Most idiot gun purchase

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

^ Yes, the fat, square grip is problematic to some. More recently there are Glock models that solve that issue. I overcame that odd feel through sheer will power, because at that time there was no alternative. I also had to struggle with with the difference in wrist cock angle between a revolver and a semi auto. Unlearning that instinctive wrist angle was hard for me after years of muscle memory with the revolver. Overcame both with effort. Right now, if starting over, I'd still select a Glock model with the thinner, more elongated grip. Most single stack guns automatically achieve that thinner profile.

@fourfive8
I personally love the grip on the Browning hipower 9mm and the God ol 1911 45. Both reliable and accurate to me anyhoo

 

[Cam Moon]

I think my biggest regret so far was one that got away. I had a friend of a friend that I had met and as we were talking he mentioned the possibility of selling off some firearms due to health issues. One of them was a .375H&H. I told him that I would definitely be interested in it if he sells. Fast forward several months of me thinking about it and mentioning it to our mutual friend before I finally contacted him directly. He had sold it a month earlier. It was a like NEW Sako 375H&H with a Leupold scope and TEN full boxes of ammo, and he sold it for $1600 CAD ($1250 USD).

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I shot Glocks for some years but couldn't get used to the grip angle and the big size didn't work well with my short fingers. I had to kind of twist my hand to reach the trigger which caused me to shoot off center. After all, I am a 1911 guy since Uncle Sam introduced me to them in 1960. Just a natural fit and even with the junkers we had I qualified expert. Many other brands have crossed my palm but I always have 1911s to fall back on.

@Newboomer
Love the 1911s. Big holes so don't need to throw it at someone when you run out of 9mm ammo.
45 cal holes just plain work.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I think my biggest regret so far was one that got away. I had a friend of a friend that I had met and as we were talking he mentioned the possibility of selling off some firearms due to health issues. One of them was a .375H&H. I told him that I would definitely be interested in it if he sells. Fast forward several months of me thinking about it and mentioning it to our mutual friend before I finally contacted him directly. He had sold it a month earlier. It was a like NEW Sako 375H&H with a Leupold scope and TEN full boxes of ammo, and he sold it for $1600 CAD ($1250 USD).

Yes, that would have been a GREAT deal with the scope and even more so with the ammo. But, I've been in the same situation too. You procrastinate thinking about it and do you (or can you) spend the money at that point in time? I'm sure it has happened to many/most of us at times.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

He who hesitates has lost boys.
Some of my most stupid gun decisions were not buying. My local scheels had a pre war M70 30-06 for $999. But I already had a 30-06.

 

[OzarkSafariGuy]

Lol. My worst was also a mauser, although a spanish one.
Bought a 7x57, paid decent money.
And it absolutely will not feed. Not like it's unreliable. It literally will not feed a single round.
I can normally fix stuff.
Made a Mosin feed 375 H&H. 500 Jeffery in a Savage 110. 500 S&W in a Siamese Mauser. None of these took more than minimal effort.
But getting that mauser to feed the original cartridge it was chambered for, from the factory?
Absolutely not.
Right now, that rifle is being used to hold up a corner of a broken shelf lol. Eventually, I'll make some bottom metal to take a detachable single stack mag from Wyatt's or AICS. And probably rechamber for something modern and suppressor friendly, just out of spite.

 

[Daveboone]

My dumbest gun purchase was a Ruger American Ranch Rifle in 450 Bushmaster. I recall thinking it would be a fun hog gun. It is not fun. It is the most obnoxiously loud, hardest recoiling rifle I own. Maybe not in pure foot pounds, but the combination of light weight, stock design and muzzle blast make it exceedingly unpleasant to shoot. I much prefer shooting my 458 Lott. If anyone is considering buying one to use in States that require straight walled cartridges please don’t think it’s a kids gun. It is NOT.

That is a very common reaction for many folks who love the idea of that big fat slug. I have a 45-70 Browning falling block that I love, shoots well, is classy and is comfortable to shoot, but it also has a mile long barrel, and I shoot a 350 grain bullet which keeps the kick down.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Bought this “refurbished “ 1st Series, Winchester Model 1890 .22LR, made between 1890 - 1892 with broken cartridge lifter for $300. Guy’s young daughter was a heroin addict and he needed some money to pay for her rehab bill.

Put another $600 into her from a “half-ass” gunsmith company out of Missouri. Still doesn’t cycle correctly. Can’t find a good gunsmith to work on her in USA. Safe Queen now!

 

[Woodcarver]

View attachment 448339

Bought this “refurbished “ 1st Series, Winchester Model 1890 .22LR, made between 1890 - 1892 with broken cartridge lifter for $300. Guy’s young daughter was a heroin addict and he needed some money to pay for her rehab bill.

Put another $600 into her from a “half-ass” gunsmith company out of Missouri. Still doesn’t cycle correctly. Can’t find a good gunsmith to work on her in USA. Safe Queen now!

View attachment 448342
View attachment 448341

I hope you just typed this wrong- "Bought this “refurbished “ 1st Series, Winchester Model 1890 .22LR, made between 1890 - 1892"
If you're trying to feed this 22LR, that would explain the feeding issue. According to the last pic, your rifle is chambered for 22Long, not Long Rifle. They are distinctly different. And finding 22Long these days will take some searching, and luck, and probably several $$$
I like these old gallery guns. Fun to shoot (when they feed).

