"...do you feel lucky?"

P

psyfly

New member
I was reading an interesting thread concerning a young man’s decisions about his first handgun and recalled the first one I bought for myself. And that reminded me of how lucky I was in that transaction.

It was spring of 1960 and I had saved up a bit more than two week’s salary, about $ 100.00 give or take, and shopped at a local furniture store. They had a selection of maybe a half-dozen handguns in the display case. There was limited access to research at that time and place, so, in my pleased ignorance, I picked the one that I thought looked the coolest. I paid $ 79.00 for it and don’t remember how much tax was added.

For the longest time, I simply assumed that I was naturally a really good shot.

Then, after I was able to try a few other handguns, I realized the truth: That I had been exceptionally lucky in my ignorance when I bought the new in the yellow box High Standard Model 107 Citation.

I enjoyed it for almost 20 years until it was taken in a burglary.

So, which have been your “lucky” acquisitions, both long guns and handguns?.

I’ve got one or two more which I will add if this thread has any legs.

Best,

Will
 
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I overpaid for my first handgun. It was a well used Sig SP2340 in 357 Sig and I paid about the same as I later found that you can buy the newer version SP2022 for. The only gun aquisition I can think of that I would call lucky was a Dan Wesson 32 magnum. I put up a local ad looking to trade an EAA Witness 45 that I had and a guy emailed me offering the Dan Wesson revolver in an even trade. I had less than $200 altogether in the EAA Witness and I turned around and sold the Dan Wesson for $600.
 
My first totally lucky experience happened at a gunshow. I had never owned a small semi-auto pistol (other than a pair of Berettas that I bought then immediately traded before even firing). I had owned revolvers before but didn't know anything about pistols.

I passed by a vendor with a box of pretty cool looking mil surplus pistols. I handled one and it felt good in my hand. Price was only $140 or so. I took the chance and bought one. In my ignorance, I had purchased a P-64 Polish in 9x18. After getting on the internet and learning about the spring replacement (and replacing said springs) I took it out and shot it. I was amazed at how accurate it was. It became my carry piece until it was stolen. By that time, I had purchased another (at the slightly higher price of $150) so the other one became my carry piece. I still have it.

Unfortunately, the days of $150 P-64s are long gone.
 
I'd say I was quite lucky in acquiring my first pistol. It was an essentially brand new S&W model 4006 (had 20 rounds through it), which was given to me as a gift by my brother for my 18th birthday. He had two 4006's, because he had bought them at a discounted price from a friend of his who worked at S&W, intending to possibly sell one, but for some reason he held onto both. He knew I had been eyeing one of them for years, so to my surprise he gave it to me.
 
Here a couple of my "lucky" acquisitions: FN FNC (semi), AC556 (full). Great guns and they are worth about 4-5 times what I paid for them.:) The downside is that I bought them to shoot hoping they would depreciate rather than appreciate....now it's hard for me to shoot them!:(

(Please don't ask to buy them, they are not for sale - simply too hard for me to replace either)
 
24 years ago and me and my roommate both decided we wanted to get a handgun. He had shot shotguns with his Dad in the past but neither one of us knew squat about pistols/revolvers. We went to the store and looked around. We'd heard of Smith and Wesson's and figured they must be good guns. I liked the looks of the stainless guns so we both bought 686-3 revolvers. I still have and love mine but he ended up selling his. He still regrets it and tries to buy mine all the time.
 
It wasn't my first hand gun but it was pure luck, I had been looking for a 3inch barrel 686. I was on vacation in down state Michigan and I walked into a gun store and there in the case was a used 3 inch 686-3+ Smith & Wesson This is also my favorite carry pistol, even over several of my semi's. My first hand gun was a an issued Smith & Wesson Combat Master Peace. The Smith and Wesson was the beginning of my accumulating of Smiths and 1911's
 
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I bought a cheap no-name 22 pistol for like 90 bucks back in 1993 at a pawn shop. Had it for a couple years and one day while out plunking when I was 25, some guy offered to trade me a motorcycle for the gun. I jumped on it and said sure. Was just a little 250 cc Kawasaki dirt bike, but way better than the gun. Turns out, he used to own the gun and always wanted it back and we ran into each other by chance. Crazy.
 
Not really lucky in the sense of "surprised later by what I really had - didn't know at the time of purchase" - but do good deals count? I get mostly bad deals - I'm the guy on the losing end usually. But this one I just got today:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=551021

I feel like was somewhat of a steal at $600 NIB. Someone won it at a banquet for "free", then sold it to a gun shop cheap, who sold in on GB - guess no one else really saw it.

And although not a great deal, I feel lucky to have gotten a Marlin 39 TDS that was 99% when purchased.

I was lucky to get one of the very first PMR-30 pistols that anyone had, due to a gun shop connection. I had one about 9 months before anyone else did. neat gun.

I feel very lucky to live in the USA where we have freedom to buy and shoot most any gun (in most states anyway).

Now start the "Unlucky / Bad Deal" thread and I'll take the cake!
 
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Long long time ago, when I was young and dumb, bought a s&w 38special for around $100, give or take a little. Did not know at the time the quality s&w puts into their guns. Forty years later, I can really appreciate it.
 
If I don't count my very first gun, which was a gift, the first gun I paid my own money for was an excellent-grade Mosin-Nagant 48.5" Izhevsk-manufactured 1943 91/30. For $129 I am extremely happy with it. To date it's still the nicest Mosin I've seen in person. The stock looks almost new, practically not a mark on the thing. Very lucky for what I paid sight unseen.

My first NEW gun was my Beretta 92, which I bought in September 2013 for $535, which was (and I think still is) about the standard going market price. With FFL fees, a lifetime warranty (through Bud's), credit card fee, shipped it ended up being about $580. I'm very happy with it and feel like I got my money's worth. I consider it lucky because it was my first time ponying up major cash for a NIB gun and I got a perfect one.

My best deal that I snagged was probably my RIA 1911, which I got new for $329 shipped on Black Friday. It's not fancy but it really is outstanding for that inexpensive of a 1911. It's not as pretty as some others, but the ugly cuss runs like a sewing machine.
 
'K. I'm going to count 13 posts as a lucky number and post another lucky find.

Local small town pawn shop had a 1911 and I, fresh off a bad experience with my first try at one (Llama 1911, which I may post sometime under painful experiences) bought. A 1927 Argentine army-issue 1911 marked with the magic name of Colt.

Original finish (in the white by 1983) with matching numbers and no import marks.

The dang thing has been without flaw or malfuntion for going on 31 years and has always been dead-on accurate with its rudimentary military issue sights. Last handgun I would let get away.

W
 
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