My worst handgun purchase (from a price standpoint).
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orionengnr
New member
Makes me think fondly of the absolutely beautiful 6" (might have been 6 1/2, but I don't think so) M27 I bought about six years ago for $450.
Should have kept it. But no...I wanted a 5" M27. And I found one, in far lesser shape than the 6". Still, I had to have it. And I still do.
But I should have kept the 6" and bought the 5".
Moral--much like real estate, some guns you cannot pay too much for...you can only buy too early. I suspect that in five years that M27 will have appreciated well beyond what you paid for it.
More importantly, you will have five years' enjoyment, which is truly priceless...especially for those of us who don't have all that many years left.
Should have kept it. But no...I wanted a 5" M27. And I found one, in far lesser shape than the 6". Still, I had to have it. And I still do.
But I should have kept the 6" and bought the 5".
Moral--much like real estate, some guns you cannot pay too much for...you can only buy too early. I suspect that in five years that M27 will have appreciated well beyond what you paid for it.
More importantly, you will have five years' enjoyment, which is truly priceless...especially for those of us who don't have all that many years left.
the worst gun buy for me
As Of today after I got off the phone with xxXxXx! My worse buy has to be a stainless ultra lite revolver in .380 acp. The price was decent but no 'deal'.
then I started hunting for the moon clips and decided to call the company.
After 20+ minutes of on again/off again waiting I was told rather firmly that "we no longer have the clips for the .380 revolver". I said "You have to be kidding me, how do you expect anyone to enjoy a five shot revolver that you have to pluck or punch the fired cases out of one at a time? It might as well be a single shot it would be less trouble to reload!" I was put back on hold, after another 3-4 minute wait I was again told: We have clips for the .45acp .40 acp and the 9mm acp revolvers but we are no longer carrying the moon clips for the .380 acp. I suspect at a thickness of just .020 they were getting a lot of flack about the durability of the ones they have marketed?
It's kind of ironic that the reason I ended up purchasing this one was that during the last several months of 'gun price and ammo price gouging, that this company's vendors were more consistantly in line with their 'before price gouging' prices.
I'll have to sleep on this one a couple of days but at this point I suspect that I will be divesting myself of anything I still have from this company.
thtwit
As Of today after I got off the phone with xxXxXx! My worse buy has to be a stainless ultra lite revolver in .380 acp. The price was decent but no 'deal'.
then I started hunting for the moon clips and decided to call the company.
After 20+ minutes of on again/off again waiting I was told rather firmly that "we no longer have the clips for the .380 revolver". I said "You have to be kidding me, how do you expect anyone to enjoy a five shot revolver that you have to pluck or punch the fired cases out of one at a time? It might as well be a single shot it would be less trouble to reload!" I was put back on hold, after another 3-4 minute wait I was again told: We have clips for the .45acp .40 acp and the 9mm acp revolvers but we are no longer carrying the moon clips for the .380 acp. I suspect at a thickness of just .020 they were getting a lot of flack about the durability of the ones they have marketed?
It's kind of ironic that the reason I ended up purchasing this one was that during the last several months of 'gun price and ammo price gouging, that this company's vendors were more consistantly in line with their 'before price gouging' prices.
I'll have to sleep on this one a couple of days but at this point I suspect that I will be divesting myself of anything I still have from this company.
thtwit
From what I’ve seen over the years at gun shows in my state as well as nearby states is the revolver market is a very small part of the overall handgun market. The market is predominately tactical which means semi-auto.
Attending the various shows with the associated costs can be rather expensive in terms of acquiring a specific piece or pieces. If you have a buddy or two to attend with and look at the costs associated with the show as entertainment rather than added expense of acquisition, I believe deals can be had.
One of the reasons why I say revolvers are a very small part of the handgun market is the availability of hard holsters at shows is very little if any selection for a specific revolver.
Here’s a steal of a deal in my opinion and the person who got the Python felt the same. I believe it was the Tucson show, guy trades his XD pistol plus a couple of hundred in cash for a blue 4” Colt Python. The new owner of the Python bought a soft holster for it. Personally I would not use a holster but rather keep it loaded in a Gun Guard case or at the least a gun rug.
