Those were the days

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  • Challenger76

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 10, 2020
    82
    6
    South Bend
    Anyone else remember when you could go to Walmart or Kmart and pick up a nice 12ga for like $149 bucks? Leave with it same day. Kinda like the old days of picking up an old muscle car for 300 bucks. Nowadays everyone knows what they have. Times have changed so much. I have no point here.
     

    Gluemanz28

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    29   0   0
    Mar 4, 2013
    7,430
    113
    Elkhart County
    Anyone else remember when you could go to Walmart or Kmart and pick up a nice 12ga for like $149 bucks? Leave with it same day. Kinda like the old days of picking up an old muscle car for 300 bucks. Nowadays everyone knows what they have. Times have changed so much. I have no point here.

    Yep I remember those days. The problem is people peruse Armslist or GB and think everyone is gullible.
    Same with the old muscle cars. Someone watches a Barrett Jackson Auction and now that rusted heap of crap is suddenly worth more than gold.
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
    Site Supporter
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    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
    77
    Bloomington
    When I left the automotive aftermarket in 1998 you could still buy decent muscle cars for $4000. Now you can't seem to touch a rusted out hulk of a car for $4K.

    I remember telling my brother that leaving the aftermarket where I had access to many free parts and greatly discounted, if not free, machine work that I was walking away from my chance to own anymore hot rods. I now realize how correct I was.

    Thank you Barrett-Jackson and boomers getting older and having money!

    Yes, I'm a boomer but without the money part.

    Challenger, you don't have to necessarily have a point to start a conversation here. Us folks have varied interests and we like to talk. You are on your way to 50 quality posts!
     

    Challenger76

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 10, 2020
    82
    6
    South Bend
    Thanks! I love this forum! I'm learning so much. Yeah it just boggles my mind how much things have changed in the last 20 years. I'm 44 so not old per say, but not 18 either lol.
     

    erasure

    komm süßer tod
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    0   0   0
    Jun 25, 2020
    740
    109
    merrrerrrmrerrerverre
    Now I'm recalling digging through a crate of SKSes to pick one. $175 for an SKS, expensive! On the other hand these were some rare variant that took AK mags, might be worth it.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
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    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,877
    113
    Lafayette
    My first gun purchase was a Mossberg 500 pump 12ga.
    I bought it, a box of shells, and a hard plastic case to put it in.
    I bought it at Monkey Wards.
    I paid $139 for everything.

    What's more, I carried all three items away from the cash register and out the door.
    Never showed an I.D. no background check, no hassles.

    Yes, I remember them
     

    Challenger76

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 10, 2020
    82
    6
    South Bend
    Now I'm recalling digging through a crate of SKSes to pick one. $175 for an SKS, expensive! On the other hand these were some rare variant that took AK mags, might be worth it.

    Holy smokes yeah my brother had 2 of those SKSs! They were in a big green plastic octagon style case! They were cheap by today's standards
     

    Challenger76

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 10, 2020
    82
    6
    South Bend
    My first gun purchase was a Mossberg 500 pump 12ga.
    I bought it, a box of shells, and a hard plastic case to put it in.
    I bought it at Monkey Wards.
    I paid $139 for everything.

    What's more, I carried all three items away from the cash register and out the door.
    Never showed an I.D. no background check, no hassles.

    Yes, I remember them

    Yep, good memories! Forgot about Ward's!
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
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    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,877
    113
    Lafayette
    Yep, good memories! Forgot about Ward's!

    I can also remember walking into a local gas station before I was even old enough to drive and buying a box or two of .22lr for less than $.50 each.
    Didn't need an I.D., not even a note from my mother!

    Hell, I remember buying a case of beer for my grandpa at the local grocery store when I was 8 years old.
    The clerks knew who we were, and who the beer was for.
    I'd buy a case of bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon (yuk) and drag it back to grandpas house in an old Radio Flyer wagon.
     

