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Discussion starter · #21 ·
The only reason I regret buying the Ruger sp101 is that its not what I was looking for. I was looking to fill a need for a full size DA 357 revolver. I still don't have one and still want one. I really didn't need this gun.
 
Yes I have, let me tell you about it. It was a Ruger SR40 I bought it at Gander Mtn. with all the extras like free gun cleaning, free gunsmithing if I ever found anything wrong with the gun, free sight in work if the sights are off. I bought it on a weekday & wasn't able to get to the range until the weekend. I tried out the new Ruger The sights were way off the pistol had a problem with the slide. The slide would lock back after a mag full was fired but when you put a full mag in you could not thumb it down, you had to pull the slide all the way back & let go for it to load the next round. I took it back to Gander Mtn. the next Monday I was told they don't offer in house gunsmithing because they let go their smith on the previous Fri. & wasn't going to hire another. I said OK I'll clean it myself but I need some one to look at the sights & slide problem. I was told they have to send it off & it will take at least two weeks. So I sent it off through them. Got it back 5 weeks later & nothing was done, same problem sill. After shooting it again I took it back & talked to a supervisor(another kid) he said that he would send it back to Ruger. Got it back 3 months later, same problem! I got pissed & demanded to talk to the store manager. He looked at the paper work from the previous claims & told me that Ruger stated that for safety sake that is the way a Ruger is supposed to work. You have to use both hands to pull the slide back all the way & not thumb it down. And they couldn't do any more with it.
I sold the gun the next weekend at a gun show for way less than I paid for it. I won't own a firearm that I have to alter the way I use it from the normal way other guns work.
I'll never buy a Ruger again if this is the case.
 
Nope! Every gun I buy has to fill a purpose. I don't need an Elephant gun so I don't own one. I've never bought a pocket pistol for myself either. I do own several now, but they were guns that belonged to my wife, Laura. If it can't save my life by shooting game, or SD, then I don't need it, or want it. How many deer rifles does one man need? :D
I don't know but there are a lot a deer out there:D
 
When it comes to hand guns I buy what I want, usually based on caliber, and action. I only have one SD, or hunting, hand gun that hasn't been worked over by a gun smith. Several have went to the smith before it was ever fired by me. I get them tuned up by the smith, and he will make sure that the gun shoots to point of aim, and is working correctly before I ever shoot it. Once I have it at home I know it will work, and work correctly. As far as long guns go, they either shoot, and group well, right out of the box, or they don't. So far I've never had a problem with a long gun, but I know it does happen. When my FIL passed away my wife got a S&W .38 revolver that he had. The timing was way off, and the gun was unshootable. It had been chromed, or nickel plated at some point in it's life, and it had plastic pearl like grips on it that didn't fit it well. I sent it to S&W, and had it repaired, and the grips replaced with original ones. Now, like all of my guns, it's a shooter!
 
I had been on the lookout for a S&W686 of a Ruger GP100 with a 4 or 6 inch barrel. I was in my LGS and they had 2 GP100's used at a good price. One with the 6 inch barrel and the other with a 4 inch.

I was getting a bonus at work the next week so I was going to get one. The next week I was in the LGS to pick one up. Both had been sold. What a letdown. I was talking with the counter guy and he said wait I have something you may like.

He came out with a Ruger SP101. 2 inch barrel. It's a very nice handgun but not what I was looking for. I already have 3 cc guns so I didn't need another. Nevertheless with the cash burning a hole in my pocket I bought it anyway.

On the way home I already had buyer's remorse. It's a beautiful handgun but not what I was looking for. I wanted a DA revolver for target practice. I have a S&W J frame that works great for conceal carry. I don't need 2 of these. I am right back where I started from. I still want a DA revolver for target work.
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Having gun money in your hand is a powerful force,I completely understand.I'ts not your fault!I've done it myself.
 
