My best buy is a Savage .300 WinMag I purchased for 150 at a flea market. What a great day! Now the best gun I have every gotten for free: last year I was at work and a lady I worked with asked me what to do with a hand gun she had which she didnt want in the house anymore. She wanted to throw it in the dumpster. I told her not to and that she should sell it. She flat out refused to sell it. Knowing full well that I was knowledgable about guns, and the fact that I have a collection, she brought it in and gave it to me. The gun happened to be a Remington Rand U.S. Military issue 1911. She wouldnt take any money for it. What a eautiful day it was.
I just picked up, at the Muncie Gun Show a few weeks ago, a S & W SW9VE like new with the case, all paper work, 2 mags, and knife for $220. Hope to shoot it soon!
I got a Model 24 Mauser not 24/47 for $150 at a gun show last year. I managed to talk the guy down $100. It is the crown jewel of my collection.
And my Mosin Nagant for $100
I bought a new 870 field model from Dick's for $319. I had $40 dollars in rewards vouchers, so actual cost was $279.
When I got home and assembled it, the magazine tube cap and bolt carrier were missing, so they let me exchange it and gave me a $20 gift card for the trouble. Actual cost $259.
The next Sunday, the same gun was in the add for $299, so the price adjusted it for me. Actual price, $239.
Then I got a call to come back in and fill out a new 4473 for the new serial number. That got me 4 free boxes of Remington Gun Club target shells at $6/ea. Actual price... ~$215.
It was a hassle for sure, but they took great care of me, so no complaints really.
I also got a $30 MIR from Remington on the gun and $5 on the free shells... so grand total out of pocket cost for new 870 with ammo... $180.
Winchester 1400 12 ga for $50, Remington 870 12 ga for $35, (both from the same garage sale) and a N.E.F. single shot 12ga for $20 from another garage sale. All in great shape. And, within the same week.
Bought a Stevens 12ga bolt with magazine for 100. Had a guy offer me a little 25auto and 100 for it 2 years later. I had to make a floor plate and a follower for the only magazine. Someone gave me 2 boxes of 25 shells. I sold the little thing and the two boxes of ammo for 300. So I ended up getting paid 400 for making a couple of parts and storeing a couple of guns for about three years total.
Several years back, I attended my first Friends of the NRA banquet as a guest. I couldn't really afford it, but I purchased a "bucket" of tickets for the general drawings. I dropped my tickets in the buckets that I thought looked interesting, and I forgot about it.
The night progressed and they began the drawings. One of my tickets were drawn almost immediately. Just before the end of the drawing, a second of my tickets were drawn.
I had to go to my LGS the next day to retrieve my prize(s).
I came home with a pristine condition Norinco SKS, and a brand new Mossberg 12ga. combo! Bird barrel AND rifled slug barrel.
I "invested" $100 in the bucket of tickets and I hit the jackpot! Of course, that's just my opinion.
I've been hooked on the FNRA banquets ever since. I've been a sponsor (my business) for the past 7 years.
Early 90's. A Hungarian AK-47, s/n 00026, one of the first 200 that slipped into the country BEFORE the BATF realized they had all select-fire components except for the full-auto sear. Bought for $239 and sold for $3500 just after the '94 assault weapons ban.
US WWII M-84 sniper scope bought from a pawn shop for $10. "The crosshair's busted" he said, unaware that it was supposed to have a post crosshair.
Traded a late 70's Remington M700 .222 for a 1903 Colt Bisley .45 because the Colt had a "funny looking grip" on it.
Bought a gorgeous Finnish Mosin-Nagant M28/30 (Sako SK.Y with a "D" barrel, Simo's rifle) for $45 at the same pawn shop I bought the Colt Bisley from. Still have the 28/30 and will probably be buried with it!
I think the best deal i ever got was a walther p22 for $125 from a buddy of mine. It was a nice gun with not many rounds through it. That was a couple years ago, dont think ive got a good deal since. haha