Surplus rifles

[edporch]

Any end to the drought? Where has It all gone? Has it all been sold? Are there no more big countries to drain of surplus? Could we have possible bought it all? We need more cheap bolt action rifles and pistols and lord we need cheaper ammo to keep feeding em!!! When will these ridiculous prices go away? What is going on?

There is no drought, they've simply dried up and are in the hands of private collectors.

I remember the days when it was like C&R FFL Christmas year round!
There was an active C&R mailing list that had at least 50+ on topic posts a day or more that I was on starting in 1997.

It went from that to where it's been over 10 years that I let my C&R FFL lapse because there wasn't much of anything except rode hard refinished Moson Nagants.

As time goes by, the "old timers" will be selling off their collections to the younger collectors.

But the low prices are a thing of the past.

 

[Hop]

There's some Yugos on AIM but close to ~$400 I think. I can remember those flooding the US @ $79 each. I should have bought some back then.

 

[Wolfhound]

I had a C&R license back in the surplus hay day. I remember ordering 2 Russian M91/30 for 80 dollars delivered. I got an Enfield No 4 Mk 1 for under a hundred bucks. I bought my first SKS for 79 dollars in 1987 and got a Finnish M27 in 1988 for about 60 bucks. I would take it to the range in California while I was in the service and no one would know what it was. Lol

 

[Miller Tyme]

FIFY...

Not all, there is still a couple up around Gary, IN I don't have yet.

 

[mcapo]

I had a C&R license back in the surplus hay day. I remember ordering 2 Russian M91/30 for 80 dollars delivered. I got an Enfield No 4 Mk 1 for under a hundred bucks. I bought my first SKS for 79 dollars in 1987 and got a Finnish M27 in 1988 for about 60 bucks. I would take it to the range in California while I was in the service and no one would know what it was. Lol

$79 is about $170 today (adjusted for inflation); given the asking price for an SKS today - that's still not a bad return.

I passed on the surplus craze on the day - now I'd like to pick and chose a few; like a non-bubba'd M39 Mosin but prices sure have gone have the past few years as the supply has thinned.

 

[Wolfhound]

$79 is about $170 today (adjusted for inflation); given the asking price for an SKS today - that's still not a bad return.

I passed on the surplus craze on the day - now I'd like to pick and chose a few; like a non-bubba'd M39 Mosin but prices sure have gone have the past few years as the supply has thinned.

Those were the days. Of course, I was young and didn't have as much disposable income as I do today. I've had several M44's and one M38 over the years. I still have the M38 but no M44 sadly. I hung on to the SKS and M27 I got in the 1980's. Have an attachment to them now.

 

[mkgr22]

At the small gun shows I attend, it seems like a couple surplus rifles will be walked in each weekend. But most are either run-of-the-mill Mosin 91/30's, or sporterized Enfields.

 

[Winamac]

I had a C&R license back in the surplus hay day. I remember ordering 2 Russian M91/30 for 80 dollars delivered. I got an Enfield No 4 Mk 1 for under a hundred bucks. I bought my first SKS for 79 dollars in 1987 and got a Finnish M27 in 1988 for about 60 bucks. I would take it to the range in California while I was in the service and no one would know what it was. Lol

I have similar memories of back in the 80's going to the 1500 and there were crates and crates of SKS's in cosmoline and crates and crates of 7.62 X 39 and stacks of Blue Sky Garands and M-1 carbines. The SKS's were your choice $99.00 w/ 100 rounds ammo all day long. Garands and carbines $150.00 to $250.00 all day long. Like Archie and Edith Bunker used to sing "Those were the days"

 

[Sniper 79]

I also remember the stupid low prices and crates of rifles and spam cans of ammo. Couldn't hardly give the stuff away.

I had a Mauser and an sks. It made for some cheap shooting back about 15 years ago.

SKS was free and Mauser I had less than a hundred in. Sold them both

 

[Wolfhound]

At the small gun shows I attend, it seems like a couple surplus rifles will be walked in each weekend. But most are either run-of-the-mill Mosin 91/30's, or sporterized Enfields.

