20 Firearms I Would Buy Immediately If I Found the Right One

Photo credit: Moxy423 (Eugene Jankowski Jr)/YouTube

There are plenty of guns I like but would still walk away from if the price or condition were wrong. Then there are firearms I would have a much harder time leaving behind.

These are the guns where the right combination of condition, originality, configuration, and price can turn a casual stop at the gun counter into an unexpected purchase. Some are discontinued. Some are simply difficult to find in the version I would want. Others are still around but rarely show up clean enough to make me reach for my wallet. If I ran across the right example of any of these 20, I would be thinking seriously about buying it before somebody else did.

Winchester Model 64

The Model 64 is one of those Winchester lever guns that never gets the same attention as the 94, and that makes it more interesting to me. It has the classic lines, smooth handling, and old-school hunting-rifle feel without being the exact model everyone else is chasing.

I would be looking for a clean original rifle that has not been drilled, refinished, or cut down over the years. These were working rifles, so finding one that still has strong finish and good wood matters. A nice Model 64 is not something I would assume I could replace easily later.

Remington Model 81

The Model 81 is weird in a way modern rifles simply are not. It is heavy, mechanically distinctive, and immediately recognizable once you know what you are looking at.

That is exactly why I would buy the right one. Most modern semiautomatic hunting rifles are lighter and more practical, but none give you the same experience. A clean Model 81 in an appealing chambering with an unmolested stock would be difficult for me to leave behind. Guns this different tend to become harder to replace every year.

Savage Model 1920

The Savage Model 1920 is one of those rifles that proves compact bolt guns are not a modern idea. It was light, handy, and built around cartridges that made sense for woods hunting.

I would be especially interested in one that still retained its original configuration. These rifles were small enough to carry constantly, which means many surviving examples show exactly that kind of use. A clean one has both historical interest and real handling appeal. It is the sort of rifle I would buy because I might not see another comparable example for a long time.

Browning Model 71 High Grade

The Model 71 platform is already special, but a clean High Grade version would stop me immediately. It has the big-lever-gun presence that makes you want to pick it up before you even know the price.

I would want one with excellent wood and no evidence somebody tried to turn it into a modern project gun. The .348 Winchester chambering also gives it a personality that nothing current really duplicates. It is not the cheapest rifle to feed, but guns like this are bought because they offer an experience, not because they win a cost-per-round comparison.

Ruger M77 RSI

The RSI is one of my favorite examples of Ruger doing something more interesting than another ordinary bolt-action hunting rifle. The full-length Mannlicher-style stock gives it a look that is almost impossible to confuse with anything else.

I would be hunting for a clean example in a useful chambering with the original stock still in excellent shape. These rifles can be surprisingly difficult to find because owners who like them tend to keep them. A good RSI is exactly the type of gun I would rather buy when I see it than spend the next two years trying to locate another.

Sako L461 Vixen

The little Vixen has the proportions modern compact rifles often try to recreate. It is trim, refined, and feels like somebody actually cared how the rifle handled instead of simply making it lighter.

A clean L461 in an appealing small-bore chambering would be very difficult for me to pass. I would care more about originality and condition than finding some perfect collector variation. These rifles are enjoyable because they combine quality machining with genuinely useful field dimensions. Once the nice ones disappear into collections, they do not seem to come back out often.

Remington Model 725

The Model 725 never became nearly as famous as the 700, which is part of the reason I would pay attention if I found one.

It represents a short period in Remington bolt-rifle development and has a more traditional appearance than the rifles that followed. A clean example with original wood would have enough scarcity and character to make it worth serious consideration. I would not buy a beat-up one merely because it was uncommon, but the right 725 would be difficult to walk away from.

Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model 1952

A Mannlicher-Schoenauer is one of those rifles you understand much better once you work the action. The rotary magazine and exceptionally smooth bolt make it feel unlike ordinary hunting rifles.

I would want a rifle that had not been badly altered for modern optics or refinished into something it was never supposed to be. The appeal is the original craftsmanship and handling. A good example is expensive enough that I would still care about price, but if condition and configuration lined up, this is absolutely the kind of rifle I would rather buy than regret passing on.

Winchester Model 42

The Model 42 is essentially the shotgun I would buy if I wanted a .410 that felt like a serious sporting gun rather than a novelty.

These were used extensively, and a lot of them have scars to prove it. That makes the really clean examples far more tempting. Original wood, proper barrel length, and an action that still feels tight would matter to me. I would not expect a Model 42 bargain, but I would be willing to move quickly on one that was clearly better than the average gun floating around the used market.

