20 Guns I Would Buy Immediately if I Found Them at Yesterday’s Prices

Photo credit: mike lazarus/YouTube

There are guns I like, guns I want, and then there are guns I would buy almost automatically if somebody somehow priced them like the last decade never happened. A lot of firearms that used to sit in used racks for reasonable money have crossed into an entirely different category. Some became collectible. Others disappeared from production. A few simply got caught in the rising tide that lifted almost every desirable older gun.

That does not mean I would pay anything for them. The whole appeal is remembering when they were attainable enough that you could actually justify taking one home on a whim. If I walked into a shop tomorrow and saw any of these sitting there at the kinds of prices they used to bring, I would have a very hard time leaving without them.

Remington Model 700 Mountain Rifle .260 Remington

The Mountain Rifle was one of the better combinations Remington ever put together for hunters who wanted a real sporting rifle without carrying unnecessary weight. In .260 Remington, it becomes even more interesting because the cartridge gives you excellent deer performance, mild recoil, and the kind of efficiency that made it a favorite among shooters who actually paid attention to what it could do. These rifles once looked like another practical variation of the Model 700. Now clean examples in desirable chamberings are much harder to stumble across casually.

If I found one priced like an ordinary used hunting rifle again, I would not waste much time debating it. The combination of light weight, classic lines, and a chambering that deserves more attention makes it exactly the kind of rifle I would regret leaving behind.

Ruger M77 Mk II Ultra Light .257 Roberts

The Ultra Light versions of the M77 Mk II were built for hunters who wanted a trim bolt rifle long before the current obsession with shaving ounces off everything. Put that rifle in .257 Roberts and you get a combination that feels almost perfectly matched. Recoil stays mild, the cartridge is excellent for deer, and the rifle carries beautifully through woods or hill country.

For years, rifles like this were simply viewed as older Rugers. Now people have started appreciating both the chambering and the controlled-round-feed Mk II action much more seriously. If I found one at the kind of price that used to be normal, I would buy it before somebody else realized what was sitting there.

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .257 Roberts

The Featherweight has always been one of the best-looking factory hunting rifles, and .257 Roberts is one of those chamberings that makes it even harder to ignore. The rifle is light enough to carry comfortably while still feeling substantial, and the traditional stock has the kind of balance that disappears into your hands when it fits correctly.

A decade ago, you could still occasionally find unusual Model 70 chamberings without feeling like you were shopping in collector territory. That is getting harder. If I came across a clean Featherweight in .257 Roberts at yesterday’s price, there would not be much negotiation required.

Browning A-Bolt Medallion .25-06 Remington

The A-Bolt Medallion gave hunters polished blue steel, good walnut, a smooth action, and a trigger system that made the rifle feel a step above the average production bolt gun. In .25-06, it becomes an excellent open-country deer rifle with mild recoil and plenty of reach.

These rifles were once common enough that people passed on them simply because another one would eventually show up. That assumption does not work nearly as well anymore. If I saw a clean Medallion priced the way used A-Bolts used to be, I would treat it as an opportunity rather than something to think about for a week.

Sako Finnwolf VL63

The Finnwolf is one of those rifles that makes you wonder why more companies did not pursue the same idea. It is a lever-action rifle with the feel and accuracy expectations of a quality sporting arm rather than a traditional tubular-magazine woods gun. Chamberings like .308 Winchester gave it real capability while the detachable magazine allowed pointed bullets.

These were never as common as American lever rifles, but there was a time when they did not bring the kind of attention they do now. If I found a mechanically sound Finnwolf priced like an old used lever gun instead of a collectible Sako, I would buy it immediately.

Remington Model 660

The Model 660 cleaned up some of the styling of the earlier Model 600 while keeping the short, handy carbine concept. That makes it one of those rifles that feels extremely relevant now, when short bolt guns are fashionable again. Back then, it was simply a compact hunting rifle and not something buyers treated as especially special.

Today, the short production run and classic Remington chamberings make clean 660s much more interesting. At an old-school used-rifle price, I would not leave one sitting on the rack.

Winchester Model 100 Carbine

The Model 100 Carbine is not the kind of semiautomatic hunting rifle that gets built anymore. It gives you traditional walnut-and-steel styling, a detachable magazine, and centerfire deer cartridges in a package that still feels like a classic sporting rifle.

These rifles once showed up in used racks without much fanfare. Now nice examples have become much more attractive to people who appreciate old hunting semiautos. If one showed up at the price of a basic used deer rifle again, I would be very interested.

Savage Model 99C

The detachable-magazine Model 99C never had quite the same romance as the rotary-magazine versions, which is exactly why it was overlooked for so long. The basic Model 99 design still gave you excellent handling and access to modern-style pointed bullets, while the detachable magazine made unloading easier.

For years, buyers chased prettier or older variants first. That left rifles like the 99C relatively attainable. Those days are fading. If I found a clean one at yesterday’s price, I would buy it as a shooter before worrying about whether collectors considered it the perfect version.

Marlin 444S

The 444S used to be one of those big-bore Marlins people noticed but did not necessarily rush to buy. The .444 Marlin cartridge offered serious woods power, and the rifle itself handled like the kind of lever gun you could actually carry all day.