North American Arms has two frames for the mini revolvers that only shoot .22lr. and ones that shoot 22 magnum and could come with a 22lr.extra cylinder.In my opinion you need a model that shoots both because then it will have a slightly larger grip to hold on to.The models that shoot 22lr.only are way to small to be worth trying to shoot and hit anything with it.They about jump out of your hand and are not fun to shoot.I bought one of the little framed guns a ended up selling it for a larger version.
Yes,I regretted buying the first one.Lost some money but came out OK.
 
Gvw,
Great topic. I have two "sort of" regrets. The first gun I ever owned was a Smith & Wesson Model 66, 2 1/2" barrel. I still own the gun and I love it, but I regret not getting one with a 4" barrel instead. The second gun I bought was a Ruger P95. It's a decent work horse of a gun, and I appreciate it more the longer I have it. But if I could go back, I'd buy a Glock or something else with more aftermarket possibilities.

I'm also pining for a 686 or GP100. Your SP101 looks good - just sell it at a slight loss and keep looking for one of those.
 
I had 2 safe queens that never saw the light of day, as I really didn't care much for them. A Firestar Starfire in 9mm with a Starvel finish and one in .40 with a blued finish. Nice little pistols, just didn't make me look forward to shooting them. I gifted the pair to my nephew and his wife who had no guns and are now avid shooters.
 
I had 2 safe queens that never saw the light of day, as I really didn't care much for them. A Firestar Starfire in 9mm with a Starvel finish and one in .40 with a blued finish. Nice little pistols, just didn't make me look forward to shooting them. I gifted the pair to my nephew and his wife who had no guns and are now avid shooters.
Guts3D,
I have a Starfire .40 and just had it refinished over the weekend, as a matter of fact. I think it might make a decent carry gun.
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
Guts3D,
I have a Starfire .40 and just had it refinished over the weekend, as a matter of fact. I think it might make a decent carry gun.
I heard no parts are available for them so if a part breaks you are out of luck.
 
I can think of two such purchases. Way back in the early '70s, Erma made a .22lr replica of the Luger P-08. I still think the gun looks great and sexy, but it had a habit of stovepiping cases about 40% of the time. I don't think I ever got through a full magazine without a jam, so I sold it. I still think that the toggle-type blowback design is a poor one, owing to the stresses on the wear points in the action that are likely to cause excessive wear, but if I had it today, I think I could fix its problems.

The second was a Jennings/Bryco .380 I bought because it was the only thing I could afford at the time. It never worked reliably, and had that stupid, bright orange tit sticking out the back to indicate a cocked position. I found it terribly distracting to look at. I gave it to a friend a couple of years ago, since she liked the way it looked and felt. I advised her to have a good gunsmith check it out and do whatever could be done to fix the reliability issues. Again, knowing what I now know, I probably could have made it into a much better firearm, but I'm still happy to be rid of it.

Why keep a gun you will never shoot?
 
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I heard no parts are available for them so if a part breaks you are out of luck.
That's my biggest concern with that gun. However, I have recently found a source that has a few spare parts and I may buy a few of the things that will likely break. Also, I believe Wolff carries recoil and magazine springs for the Firestars, so that eases my mind a bit.
 
I got an AR7 with my Christmas bonus one year. Never could get any accuracy out of it. Long after I had let it go someone told me you have to give them a gentle tap to make sure the barrel seats completely in the receiver.

I saw a short barrelled S&W model 10 that seemed like a really good deal. I didn't realize until I got it home and shot it that it had been cut down and the front sight wasn't quite aligned correctly. The store let me trade it back in for something else with full credit for what I paid on it.

I bought the first Mosin Nagant I ever saw for only $50. It kicked like hell, the bullets tumbled out of the bore, and the good looking finish was just paint.
 
While I did not buy this gun for my collection, my wife had to have it. Her reason for it was simple, it's cute, small and not everyone will have one. Enough "good" reasons to buy it for her.
I bought a ZIP gun, worse gun in history.

Larry
 
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