IMO selling a revolver in this tacticool market is like trying to sell a Rolex to the masses. It ain’t going to be easy.
Attending the various shows with the associated costs can be rather expensive in terms of acquiring a specific piece or pieces. If you have a buddy or two to attend with and look at the costs associated with the show as entertainment rather than added expense of acquisition, I believe deals can be had.
One of the reasons why I say revolvers are a very small part of the handgun market is the availability of hard holsters at shows is very little if any selection for a specific revolver.
Here’s a steal of a deal in my opinion and the person who got the Python felt the same. I believe it was the Tucson show, guy trades his XD pistol plus a couple of hundred in cash for a blue 4” Colt Python. The new owner of the Python bought a soft holster for it. Personally I would not use a holster but rather keep it loaded in a Gun Guard case or at the least a gun rug.
IMO selling a revolver in this tacticool market is like trying to sell a Rolex to the masses. It ain’t going to be easy.
thtwit, seeing as the 9mm Para and the .380 ACP are pretty much the same cases except for case length..... is it possible that the 9mm Para clips will work for you?
Of course this presupposes that we are talking about the same size cylinders with the same number of holes.
Bart Noir
Of course this presupposes that we are talking about the same size cylinders with the same number of holes.
Bart Noir
I would have to take a look in the safe and go over each one to make sure I've not forgotten anything glaring (that my own brain may have faded on simply to protect me from the emotional distraught) but other than spending too much money for a .22cal Erma Luger that I simply could not get to run, my knee jerk response to this would have to be my recent purchase of a 6-inch stainless Colt King Cobra.
It's gorgeous... not mint, with typical handling wear, but not at all beat up. It does have one curious (or likely worse than curious) anomaly in that the front sight is, ummm, bent. Ever so slightly bent as if someone dinged it with a rubber mallet and got a good solid hit on it. It's hard to figure simply because are ZERO "bash" marks anywhere on the revolver as if it were dropped, so whoever did the deed... managed to perform it almost, well, surgically. You would almost bet that the front sight was bent while installed somewhere else, then placed on this revolver. Of course, that's extremely unlikely, but I'm simply trying to describe that only the front sight is damaged... the revolver is spiffy.
It will shoot to point of aim, but the adjustable rear sight is screwed so far over to compensate that it's comical. This front sight is a pinned in piece, I have to find a replacement and get past this.
I paid $750 for this revolver a few months back. Yes, it was not a bad price at all and if you've paid any attention to the Colt double action revolver market, this one is only climbing.
So it wasn't a bad purchase except that: I'm a shooter, not really a collector, and having "valuable" or fine examples of guns is a very, very cool thing, but it's never been my focus and unless there is a radical change, it never will be. As a shooter, this King Cobra is a novelty and little else. It's double action trigger is HEAVY and I'm born & raised on the Smith & Wesson double action, so that's where my tastes lie.
So for my "needs", I can say this was kind of a silly purchase, even though (by the market), it wasn't a bad deal at all. Definitely a great looking revolver, I'll say that.
If I need a story about throwing good money after bad, I've got one... but it's a long gun so won't fit here.
It's gorgeous... not mint, with typical handling wear, but not at all beat up. It does have one curious (or likely worse than curious) anomaly in that the front sight is, ummm, bent. Ever so slightly bent as if someone dinged it with a rubber mallet and got a good solid hit on it. It's hard to figure simply because are ZERO "bash" marks anywhere on the revolver as if it were dropped, so whoever did the deed... managed to perform it almost, well, surgically. You would almost bet that the front sight was bent while installed somewhere else, then placed on this revolver.
Of course, that's extremely unlikely, but I'm simply trying to describe that only the front sight is damaged... the revolver is spiffy.It will shoot to point of aim, but the adjustable rear sight is screwed so far over to compensate that it's comical. This front sight is a pinned in piece, I have to find a replacement and get past this.
I paid $750 for this revolver a few months back. Yes, it was not a bad price at all and if you've paid any attention to the Colt double action revolver market, this one is only climbing.
So it wasn't a bad purchase except that: I'm a shooter, not really a collector, and having "valuable" or fine examples of guns is a very, very cool thing, but it's never been my focus and unless there is a radical change, it never will be. As a shooter, this King Cobra is a novelty and little else. It's double action trigger is HEAVY and I'm born & raised on the Smith & Wesson double action, so that's where my tastes lie.
