What is the rifle you passed by that you regret not buying

Back in 94 I was into 270 and smaller cartridges. I passed up on a pre 64 win proof steel rifle in 375HH for 300. I couldn't even think of when I would ever shoot a rifle like that. I still reflect on that. Young and dumb

A couple years ago my father in law sold a rifle on consignment at a local gun store. It was a Pre '64 Model 70 in 300 HH. The rifle was used to kill a lion in Africa by the father of one of his friends. There was an issue importing the lion into the US, I believe import permits had expired or something of that nature. My father in law, an attorney, negotiated with a museum (was either Smithsonian or Museum of Natural History) that the lion could be imported into the states, donated to the museum, but had to be displayed next to Teddy Roosevelts lion. Which it was, for years. I'll confirm with him the museum.

So, I could have asked him for the rifle as he was selling off his collection a couple years ago. He asked me if there were any that I wanted to keep. It was worth a fair amount of money, so I didn't feel comfortable to say yes to that rifle. In hindsight, I wish I had absolutely asked to keep the rifle.

Mcranch said:

Back in 94 I was into 270 and smaller cartridges. I passed up on a pre 64 win proof steel rifle in 375HH for 300. I couldn't even think of when I would ever shoot a rifle like that. I still reflect on that. Young and dumb

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375's are fun rifles. I had a m70 super express for a spell. It wasn't very accurate with anything but a 300rn bullet. I now own a m700 sps dg in 375 that is pretty good with most stuff, if you can hang on; she only weighs 8# scoped.

This isn't a rifle,but I really should have jumped sooner, different times.

Was late 70's, there was a small hardware store in a little town that I went through with my truck every day. I would stop at that store every Friday when I went past. One day I see a 38 Special Colt Python in the case. It was marked $350.00 . I told the store owner to bad it isn't a. 357 but I'd give him 300 for it. He said he wouldn't let it go for that price. I stopped every Friday for over a year,and every Friday I would ask about that Python. Every time I asked he said no way would he sell it for 300 bucks. Then one Friday he says OK I'll let it go for that price. I didn't have the cash so I told him I'd stop by the next morning and pick it up.

Next morning bright and early I show up to pick up my Python , and there's cops everywhere. When I get inside I find out that the store was broken into and all the guns were stolen. That is the only 38 Python I have ever laid eyes on.

Sako vixen deluxe in 222rem with period correct scope and sling. The whole package was in mint condition.

comfisherman said:

Remember back in the day you could buy buckets of ruger boat paddle stocks for about the polymers cost at both auctions and gun shows. Remember buying a pile of them about 20 years ago, only wanted a 1022 skeleton for a buddy who wanted one and a 77/22 stock. Still is a bit appalling what they eventually sold for on ebay, at peak insanity I sold several on the auction sites for the price of a well optioned mcmillan....


As a side note, I've had a few rifles I'd wished I'd built before the builders passed or the donors became out of reach. Goofiest was probably the 458 and 500 b &m super shorts. I shoulda had a pair made 10 years ago when the donors were aplenty and the conversions were reasonable.

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Friend of mine worked as a ruger rep when the skeleton stock came out in the model 77 .He laughed those stocks cost them 12 bucks at the tome to make .I had two one a 264 win mag and another in 338 win mag .They both kicked terrible. I PUT LAMInated stocks on them and shet shot awesome .The 338 win mag in the laminated stock shot a 3/4 inch group at 200 yards with factory ammo .I never liked those paddle stocks .

8x68s said:

Any Browning B78... I have some and had some and was an idiot to pass on ANY! Bought my first (30-06) in the late 80's for $450 and had it rechambered to 300 H&H. It has gone back and forth between me and my brother over the years. The last time, I was having a fit of sentimentality when I found a pristeen '06 and enticed my brother with it to get the H&H back, LOL.
The one that "got away" was the 25-06... I had two of them in the 90's and sold them both off during hard economic times. Never been able to find another. If I could, my life would be complete...
Example, custom 330HNH wildcat, 300H&H necked up to 338 caliber, Lilja 26" med-hvy octagon... it is the blackened case in the middle between a 375 and 300 H&H... About as much recoil I can handle without detaching my retinas.

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I had a b78 in 4570 with Buckhorn sites and a metal curved but plate. I NEVER shot it kept it 25yqts sold it while I was building my house in Alaska. I REALLY traded it for a new rem 700 guide gun in 416 rem mag in a hs stock .That 4570 with that curved butt plate looked like it would kick the snot out of you .It's funny I never saw a single person hunting with any 4570 in Alaska. I toted that 416 rem mag in Alaska 11 years always a awesome gun .I did replace the magazine spring that failed when I first got it .I put a Weatherby v spring in it no more problems .

Not a rifle but I was a broke newly married 19 yo walking around a gun show in Tulsa with my Dad and found a Singer 1911 in in a bunch of military surplus guns. This was before i saving private Ryan craze and I could have bought it for $700.

A 44 automag and Dan Wesson pistol pack

Not rifles but I regret it anyway lol

The racks of 1903's at the gunshows of the 1980's-1990's.

Tikkas when they were $300.

I remember seeing Contender barrels in pawn shops for $15. to $20 and could have picked up literally hundreds of them.

I may have already posted it, but I could have bought a box full of Charles Daily mini Mauser actions for $250 apiece. Money was tight, I bought one, and had the sweetest 20 VarTarg ever built on it. The 221 Fireballs, 17 Mach IV's, .223's, 17 Rems, that could have been. At least I bought one lol.