Thread: Rifles you wish you never sold

1916 Carl Gustaf m96 with Elm stock, all matching numbers, ultra low round count and presented as a shooting prize in Sweden. I cry every night.

I occasionally feel regret selling my mint BSA Hunter in 222 (years ago). Usually the regret is when I see them selling for well over 2K now

Sako Vixen 222 and a Sako Forrester 243.

Originally Posted by A-Bolt

A bit of a story for me on this one. in 1980 when I was 15 my father bought a 1949 BRNO 22 Hornet at a farm clearing sale for me. A beautiful rifle with the hair trigger function and in pretty good nick other than a small chip off the stock near the bottom of the plate. I used the rifle for rabbits etc on school holidays, and once I went to varsity (Lincoln) it kept the flat freezer full of game meat despite being a bit under-gunned for larger animals. By the end of 1986 when I finished my degree I was offered a job in Napier and was flat broke. I had no funds at all and sold the rifle to get the money to travel north and get set up. I got $300 for it.

Pretty much from the day I sold it I regretted it. Fast forward to about 10 years ago when I decided to buy the same type of rifle to put my mistake right. It took until about 2012 before I saw the same make, year and calibre for sale and in seemingly good condition. Deal done and the rifle was on it's way from Rotorua (I paid $900 for it). I was pretty excited to open the package once I picked it up and could not believe what I saw - a chip out of the stock exactly the same as the one I sold. I asked the seller if he knew the history of the rifle and he said he'd bought it off a guy in Christchurch many years before. It seems I had bought the same rifle back.

I have since gifted the rifle to my son earlier this year when he turned 21, along with the story about it and and undertaking never to sell it. It still shoots well and remains my favourite rifle, even though I don't own it any more.

I pre-paid and waited over two years for a Model 7 in 7-08 Kevlar-camo stock back in the day. This was back when NZ ( pre-1990) was on the outer with the USA and we seemed to be the last country they would send stock to.

It arrived just as my marraige was being disolved and it immediately ( unfired) got sold to divvy up with my ex. There was no chance of hiding it or keeping it as she was well aware it was on it's way.

I sold it to a mate who immediately sold off the barrelled action with his old wood stock off his Model 7 308. He still to this day has it and shows me the stock at every possible opportunity.

I dream of what might have been.

I understand the buying of gun safes but what is this "selling of guns" thing that people talk about?

Originally Posted by sneeze

I understand the buying of gun safes but what is this "selling of guns" thing that people talk about?

you are the black hole of guns
They only enter and are never allowed out

There are many like you and I'm sure there is a name for that syndrome

Originally Posted by A-Bolt

A bit of a story for me on this one. in 1980 when I was 15 my father bought a 1949 BRNO 22 Hornet at a farm clearing sale for me. A beautiful rifle with the hair trigger function and in pretty good nick other than a small chip off the stock near the bottom of the plate. I used the rifle for rabbits etc on school holidays, and once I went to varsity (Lincoln) it kept the flat freezer full of game meat despite being a bit under-gunned for larger animals. By the end of 1986 when I finished my degree I was offered a job in Napier and was flat broke. I had no funds at all and sold the rifle to get the money to travel north and get set up. I got $300 for it.

Pretty much from the day I sold it I regretted it. Fast forward to about 10 years ago when I decided to buy the same type of rifle to put my mistake right. It took until about 2012 before I saw the same make, year and calibre for sale and in seemingly good condition. Deal done and the rifle was on it's way from Rotorua (I paid $900 for it). I was pretty excited to open the package once I picked it up and could not believe what I saw - a chip out of the stock exactly the same as the one I sold. I asked the seller if he knew the history of the rifle and he said he'd bought it off a guy in Christchurch many years before. It seems I had bought the same rifle back.

I have since gifted the rifle to my son earlier this year when he turned 21, along with the story about it and and undertaking never to sell it. It still shoots well and remains my favourite rifle, even though I don't own it any more.

I cried a little bit. Not really, but I would. Strangely enough my mates Dad has this same rifle. He loves it beyond all things and claims he shot most of his deer with it. Same guys Dad had an old motorbike. These people are old, I guess 1930s to 1950s era. So my mates Dad decides he wants a motorbike like his Dad had, buys one and when he gets the ownership papers he has bought his Dads motorbike.

Originally Posted by ihmsakiwi

I pre-paid and waited over two years for a Model 7 in 7-08 Kevlar-camo stock back in the day. This was back when NZ ( pre-1990) was on the outer with the USA and we seemed to be the last country they would send stock to.

It arrived just as my marraige was being disolved and it immediately ( unfired) got sold to divvy up with my ex. There was no chance of hiding it or keeping it as she was well aware it was on it's way.

I sold it to a mate who immediately sold off the barrelled action with his old wood stock off his Model 7 308. He still to this day has it and shows me the stock at every possible opportunity.

I dream of what might have been.

I lost a treasured rifle due to a woman and as of right now, I am in the process of buying it back, hopefully. I have the number of the guy who the guy I sold it to sold it to.

I wish I hadn't sold my 22LR Kimber what awesome rifle it was.



But the flip side of that is it meant I could buy a Barrett M107-A1 & use it



Something that will now never be possible again

a Zastava m85 LH 223 but regret selling more because of action more than calibre
dads brno 601 shoulda rebarreled in 260 and kept it
and one rifle i missed out on buying a LH rem 700 CDL in 243 that bites i never got to buy that one😥

Originally Posted by Mooseman

Sako Vixen 222 and a Sako Forrester 243.

Ouch. At least there’s still some nice vixens around, but a mint forrester in 243 is rocking horse shit...

Originally Posted by tiroahunta

A Brno ZZK 601 in .308....


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Did it go to auction? I brought mine for $400 with a Fontain scope on it.
I liked the pop up aperature so much I ditched the scope.

Husqvarna 640 9.3x62, lightweight very accurate and in very good condition, wish I hadn't sold it.

Originally Posted by 40mm

Did it go to auction? I brought mine for $400 with a Fontain scope on it.
I liked the pop up aperature so much I ditched the scope.

Nah traded it in 18 years ago ish. Traded to a little place in Taupo for a BAR...


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Originally Posted by tiroahunta

Nah traded it in 18 years ago ish. Traded to a little place in Taupo for a BAR...


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Oh, well. Its my first classic hunting rifle.
Pretty happy with it.