The one that got away...

[LinearZero]

Just had a thought here, and figured somebody has to have a similar story to share.

I walked into a pawn shop a few years ago and took note of a pistol, in box, in the case. It was an older pistol , slab sided, with aged wood grips that had the target style thumb rest contoured in. Something about it just kept me staring, analyzing all of the aged perfection in a, what appeared to be, very well taken care of firearm. Then I hit the price tag, noted next to the year,. $650. Colt Woodsman Target - 1960-something

I was taken aback by the price, having paid out almost 13k in medical bills that last 2 years, but handled it anyways. Sweetest piece of 22 caliber machinery ever cusped between my hands. I didn't know what a Colt Woodsman was at the time, but I went home to research. Once I realized what I had in my hands, and the deal of a century it would have been, I called the next day. SOLD.

Forever my favorite, from here on out. One day....

 

[RickN]

Going to sound a little nuts but I am on a tight budget so can not do what I want. Couple years ago a friend offered to trade me a nice wood stocked Ruger Mini 30 for my 7.62x39 Saiga. I kept trying to convince myself I could learn to like black rifles but I never have. Called him a couple months later to see if he still wanted to trade but he had already traded it. My Saiga is still in my safe with less than 100 rounds thru it.

 

[dennishoddy]

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
We have smart phones now days. Takes seconds to look up a gun price.
Back in the day, I've missed many deals for hesitation and minimal funds.

 

[rc508pir]

Going to sound a little nuts but I am on a tight budget so can not do what I want. Couple years ago a friend offered to trade me a nice wood stocked Ruger Mini 30 for my 7.62x39 Saiga. I kept trying to convince myself I could learn to like black rifles but I never have. Called him a couple months later to see if he still wanted to trade but he had already traded it. My Saiga is still in my safe with less than 100 rounds thru it.

That Saiga, now is, or will be worth more than the Ruger

 

[RickN]

That Saiga, now is, or will be worth more than the Ruger

Oh I know. I even have a scope mount for it and a 6 position stock along with the factory. I just prefer wood stocks and rear peep sights and can not get comfortable with plastic. I tried to make myself like it without luck. I also have 5 never loaded 20rd Surefire mags for it and a stainless gas piston rod I have never gotten around to installing. Maybe my favorite bolt gun being my No4 mk1 will tell you how old fashion I am. Heck when out in the country at night I wear a single action 357 even though I own a few DA and a couple of high capacity 9mms. If my friend offered me his Mini 30 today I would jump on it in a heartbeat.

 

[deerwhacker444]

I started hunting and trapping in elementary school because I hung out with a couple of cool friends who introduced me to it. My parents and grandparents didn't hunt and didn't have any firearms to speak of. About 12-13 I begged my dad to help get me a deer rifle. This was pre-internet and the only access I had to gear and ammo was what Walmart, Otasco and TG&Y carried.

Dad somewhere rangled a Savage 99 in .300 sav, he didn't know the first thing about guns but whomever he bought it from said it would work just fine for deer. I didn't realize it then, but it was in fairly nice shape. Had the brass round counter in the little window. Only problem was every time I was able to hitch a ride to town, nobody ever had any ammo. I tried and tried for months to find ammo at the only sources I knew to no avail.

Ended up trading it for a Marlin 30-30. Would love to have that one back..

 

[rc508pir]

Oh I know. I even have a scope mount for it and a 6 position stock along with the factory. I just prefer wood stocks and rear peep sights and can not get comfortable with plastic. I tried to make myself like it without luck. I also have 5 never loaded 20rd Surefire mags for it and a stainless gas piston rod I have never gotten around to installing. Maybe my favorite bolt gun being my No4 mk1 will tell you how old fashion I am. Heck when out in the country at night I wear a single action 357 even though I own a few DA and a couple of high capacity 9mms. If my friend offered me his Mini 30 today I would jump on it in a heartbeat.

I getchya, point was that Saiga is worth more than the mini so you could sell the Saiga and get the mini. I kinda love Lee Enfield's myself

 

[RickN]

I getchya, point was that Saiga is worth more than the mini so you could sell the Saiga and get the mini. I kinda love Lee Enfield's myself

In my house if I sell a gun, the wifey is there waiting with her hand out wanting the money for strange things like vet bills etc. Better to do a trade and if I get a little cash to boot that I can hand her we are all happy.

 

[LinearZero]

In my house if I sell a gun, the wifey is there waiting with her hand out wanting the money for strange things like vet bills etc. Better to do a trade and if I get a little cash to boot that I can hand her we are all happy.

So sorry!!! I have had the same problem before I finally stopped living paycheck to paycheck, and now my wife has actually developed some sort of appreciation for classic or well crafted firearms (she thinks revolvers are cool and the case hardened steel/walnut pairing on a Henry is what a gun should look like).

 

[LinearZero]

So sorry!!! I have had the same problem before I finally stopped living paycheck to paycheck, and now my wife has actually developed some sort of appreciation for classic or well crafted firearms (she thinks revolvers are cool and the case hardened steel/walnut pairing on a Henry is what a gun should look like).

Makes me think about that Woodsman again...LOL