Rifles we wish we've never sold, and WHY!

[David Urasky]

The first gun I built from scratch was a 22-250 built on a Mossberg 3 lug action. I turned the contour on a McGowen blank, threaded and chambered it. I then bought a piece of 8 quarter birds eye maple for $15. Did all of the inletting and shaping of the stock in the bedroom of my apartment using hand tools, no power tools. Put a weaver T10 scope on it and found a load that shot 5 round groups with all holes touching at 100 yards. Loved the gun, sold it for $100. That was 35 years ago and I kick myself every time I think about it. Never should have let a divorce get to me and cause me to liquidate my toys. I still have the reamer and smile when I see it in my collection.

 

[Vaughng]

Mine was for a different reason I bought a Pedersoli 1886/71 and from the moment I opened the box I fell in love, that was until I came to use it. It had so much headspace (017 inch)that it never did fire off a primer on the first strike( pedersoli's response was to send me a longer firing pin they assured me it was safe to fire. It would not feed if you stroked the lever quickly it would eject the 45/70 loaded round out of the rifle onto the ground, It was in reality a model 71 not an 1886,, It did not have John Brownings magical hook that retained the cartridges and made them behave and this wa s a fundamental design fault, I can see someone getting injured with this oversight. It had extraction issues, the short extractor was not as good as the original, it had 3 other feeding issues I had to go so far as threatened legal action to get a refund now I have a Winchester Miroku 1886 and I could not be happier with it , except for the stupid lawyered up trigger and safety catch so I replaced the trigger and hammer with a Browning Parts no easy feat living in Australia , now the trigger lets off nicely but overall the quality of the rifle was really great, Headspace was .002 inch. I do not think Pedersoli understood the reasons why Winchester only ever built the mod 71 in 348 Winchester, it was to get away from the heavier bullets and a fatter 348 case prevented the case rolling around in the action causing lockups, still I wish I could have bought an 1886 Browning model that would have been the ultimate 1886
Vaughn Gunthorpe
Plainland Australia

 

[Mike Matteson]

I never sold a rifle that I purchase, but lent out two rifles, and one shotgun to never get them back. The only way I loan out a rifle now, is if I am going on the hunt too. One was a 300 H & H Mag in a 721 Rem. in a 24" barrel, my first belted mag I got at age 14 with reloading gear, that started me on hand loading path. Last year I was able to purchase a 300 H & H Mag in Rem with the 26" barrel. I had looked for one for 30 years. None were a great lost, but hated loosing the one rifle that got me started in hand loading. Many great years of hand loading.

 

[COBrad]

Since my early 20's when I traded for my first custom, I've insisted on really accurate, nice looking rifles, of which nearly all are out of my price range. I've traded or sold a bunch of great guns to fund the next perfect rifle. Of them all the two I still regret parting with are a 1977 colt match target .22. I wasn't using It much and sold it for Christmas money. A good cause but not necessary. Easy to roll pop cans at 75 yards off the hood of my Volkswagen. The other is a Cooper Custom Classic model 52 .270. It had exhibition walnut, checkered bolt handle and inletted sling swivels. It was a reliable half minute gun and frequently shot better. Many marmots out to 749 yards. Not my most accurate but hands down the most beautiful. Sold it to fund a custom 7mag long range rifle that moved my kill record on marmots to 1402 yds. Currently have a Cooper Western Classic ordered with the same features and hand picked wood to try replace the .270.

 

[Ranchdog]

Arnold Arms 338 Lapua. Was a tiger maple stock all custom and I got it when I traded a boat project. Then I traded it for a hunting rig that I'm pretty sure got used and abused more than it would have ever imagined possible but had a blast with. Company is now out of business but they built stellar rifles.

 

[Winfwt338-06]

Just a poll to see how many of us have sold or traded away a rifle, that haunts us to this day!
I know that I have, and at the time, it was thought to be needed.
Mine, was a Winchester Sharpshooter, in 7stw. It had a Schneider barrel, blueprinted action, and full bedded action from the factory.
I was in the process of buying a house, and as everyone can imagine, unexpected costs came up, that required fast cash. I've cringed about it so many times.
Thoughts and comments?
What's your story?