Remington Model 11-48

The 11-48 gets overshadowed by more famous Remington semiautomatics, but I have always thought that works in the buyer’s favor.

It has a distinctive long-recoil operating system and a profile that immediately dates it to a different era of shotgun design. A clean lightweight example in a useful gauge would interest me far more than a heavily worn 12 gauge. This is one of those guns where the exact configuration matters, and I would buy quickly if the right combination surfaced.

Ithaca Model 100

Ithaca doubles do not get nearly as much attention as some of the better-known American side-by-sides, and the Model 100 can be surprisingly appealing when found in good condition.

A clean example with tight lockup, good bores, and original wood would be worth serious attention. Shotguns like this tend to suffer from years of hunting use, storage marks, and stock alterations. Finding one that still feels honest and original is what would push me toward buying it immediately.

Browning Superposed Lightning

A Superposed is already a shotgun I would stop to inspect, but the lighter-handling Lightning versions are especially tempting.

I would want a gun with good original wood, strong finish, and no hidden mechanical problems. These are not shotguns I would buy blindly because repairs can matter, but the right one is something special. Modern over-unders may be more practical to service, yet a clean Superposed has a level of history and workmanship that makes it hard to treat like just another used shotgun.

Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380

The .380 version of the Pocket Hammerless has exactly the kind of old Colt appeal that becomes harder to resist when condition is excellent.

I would not be chasing a worn example merely because it says Colt. What would get me interested is strong original finish, correct grips, and a gun that clearly escaped a century of hard pocket carry. These pistols are slim, beautifully shaped, and mechanically interesting without being overly delicate. The right one would be very hard for me to leave in the display case.

Savage Model 1907

The Model 1907 is one of those early semiautomatics that looks completely different from the Browning-influenced pistols that eventually dominated the market.

That difference gives it real appeal. The double-stack magazine was advanced for the period, and the entire pistol has a distinctive mechanical personality. I would be interested in a clean example that has not been refinished or abused. It is exactly the kind of historic handgun that can still be enjoyed without being so rare that you are afraid to touch it.

Remington Model 51 .380

The original Model 51 is another pistol I would buy based largely on mechanical interest. Its hesitation-locked operating system and extremely slim profile make it unlike almost anything else.

Condition would be everything. These were carry guns, so worn finish is common. A sharp original example with good grips and no questionable repair work would get my attention immediately. It is not a pistol I would buy for modern defensive use. I would buy it because the design is genuinely interesting and the best examples are not getting any easier to find.

Colt Officer’s Model Match

The Officer’s Model Match is the kind of Colt revolver that can sit in the shadow of more glamorous models until you actually handle one.

These were built around accuracy and quality rather than defensive carry, which makes a clean example an especially satisfying range gun. I would be looking for original grips, strong finish, and minimal evidence of amateur adjustment. A good one represents old Colt revolver workmanship without automatically dragging me into Python pricing.

Smith & Wesson Model 43 Airweight

The Model 43 is a lightweight .22 Kit Gun that makes much more sense once you imagine carrying it all day outdoors.

It is small, light, and far more interesting than another ordinary rimfire revolver. Because these were intended as practical carry guns, clean examples can be difficult to find. I would pay close attention to an original gun with good finish and grips. It is one of those revolvers that seems modest until you try replacing a really nice one.

Ruger Old Model Bearcat

The early Bearcats have a charm the later versions do not completely duplicate. They are tiny single-action .22s that feel almost purpose-built for walking around the woods.

I would not need some impossibly rare variation. I would simply want a clean original gun with good mechanical condition and no ugly modifications. The Bearcat is one of those firearms that experienced owners tend to regret selling because it takes up almost no room and is endlessly useful. Finding the right early one would be enough to make me buy.

High Standard Supermatic Trophy

A good Supermatic Trophy is the kind of rimfire pistol that makes modern inexpensive .22s feel like toys.

The trigger, balance, and target-oriented design are what would draw me in. I would want a clean gun with the proper barrel and original magazines if possible. These pistols were made to shoot, so many examples have seen enormous round counts. When one shows up that still looks and feels exceptionally well cared for, that is when I would move fast.

Mauser HSc

The HSc has exactly the kind of compact European styling that modern pistols largely abandoned. It is small, metal-framed, hammer-fired, and unmistakably from another era.

I would be looking for a clean commercial example rather than simply buying the first one I saw. Finish condition and originality matter a lot with a gun like this. The HSc is not the most practical concealed-carry pistol anymore, but practicality is not the reason I would want one. The right example has enough history, mechanical character, and old-world appearance to make hesitation expensive.