Saw a Luftwaffe drilling in its case with all the original paperwork, accessories, and ammo. It looked cool so I didn't question the $500 price tag. When a doctor looked at it I was quite creeped out as the felt lining was human hair. I sold it years later.
Cal

Damn it Cal:

You had to put a limitation on the best buy!

I was gonna say: "divorced my first wife"

Oh well. Happy huntin!

George

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Saw a Luftwaffe drilling in its case with all the original paperwork, accessories, and ammo. It looked cool so I didn't question the $500 price tag. When a doctor looked at it I was quite creeped out as the felt lining was human hair. I sold it years later.
Cal

Dang, that would give me the creeps too!

I had hunted everything North America has to offer and used rifles up to a .340 Wby with great results. Had always wanted a .358 of some size. Looked for years and finally found a .358 STA and paid considerable sum for a Winchester Custom Shop special edition and proceeded to load and shoot this fine round at Elk. My son and grandsons expressed interest in it so I started looking for another rifle. I eventually found a beautiful Custom rifle by a gunsmith from Cheyenne Wyoming. It had a georgeous thumbhole stock and custom Lilja barrel and was mounted in a post 64 Winchester Model 70 action. I managed to get the rifle, dies, 50 round box of loaded ammo for $700. The rifle shoots lights out and has taken Elk for me, son and one of the grandsons. The barrel is faster by 50 fps over the other STA and shoots equal to it for accuracy. My grandsons will treasure it someday as it will be theirs when I am gone. My son took two Elk with one shot with it, but that is another story. Good Shooting.

Phurley:

How about some details on that cannon.

Bullet weights, velocities, powder charge
etc. I'm interested in comparing to my
.358RUM.

Thanks,
George

My best buy was a Searcy 500NE and my worst was a Baikal .45-70 side by side.

Ruger 458WM, 1.5x4 leupold,and a box of shells with one round shot. $500 Seems a gent wanted a big bore and was stepping up from a 270. One round off the bench, several stitches from scope bite and a desire to never see the gun again.. Have bought several 40+ cal rifles for decent deals due to shooters not wanting to learn how to handle recoil.

A few years ago I was looking at Rifles at the local Cabela's. I spotted a mauser of some sort by the looks of the underside of the gun. Went and picked it up and lo and behold it was a G.33/40 actioned rifle. And only $180.00 Still have it today.

I bought a 1950s Savage 99 with original Bausch & Lomb Balvar 2.5 - 4 zoom scope in Stith mounts for $500. It is the .300 Savage calibre and will shoot one inch groups at 100 yards no problem. Who needs a bolt action??

georgeld ——- As stated I have two STA’s. Both Winchester Model 70 actions, one with a Custom Shop barrel and the other with a Custom Lilja barrel. Each has 24 inch tubes. I will give you loads and speeds for the Lilja barrel just know it is 50 to 75 fps faster then the Winchester barrel. 270 grain Northfork bullet with 89 grains RL-22 2943 fps. 250 grain Northfork with 92 grains RL-22 3033 fps. 225 grain Northfork bullet or Sierra bullet with 92 grains RL-22 3040 fps. I have got 3000 fps out of the 270 grain Northfork and 280 grain Swift A-Frame bullets but my groups go from three shots touching to one inch. Both my rifles are super accurate when I do my part pulling the trigger. They have identical 4.5 X 14 Leupold scopes. As you can see RL-22 is my magic powder. Hope this helps. Good Shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by HistoricBore:
I bought a 1950s Savage 99 with original Bausch & Lomb Balvar 2.5 - 4 zoom scope in Stith mounts for $500. It is the .300 Savage calibre and will shoot one inch groups at 100 yards no problem. Who needs a bolt action??

Yes, that would impress me. How long ago did you buy it?

I bought this special run 1997 Remington Sendero 7STW with a 3x9x50 Zeiss Conquest scope for $800.00 cash.

This was my best buy to date.$900.00
Ken Breda Custom Ruger Mark II 30-06,McMillian Stock,Rock Creek Barrel,Timney Trigger,Nikon Prostaff 5 4.5x18x40 Scope,one pound of Varget,one pound of H4350,tactical soft case

Blackburn built Argy 09 in 250 savage stocked by Gary Goudy with a straight grip blind box. The action was shortened, the thumb cut was removed. I met Mr Goudy at a show in LV many years ago, he remembered the rifle.

Was $4000

I think some of these guys are telling stories of buying guns 50-60 years ago. LOL

I just picked up today a nice sporterized FN Mauser 7x57 for $250 with Leopold scope.

Not me, but I have a friend who helped a lady sell her late fathers collection of rifles and handguns and was given a holland and holland rifle built in the late 40's in .375H&H for helping her.

Since my last post here, I purchased the nicest .375 Ruger Ive ever put to my shoulder.

Its a mod 77RS 07 07129 manufactured in 1908 only..extremely rare and one like it is for sale on GI from Bill Rugers collection for 2000 plus dollars..

Its described: Ruger 77, 23 inch barrel, Island rear and barrel band swivel and front iron sights, checkered wood stock, super nice recoil pad, weight 7.5 lbs (8.5 lbs wit scope)

I really like this gun as its easy to pack, accurate as can be, with 2x7x28 Leupold in Talley rings and bases...Its my African if I decide to return special but presently designated for elk, bear moose etc.