So for my "needs", I can say this was kind of a silly purchase, even though (by the market), it wasn't a bad deal at all. Definitely a great looking revolver, I'll say that.
If I need a story about throwing good money after bad, I've got one... but it's a long gun so won't fit here.
Mike Irwin
Staff
The one I paid the most for is also the one I wanted the most, and spent over a decade looking for -- a Smith & Wesson 25-5 4" in .45 Long Colt.
By the time all was said and done I had about $900 in it, and I was happy to pay that.
By the time all was said and done I had about $900 in it, and I was happy to pay that.
Dear SpareMag,
Yes, you can. However, doing so would prove to be more than double the cost. You see, there is no sales tax in this country so all import fees, tariffs, duties, and taxes are calculated at the point of entry. So importing wholesale or in bulk is cheaper.
Also, if the gun is uncommon, ie; a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug .44mag, then Digecam (the gun body for the country) has to inspect it to see if it meets current requirements which of course means another fee.
Thanks for asking and taking an interest.
Best regards,
D. Idaho
Yes, you can. However, doing so would prove to be more than double the cost. You see, there is no sales tax in this country so all import fees, tariffs, duties, and taxes are calculated at the point of entry. So importing wholesale or in bulk is cheaper.
Also, if the gun is uncommon, ie; a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug .44mag, then Digecam (the gun body for the country) has to inspect it to see if it meets current requirements which of course means another fee.
Thanks for asking and taking an interest.
Best regards,
D. Idaho
I strongly, very much insist, that you do not fire .44 Magnum in the Bulldog Pug.
Actually, I believe you meant .44 Special.
I would guess that stainless steel guns are much more practical than blued ones, down in that part of the world. Or do people just keep them well oiled?
Is there a preferred preservative that works there, to keep rust away?
Bart Noir
RodTheWrench
New member
I overpaid a bit for my S&W 617 10-shot 6"
But, as has been alluded to, I have it now and it's not going anywhere, so I paid what I paid and now I get to enjoy it.
I see a common thread in this, um, thread that we tend to "overpay" when we buy a gun we've been really wanting. Whether it's because these guns are usually somewhat rare/collectible, or it's because we form an emotional attachment to them right away and can't seem to turn away from the deal, I say it is what it is, don't worry about it and go have fun!
But, as has been alluded to, I have it now and it's not going anywhere, so I paid what I paid and now I get to enjoy it.
I see a common thread in this, um, thread that we tend to "overpay" when we buy a gun we've been really wanting. Whether it's because these guns are usually somewhat rare/collectible, or it's because we form an emotional attachment to them right away and can't seem to turn away from the deal, I say it is what it is, don't worry about it and go have fun!
Southern Shooter
New member
S&W 625-5 .45 Long Colt 4" barrel Model of 1989
Recently, I dropped by one of my favorite shops and the manager, knowing I have a weakness for .45 calibers, immediatly drew my attention to this very nice looking S&W 625-5. The timing needed to be touched-up and I wanted the trigger a tad smoother so I dropped it off with a talented gunsmith. I painfully invested $825, tax and all, in this gun for the initial purchase and gunsmith work.
Recently, I dropped by one of my favorite shops and the manager, knowing I have a weakness for .45 calibers, immediatly drew my attention to this very nice looking S&W 625-5. The timing needed to be touched-up and I wanted the trigger a tad smoother so I dropped it off with a talented gunsmith. I painfully invested $825, tax and all, in this gun for the initial purchase and gunsmith work.
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Dear Bart Noir,
I just used the Charter Arms gun as the first example that came into my mind. You see not every gun can be imported, sold, bought, or owned. Plus, here in this country once the gun is here it can never leave legally.
To answer your question. Though this may be a tropical country moisture on weapons is not really the problem. Squib rounds are. Bullets pick up the worst of the the humidity here. In fact I lost my SW 442 to a squib round, blew the barrel all to hell.
Hope to get it fixed soon.
Best regards,
D. Idaho
I just used the Charter Arms gun as the first example that came into my mind. You see not every gun can be imported, sold, bought, or owned. Plus, here in this country once the gun is here it can never leave legally.
