Best Gun Buys of 2005

Alphecca has started a meme. He wants gun bloggers to recount their gun purchases of 2005. He was inspired by posts from JayG at Toys in the Attic and Tam at View From the Porch (aka Books, Bikes, Boomsticks. Xavier Thoughts got the idea from Tam and posted on his best gun acquisitions of 2005. Alphecca threw down the gauntlet and challenged gun bloggers to do the same.

Analog Kid at Random Nuclear Strikes has already picked up Alphecca's meme, so I guess I'm Joanie come lately to the party. So without any further ado....

I did well in 2005 financially and thus in gun buying. I got several performance bonuses this year thanks to projects for which I got drafted volunteered. Much of my bonus money went into buying guns. I am a collector and I can't pass up the opportunity to buy collectible pieces I couldn't other wise afford.

Besides planned purchases certain guns "spoke to me" when I saw them in their display cases and I bought them on impulse. I've always found that I've never regretted buying a gun, but I have regretted not buying a gun. You know that sinking feeling you get when you see a wonderful gun on display, go home, plan and scheme, divert funds, and then go back to the store only to find some nimrod bought it the day before.

I've posted on most of my purchases for the year, and will link to them as appropriate. Here are my best scores for 2005 (in no particular order):

I bought a Winchester 94 in .45 Long Colt because one of these days I want to try Cowboy Action Shooting. It inspired what is my favorite post on Ten Ring, a parody on “assault weapon” foolishness.

This next was a long-planned purchase, a Mauser Broomhandle Bolo. It was my BAG Day (Buy a Gun) purchase. I discussed it here.


My first gun of 2005 was also the least expensive ($100.00) and I bought at a gun show in Massachusetts on my Curio and Relics license (take that you bunch of gun-banning statist politicians). It is a Nagant M1895 revolver.


I saw an impulse buy, but I had to make a plan so that I could afford it. I saw a World War II-era Luger complete with holster at a gun store and I immediately put it on layaway. I then schemed and got the rest of the cash to buy it outright. Here's my post on this gun and another Luger I already owned.


A truly impulse buy was a mouse gun, an OWA pocket pistol. I saw it, but didn't buy it right away. After mulling it over for a couple of weeks, Bill and I went back to the store and they still had it. I posted on it here.


I bought a hunting rifle that I would like to use at Boomershoot if we can go there this year. It's a Savage Model 11 in .308.


I can't leave out Bill's gift to me this Christmas: a diminutive version of the Colt 1911, the Colt Government Model in .380 acp. It means more to be that all the others.


I bought a couple of other guns that will be in planned "One From the Vaults" and bought much ammo, many accessories, and otherwise engaged it gunnie stuff this past year. Personally, it was also a very special year as well. Bill and I got married in May 2005. A very great year it was and I hope 2006 is just as good.