I meet this guy in 1988 when I took a scuba diving class after a divorce and we became close friends. Fast forward a few years and after his divorce he moved into an apartment in a sketchy part of town and asked me about a gun.

At the time I was helping out a friend who just opened a pawn shop in my free time. He didn’t pay me but we had an understanding that I could "buy" selected items for just the money the shop had in them. One of the things I picked up was a LNIB Browning Hi-Power for the $125.00 the shop had in it so I pulled it out and sold it to him for the $125.00 I paid for it. I'm not one to try and make a dollar off of a friend.

He has moved away around the country working in IT, mostly in enemy territory like NY and NJ where firearms are not appreciated so the Browning remained his only gun and was kept very much put away. Finally he relocated to TN where he has the freedom to make up for lost opportunity. (And he has)

We have remained close over the years, talking regularly and getting together when we can. He is down here this week visiting, and the first night here he pulled out the Browning and said "thanks, I appreciate this but wanted to get it back to you".

True friends are priceless. On top of that he brought cigars with him. Turns out I don’t regret buying the really expensive bottle of scotch for his visit.

It's nice to hear a good story.

It is worth a bit more than $125 now. Friends like that are rare these days.

While not a firearm this ties in with friendships, long time to be specific.

I had a project car, mid 50’s car. Had it since 1979 in stock configuration. Around 2009 it needed a freshening up, went overboard and decided to resto mod it. Later model engine and frame. Everything but wiring, cooling system, exhaust system has been done but it’s been languishing in the garage since 2016.

The end of October I was five days in the hospital, pretty serious stuff. On the mend still but the first night I was home I texted this friend “I need to talk to you in the morning.” He’s wanted a street rod for many years, nothing has panned out. Long story short, it’s now a project car for him, his adult son and two grandsons. No “trade you for…” no “sell it to you for…..”, just a “take it away, its yours….”

Do I regret letting it go? Sure, I’ve had it since 1979, took my daughters to I don’t know how many car shows or just out for rides in it from the 80’s through the mid 90’s. I’ll miss the memories. But maybe it’ll make memories for them, at least I hope so.

That's awesome!

Last year one of my best friends called and asked me for my full legal name. I gave it, then asked why he wanted it. He said “I’m drafting my will, if I go before you, my Browning Hi Power is yours”.

At some point most of us figure out that if you had to put a price on friendship and memories, you probably couldn’t afford them. Great stories guys.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 400m,

You guys are good people...Just Sayin'

quote:

Originally posted by 400m:
At some point most of us figure out that if you had to put a price on friendship and memories, you probably couldn’t afford them. Great stories guys.

This is a great statement!

I picked up Mike every Sunday to shoot and he wanted to assist with fuel costs.
“This aint about money says I.
He passed unexpectedly and too young.
He left me Coopers,Kimbers, Turbos, Vudoos, an American 180 and 25 other rifles of equal quality and provenance.
I would rather Mike was still with us.

Very cool. What’s he carrying now?

What a great story, thank you for sharing.

Friends, guns, cigars and scotch. If only every week could be this good.

True friends are a treasure for certain.

That’s a great story and a true friend.


I sold a buddy a gun of mine that he had always loved and commented every time we went shooting. I sold it to him at the friend price of $400 when it was worth $800. He was super excited about it because he immediately sold it for $800 and bought the gun he must have actually wanted. Not as good of a friend.

I felt like telling him I would have rather given you $400 and kept my gun but I let it go. I’ve never thought of him the same way after that.

It's a great story made better by the intervening years, just like that scotch you bought him.

Thanks for sharing. Very heart warming.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:
That’s a great story and a true friend.


I sold a buddy a gun of mine that he had always loved and commented every time we went shooting. I sold it to him at the friend price of $400 when it was worth $800. He was super excited about it because he immediately sold it for $800 and bought the gun he must have actually wanted. Not as good of a friend.

I felt like telling him I would have rather given you $400 and kept my gun but I let it go. I’ve never thought of him the same way after that.

I have a couple of guns that were gifts from friends, I won’t sell or trade them off. Gifts were given for a reason, not to be profited from.

When my Dad was offered a job in the frozen North or what we now call New Hampshire we came from NYC. I was 4 years old at the time.

I remember the very first day we drove up there and were unloading the Impala. I turned around to see a neighbor kid come up to my parents who introduced himself as Bobby and asked if I could play with him to which my parents agreed. That was almost 65 years ago and we are still friends but instead of playing ball we now drink bourbon and shoot skeet (not in that order!)

Good friends are hard to find.