 

[Woodcarver]

Bought an American Derringer Corp M4 derringer in 45 Long Colt/410 3", 'cause I like derringers and the price was pretty good. Thought it would be a good carry gun. With over 12# of trigger pull (exceeds limit on gauge), it takes 2 hands to make it go bang; well, it's a lot easier with 2 hands anyway.
Also learned the safety sucks. Big time. Spring loaded to pull the cross block out of the way upon cocking. The intent is to just have to cock the hammer without doing anything else before firing. It absolutely failed the accidental drop test. Fortunately, I am still here to tell this tale. Only fell about 20"-24" onto a concrete floor, bouncing on the hammer spur. Gun went off, sending 3, .36 cal balls through the door into the face of the stairway beyond, taking a thin piece of hide off the front of my ankle with them. One of those balls is taped to a note on my reloading room wall as a reminder.
This occurred in the late 90s. Gun sits in the safe. Not willing to sell it to someone who might think it ok to carry. One of these days I will probably disable it and hang it on the wall, it does look cool; even if it did try to kill me.

 

[1dirthawker]

all right y'all, top this,

i sold a 44 mag colt anaconda so that i could buy a ruger super red hawk. that anaconda was a sweet gun and a real shooter! the ruger recoiled horribly, could not keep the scope on it and i shot it like crap. i ended up selling that super red hawk and replaced it with a 45 long colt. at least i shot the colt well. what an idiot gun deal!!

 

[TheGrayRider]

I hope you just typed this wrong- "Bought this “refurbished “ 1st Series, Winchester Model 1890 .22LR, made between 1890 - 1892"
If you're trying to feed this 22LR, that would explain the feeding issue. According to the last pic, your rifle is chambered for 22Long, not Long Rifle. They are distinctly different. And finding 22Long these days will take some searching, and luck, and probably several $$$
I like these old gallery guns. Fun to shoot (when they feed).

Thanks for catching my mistype. That rifle is chambered in a .22 Long not .22 Long Rifle. The picture below shows the difference in the length of the bullets. I don’t have any .22 short rounds or I would post them also. All the best, TheGrayRider.

 

[fourfive8]

One time about 50 years ago I regretted not buying a particular rifle. It would be a one time opportunity and I knew it at the time. Why I didn't pull the trigger, I dunno? I kicked myself for years over that decision. It was an original J&S Hawken. Then about 10 years ago I realized I hadn't really missed anything. Huh? No withdrawals, no pangs of remorse. I have handled several since, studied them and admired them for their design and history. But now almost glad to not have had one. I've built a few since then that are modern reproduction clones, very shootable and equal or better in every way except for age. There have been many more guns I wished I'd never acquired. Some of them good, some pieces of junk. But even the junk I wish I hadn't purchased, turned out to be tools of a very good education.

 

[Rubberhead]

I'm a double gun nut since the early 1980's so getting a Parker Brothers gun was a critical and required milestone in my new sub-faith. I made the journey to Parker Mecca, purposefully choosing a "shooter" with the ejectors required by my secular life as a duck hunter. I paid $1800 in 2001 for a VHE with colors redone by Doug Turnbull and 30" F/F barrels. I shot some ducks including a black mallard and a PEI banded greenwing. I killed my first and 7th swans with the gun. In those years of hunting with the gun I never developed any emotional attachment for it. And, even though I actually shot the gun fairly well, I don't think I ever saw its front bead. I dumped it two years ago for $1200 to make room in the gun safe for my first double rifle. The reality is that if I had put the $1,800 in a mutual fund instead of a Parker, I could have paid for the double rifle in whole with the money instead of just a down payment. I've only sold a few guns over my 57 years of life and the Parker is the only one that I don't miss. Go figure...

 

[Captain Munro]

He who hesitates has lost boys.
Some of my most stupid gun decisions were not buying. My local scheels had a pre war M70 30-06 for $999. But I already had a 30-06.

Missed out on a CZ-550, in 458 win mag, at a Pawn shop before Christmas because I still had to buy presents for other people. It was around $900 and I see them going for thousands online. Should have bought it for a project gun!

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Marriage license 2nd wife

 

[Captain Munro]

When I was a late teen, I bought a sporterized Lee Enfield No 4 MKI from Gander Mountain for $100. It looked cool, like the rifle from the Ghost and the Darkness. The action was smooth as butter, but did not have rear sights. Not knowing any better, I did not check the bore or rifling. It was shot out, making the bullets keyhole. It still sits in my gun cabinet back home to this day. I wish I could find a replacement barrel for a good price and a gunsmith to install it.

 

[Bonk]

FN SCAR 17S. Bought it on a whim. It's ok. Works as advertised. I don't know why I bought it. Actually I do. I bought it BNIB for a steal. I have a few AR rifles but I'm not that guy. I did the tactical thing for 21 years in the Marine Corps but I'm not into that stuff any more. So this SCAR just sits in my safe mocking me every time I open the safe. I really need to just sell/trade the damn thing. I have the 7.62x51 caliber covered by a Sig 716i (superb rifle).

 

[Hogpatrol]

When I was a late teen, I bought a sporterized Lee Enfield No 4 MKI from Gander Mountain for $100. It looked cool, like the rifle from the Ghost and the Darkness. The action was smooth as butter, but did not have rear sights. Not knowing any better, I did not check the bore or rifling. It was shot out, making the bullets keyhole. It still sits in my gun cabinet back home to this day. I wish I could find a replacement barrel for a good price and a gunsmith to install it.

Even with terrible lock time, the actions are worth more than $100 and that can be improved. One option would be to put it on gunbroker with a disclaimer about the barrel.

 

[Firebird]

Brand new Remington 700-the new model with a heavy barrel. Was going to use it specifically for long range shooting. Got it home and could eyeball the bent barrel. Took it back at once and the next several they pulled out of boxes all had the same problem. They even had a Remington rep close by so he came to see the problem. Shrugged his shoulders and just stood there looking stupid in front of a growing crowd.
stupid me I still bought one when they located a straight barrel. Disheveled I traded it in awhile later to cabelas for something else unremarkable. . .