Marlin 444S...I know what you guys are gonna say...

[Litefoot]

...so why do I even ask   . I don't have the money for it, but then I guess if there's a will, there's a way. Found a Marlin 444S in a pawn shop. Great wood, at least 95% on the bluing and excellent bore. No checkering on stock or fore end. Comes with Leupold base, older (but very serviceable) Bushnell Banner 3x9 scope, Williams peep sight, sling and 2 boxes of ammo.......$210. I've wanted a 444 for some time. I'd be crazy to pass on this one wouldn't I? Serial number is 20013779.

[Lawdog]

Litefoot,

Sounds like a great buy to me.  If I wanted one and found one at that price I wouldn't be asking others opinion, it would already be mine.  I was going to get one a few years ago but my father in-law passed away and my wife and her brothers gave me his old Win. M71 in .348.  Having that made me forget about the .444.  If I were you I would be back at the pawn shop buying that .444 before someone else does.  Lawdog

[Mikey]

Litefoot:  get it, now!  Mikey.  That is too good a price to pass up.  Quick, before someone else sees it.  Mikey.

[Blackhawk44]

Put it on layaway, weekly payments, something, but now, not later.

[Litefoot]

Well, maybe someone will read this and not make the mistake I did. I just couldn't, in good conscience, fork out $$ for another gun this year. Christmas will soon be here, and I've got to start thinking about things for the kids. So I went through my vast (ha! ha!) gun collection and picked a candidate for trade bait. I had to decide which gun I wanted LESS than that 444. Having picked out one that, I felt, would be a VERY favorable trade, I rushed down to the pawn shop with my sacrificial offering. I brought 4 boxes of ammo as gravy. The pawn shop owner scoffed at my gun and indicated he would need $$ on top of it. I was infuriated. This trade would have heavily favored mister pawn guy, but he, knowing of my desire for the Marlin felt he could extract a few more greenbacks from my wallet.

My pride urged me to tell the pawn geek to stick his 444 up his hinder parts sideways, but I only thought the thought and then proceeded to see if he would dicker. Nope, he was firm. So I packed up my firearm and gave him a glance that said what I was thinking and walked out the door.

But the thought of that Marlin haunted me the rest of the day, and I decided that even with the money he was asking, I would still be getting a good deal. So off I went with the $$ and gun in hand. I plunked the gun on his counter and proclaimed that I was ready to do the deal. He gave me a triumphant big ___-eating grin and said, "Someone came in 30 minutes after you and took the Marlin." If pawn geek had known what I was thinking THIS time, he may have wished he had that 444 in his hands to defend himself.

So in the end, greed (his) and pride (mine) kept me from having a nice 444 Marlin in my gun cabinet tonight. I'm still seething, but hopefully writing this will help me get over it.

[Mikey]

Hay Litefoot:  Hang on there buddy.  You've got other priorities to think of.  You were danged right to think of the holidays and your children and to put those priorities before your desires.  

Hay, maybe that particular 444 just 'wasn't for you', no matter how good it looked.  And yes, the pawn guy was wearing that type of grin you would like to just wipe right off his face but ya know, you are still set up for hunting season, you can get by without another one for a while, the pawn guy will always be a piece of schmidt and you both know it (which is why he grins like that), and best of all mister - you stuck to the most important priorities you have - your family first.

OK, so that one didn't fall into your lap but another one will, and I doubt that pawn guy is gonna be the one sellin' it to ya.  

I forget where you are from but a lot of posters reference pawn shops as great places to go gun shopping - I dunno, but if those guys aren't dealers who can send the gun back to the factory for any necessary repairs you are liable to get as much a soakin' from a pawn guy as you would by buying one out of the trunk of some guy's car.  I have seen a couple of pawn shops in this state carry firearms but many of those people know little about their product.  They are just selling it to recoup their $.  

I like 444s, they are one of my favorite calibers but I wouldn't waste a lot of time seething about this one Litefoot, a better deal will come along and in the meantime you should be able to stand pretty tall putting your family's needs before your personal wants.  It's the right thing to do.  Mikey.

[Litefoot]

Thanks Mikey. I appreciate your kind words. It helped. I hope one day your driving will bring you out to Utah and you'll look me up.

[Blackhawk44]

Absolutely.  First things first.  Remember, its only a chunk of wood and metal and you don't love anything that can't love you back.  File that little episode for future reference.  Its just like hunting, you prepare, you observe, you wait quietly, you stalk and the time will come when Mr. Pawnbroker is in your sights and the day is yours.