We had a thread a while ago on your most disappointing firearm purchase. What was your biggest and most pleasant surprise?

Tell us about the one that you bought as a deal or just because and is turned out to be amazingly accurate, way more fun to shoot than you thought, has an amazing story behind it, is way move valuable than originally thought etc....

P365 pleasingly reliable;

Ruger PC9 amazing fun in speed steel;

That would be my P239. I got it for carry in the summer only, but I love that thing. I ended up carrying it most of the time.
Rod

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
way more fun to shoot than you thought

Mini-14

I had read all the whining online about Minis. "Too expensive, not enough aftermarket, mags aren't cheap, can't hit the broad side of a barn, etc. etc." But then I found a screaming deal on a lightly used newer 16" Mini, and took a chance.

I discovered that it's a handy little rifle that's a real hoot to shoot. Like a M1 Carbine with a bit more punch. Accuracy is fine for <100ish yard plinking purposes.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
is way move valuable than originally thought

Met a guy to buy several milsurp rifles back in 2014. He indicated that he had another Mosin Nagant rifle that he'd sell too, a 1892 Izhevsk M91. It was from the first year of Izhevsk Mosin Nagant mass production, and remained in original M91 long rifle configuration.

I knew it was worth more than I paid, but didn't realize how much more. Paid $125 for it in 2014, and sold it last year for $1100.

Back in the mid-90's, I had a class III dealer buddy that called me and asked me if I wanted a brand new SWD M-11 sub gun for $500. Um, yes please.

It seemed that there was a seller with a 25 gun lot that was selling them for $500 a pop, but would only sell the lot as a whole. My buddy was going in with some other dealer friends and had an open spot to fill. Still have it in my safe, and they go for north of 5 grand routinely.

239 hated the flat front strap, bought it to round out the TT collection.

After installing CTC's on it, it has become my carry gun. Would have never thought it would be so comfortable/popular.

As the years have gone by, I've been thinking of going to a lighter option.

I'll share two of my stories.

In 1999 I had an itch to get a simple bolt action 22LR, perhaps one with an adjustable stock. I happened across a Marlin 2000L on the used rack at a local gun shop. After a few visits I figured why not and bought it. After the sale was complete I was told the story. A local guy/gunsmith comes in twice a year and buys a rifle like this new in box. He takes it home, modifies the snot out of it so that it is an absolute track driver, maybe wins a competition or two, then sells it back to them for what he paid and picks up the next toy. This one has a Timney trigger, is bedded, floated and crowned. It's been modified for a Bushnell scope. Tack driver is no joke. At 50 yards with Eley Tennex I can, and have, hit tack heads. It will 1 hole every time. It's cheap and a ball to shoot at the range.

The other is a recent acquisition, a Uberti Model 1873 single action. Initially I was disappointed as the first time I took it out to shoot I found it was missing a main frame screw that could have yielded a disaster. I returned it and they swapped it out for a similar revolver but this one has the brass trigger guard and frame (bonus!). It is a riot to shoot, and very accurate. It is definitely my fun gun, although ammo is a little $$

I bought a late 60's era Winchester 30/30 a few years ago. I have bought many guns on this forum and around the community. But I got this one cheap, south of $200. Yes, it has all the bluing issues that they had, and no, it is not a highly desirable Winchester. But I was nice, and friendly and the couple were fun to talk too. They had posted an honest add, accurate pictures, and the serial number. I looked into it and knew all about it when I emailed him. so it was a smooth transaction. He threw in 5 boxes of ammo from the ' 70's. Dang I forgot how cheap ammo was back then.

Evidently, several gun snobs had been pithy with them, even over email and on several occasions, in person. All disparaging the firearm and why it should just be chopped up into bits. (You know, Winchester pre '64 snobs.
For reasons I cant explain, the Winchester had some deep meaning for this elderly couple, and it was important to them that it found a 'good' home. I don't know the story, but his wife was in tears when I finished explaining all the changes Winchester had made, why some were controversial, why some didn't matter, and why I loved this particular 30/30. It was the rifle I learned to hunt deer with in Georgia with my cousins, uncles and my dad. I spent a few years buying a personal copy of the four firearms of my childhood for my personal collection. The model 94 completed my collection. It is not a pretty carbine, like my childhood one, it spent many frosty winter mornings in the woods of Virginia. It is well used and well loved.
The other three firearms from my childhood were all found at regional gun shows, and all were from dealers who just wanted me to finish the paperwork, pay cash, and they could move on to the next guy while I awaited ATF approval. pleasant, and easy, with no complaints here. This was a bit different and it was fun to me, buying a firearm for a good price from my childhood. And somehow, it was a blessing to the seller too I think.

FWIW, Winchester snobs aside, the deer population of Campbell County, Va. have named it "deerbane" and if anyone is found with it, no quarter will be given.