Both of my Enfield No1 Mk III's are restoration guns. It's so hard to find them in original condition these days. Also, you have to be careful not to pay too much for the sporter or it's not practical to spend the money to restore it. I have learned to enjoy the restoration process and it makes the end product even more special in some ways.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Not all, there is still a couple up around Gary, IN I don't have yet.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Both of my Enfield No1 Mk III's are restoration guns. It's so hard to find them in original condition these days. Also, you have to be careful not to pay too much for the sporter or it's not practical to spend the money to restore it. I have learned to enjoy the restoration process and it makes the end product even more special in some ways.

I have a No. 1 Mk III, a No. 2A1 (7.62x51), a No. 4 Mk 1 and a No. 5 Mk. 1 (Jungle Carbine). Love me some Enfields, but the No. 1's (and the 2A1) are my favorites. Just like the styling of the full length stocks.

 

[Warrior1354]

They're still out there guys just have to be on the lookout. I have to say I've seen some nice rifles come into play on the market lately. I myself have bought a few bring backs just in the past month. I'll be honest I think a lot of dealers are still sitting on some of this stuff. From one I have spoken to he still has 20 crates of Nagants setback. I think he's hoping these rifles will hit 800 bucks a piece one day. To be honest I've seen the prices on items go down. Got a great deal on a 98k bring back off GunBroker two weeks ago. People just weren't bidding.

 

[JRR85]

You just have to pound the pavement at gun shows, the classifieds here, and even Armslist. I have also bought a few items off coworkers who know I enjoy older military rifles. There are deals out there, but it also depends on what you collect. USGI stuff is pretty high priced no matter what you are looking at. You also need to know what you are looking at and its value. Books are surplus collectors best friend. I was able to get a numbers matching Series 7 Nagoya Type 99 rifle in good condition a few months back for $150. The hunt is half the fun!

 

[Wolfhound]

I have a No. 1 Mk III, a No. 2A1 (7.62x51), a No. 4 Mk 1 and a No. 5 Mk. 1 (Jungle Carbine). Love me some Enfields, but the No. 1's (and the 2A1) are my favorites. Just like the styling of the full length stocks.

I am with you on the Enfields. They are awesome. I have 2 No 4 Mk 1's. One I got with my C&R long ago for well under a hundred bucks. The other I bought from the INGO classifieds recently and paid several times that much. Back in the day I wanted a Jungle Carbine but hemmed and hawed and never got around to ordering one. I deeply regret that.

 

[edporch]

I am with you on the Enfields. They are awesome. I have 2 No 4 Mk 1's. One I got with my C&R long ago for well under a hundred bucks. The other I bought from the INGO classifieds recently and paid several times that much. Back in the day I wanted a Jungle Carbine but hemmed and hawed and never got around to ordering one. I deeply regret that.

I like Enfields too, and have several.
On the subject of Jungle Carbines, I have one that I got maybe 10 years ago that was from an estate.
It's in practically unissued condition, and came with the original receipt from the guy who had it.
It was from the 1950's, and if memory serves he paid $30 for it.
I've never fired this one.

 

[Wolfhound]

I like Enfields too, and have several.
On the subject of Jungle Carbines, I have one that I got maybe 10 years ago that was from an estate.
It's in practically unissued condition, and came with the original receipt from the guy who had it.
It was from the 1950's, and if memory serves he paid $30 for it.
I've never fired this one.

Wow, that sounds like a great find. That rifle might be worth 20 times what it sold for in the 1950's.

 

[Wolfhound]

Double tap. My apologies.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Have to be careful with the Jungle Carbines. There are a lot of "fakes" (usually cut down No. 4's) out there. There was a company in CA (whose name I can't remember for the life of me right now) that did this with a lot of rifles. They're pretty easy to spot if you know what to look for though (sights, markings, etc.).

Here are some good tips for the uninitiated: Is that "Jungle Carbine" Real or Fake? - The Firearm BlogThe Firearm Blog

 

[rob63]

I am with you on the Enfields. They are awesome. I have 2 No 4 Mk 1's. One I got with my C&R long ago for well under a hundred bucks. The other I bought from the INGO classifieds recently and paid several times that much. Back in the day I wanted a Jungle Carbine but hemmed and hawed and never got around to ordering one. I deeply regret that.

I could be mixed up, but I think the one from the INGO classifieds came from me. In any case, I deeply regret letting that one go!