I bought a colt police positive NYPD model made in 1949 in 32 new police for $200 because I was in the shop during the trade and the owner didn't want to stock it in a hard to sell caliber. Right place, right time. I also bought a Ruger Mark II from a family friend for $300 with a bunch of ammo, holsters and a buckknife. I think I did good.
Best deal you ever got on a used handgun
- Thread starter Elliottsdad
- Start date
FrankenMauser
New member
I bought a new Ruger P95DC for $140 in about 1999. No complaints there. Still have it.
On par with that, and purchased from the same shop just a few months after the P95, I would rank my Super Blackhawk (a '93, I believe). It was well loved, well worn in select areas, and arguably 'below average' to most people. But it was $180 and treated me well. In 2012, after much more use in the hands of myself and my family, I sent it to Ruger with a request for a cost estimate to replace a few small parts and fit a new-style cylinder. (The throats were huge and inconsistent.)
They rebuilt and refinished the entire revolver for free, retaining only my frames and grips.
To me, it feels like I got to play with two revolvers for the price of half of one. ...And the second one was better than new.
That's about as good as it gets, that I can recall. The better deals involved special friends/family pricing, trades of debatable value, or gifts (such as a Belgian Hi-Power and S&W 686 'Midnight Black').
On par with that, and purchased from the same shop just a few months after the P95, I would rank my Super Blackhawk (a '93, I believe). It was well loved, well worn in select areas, and arguably 'below average' to most people. But it was $180 and treated me well. In 2012, after much more use in the hands of myself and my family, I sent it to Ruger with a request for a cost estimate to replace a few small parts and fit a new-style cylinder. (The throats were huge and inconsistent.)
They rebuilt and refinished the entire revolver for free, retaining only my frames and grips.
To me, it feels like I got to play with two revolvers for the price of half of one. ...And the second one was better than new.
That's about as good as it gets, that I can recall. The better deals involved special friends/family pricing, trades of debatable value, or gifts (such as a Belgian Hi-Power and S&W 686 'Midnight Black').
$400 for a S&W stainless 44 magnum with 4 inch barrel. Almost unfired with box and manual. Guy also sold me an AK47 underfolder for $400, and 500 rounds of Federal 223 for $100. I sold the AK a couple of years later during a gun ban scare for $900, so pretty much got the .44 and ammo for free.. 
My son bought an older Ruger Super Blackhawk 44Mag in 10.5 inch Last summer . It was in this guys basement and had got wet three or four times . I cleaned it the rust was not real bad a little love and it was not to bad at all . My son paid $50 great hunting gun and shoots very well . About the same time My son bought an old Ruger three screw Super Blackhawk 7.5 inch in parts from a gun shop for $100.00 . I put it together and it works good 85% condition . I ended up cutting the barrel to 4.5/8 and he loves it .
aarondhgraham
New member
Four in one buy.
From a private party sale:
All for $500.00 cash.
Aarond
.
From a private party sale:
- Colt Trooper Mk-III
- S&W Model 36
- Sahr and Sons SAA Clone in .357 Mag
- Interarms SAA Clone in .357 Magnum
All for $500.00 cash.
Aarond
.
Geezerbiker
New member
Back in 1988 I was working in a motorcycle shop in Idaho while I was going to college there. At one time the shop had a gun department and still had an FFL. The got in a sale paper from one of the importers and had Taurus revolvers for $150. The boss's dad said he'd sell me a S&W model 19 for the same price.
I wish I still had that gun. It had been slicked up by a smith that really knew his stuff. It was in like new condition, smoother and had a lighter trigger pull than any other revolver I'd fired. At the time I had 2 other .357's and having didn't make sense to me like it does now...
Tony
I wish I still had that gun. It had been slicked up by a smith that really knew his stuff. It was in like new condition, smoother and had a lighter trigger pull than any other revolver I'd fired. At the time I had 2 other .357's and having didn't make sense to me like it does now...