My eyes still well up when I think of these rifles. First, a rechambered Abolt SS stalker, 7 Rem Mag to 7-300Wby. Built in 1993. Cryoed barrel and action, Barnes muzzle brake. Shot 140gr Barnes XLC's 3650fps, sub moa all day. 3" high at 100yds, 13.5" drop at 500yds. Second is a Win 70 Sporter XTR 223 Rem. Given to me by now gone grandparents as graduation gift from high school in 89. Met Rick Jamison at retail store I was working at in oregon shortly after, he was doing article for Shooting Times showing how accurising, bedding, floating, setting trigger down, over the counter rifles increases accuracy. He needed a second rifle to compare to Savage 110 bull barrel 22-250 and asked id he could use my rifle in the magazine! I said let me think, ok when do you want to pick it up? He found the factory bedding was broken and point of impact shifted each shot. After he worked his magic, we met at the range. Gave me the load he found best in my rifle, 45gr Hornady Hornets. I put 10 shots in just over. 5" group at 100 yds! Also killed #46 in oregon cascade blacktail, 146 7/8" 4x4 with that rifle and 50gr Barnes XLC. One life, too many rifles!

 

[Blackwater Red]

In the early '80's I acquired a Tang safety Ruger Model 77 with a varmint barrel in .308. With the proper loads, it would hold one-hole groups in the .2's consistently. I even took it up to Whittington Center with Redfield Globe front and Olympic rear sights to shoot well (for me) in High Power Rifle. I later acquired a Model 70 National Match that I thought was the cat's whiskers and sold the Ruger to recoup some of the cost. I have kicked myself since1990 for letting that Ruger go. It had been bedded, floated, and tuned, and have never forgiven myself.

 

[Garry J]

I'm old and senile but I wished I had every gun back that I'd ever sold. The ones I gave away don't regret as much.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I had a crappy old Savage 340 in .222, weaver side mount and a Weaver steel tube target scope, it shot circles around a good number of Remington 700's and Savages in .223. The trigger was about 6-7lbs.

I must have owned its brother, same model, caliber, and mounts, just a redfield scope. That thing shot ground hogs by the score and was accurate beyond belief. Decided I needed a 22-250 to reach out better and sold it to my brother in law. Years later his house was robbed and lost all his guns, he missed that 340 so much he went and found another in 222 and uses it to this day.

 

[Ol' Red]

My problem is I never sell anything.... I'm a gun collector/hoarder. That's why I have 4 safes and a couple of cabinets, and looking at another for the knife collection..... I guess it's the hunt that's most important. Some of it even long range....

I don't see that as a problem. Sometimes I wish I had never sold a gun.

 

[7stw]

I don't see that as a problem. Sometimes I wish I had never sold a gun.

Me too, but would need warehouse to store them.

 

[Labwhisper]

I have enjoyed 69 summers. My dad was fond of saying, "a man should buy at least one gun each year. Shotguns don't count. Never sell a rifle."
The only rifle I have sold was a Ruger American .270 W that I won in a raffle. Never shot it don't miss it.
I have given many rifles, shotguns and handguns to my sons and grandchildren. If I can see them enjoy shooting a firearm I have passed to them - I am happy.

 

[milo-2]

Good stories guys! I have never regretted selling a rifle. Now I kind of regret selling 5-6 pistols, but even if I still had them, they would sitting in a safe and never used. I just don't really have anyone to pass my collection on to when I croak. So I keep my totals under 20 firearms.

 

[hunter0528]

Just a poll to see how many of us have sold or traded away a rifle, that haunts us to this day!
I know that I have, and at the time, it was thought to be needed.
Mine, was a Winchester Sharpshooter, in 7stw. It had a Schneider barrel, blueprinted action, and full bedded action from the factory.
I was in the process of buying a house, and as everyone can imagine, unexpected costs came up, that required fast cash. I've cringed about it so many times.
Thoughts and comments?
What's your story?

Mine was a Charles Daly , Prussian, Drilling. Steel barrels. 12x12x35-55. Really nice hunting gun, and in great condition.

Sold it to by a Camera so I could take pictures of our expected son, back in 1981. I feel it was worth it but I still miss that gun. Accounted for a variety of game.