Impulse Buys

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I went to my LGS to buy a M&P 9mm 2.0. While there I was shown the commemorative M17 Sig Army contract pistol. I demurred on the M17 due to the price.

I looked into the M17 more thoroughly online that night. Seems it is a pretty desirable piece and was fetching more on auctions than the LGS price as well.
I became tortured over not buying it and went back the next day and grabbed it.

After picking it up I became more impressed with the modularity of the design, the ergonomics, the factory RMR cutout, and huge magazine capacity (where legal of course.)

As a result, I went back again and got the non-commemorative version, which is functionally identical but at nearly half the price. I should be picking up the second M17 in the next day or two and plan to shoot it extensively. I have always liked the look of Sigs but their traditional duty pistols are not lefty friendly, and thus not useful to me. The M17 is more ambi friendly and should make for a great all around pistol, especially if an RMR is added, which I have not used personally but look forward to it.

[BigPimping]

Trader Sports...... In San Leandro. Now that was a real gun store 😎

[John Browning]

Today did the old "Let's just take a peek in this here gun shop" while out and about with the wife. Had the FFL copy in the truck just in case. "How long is this going to take?" she inquired. "Ten minutes to browse and then we are on, tops," I replied.

Then I saw two M1s. Long story short, one is a absolutely brand new, you can still see the VCI dust 5.8 million SA M1 Garand. It is positively new. The buttplate has nearly no wear. This is the nicest Garand I have ever seen. I ask to take it apart and it is 100% correct and unused from the factory. I am pretty sure it will letter back as a CMP collector grade or DCM release. The price was $1175.

Ugh. How can I say no?

So I wound up paying $1200 OTD...in front of my wife...who is very happy that we are getting new kitchen countertops now. In and out in 20 minutes.

Having a C&R FFL is costly, but this rifle is a keeper. I have been regretting not picking up a collector grade and passed on a $1200 correct grade at the last Reno show. Will get pictures up this weekend as I now need to move an M1 out of the safe.

2019 is off to a banging start.

[timbo399]

Just about every gun I own was an impulse by. Now I'm getting married in four days, so I guess that's probably the end of that. But at least my safe is full.

Honestly when I got married 2 years ago I thought 100% that was the end of me buying guns. My wife doesn't shoot and bought a new house and tons of bills to pay. But somehow my gun buying has stayed the same!! Less rifles but more handguns cause they're easier to stuff in the safe and have it look like nothing new!!!

[TrappedinCalifornia]

My problem hasn't been so much impulse buys, but impulse sells. When I was young, I made a couple of impulse buys which, mostly, cured me of impulse buys. The firearms weren't klunkers, but they just didn't fit what I was doing and were tying up a good deal of money (for me, at the time).

However, I have made a number of impulse sells over the years. Most have worked out. Unfortunately, there are a few I'd like to have back. While the reason for selling seemed justified at the time, I can't help thinking, in retrospect, that I could have found the money some other way or, had I been a bit more patient, that the firearm would have worked itself into my normal routine(s).

[Mac Attack]

My impulse buy - On 12/31/18 I went to my gun club to shoot one last time in 2018. Unfortunately the range was to close 30 mins after I got there due to the holiday. So I decided to browse the gun racks and saw a M1A in the rack. I knew I would not buy it as I just bought one 2 weeks prior but mine is an older rifle made in 1980 and I wanted to see what a newer one was like for comparison. I was not impressed with the uber expensive rifle so the clerk said he had a M1 Garand that just came in for consignment.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for military rifles but since I already own 2 of them I figured there was no way I would even consider buying it. It was a nice CMP rifle and they were asking $650 (+transfer and tax) which was a fair price for the rifle but like I said, I was not in the market for another one. So I arrogantly said I would take it for $600 OTD and dang it, he said ok. No backing out of this. When I got home I broke it down and found that it was all Springfield parts but the barrel swallowed a live round at the muzzle...so the barrel may be shot out. Which is fine because I now plan to install a .308 barrel.

[audiophil2]

Thanks to the government shutdown my latest impulse buy has been in form 3 approval limbo since Christmas.

[Jason_2111]

Armory Outpost in Rancho Cordova is closing soon... probably by February. The owner Ron is having a really great sale until they close, getting stuff liquidated.
It's going to be a sad day when Ron closes up the shop, it's a great no-frills LGS with great prices to start.

I'm swinging by today with 5K of room on my card, but my wife with me. I'm going to be picking her up a shield, and then seeing what kind of impulse buy I can find. There's an 1895GBL 45-70 that's been sitting there looking all purdy, but I already have one. I'm trying not to have duplicates (other then my Glocks, cuz... well... Glocks... you can't have too many and they're cheap.)

I'd strongly suggest any of my fellow impulse buyers in the area swing by and see what he's got.
(AFTER I pop in today that is...)

[george223]

In the late 80's, a co-worker of mine said he was going to go look for a Polytech Legend AK-47 during lunch so I tagged along with no intention of buying anything. We went to 4 gun shops and at our last stop, Turner's, an M1A was winking at me. I whipped out my Visa card and it spent the rest of the afternoon leaning against the wall in the corner of my office. Back then, I worked at an offsite office building for Hughes Aircraft. The rifle in my office didn't trigger anybody, in fact, I received a lot of praise from my co-workers. Those were the days.

[tomrkba]

Anyone else have something similar happen to them?

All the time. I rented a 686 the other day and did a cylinder dump. It was so much better than my GP100!

[eastmanwes]

My Springfield MC 1911 was a total impulse purchase - I took it to the range and it instantly became my favorite gun to shoot and is by far one of my most prized possessions.

Buy on !

-W

[kmas]

Just like your wife Impulse Buying that diamond ring

[Dan_Eastvale]

In the late 80's, a co-worker of mine said he was going to go look for a Polytech Legend AK-47 during lunch so I tagged along with no intention of buying anything. We went to 4 gun shops and at our last stop, Turner's, an M1A was winking at me. I whipped out my Visa card and it spent the rest of the afternoon leaning against the wall in the corner of my office. Back then, I worked at an offsite office building for Hughes Aircraft. The rifle in my office didn't trigger anybody, in fact, I received a lot of praise from my co-workers. Those were the days.

Great days!!! Did he get his Polytech?? Same time I saw them at B&E Westminster and the original Turners warehouse off Reservoir and the 60 freeway..Pomona/Chino.. Easy to make impulse buys back then.. Young and single...

[george223]

Great days!!! Did he get his Polytech?? Same time I saw them at B&E Westminster and the original Turners warehouse off Reservoir and the 60 freeway..Pomona/Chino.. Easy to make impulse buys back then.. Young and single...

No, he chickened out that day. We came across 2 of them that day for $700. This was back when the Norincos went for about $270.

[3ngineer]

My first and only (so far) was a Colt Detective Special. Picking it up this week.. super excited.