I Should Have Pulled The Trigger...

[BrokenolMarine]

On That When I Had The Chance....

My other thread was guns we wish we hadn't sold. This is the flip side, guns we wish we'd bought...had the chance at, realistically, but for some reason, just didn't. If you have a... It was right there in front of me but way too expensive... Toss that in...

While stationed in Hawaii, I went into Oahu and to a Sporting Goods Store that had just a small gun section and just a half dozen handguns. Not really expecting much, I looked in, and there in the case was a new in the box Python, for half price. The clerk pulled it out and as I looked, I noticed it said, "38 Target" and "38 Special.".

"Pythons are 357s," I told the Clerk.

"Limited run," he said, "For target shooters." Shook his head. "Folks can't get past the 38 caliber so, 50% off."

I wondered if it was a real Colt. I walked away from a Limited run Python, new in the box for under $400.

*****

One of my friends had left PD years before, gotten a Masters in engineering and was a senior building inspector with our County. We shot pistol matches together and Tina trained a couple of his horses. His son and I won most of the team matches. He has loaned me his Stainless Gold Cup National Match 45 while my match 45 was being built, and I won the open auto class. I was always trying to buy that one. It wasn't for sale, but during one visit he did pull his HK P7 out of the safe and lay it on the table. $700. At the time, used P7s were running $900. It was pristine, accurate, and still had all the accessories. I just didn't need it.

*******

Fantasy....

At a gunshow... I looked in a case on a table, and the guy had the Bren Ten and Miami Classic shoulder Holster used by Sonny Crockett in season one of Miami Vice. It came with all the Documentation. They were asking thousands. Too rich for my blood. What the display didn't mention, is that the Bren Ten carried by "Sonny" in that first season was a custom built copy of the original Bren Ten, one of two made by Dornius and Dixon for Michael Mann, that fired 45 caliber blanks.


The other is owned by one of the Miami Vice producers.

[BrokenolMarine]

Oh, the other thing I wish I had pulled the trigger on, a 1968 Mustang fastback. When it came time to replace a vehicle, I was taking my time and looking, and saw the dark blue 68 sitting in front of the old man's house. The for sale sign in the window had a sad face drawn on it.

I stopped to check, and the car looked show room perfect.
1968 Mustang Fastback, 289 V8 Engine rebuilt from the block up, frame off restoration. Black tuck and roll interior, paint looked a foot deep. Car looked like it was moving, sitting still.

As I walked around the car, the old man came walking out. He said he spent three years restoring the car, as a gift for his youngest daughter when she got her license at 16. He handed her the keys and laid down the rules.

No phone while driving.
Respect the power of the car.
No speeding.
Park at the back of the lot in this classic.
A lot of work went into the restoration.
Break the rules, lose the car.

He drove by the school one day, the car was parked right up front, among the Hondas and Kias. He called her on it, and she whined about being too hot.
Last warning.

He drove by a couple days later, same deal, car right up front. He took his key and pulled the car out and left his twenty year old beater pick up in the slot, with tye bed filled with trash, and seats covered in dog hair.
He left the truck keys on the floor.

He drove the car home and cleaned it out and put it up for sale.

Texted her that HER new ride was where she left the Mustang.

I told him I would let him know tomorrow.
Someone paid cash that afternoon.

[Oldbrass]

2005 I retired from FT Rucker,Alabama and swung by Cliffs gun shop in Ozark. I'd bought a few guns there but mainly liked the coffee and conversation being Cliff was a pro BS artist. He said " Ken I hate to see you go" and handed me a brand new JM marlin 39 .22 lever gun he'd sell me at his cost. Since I had a long road ahead I declined. One) was a once in a lifetime deal and two) I think I hurt Cliffs feelings. Number two brothers me til this day

[Grunt67]

I was at a gun show in Clarksville,TN, back before full autos were illegal. There was a M-16 full auto, $2500. I had the money at the time, but didn't think I oughta spend it. So walked away, regretted it ever since, for obvious reasons.

Another snafu I made was when my Pa died. I was 15 at the time, not too bright, evidently. He had an old single shot 16ga. shotgun, Nitro Hunter, Nitro Express, can't recall. I failed to get that gun, and have terribly regretted that to this day. No telling how many squirrels he killed with that old gun. Tried to find the buyer with no luck. Rats!!

[cooperhawk]

2005 I retired from FT Rucker,Alabama and swung by Cliffs gun shop in Ozark. I'd bought a few guns there but mainly liked the coffee and conversation being Cliff was a pro BS artist. He said " Ken I hate to see you go" and handed me a brand new JM marlin 39 .22 lever gun he'd sell me at his cost. Since I had a long road ahead I declined. One) was a once in a lifetime deal and two) I think I hurt Cliffs feelings. Number two brothers me til this day

Just got divorced and stripped of all the money I had when I got a VA check. Not wanting her lawyer to find out I had some more money I went to my favorite GS and bought a new Marlin 39a and a nice scope and leather case with it. I still have it along with a nice Winchester 94/22 with beautiful wood. Now I compare them with my Henrys and the Henrys are on a par or better.
I do like my lever guns.

[daytime dave]

In my younger days, a Smith and Wesson distributor was in my neck of the woods. A young man worked there who used to know I liked Smith and Wesson revolvers. One day he said I needed a few of these. He showed me some model 520s. I declined, saying if the NYSP didn't want them, why anyone else would. I should have bought all of them I had the funds for.
He also showed me some oddly large model 10s. These were strangely large. Seems they were model 58s. Again, I should have bought all I had the funds for. It seems that Smith and Wesson sent the "dogs" to the distributors and made them sell them.
I don't have any regrets, I may find them yet again. I hope I have the funds then.

[BrokenolMarine]

That's funny Dave, I was thinking about that last night. When our department transitioned, we were offered our duty guns for their trade in value, $125 for Model 64 Revolvers. I had been shooting mine in Service Revolver Competition, and knew it was a good gun, so I certainly bought mine. One of the Sergeants had been carrying one of the three two inch models, and wasn't going to buy it. The Chief told me he would sign off for me to buy that one. Oh, yeah. "Officer Jones isn't buying his, and it's nearly new? No one else has asked and I know you are teaching classes?"

I didn't want to seem greedy, so I declined. The Chief said he would rather see us have the guns than see them sold to random buyers thru the gunshop handling our transition to Glocks. I could have bought seven, all nice guns. I bought two. I still kick myself.