opinion on surplus military prices??

[1911crazy]

This is my gut feeling since the newer military guns won't be available to us in the near future because of all the modern military guns are select fire(burst/full auto and the AK's 7.62x39 not allowed in may states already) I think as supplies of the older stuff dries up the prices will be higher and maybe equal to or pass modern gun prices. Even with the market flooded right now with Yugo sks's, M48/M48a, 24 Mausers and  all the Mosins this maybe all we will ever see.  What are your thoughts on this?  I have the feeling now is the right time to buy but their will still be gun shows too.                                             BigBill

Like anything else when ever I start collecting or doing a new thing prices change for sure.

[JS44]

I have to agree but there are no doubt still quite a few guns overseas that are importable at the time. East German and Polish SKS's come to mind right off hand. Yep, prices will and have gone up considerably on guns that were imported previously but no longer. For example, three weeks ago I paid $600 for a really nice AG42b that would have cost half that or less back when they were being imported in the early 90's. Every one I've seen lately has been $500 and up. The same goes for Hakim's, SvT40's, Russian SKS's, and FN49's. Too bad I wasn't interested in guns like that back then. I read a rumor on another board last year that the Italian government was selling off it's 7.62NATO Garands that were made over there probably by (I'm guessing) Beretta. I haven't seen anything to substantiate that but it would be nice to have one.
JS

[1911crazy]

If your like me I usually pay more for my first gun($600) then see another half the price of the first one($300) so I buy that one too it may not be the same condition of course but its still a shooter so I leave the better one home in the safe. I always end up with a few of the same gun because it was cheaper price for them and in the end we can't lose if we sell them.  I really feel bad for the new guys just starting out collecting playing catchup like I have did for the past two years some of this stuff is hard to find and when we do find it I need a second morgage to buy it.  I try to stay with the reasonably priced stuff but do sometimes stray from my plan on what I want.  I look at the more expensive stuff and pass on it for now like I wanted a German G43 semi-auto 8mm ($1200) but found the Egyptain Hakim 8mm more affordable ($450) in excellent condition but then found another at $295 and all I wanted was a gun to shoot cheap 8mm surplus ammo. And the hakim is like shooting an sks when it comes to ammo prices just a big bore plinker.  For me to buy a gun it has to be priced reasonably and cheap to shoot most of the time. My only problem is i like them all from the semi's to the bolt actions I never seen one yet i didn't want to take home with me.  Gun collecting is a disease and the only cure is to buy more and its a hunger that never ends and it only gets worse trust me.  I have to go to every gun show now and can't miss any.  I don't really go to buy a certain gun but just to look but if its way under the going rate and i like it, I buy it and give it a good home and yes I bring home free puppies and abandoned kittens too my wife goes crazy with me, I'm up to 5 cats and 3 dogs now.  I just can't pass up a good deal.                                                                           BigBill

My last two kittens were abandoned in the woods where I was fishing so i took them home the local vet gives me a special rate for so many pets.

[kevin.303]

beretta did make the italian garand, but all the ones i have seen where where in .30-06. they where selling for just under $300 5 years ago and the store had enough stock to include them in there yearly catalog. this was before i had a job or a gun permit. a well, i guess it was never meant to be

[His lordship.]

I too have found gun collecting to be very habit forming, at one time I also collected cartridges to try to curb the appetite.  Good books on guns has helped the fever, I have a book on Mauser rifles, I can look at all the different guns in it and not have the expense or storage problems with the real thing.  I do have a Yugo M-48 in the safe for the true 3 dimensional experience as needed.

A good example of the investment aspect is my Russian SKS in laminated stock.  It was my main emergency rifle for 6 years until I decided my AK-47 is better suited for that need.  When I bought the SKS new in the box, I paid the extra for the laminated stock, even though the solid birch wood stock version felt better to me, but my gun buyer's instinct felt that the nice visual equities of the laminate would be better come resale time.

Most of guns I have sold off fetched prices in used condition, at, or higher  than what I paid new in the box 5-15 years before, and I managed to enjoy shooting them for entertainment too!  Can't beat that for recreational returns. :-)

Now I just need to find out what a low mileage Russian SKS with laminate stock in excellent condition is worth.  Usually I cruise the guns shows, and will try to sell it next Winter, but unfortunately some guns become rare and gun show visits have proven fruitless in seeing certain types, example, remember all those Egyption Rashids and Hakims from the late 1980's.  I have not seen a Rashid in many years, I have no idea what one would be worth.

[1911crazy]

I too have found gun collecting to be very habit forming, at one time I also collected cartridges to try to curb the appetite.  Good books on guns has helped the fever, I have a book on Mauser rifles, I can look at all the different guns in it and not have the expense or storage problems with the real thing.  I do have a Yugo M-48 in the safe for the true 3 dimensional experience as needed.

