Fellas, this one kinda hurt.

Yes timing is everything! But I have a reverse story—I was watching an on-line auction at onlinehuntingauctions.com. I had registered to bid and was just watching things on my IPad. I reached for my Diet Coke and as I turned, the IPad headed for the floor. I grabbed it and in the process lost the auction page. When I got the IPad back on, I discovered I had hit the bid button and had unknowingly bought a hunt in South Africa. My friends know it as Tom's IPad hunt.

Well I went on the hunt, and my wife and I had a great experience, one of the best in my trips to SA. I took a huge Eastern Cape kudu and eland, a Cape bushbuck, two bush pigs, a white blesbuck and a mountain reedbuck. The outfitter/guide became a good friend who's coming to the states to visit next winter. Lemons got turned into lemonade! Something's are meant to be, or NOT!
 

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About 7 years ago I walked into my local Cabelas and wasn't really looking for anything.. walked through the library and saw a beautiful .308 Browning Gold Medallion sitting on the shelf with a old leupold scope on it, no price tag.. asked a guy working there that I've talked to many times before about the gun.. said it came with the original box and had been a safe queen, original owner died, and his elderly wife brought in all of his guns to sell.. wasn't sure what it would cost.. I asked him to find out for me.. he came back with a price that I couldn't believe, and gave me a F&F coupon that could be used on used firearms as well.. when I checked out, the girl at the counter gave me a First Responder's discount % as well (was wearing scrubs).. I can't see where the rifle has ever been fired, and my son will be the first to pull the trigger when he gets big and responsible enough.. not too bad of a deal for $380.xx OTD..
Sometimes they fall in your lap, some times you just miss them.. be thankful for both.. there's always a Higher Reason..
 
Yes timing is everything! But I have a reverse story—I was watching an on-line auction at onlinehuntingauctions.com. I had registered to bid and was just watching things on my IPad. I reached for my Diet Coke and as I turned, the IPad headed for the floor. I grabbed it and in the process lost the auction page. When I got the IPad back on, I discovered I had hit the bid button and had unknowingly bought a hunt in South Africa. My friends know it as Tom's IPad hunt.

Well I went on the hunt, and my wife and I had a great experience, one of the best in my trips to SA. I took a huge Eastern Cape kudu and eland, a Cape bushbuck, two bush pigs, a white blesbuck and a mountain reedbuck. The outfitter/guide became a good friend who's coming to the states to visit next winter. Lemons got turned into lemonade! Something's are meant to be, or NOT!
Tom's iPad Hunt should be a movie
 
I've hit a home run on a couple of deals like that, and whiffed badly a time or three also. My #1 in 338 was purchased new for $500. It had just taken a haircut from $800 to $500 that day. I went home and told the wife about it with the rifle on hold, then went back and shined the plastic a bit to buy it. I also hit well buying a m95 high grade Winchester. I paid a C note flat for it, and the standard ones are going for $1700 just a few years later. I whiffed on a Browning a-bolt2 ss boss in 375 once as I was too broke. Lately I often wait for a couple gift cards from work before I buy anything. A couple years ago I picked up a g17 for $159 out of pocket new.
 
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