for $70 each about 8 months ago. They recently appraised between $250 - $300 each.

I got a decent 1903 Colt for $190 in an auction about 4 months ago.

My best was a NIB CZ-85 for $260 in another auction.
 
Traded a not running 94 geo tracker for a 66 rem 700 bdl with original weaver 3x9 in buehler rings. Has 26in stainless heart bbl and original rem leather sling.
 
Picked up a 629-2 6" stainless with the un-fluted cylinder. I'd say 98%. Guy said he'd like to get $350 out of it. I didn't haggle...
 
H&R 940 and 1300 rounds of .22LR for $50. 3 Years ago. Would be a fortune at today's prices.
 
I got a collection of 20 shotguns for an afternoon of working on a van. The highlights of the collection are a 1929 Ithaca Single Barrel Trap 5e, and a 12 gauge midas grade browning superposed. Yea I doubt I'll ever top that.
 
I'm new at the gun whore game - but I did score a NIB hi-power for $5 bills at an estate auction. Could have snagged a Thompson (1984 model!) for another $5 bills, but I wasn't paying enough attention.
 
Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS in 30-06 with a Nikon Buckmaster 4-12X on top. Used but in nearly perfect condition from a pawn shop at a gun show in Florida for $750. I traded for it and paid nothing. Whoever owned it took VERY good care of that rifle and I often wonder (while sitting in my stand) what circumstances led that individual to part with it.

She now wears a Zeiss 4.5-14X in stainless to match her true colors.
 
A couple years ago I helped an elderly couple clean out their garage and house as they were moving into an assisted living community. I'd lived next to them most of my life, and their kids have moved away and didn't come help with the initial cleaning/tossing.

Long story short, I was moving stuff around in the attic and found a box.

I went back home with a nice little 16 gauge over/under. Thanks for helping out.
 
Most of my guns I overpaid for but a few good deals;

-H&R Model 04 .32S&W for less than 100 bucks, sold it to fund my Kel-Tec P-11, kinda regret getting rid of it.
-Rohm RG-10 .22Short for free, also went to fund the P-11, also regret that since the guy who gave it away died.
-Norinco BWK-92 for less than 600 dollars, it was bubba'd with a Romanian stock and made it necesarry for me to do a 922R conversion on it, too bad, the stock was rather nice.

Recently picked up a S&W M&P 9 for 460 since it was discounted, also picked up a S&W M&P 15-22, paid a little elevated pre-panic price for it, about 600 OTD but I was just happy to get it :)
 
I traded a pair of RayBan sunglasses for an 03A3. Remnigton with '42 barrel date about 90% condition. I'm a RayBan dealer, so I had less than $100 it it.
 
Swiss K31 for $150
Finn M28 in trade for a beater SKS
M&P Shield 9mm for $450...this January.
M&P Sport 556 for $600, after tax.
Swede M38 in minty shape with 100 rounds PPU for $200.
 
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$1200.00 for a 1878 (closest date can get for SN) JM Marlin Ballard Pacific #5 45-70 in excellent condition and a unaltered excellent condition 1886 (as per Colt letter) Colt SA Frontier Six shooter in .44-40.

Both had been in 65 year old neighbor's family far back as he can remember, think he just got tired of me drooling on them.
 
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