What were some of your best deals in C&Rs?

L

leadcounsel

Moderator
We've watched the supplies dry up and the prices correspondingly increase on various C&R guns.

So what were some of your best prices back in the day on some of your C&R guns? You can even adjust them for inflation if you want to figure out what it would have cost today.

I'll go first. I got in the C&R game late around 2003. There were still good deals out there, but I didn't know much about them and I was strapped for cash.

But I did have the sense to pick a few things up, like $150 unissued SKS in 2004 from Aimsurplus; $150 K31 from Samco Global; $100 Turkish mauser (FTF no C&R) at a gun show in 2009; $80 .303 bubba'd Lee Enfield (ftf no C&R) at a gunshow in 2010. Bought my first Mosin Nagant (an M38) from a friend who was cleaning out his collection for $50 in 2007. I didn't really know much about them but that started the love affair!
 
Best C&R deal

My best ever deal was the Turkish Model 1938 Mauser that I bought about ten years ago for $49.95. At that price how could not? For those who don't know, the Turkish 1938 Mausers were actually older rifles that were modernized to bring them up to a common standard in the tense years leading up to WWII. I have spent much of the past decade working overseas so I didn't get to even fire this rifle until last month, when I used it at the "VIMBAR" competition for military bolt actions in Utah. I didn't exactly sweep the field, but I did manage to score in about the middle of the pack. My last turn at the line I hit the 700 yard target three times in five shots. Not bad for a beat up old rifle that was probably originally built nearly 100 years ago:)
 
MAS 1936. $41.00 incl shipping. I now see them from $150-$250.
Yugo SKS $89.95
Manurhin Walther PP $219.00
Turkish Mauser $59.00
CZ 50 $90.00
All great "cheapshooters"
 
Not sure if this qualifies, but...

I found an ad for a guy who had some reloading stuff approx 1 to 2 years ago. I asked if he had any guns for sale and he had just average everyday stuff except he said he had a 1917 enfield. He sent pics and eventhough they weren't the best, it appeared that the gun was full length. For whatever reason I forgot to ask him, and I brought a friend with me when I went to see the guns. On the way, my friend kept saying "theres no way he's asking $180 for a full length rifle, it has to be sporterized" When I got there, the gun was an original Eddystone Enfield with a JA barrel (johnson automatics) which was rebuilt prior to WWII then stored in moth balls. The condition was nice, some wear but very nice overall and full length. I ended up getting it for $160 and he basically said he was asking for about what he paid for it back in the late 80s which I found out was a high price for that time. I think he said it was around $150, hes not sure how much and he bought it from a dealer. Today, its one of my favorite rifles and theres no thoughts of selling it because I only have $160 in it and its WWI vintage. I also like that its what was commonly issued in WWI (more so than the springfield) so it definitely saw action. As of now, its also my only WWI firearm as well. So its special to me.
 
1. 1972-pre-war Enfield No. 2 Mk I, all original-$35
2. 1997-M1896 Krag rifle, all original-$450.00
3. 2000-No. 5 Mk I dated 10/44-$325.00
4. 2000-M1896 Krag Carbine, Type 2 stock-$500.00
 
m38 mosin nagant 69.99 7 years ago
unissued m24/47 mauser $140 6 1\2 years ago
turkish mauser m38 65.00 5years ago
m91/30 mosin 79.99 5 years ago
Ishpore 2a einfield 7.62x51 $150 3 years ago
no4mk1 einfield $125 2 1\2 years ago
no1mkIII indian einfield pristine condition $79.50 2 years ago
bubed m1917 remington einfield $200 the straitest shooting rifel I've ever owned never should have traded it u could cover its 100 yard group with a quarter it had a 2.5 power weaver mounted on it
chinese pre ban sks $250 3 days ago.
to many more to name.
 
These aren't sterling examples, but the near-mint Norinco SKS in March '08 for $200 cash, behind a McDonalds at 11:00 AM.

A really good LE (=Enfield) #5 "Jungle Carbine" for $350 from the September '09 Memphis gun show has good value.
Most Enfields we see at shows are messed up (sporterized) or abused. Compare the many Enfields' (etc) retail prices at "Joesalter.com". You guys up in NH might be fortunate.

Some of the better, easily available deals now appear to be Yugo 24/47s at Samco or Classicarms etc.
 
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The hey days of surplus buying 88-94.Friend that worked at a local sporting goods store called me to say that they had some Swed 96's but not enough to put in the adds,$36 for an all matching excellent bore 96.Then throw in Hakims and Fn49's for $79,SKS's for $100,E.German Maks for $79,K98's $79.Then every now and then something weird would hit the market,1911 Chilean Steyr's,Finnish Lahti's,Swed Ag42's,Tok 41's,Mauser 1896's.I wish i could do a time travel back with $100,000 in my pocket.
 
All in 2004 I got:
A Finnish M39 for $80
A Brazilian M1908 Mauser for $90
and a Swedish M96 for $100.
It was a good year.
 
C&R best deal

My ex father in law gave me his Japanese Type 99 rifle in 7.7X58. he "liberated" the rifle from Iwo i believe. Along with the rifle was a bayonet with scabbard and frog. Four swords; two are Katanas, one is a short bladed sword with a blade about 13", the other one has a little longer blade of about 20". All have the scabbards. The Katanas were made sometime in the early 1900's The 13" sword dates to the 1400's and the 20" sword dates to the
1300's. Along with all of that were 4 blood-stained "battle flags".
My best deal by far.
I have had the stuff for about 30 years. Got the bug to shoot the 7.7. What a nice surprise. Gun shoots really well.
Jeff
 
The Russian capture P38's and Lugers from several years ago were great deals. They've taken a big jump up in value. At the time most purist collectors wouldn't touch them.
 
The Russian capture P38's and Lugers from several years ago were great deals. They've taken a big jump up in value. At the time most purist collectors wouldn't touch them.
Click to expand...

agree.

It wasn't really 'cheap' at 500, but I am glad I got it- all matching s/ns, JVD mag.

1944P38.jpg
 
Four swords; two are Katanas, one is a short bladed sword with a blade about 13", the other one has a little longer blade of about 20".
Click to expand...

The two short ones are 'wakizashi' :)

The idea of samurai fighting with both swords at once was from a sword master called Miyamoto Musashi; his 'book of five rings' is actually taught in business school now. Off topic but great films by a Japanese filmmaker named Inagaki are the three 'samurai' films, starring Toshiro Mifune as Musashi- Mifune himself was actually an aviator in WWII
 
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2----a Finn capture SA stamped barrel Mosin Nagant 91/30 for $132 dollars. My first 5 shots out of it.

SAgroup.jpg


And a CZ82 for $187. My first range session target with it.

PICT0010.jpg
 
Three of my best deals were:

All matching mint Norinco SKS -- $210 from a gun shop this past spring
Mauser made P38, excellent condition and no import stamps -- $450 from a gun shop in 2002
Colt 1917 Army in great condition with original blueing and all inspection stamps. It had Pach grips and no lanyard swivel. Since the pachs covered the model name, the dealer didn't know what it was. I got it for $150 (talked him down from $200) in 2004.
 
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