Tony
shooter1911
New member
S&W introduced a version of the Model 60 which had adjustable sights on a 3" barrel and shot 38 specials only. I thought the gun was cute, but never really appealed to me in 38 special, but when they introduced the same gun in .357 magnum I knew I had to have one. I found the new gun at a local gun show for $215. I bought it as a small carry gun in the field, and it's always served it's purpose well. Of course the no lock version is no longer available, but you can buy the exact same gun today for $600-700 new in a box. This might have been my best find ever according to the appreciation.
Cheapshooter
New member
Well, if I go back to the ancient times, late 60's/early 70's. Colt mfg, government property marked 1911 built in 1918 in excellent condition. Only mark being an idiot scratch below the slide lock. Deal came with a cheap import 25acp pocket pistol. $75 for both, sold the 25 for $30. Forty five bucks for a nearly perfect 1911.
Don't ask what happened to it, just look at my signature line, and figure out how I came up with rule #1
Don't ask what happened to it, just look at my signature line, and figure out how I came up with rule #1
S&W-Keeper
New member
I picked up a mint Colt Diamondback for $400 OTD.
montanaoffroader
New member
Pick one, I'm always on the lookout for a deal.
Within the last 7 years:
NAA Sidewinder - $150
H&R 922 - $50
Ruger SR1911 Target .45 ACP - $450
Ruger Super Blackhawk Stainless .44 Mag. - $350
Ruger Single Six - $175
Taurus Model 66 - $250
Taurus TCP - $149
Charter Arms Target Bulldog .357 - Traded a Mosin 91/30, paid $100 for the Mosin
Within the last 7 years:
NAA Sidewinder - $150
H&R 922 - $50
Ruger SR1911 Target .45 ACP - $450
Ruger Super Blackhawk Stainless .44 Mag. - $350
Ruger Single Six - $175
Taurus Model 66 - $250
Taurus TCP - $149
Charter Arms Target Bulldog .357 - Traded a Mosin 91/30, paid $100 for the Mosin
scoobysnacker
New member
Best deal... that's tough.
Probably one of the better deals I got came online, off Auction Arms (what's now called Gun Auction).
Somebody listed a Norinco T-54 (a Sportarms import, Tokarev, with a 9mm barrel), with some crazy-but-functional aftermarket grips, simply called it an "ugly 9mm shooter" or something like that. The grips were greenish formica I think, with a steel shim insert that fit into the opening on the sides of the frame grip. They were held in place by a piece of bicycle innertube. It came with 2 standard Tokarev magazines, and an extra 9mm barrel to go with the one in the gun.
This was early 2000's, before everyone was dialed into the used gun market online, before everyone knew how to turn a buck from this.
I won the auction at $67, with I think $5 shipping. I found a pawnshop nearby ran by a grumpy dude who said he would do transfers for 10%. Back then I think most places charged set a set $20 or $25. I tried to explain what my price was, he said "if the gun costs 200, you pay me 20. If if costs 300, you pay me 30. No exceptions. Don't like it, go somewhere else".
So it cost me $6.70 to tranfer, and I've never bothered to deal with him again, he cussed the whole time but honored it. And I think changed policy that afternoon.
What made the deal even better, my first ever pistol was the exact same gun NIB from a gunshow, bought it @ $159. I liked it as a shooter, didn't like the wraparound grips that came with it. So I had searched online and had found a pair, ordered them (maybe around $15)... after a couple months they hadn't come in despite my emails asking about them, so I bought another pair which did come. Another month later, the first set finally did, so I had a spare set of original grips.
I know, a Chinese Tok in 9mm doesn't seem that great a deal, even under $100. But I have to say, other than an issue related to the crappy aftermarket safety (it sheared the tiny screws, and jammed the slide with the metal 'sand' from it), those guns were wonderful. Very straight and accurate shooters, steel frame and slide, slim, comfortable, good SAO trigger. I've bought more prestigious guns, but I can't say I've bought "better" guns.