Recoil is surprisingly mild, but a bit tough off the bench so I rigged up a stand up rest.
I hit the jackpot with this one..

Hi Sambarman

I found my .300 Savage 99 with B&L scope for US$500 ten years ago. It was in Holts auction, and had been in southern Africa all its life, standing in a corner going by how the recoil pad had perished. I have since fired 500 rounds through it at Bisley range. It complements my other Savage 99, a take-down cased .22 Savage High Power from Mantons of Calcutta. Both now back in England after hunting careers in the Empire!

HB

Very inspiring posts. Keep 'em coming gents (and or ladies). Some very impressive deals are posted here from a G33 all the way up to a half-price VC double.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
People actually give me rifles for free. Not sure why; they like me I guess.

I also have been given some rifles.

Yep, I was given a free one, too.
But, cost me $250 to get it shooting right.
So...Does this count as "free"?

quote:

Originally posted by HistoricBore:
Hi Sambarman

I found my .300 Savage 99 with B&L scope for US$500 ten years ago. It was in Holts auction, and had been in southern Africa all its life, standing in a corner going by how the recoil pad had perished. I have since fired 500 rounds through it at Bisley range. It complements my other Savage 99, a take-down cased .22 Savage High Power from Mantons of Calcutta. Both now back in England after hunting careers in the Empire!

HB

That's a great story, HistoricBore. PM me your address and I'll give you a copy of my book on scopes, which will explain my enthusiasm for B&L.

A new Rem 700 BDL with new Bushnell 4-12x40 AO scope for $279 plus tax and they installed and bore sighted the scope. This purchase was made 17 years ago at Academy Sports. I still have the rifle but replaced the trigger with a Timney and the scope with a Burris. Rifle shoots a well as most that I own.

I just had 3 guns given to me. A 12 ga. 870, a 22-410 Savage 24 and a Ruger Mk1. I don't want them so I'm giving them to my son.

Dave

That's very generous of you Dave. Way to pay it forward.

Indeed Dave. I don't know your sons age but anyone of any age would appreciate a gift like that; it also helps to keep new interests alive in our fraternity.

He's 59. The guns will go with the Remington 30-36 and the Python I gave him.

Dave

I thought of another one. In 2015 I gave my cousin my 2002 Impala (25k miles) mostly for her kids. Her step dad gave me a 4" Python.

My Best Buy was my Ernst Steigleder 8x60mm. Has all the bells and whistles. I’ve also been given a 9.3x62 Mauser with a missing rear set trigger, and a Henry Atkin .450bpe that needs a bit of work.

About 14 years ago a lady from the church whose husband had passed called me up + asked if I wanted a couple of his guns that she found. She had grandkids + didn't want the guns in the house. I went over thinking all the while, don't get excited, they're probably just junk. When I got there she had 3 pistols in an ice chest. All new. A Ruger 101 357, a Berreta 92, + a Walther PPK. All free. I wish I could have kept them but I was in the final stages of my divorce + still lacked $1K after everything else had been sold. That gave me the money. A blessing.

Savage 99 in 284 for $200 with 11 boxes of ammo, one box was missing a round.

Not a scratch on it.

And some neat deals at that. More please.

Found Valmet double rifle barrels 9.3x74r for $300.00
that was missing rear sight. Upon receiving, ordered new sight for $20.00 and found the barrels were brand new and had never been fitted to a receiver. Shoots Norma 232 gr terrific.

Martini Cadet in 218 Mashburn Bee with 4X Pecar for $AU180

How long ago was that, Bad Ass?

The scope alone could be worth twice that much now, if in really good condition.

A gun show purchase off a dealer's table that was advertising $350 for a.257 Weatherby Vanguard. It was a 1948 production gun that happened to have an FN action.

I've made 3 really sweet deals on three neat guns but I can't tell you what they are because I live in The People's Republic of California. I'm sure there's a felony in there somewhere.

This Winchester 1953 M70 Fwt in .308, for which I paid $80.00.
Naturally, I added the scope, floated the barrel, slicked up the trigger with Akansas stone, and had it Magna ported and still shoot and hunt with it.

As it is, shooting offhand, I popped a porker in the back of the head and the lack of muzzle lift was so little that I never lost my crosshair hold. So, I shifted to the next boar and shot it in the head too. Funny how a hunter remembers such little things.

Ah yes. Memories.
One that got away from me was a Marlin 39A Deluxe squirrel gun with some really nice wood in about 8/10 condition for $250, about 10 years ago. I'm still scratching my head as to why I sold it for like $500. since I didn't need the money. I guess I had too much Mauser on the brain at that time.

Ten years ago, I was making a pass through a local small gun show. Always on the lookout for orphaned Mausers, I spotted one on a table. I picked it up and looked it over and asked the Dealer the price? $350... Sold. It was a Commercial Mauser type A factory sporter in very good condition, originally in 30-06 but had, unfortunately for collectability, been rebored to 35 Whelen. Half octagon ribbed barrel, Germany on the floorplate. It also had a rare bolt release mount Lyman 35 adjustable peep sight. Best deal I ever made at a gun show!