As interest in big-bore lever actions increased, rifles like this became much harder to ignore. If I saw a clean older 444S tagged like an ordinary used hunting rifle again, I would buy it before the price sticker had time to get changed.

Browning Model 53

The Browning Model 53 reproduction combined excellent Japanese manufacturing with one of Winchester’s slickest little lever-action designs. Chambered in .32-20, it is not a modern big-game rifle, but it is exactly the kind of light, beautifully finished lever gun that people now appreciate far more than they did when these were easier to find.

The fit and finish on many of these Browning reproductions was exceptional. At the prices they used to bring, they were simply nice rifles. Today, I would consider a bargain-priced example almost impossible to leave behind.

Remington 1100 Sporting 28

A 28-gauge 1100 is one of those shotguns that could turn someone into a small-gauge believer very quickly. The gas system keeps recoil almost nonexistent, the gun swings beautifully, and the lighter gauge makes it excellent for clays and upland birds.

There was a time when an 1100 was still viewed primarily as a working semiautomatic shotgun. Now certain gauges and configurations have become much more desirable. If I found a clean Sporting 28 at the kind of price people once paid for ordinary used 1100s, it would be going home.

Browning Citori Upland Special

The Upland Special was built around the idea of making a Citori handier for hunters who spent more time walking than standing at a clay range. Shorter barrels and a lively feel made it especially appealing in thick upland cover.

For a long time, it was simply one more Citori variation in a huge Browning catalog. Today, interesting discontinued configurations are exactly what experienced shotgun buyers watch for. If one turned up at yesterday’s price, I would not treat it like just another used over-under.

Winchester Model 23 Classic

The Model 23 gave American shooters a well-made side-by-side during a period when doubles were already becoming less common in mainstream hunting. It never achieved the historical status of the Model 21, which kept it more affordable for years.

That is exactly why I would jump on one at an old price. A good side-by-side with solid construction and Winchester markings is not something I expect to get cheaper with time. If a clean Model 23 was sitting there priced like a basic field shotgun, I would be filling out paperwork.

Beretta 682 Gold E

The 682 Gold E spent years being viewed as a serious competition shotgun rather than a collector item, which meant used examples could sometimes represent tremendous value. These guns were built to handle high round counts, and the balance and trigger quality made them very easy to appreciate once you actually shot one.

As older high-grade competition guns have gained more respect, the bargains have become harder to find. If I ran into a tight, clean 682 at yesterday’s price, I would buy it for shooting rather than wait for someone else to recognize it.

SIG Sauer P220 ST

The stainless-frame P220 ST takes everything substantial about the classic P220 and adds enough weight to make .45 ACP extremely pleasant to shoot. It is not a carry gun for people counting ounces. It is a heavy service pistol built around control and durability.

There was a time when these were just another discontinued SIG variation. Now clean examples are much harder to replace. If I found one priced like an ordinary used P220 again, I would have a hard time leaving it.

Smith & Wesson 945

The 945 was one of Smith & Wesson’s higher-end semiautomatic pistols, combining 1911-like characteristics with the company’s Performance Center approach. It never became mainstream, which meant plenty of shooters overlooked it simply because they were not sure where it fit.

That ambiguity is part of what makes it interesting now. The fit, trigger, and construction put it in a completely different category from ordinary service pistols. At yesterday’s price, I would buy one without needing much justification.

Beretta 8000F Cougar .9mm

The original Beretta Cougar has become much more interesting with age. Its rotating-barrel action gives it a different recoil feel from most compact service pistols, and the metal frame makes it feel more substantial than the polymer compacts that eventually replaced it.

For a long time, these were simply older Berettas sitting below the 92 in popularity. If I found a clean original 8000F at the price they used to command, I would buy it before the market remembered again how good they were.

Colt Officer’s ACP

The Officer’s ACP was one of the pistols that helped establish the idea of a genuinely compact 1911. Its short slide and abbreviated grip make it far easier to carry than a Government Model, while the steel construction keeps the gun substantial enough to feel like a real pistol instead of a tiny compromise.

Many have been modified, refinished, or shot hard, which makes clean original examples increasingly interesting. At yesterday’s price, I would be especially quick to move on one that had escaped decades of amateur gunsmithing.

Smith & Wesson Model 952

The Model 952 is the kind of pistol that serious target shooters appreciated long before the broader market paid attention. It was built around accuracy, an excellent trigger, and careful fitting rather than duty use or concealed carry. That narrow purpose kept it from becoming a mass-market success.

Today, that same specialized construction is exactly why people want them. If I found a good 952 at the price these once brought before collector interest hardened, I would buy it immediately.

Freedom Arms Model 83 .475 Linebaugh

The Model 83 is already a premium revolver, but there was a time when even serious big-bore Freedom Arms guns could be found used for numbers that look surprisingly reasonable now. In .475 Linebaugh, it becomes a true hunting revolver with enormous capability and the kind of mechanical quality that made Freedom Arms famous.

This is not a gun I need for ordinary range use, and that is almost beside the point. If somebody offered me a clean .475 Model 83 at yesterday’s price, I would know I was looking at the kind of opportunity that does not come around twice.