I finally sold the cheaper one to a buddy for $200, after splurging and putting nice walnut grips on it (grips4u). He loves it.
More recently, I think, used deals: my 2nd Star BM, a Fair grade model, bought from Classic @ $149. I ordered a 2nd magazine for another 20, so it was 169 + shipping and FFL (20 at my range). I had already bought a VG from somewhere else for $226 with extra mag, I loved it; nice matte blued finish. Good little gun.
Classic sent me a gun with maybe 50% finish left, and looking it over, me and the guy at the counter found a hairline crack on the slide. So we sent it back. Classic then sent me the replacement- still with a Fair sticker.
This, with a box
Not bad at all for the price.
Probably one of the better deals I got came online, off Auction Arms (what's now called Gun Auction).
Somebody listed a Norinco T-54 (a Sportarms import, Tokarev, with a 9mm barrel), with some crazy-but-functional aftermarket grips, simply called it an "ugly 9mm shooter" or something like that. The grips were greenish formica I think, with a steel shim insert that fit into the opening on the sides of the frame grip. They were held in place by a piece of bicycle innertube. It came with 2 standard Tokarev magazines, and an extra 9mm barrel to go with the one in the gun.
This was early 2000's, before everyone was dialed into the used gun market online, before everyone knew how to turn a buck from this.
I won the auction at $67, with I think $5 shipping. I found a pawnshop nearby ran by a grumpy dude who said he would do transfers for 10%. Back then I think most places charged set a set $20 or $25. I tried to explain what my price was, he said "if the gun costs 200, you pay me 20. If if costs 300, you pay me 30. No exceptions. Don't like it, go somewhere else".
So it cost me $6.70 to tranfer
, and I've never bothered to deal with him again, he cussed the whole time but honored it. And I think changed policy that afternoon. What made the deal even better, my first ever pistol was the exact same gun NIB from a gunshow, bought it @ $159. I liked it as a shooter, didn't like the wraparound grips that came with it. So I had searched online and had found a pair, ordered them (maybe around $15)... after a couple months they hadn't come in despite my emails asking about them, so I bought another pair which did come. Another month later, the first set finally did, so I had a spare set of original grips.
I know, a Chinese Tok in 9mm doesn't seem that great a deal, even under $100. But I have to say, other than an issue related to the crappy aftermarket safety (it sheared the tiny screws, and jammed the slide with the metal 'sand' from it), those guns were wonderful. Very straight and accurate shooters, steel frame and slide, slim, comfortable, good SAO trigger. I've bought more prestigious guns, but I can't say I've bought "better" guns.
I finally sold the cheaper one to a buddy for $200, after splurging and putting nice walnut grips on it (grips4u). He loves it.
More recently, I think, used deals: my 2nd Star BM, a Fair grade model, bought from Classic @ $149. I ordered a 2nd magazine for another 20, so it was 169 + shipping and FFL (20 at my range). I had already bought a VG from somewhere else for $226 with extra mag, I loved it; nice matte blued finish. Good little gun.
Classic sent me a gun with maybe 50% finish left, and looking it over, me and the guy at the counter found a hairline crack on the slide. So we sent it back. Classic then sent me the replacement- still with a Fair sticker.
This, with a box
Not bad at all for the price.
scoobysnacker
New member
Honestly, I think some of the used/surplus deals I've got over the years are just hard to beat. They might not be super-duper $50 for a Colt deals, but still, as the saying goes, you aren't going to get one of these for that price...
Got a
These aren't incredible prices, but for value vs cost, you really can't touch them.
Got a
- FEG HP clone, parkerized refinished, for $212.
- Star BM LNIB, $169 with 2 mags
- CZ 99, in decent condition (slide is VG, frame shows finish wear), $199
- Daewoo DP 51 in Good condition, $240... this is a serious shooter
- S&W 915 with a trigger job and night sights, one small scratch on the dust cover, $240
- Beretta 81 in VG, probably like-new condition, $199.
These aren't incredible prices, but for value vs cost, you really can't touch them.