FN K98 Israeli Mauser training rifle. Tack driver.

an old S&W 4" Model-10 Heavy barrel Police Trade in. Best trigger of ANYTHING in my collection.

picked up a handful of flint and percussion guns,
all (except one, it turned out) were props,

the look good at 10 feet type pistols, but modern(ish)

one however, was a musket,
made in 1828/1829 by Wooley Seargant & Fairfax,
Officers or Sargent's fusil, private purchase, on the Bess pattern, but short,

neat short flintlock, 100% original,
came with a modified Brown Bess bayonet that has unit markings on it,

sold off the props for a decent return, kept the Bess

Several years ago I got a good price on a Blaser LRS2 in 338 Lapua. The guy I got it from called me and said he found a couple more items he meant to put in with the sale. I ended up getting 3 extra mags, a left-hand bolt and a 308 barrel for no extra charge. 338 is a blast to shoot.

Henry youth .22 single shot bolt action. Paid around $169 back in the early 2000s if I remember correctly. The intent was for an ultra light grouse popper that I could keep handy when hunting bigger game.

It is ridiculously too short stocked for me, but it makes me smile every time I shoot it.

When I first get the slide off and ogle at finely-milled stainless steel surfaces ...

The Kahr MK9 comes to mind. As does the PPK/S.

Some years ago, H&K ran a "Pilot Pistol Offer" program to any pilot who flew Part 121, i.e., Commercial Airlines. They offered the pistol, the FFDO-issue H&K USP Compact .40 S&W, at such a low cost and because it would be my first semi-auto pistol, it was one of those things I "couldn't afford NOT to buy". I ordered the pistol with an extra mag and was delivered to my FFL for something like $625...at the time, that pistol w/o the extra mag was retailing for $950+. It was a GREAT bargain and the pistol is phenomenal!! So much so, that I bought its "little brother", the P2000 SK to use for CC.

Unfortunately, and as things go, you have a group of idiots that ruined the program for everyone...a case of "this is why we can't have nice things". Apparently, H&K discovered that qualified pilot buyers were purchasing the pistol at the deeply discounted price and then turning around and reselling it for a profit; you know...those "straw-man" purchases ...and didn't renew the special price program. I swear...some people just don't think beyond their 3/4" pecker sometimes.

I will neither confirm nor deny the pistol was lost in one of my many boating accidents in the Gulf of Mexico.

Threw a low ball offer at a GunBroker auction for a slightly used Glock 17 and three full cap mags and left for the day. When I got home that night, I found I'd won for my offer. When I got the gun I determined it 'might' have seen 500 rounds of ammo. Best value purchase I ever made.

I've had two.

Several years ago I bought a "used" KA P226 on Gunbroker from some dealer in Georgia, complete with box, manual and target. When we were doing the paperwork, my local dealer was remarking on the condition (one of the magazines was still in plastic). The Georgia dealer called me a few days later to see if I was happy with the purchase, and told me that in checking their books, found that it had been ordered for a customer who never picked it up, and that it had been in the back of their safe for years. We think I got a new, unfired P226! It's still unfired.

Second one, about three years ago, my local dealer had a P220 (not sure of year--blue cardboard box) with European heel magazine release. Claim was that it had only five rounds fired. Dealer knew the former owner, and the condition of the gun supported this claim. It stayed in the case for a while. One day when I came in, he looked at me and said, "Give me $499.00 and get this thing out of here." Out came the wallet, as I had been looking for a Christmas gift for my oldest son. This thing is a blast to shoot.

Upon moving to a new state I met a neighbor who had a mild interest in guns. As we became friends and went shooting, his shooting interests really started to blossom. I get a call from him one day saying that a friend of a friend has some SKS carbines that they want to sell, and would I like to check them out. We head over to the house and this woman has TWO SVT-40s! One a Finnish capture, and the other as issued. Multiple mags for each, crates of ammo, various Mosin Nagants laying around, basically an entire room of Russian guns and ammo. I felt like I was in the prop room for "Red Dawn". Needless to say we bought everything and left very happy.

The SVT is a gun that I looked for for quite a while. It is an absolute pleasure to shoot and really draws a crowd when I take it to the club.

A Beretta 87. (The .22 Cheetah model.) I knew they were dead sexy, and that people liked them, but I didn't know it would be as much just plain fun to shoot as it is.

It is reliable, and nicely accurate. And fun.

At the old, Big Reno gun show in Reno, several years back...Found a table full of stuff from a California estate sale. Nothing of interest, but I dug deeper.

Found a greasy M-19 with HORRID, off market rubber stocks. NOT Pach's something else, and they were as sticky as glue.

Took a closer look and it was a pre model # gun, back when they were simply called the Combat Magnum. I have wanted a Pre gun for years.

It was marked "M-15". I forget exactly what I paid, it was $400 or maybe less?

Went up to my room , took out a rag and cleaned it up. Tossed the degrading, rubber stocks in the trash.

Turns out the grease and dust had protected what was a high 90% finish. It had possibly never been fired, with a minimal turn line. A standard 4" blued gun, adjustable sights, but wrong stocks.

I consult the Standard Catalog of S&W and it states the Combat Mags started in 1956 with serial #260001. My gun is #260026! 25th CM built. As such, to an S&W collector a rare piece. I am VERY happy!

I later sent to S&W for a letter and it was issued to one of their salesman in California. He had possibly then bought it and had never fired it.