A good example of the investment aspect is my Russian SKS in laminated stock.  It was my main emergency rifle for 6 years until I decided my AK-47 is better suited for that need.  When I bought the SKS new in the box, I paid the extra for the laminated stock, even though the solid birch wood stock version felt better to me, but my gun buyer's instinct felt that the nice visual equities of the laminate would be better come resale time.

Most of guns I have sold off fetched prices in used condition, at, or higher  than what I paid new in the box 5-15 years before, and I managed to enjoy shooting them for entertainment too!  Can't beat that for recreational returns. :-)

Now I just need to find out what a low mileage Russian SKS with laminate stock in excellent condition is worth.  Usually I cruise the guns shows, and will try to sell it next Winter, but unfortunately some guns become rare and gun show visits have proven fruitless in seeing certain types, example, remember all those Egyption Rashids and Hakims from the late 1980's.  I have not seen a Rashid in many years, I have no idea what one would be worth.

Chris I would check prices on gunsamerica or an auction site would give you an idea what the russian sks is worth I think its around $400 and a rasheed is worth $500+ from what I'm seeing now. The hakims are pushing $400 to $600 range and even the tokarev svt-40's are even higher too.  Lastyear I only seen one hakim and one tokarev at gun shows all year and this year the tokarevs are at every show so I guess everyone is selling their's now.  My two sons will inherit all my guns for sure I have no plans of parting with any.  I'm sure prices will double by then again.  And your right lastyear gun shows were fruitless till this year the swede mausers, tokarev's,  hakim's, and i even seen Mosin M28 ski troop rifles too.  I even made a few good buys and way off the going rate just lately.  But i'm starting to see older collector selling their collections now too turning up at local gun shops really cheap too.  I guess the gun shops want nothing to do with surplus military guns they just dump them for what ever too so it maybe time to watch their shops now.  The pawn shops were good here too before they caught on to higher prices then they sold nothing and now sell no guns anymore.  But it is fun to search and see what we will find.                                      BigBill

[S.S.]

Nothing lasts forever folks!
The military weapons in use today will never be
sold as surplus on these shores!
Our main problem in years to come will be ammo!
It is already starting to dry up in some calibers.
Some calibers are virtually non-existant in
surplus now!
8x56r, 7x57, 7.62x38 Nagant(Pistol), 8mm Steyr (pistol)
9mm Steyr (Pistol), .30 Luger(Pistol), 9mm Mauser(Pistol)
and that is just a few of them!
Get it while you can, and put it up safely for the future!
If you don't use it, I am sure that it will become quite valuable
to some one else!

[JS44]

As a rule I do not get rid of guns anymore. I learned a hard lesson about that. If I get bored with one I just set it aside and come back to it later when my interest in it renews and it always does. If anything I get 2 of each in some cases when and if it's affordable and shoot both. They last longer if you distribute the wear on 2 weapons.
JS

[1911crazy]

As a rule I do not get rid of guns anymore. I learned a hard lesson about that. If I get bored with one I just set it aside and come back to it later when my interest in it renews and it always does. If anything I get 2 of each in some cases when and if it's affordable and shoot both. They last longer if you distribute the wear on 2 weapons.
JS

For the past few years i have been wanting to sell all my reloading stuff and some of my guns too.  And the misses kept me from doing it and she always told me what if you want to go back to shooting again and I really thought I never would go back. So SHE was right and I was wrong and I'm glad she was this time. But I did sell two brand new chinese sks's years ago but I did keep one of the three purchase buy I made. Its a red plastic stock upside down "U", no chinese markings and russian deep bluing I paid $89 each for all three but I will never sell anymore guns lessons learned. S.Sumner is right about ammo being scarce too he doesn't post too much but he sure makes points when he does post for sure.  The only 7mm I shoot is S&B about $8 a box when you can find it right now but there is Hot Shot 7mm too from century arms $6.87 a box.  But AIM is starting to carry some calibers in S&B so we may have a new supplier as soon as they stock it in more calibers.  But i did get some 8x56r and stored it in 50cal ammo cans I don't plan on shooting the M95 but you just never know.  And there is plenty of 7.65x53 argentine right now at century arms but it will dry up soon too and it maybe the last we see of it.  I haven't shot my M1891 Argentine yet but I'm sure I will since it was shortened to a carbine its a neat looking gun.  I guess its so many calibers and so little time but with all the bad weather it sure has me just sitting till its over to go shooting again and soon I hope.    BigBill

Funny I'm still sighting in my first swede rifle taking my time filing the front sight blade while shooting others too. I just can't leave the Hakim home its in the car waiting to go to the range eveytime I'm getting ready to go.  When I go to the range I just sit/shoot and enjoy the fresh air and i rarely shoot one box of swede 6.5 or 7mm I'm just too busy blasting away with the Hakim.  The hardest on ammo, gun I found to shoot is the CETME it just hammers thru boxes and boxes of ammo my finger just won't stop its just fun.