My Best Deal

I'm occasionally asked "Xav, what's the best gun deal you ever found?" My response is simple...The best gun deal I ever found are the ones I've walked away from. Seriously. I've never lost money by walking away from a deal. Of course, that isn't the answer most are looking for.

One morning, on the way to a camp, I decided to stop by a store that billed itself as the largest sporting goods outfit in the South. They were big, the place was impressive. There was more hunting clothing and gear in that place than most people see in a lifetime in the woods. I found the gun section and asked where the used guns were. I was sneered at. I began scanning the handgun cases, taking in all the Kimbers and Glocks when I spotted some blue and walnut at a far case. I ambled on down.

It turned out to be a case of Uberti and Pieta blackpowder revolvers. I have always drawn a line at blackpowder. A young man, who I was later to learn was the owner's son, was unpacking a shipment of very nice single action revolvers and placing them under the glass. I asked to see one, an odd looking revolver with a birdshead grip. It came with two cylinders, a .45LC and a .45ACP cylinder. That was interesting........

I looked at the tag and saw that the young man had tagged the Cimarron revolver at $125, the same as the lowest priced blackpowder gun. I couldn't help myself. I had to ask him if he might have made a mistake. He informed me that he was the owner's son, that he knew his merchandise, that he did not make mistakes, and that if I did not like the price of this revolver, I did not have to buy it. He jerked it from my hands, and stuck it back in the case.

I was dumbfounded. I had just been treated like a moron by a snot nosed teat sucking know-it-all kid. I almost walked out of the store never to return. I fumed a bit as the kid went to answer the telephone. I decided I did not have to take this crap.

When the kid hung up the telephone, I waved him over, and told him the price on his revolver suited me fine, and I would like to buy it. In fact, I told the young man, I'd like to see that other revolver in the case as well. He removed another Cimarron Thunderer, this one in .357 Magnum from the case. It, too, was tagged at $125. I told him to ring it up as well. He asked me if I needed any ammo. I said no, but how about showing me that Colt 1911 in the next case? He told me I would be much happier with a Kimber, but I responded that I didn't think I could afford such an exotic gun, and a Colt would have to do.....

He looked disappointed as he handed me a blued Series 80 Colt NRM 1911. Sadly, it was priced correctly at $609 (the usual price back then). I let out a sigh, and said I guess I would just be buying the two revolvers. I pulled $270 out of my wallet and paid for both new Cimarron Thunderers and the tax as well. I went straight from the gun counter to the door, to my vehicle, to the parish line. To this day, when I return to that store to peruse the gun counter, I always smile at that young man, but he has never volunteered to show me another gun. I wonder why......