    Bigtanker

    Cuddles
    Emeritus
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    24   0   0
    Aug 21, 2012
    21,688
    151
    Osceola
    Challenger, I'm close to your age. When I was a preteen, Dad and I went into Brown's Sporting Goods inside U.P. mall and bought a single shot 410. I walked out of the mall carrying the box under my shoulder. I think it was about $60.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
    Staff member
    Moderator
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    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,686
    77
    Camby area
    Hell, I remember picking up my first SKS for $75, covered in cosmoline. After sporterizing, I sold it to a friend for what I had in it. She asked "are you sure?" I should have known she knew something I didnt.

    Went back to Bradis the next month with a slight bit of Buyer's remorse to grab another and *poof* the market had dried up in that two years and I couldnt find any. At least none under $250.
     

    Karl-just-Karl

    Retired
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Nov 5, 2014
    1,205
    113
    NE
    SKS' used to live on pallets at the gunstore that was my first LGS of choice. $99 u-pick.

    One day, some guy was in the store fondling his loaded 45 (against the wishes and request of the store owner), the dude ended up having a ND and shot a stack of rifles.

    He shot through5 boxes and several stocks. The store owner gave him a choice. Buy the five damaged rifles or he was going to call the police. The guy had just left to go get $500 when I arrived at the store.

    I always wondered if the guy kept them.

    I wish I had bought 5 of them at $99 a piece.
     

    Winamac

    Expert
    Site Supporter
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    2   0   0
    Sep 11, 2011
    1,344
    83
    Logansport
    I remember my first "real gun" (not BB gun). It was a F.I.E single shot 20 gauge(still have it) I bought it from the JC Pennys catalog in 1977. When it came in, Dad drove me to Pennys at the mall. Walked in paid, and walked out with it. No questions, no paperwork (except receipt). That simple.


    Fast forward to 1988 at the Indy 1500. Pallets of SKS's in crates. Your pick $99.00 with 100 rounds of ammo OTD. No NICS, just a receipt to show at the door. Man! wish I knew then what I know now. Those were the days.
     
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    1nderbeard

    Master
    Local Business Supporter
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    38   0   0
    Apr 3, 2017
    2,529
    113
    Hendricks County
    "Do not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this."

    Just a friendly jest.

    We've never had more access to firearms than we do now, you just have to look in different places.
     

    JRR85

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Oct 20, 2010
    166
    28
    NWI
    Bought my first M1 Garand at the CMP North Store in the fall of 2006. It was a field grade Springfield with a WWII serial number and barrel. I paid $425 for it. Racks were full of every manufacturer and rack to collector grade rifles. Also had 03s, 03a3s, carbines, and literally tons of Greek HXP ammo. Those were the days. Sadly I was a broke college kid at the time.
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
    Site Supporter
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    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
    77
    Bloomington
    Bought my first M1 Garand at the CMP North Store in the fall of 2006. It was a field grade Springfield with a WWII serial number and barrel. I paid $425 for it. Racks were full of every manufacturer and rack to collector grade rifles. Also had 03s, 03a3s, carbines, and literally tons of Greek HXP ammo. Those were the days. Sadly I was a broke college kid at the time.

    I bought two about that time. Same price. One for me and one for my brother. I sold mine after I went to a Garand shoot and realized my eyes are too old for those military peep sights.
     

    Challenger76

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 10, 2020
    82
    6
    South Bend
    Challenger, I'm close to your age. When I was a preteen, Dad and I went into Brown's Sporting Goods inside U.P. mall and bought a single shot 410. I walked out of the mall carrying the box under my shoulder. I think it was about $60.

    Oh wow that's awesome!!! Do you still have the 410!? I'm thinking of trading one if my pistols for a12 ga just so I can go shooting lol
     

    MrSmitty

    Master of useless information
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Jan 4, 2010
    4,488
    113
    New Albany
    I once bought an FN-49 for $250, also a Mini-14 for about the same...I bought a 1970 Dodge Charger for $1500, traded it and a turntable and $200 for a '70 Super Bee. My dad bought me a '72 Ranchero GT,351c motor for $1200....ahh times have changed
     
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