Ezra Hawthorne Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 While browsing GunBroker earlier this year, I saw a penny auction for a listing for something I wanted to own. I sent the seller a message stating that while I wasn't confident i'd win the auction I wanted to mention that it was nice to see other people who appreciated a certain type of classic firearm like myself. He replied and thanked me for my heartfelt message and soon after the price went up well past what I could afford and the auction ended. I happened to see the same thing relisted again weeks later and sent another message asking if the buyer didn't pay or something. He replied stating that's exactly what happened so I placed my old bid again, and got to talking with him afterwards. I mentioned I was also trying to get into cowboy action shooting but hadn't found anything I could presently afford, and he said he had a few cowboy guns to sell, including this one; a Rossi The Overland 12 gauge coach gun. I asked him how much he wanted to sell it for and he replied that he was considering sending it to me for the cost of shipping, and followed up by asking me to share a bit about myself including where I live, where I work and what I do in my free time. I sent a few paragraphs summarizing these things, and then didn't hear back from him for six weeks. Not wanting to rock the boat, I held off on sending any more messages as to not pester him but checked my email a few times a day since then hoping to see a reply. I couldn't take pining after this any longer and sent a few messages asking if it was still available. He requested a copy of my FFL and photos of my driver's license. I sent both of these and waited with baited breath, crossing my fingers that I was going to close on this deal. Again, he fell silent for a few weeks. I grew impatient and sent an email asking if there was anything else he wanted. Finally he replied with a long winded assessment of me, my living situation, judgement over my position in life, and decided that sending me the coach for the cost of shipping would be "enabling and rewarding me for not taking better care of myself moving into the future". He offered to sell it to me for a price on the condition that I "bootstrap" myself into a better living situation. (been living with and taking care of my grandparents while working part time for the past few years) I offered to buy it for a higher price than what he suggested without this condition but he refused. I made one last offer yesterday of the entire budget I had set aside for buying starter gear for this sport, and received a large wall of text where he suggests a career path for me including what I could be earning, how long I would need to work to sustain it, and what sort of opportunities I could expect in the distant future (while also mentioning he won't be selling this Rossi after all). I've finally decided to stop staring mournfully at this picture, throw in the towel and concede defeat. Yes I know, people always say "if something seems too good to be true it probably is" but after spending this entire pandemic trying and failing to acquire something to bring to my local club I was getting desperate enough to believe an offer like this. As you can imagine i'm feeling pretty dejected and honestly second guessing myself. I just happened to pick the worst time in the sport's history to try to get involved due to all the panic-buying I guess. Anyway that's all, just wanted to complain/gripe/mope for a while. I guess this will be my "one that got away" story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 Ezra, First let me say, this guy sounds like a first class a**hole. To run you through the ringer and then have the nerve to criticize you after toying with you with the offer of a free gun? Unfrickenbelievable. Second, if you want a Rossi coach gun and are willing to drive to Hurricane, I will sell you mine for $400. It is like new. Wyatt How about joining SASS? I hope I am not violating SASS rules by offering to sell to a non member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Hawthorne Posted March 14, 2022 Author Share Posted March 14, 2022 I was trying to acquire my starter gear first before I joined SASS officially, otherwise I would have spent almost a whole year as a member but with nothing to take to a match. The locals suggested I get some basic .22s like Wranglers just so I can get practice but I was hesitant about doing that because I worried i'd shell out money for them only to find out I couldn't use them for official matches down the road and have to buy things in a higher caliber anyway so that I could participate. Thank you for your offer, maybe we can talk more via PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassnetguy50 Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 What you lose on selling a Wrangler after a year of practice is the equivalent of 2 boxes of cowboy ammunition. @Wyatt Earp SASS#1628LOnly the seller is required to be a SASS member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Kris Posted March 14, 2022 Share Posted March 14, 2022 Another thought for you, Ezra is attend one of your local matches. Most folks are more than happy to loan you their guns for a shoot. That way, you can "try before you buy" and see what style, caliber, grip etc. work for you. That's what we did and couldn't have been happier. Welcome to the game!!! CK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Hawthorne Posted March 14, 2022 Author Share Posted March 14, 2022 22 minutes ago, Calamity Kris said: Another thought for you, Ezra is attend one of your local matches. Most folks are more than happy to loan you their guns for a shoot. That way, you can "try before you buy" and see what style, caliber, grip etc. work for you. That's what we did and couldn't have been happier. Welcome to the game!!! CK I've been doing that since June of last year, but most of the time I turn down their offer if there are a lot of people shooting so that the stages are finished faster and just help collect brass and count hits/misses and so on. Another reason is that sometimes i'll try something of theirs I like and have to give it back because they aren't selling it. Someone brought Schofields for me to use once and even though one was kind of broken I still thought they were cool aesthetically, but the odds of being able to afford even one is gonna be quite difficult. I don't want to shoot their guns, I want to shoot _my_ guns dangit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 8 hours ago, Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L said: Ezra, First let me say, this guy sounds like a first class a**hole. To run you through the ringer and then have the nerve to criticize you after toying with you with the offer of a free gun? Unfrickenbelievable. Second, if you want a Rossi coach gun and are willing to drive to Hurricane, I will sell you mine for $400. It is like new. Wyatt How about joining SASS? I hope I am not violating SASS rules by offering to sell to a non member. @Ezra Hawthorne check that out! You will not offend me looking at a gun you can handle first and Wyatt is a class act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog McCoy SASS #5672 Posted March 15, 2022 Share Posted March 15, 2022 Well, if I knew your budget, I could make a couple suggestions. As long as it is a single action revolver, it works for this game. I watch a lot of guys start out with adjustable sight Blackhawks, and older German made single action revolvers. Any double barrel shotgun will work, and you can get a single barrel shotgun ($100-$200)with an ejector and use it as it is legal. I saw a new Rossi made 92 for about $600 in a gun shop about 2 months ago, and it you just want to play, nobody will ever say anything about the guns you shoot as we all started somewhere with whatever we could find to play the game. Ammo is the hardest part of the game right now and a cheap pair of used holsters, a cowboy hat and a long sleeve shirt and cheap boots will get you started. Pm me if you want to discuss this further. Good Luck Check this out -----https://www.gunbroker.com/item/926737569, https://www.gunbroker.com/item/925278515 Lowest one I found- new revolver---------https://www.gunbroker.com/item/926422424 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Hawthorne Posted March 16, 2022 Author Share Posted March 16, 2022 Dangit, missed another great deal by a hair: https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/101215054 They said they sold it before it was even posted online which seems unfair. Just hasn't been my year I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singin' Sue 71615 Posted March 16, 2022 Share Posted March 16, 2022 You have the guncart...you have gear, clothing, hat...leather. Get out there and shoot what your club offers you. Get started. The guns will come. Take the ones you can...they can always be sold later. Time to start, buddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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