To answer your question. Though this may be a tropical country moisture on weapons is not really the problem. Squib rounds are. Bullets pick up the worst of the the humidity here. In fact I lost my SW 442 to a squib round, blew the barrel all to hell.
Hope to get it fixed soon.Best regards,
D. Idaho
bedbugbilly
New member
My worst was a purchase of a Bersa .380 Thunder CC. I was looking for a small .380 for CCW and for some reason got the itch, a bad itch 
, that just had to be scratched by adding one to the herd. At the time, in my area, they couldn't keep 'em on the shelf. I finally located a used one - checked it over and it seemed fine. I paid about $50 more than I should have but hey, I just couldn't find one.
It shot great and functioned fine - but - I discovered that after the first DA shot when it went to SA, the trigger pull was so light that the slightest pressure would cause a immediate discharge - too light for my liking for a CCW. Evidently, the previous owner had done some "trigger work" on it. I love the little pistol overall but with that trigger the way it was, it didn't hang around long. I ended up trading it in (and telling the dealer about the trigger problem) and I got low end on the trade - so it sort of hurt a little on both ends. But, we learn by our experiences and it all seems to pan out. It happens to everyone.
On the other hand, I made up for my mistake when I purchased my 4" blued Python (about 98%). I was in the right place at the right time - got it for $800 so at least I have one "success story"!
, that just had to be scratched by adding one to the herd. At the time, in my area, they couldn't keep 'em on the shelf. I finally located a used one - checked it over and it seemed fine. I paid about $50 more than I should have but hey, I just couldn't find one.It shot great and functioned fine - but - I discovered that after the first DA shot when it went to SA, the trigger pull was so light that the slightest pressure would cause a immediate discharge - too light for my liking for a CCW. Evidently, the previous owner had done some "trigger work" on it. I love the little pistol overall but with that trigger the way it was, it didn't hang around long. I ended up trading it in (and telling the dealer about the trigger problem) and I got low end on the trade - so it sort of hurt a little on both ends. But, we learn by our experiences and it all seems to pan out. It happens to everyone.
On the other hand, I made up for my mistake when I purchased my 4" blued Python (about 98%). I was in the right place at the right time - got it for $800 so at least I have one "success story"!
Taurus "DA Only" model 82 nickel, early 2000s....
I traded & paid around $100.00 for a used Taurus model 82 .38spl 6 shot revolver. I traded a used K frame S&W model 19 4" barrel.
The 82 had a nickel grey color & the spur was removed. I thought it was DA only but it was in fact: DA/SA.
It shot okay but after a few weeks, the .38spl cylinder would jam up.
I ended up selling the Taurus 82 .38spl revolver. That was the last used handgun I ever purchased.
Clyde
I traded & paid around $100.00 for a used Taurus model 82 .38spl 6 shot revolver. I traded a used K frame S&W model 19 4" barrel.
The 82 had a nickel grey color & the spur was removed. I thought it was DA only but it was in fact: DA/SA.
It shot okay but after a few weeks, the .38spl cylinder would jam up.
I ended up selling the Taurus 82 .38spl revolver. That was the last used handgun I ever purchased.
Clyde
To the OP,
Don't feel too bad. I've sunk $8,000 into a '95 Yukon and it still doesn't run quite right . Yes, I can be an idiot.
As for guns, the worst deal I did was on a 3" S&W Model 13 in 2009. I paid $450 for it, which was tops at the time. Problem was the B/C gap was .013, and it cost another $100 (plus a good $50 in gas driving to and from the gunsmith) to turn the barrel in (the gap is now around .007). So call it $600 in a 3" 13 that today is probably worth $550, so not too bad I guess.
Don't feel too bad. I've sunk $8,000 into a '95 Yukon and it still doesn't run quite right
. Yes, I can be an idiot.As for guns, the worst deal I did was on a 3" S&W Model 13 in 2009. I paid $450 for it, which was tops at the time. Problem was the B/C gap was .013, and it cost another $100 (plus a good $50 in gas driving to and from the gunsmith) to turn the barrel in (the gap is now around .007). So call it $600 in a 3" 13 that today is probably worth $550, so not too bad I guess.