I hang my head in shame...

[tddeangelo]

Walking around a gunshow yesterday, I come across a pre-64 Winchester Model 70, caliber 30-06. It's serial number now tells me it was made in 1949.

Very clean wood, but someone installed a Decelerator on it. Done well, though. Pretty clean metal, maybe 90%, good crown and muzzle, with two extra holes in the side of the receiver (side mount for scope, I'm sure, not the standard aperture sight mounting holes).

Price?

Holy bleep! $450!

And then.....it pains me to even relate this part...

I let my father talk me out of buying it!

 

[buckfever]

$450 :shock: I think my dad and I would be fighting over that one.

 

[jmad_81]

Don't let it get to you to much, we all have a story about something we let go that we shouldn't have.

 

[DrMike]

Tom. Tom. Tom. You could be drummed out of the select assembly of Winchester lovers for less than this gaffe. Man, that is hard to fathom. Did you get the seller's phone number?

 

[tddeangelo]

Tom. Tom. Tom. You could be drummed out of the select assembly of Winchester lovers for less than this gaffe. Man, that is hard to fathom. Did you get the seller's phone number?

Nope!

My dad is fairly....oh, what's the word?..... frugal? Anyway, he was there telling me that I have other projects in the works, that I needed that rifle like a hole in the head, etc, etc, etc. So I walked.

From hearing him interact with other buyers, he was a "motivated" seller, too. I wouldn't have been surprised to have walked out the door with it for $400 if I got serious about it.

Let the caning commence....

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I'm sorry about your loss. I know it's shallow but what else is one to say in situations like this.

 

[SJB358]

I am without words right now... I am going to have to think on this one!

 

[Guy Miner]

You did fine. It was Father's Day and you listened to your Dad. That's pretty good.

Now, go call the guy and ask if he's still got the rifle... :twisted:

 

[tddeangelo]

I am without words right now... I am going to have to think on this one!

Here, I'll make it worse....

The plan in my head was that this rifle would have become a 35 Whelen!

 

[SJB358]

Man... Still without words Tom. I do know it takes you about 40 days and 40 nights to make a decision, so with the abbreviated timeline, I understand the conundrum you were in! Man, what a Whelen that would have made.. I guess you always have that old beat up 30-06 in your safe if you need to make it right!

 

[DrMike]

You're killing me, Tom. A Whelen! A Whelen! Arrrrrrrgh!

 

[tddeangelo]

Man... Still without words Tom. I do know it takes you about 40 days and 40 nights to make a decision, so with the abbreviated timeline, I understand the conundrum you were in! Man, what a Whelen that would have made.. I guess you always have that old beat up 30-06 in your safe if you need to make it right!

Actually, I managed to stumble on a Classic M70 in 300WM that no one seems to want. Seller's at $425 right now with no interest and seems to need it sold. I may work on that one.

The heck of the pre-64 is that with that stock being in such good shape with a decently installed Decelerator on it, it would have been about perfect for a Whelen donor.

I was about ready to just do it and Dad ambled up, and I let him cajole me out of it. Of course, I emailed him today saying, "Why did I let you talk me out of that?" and he replies back simply moaning about the Encore he was going to buy and didn't.

My long shot here is that after work, I plan to call the shop that sponsored the show and see if they have ANY way of telling me who that booth belonged to, and if they have contact number. Other than that, I'm hosed.

 

[FOTIS]

Not in a million years could Jesus talk me out of that one.

 

[tddeangelo]

I may have just tracked down the rifle.....maybe....

 

[DrMike]

A "Do Over" would be a great chance to redeem yourself in the eyes of your peers, Tom. :grin:

 

[BK]

Why don't you send us your father's number, and we can have a little talk with him about pre-64s...

 

[tddeangelo]

Might not be any need, although I may be learning a $50 lesson in seizing opportunities when they present themselves.

 

[Palouser]

Can't wait to hear the results...please tell me you got it!

I have a story of something that happened to me last weekend. I have an older neighbor who has been there and done that and who loves Pre-64's like I do. I recently found the pre-64 I had been looking for, .270 made in 58 all original, no dings or problems which I bought. I am so proud of it and I took it over to him to show it off. He loved it as well and praised it and I felt pretty good until he said, "Wait here for a second." He went in the house and came out with a Model 70, serial number in the low 800's in .257 Roberts that he had just picked up for a little over $1,000.

Enough said.

Todd

 

[Oldtrader3]

Your dad is just showing his age, Tom. I would have probably have said the same thing! Plus, I probably would have said it for the same reasons. You shouldn't take us old guys to a gun show if you are in a buying mood! We will state our opinion no matter what.

 

[Guy Miner]

Well good luck with it - seems you may have re-located it.

I probably wouldn't have bought it either though, even without someone telling me not to open my wallet.