Author Topic: Are military bolt actions going to be hard to get? (Read 517 times)

Andrew Quigley · « **on:** October 09, 2005, 04:48:59 PM »

I recieved an email a couple months back from Century Arms telling me that some sort of ban had been put in place by the ATF. Is this going to affect blot action rifles too? Haven't been keeping up as of late as I've got way to many irons in the fire.

Andrew

1911crazy · « **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2005, 05:54:10 AM »

The only change that i know of is in the AK and semi auto rifle kits. The barrels must be cut now so they can't be made into working guns again. I believe this covers all the barrels for surplus guns. We will see no more new/used surplus barrels imported into the US.

As far as bolt action rifles we may see them drying up time to time from some of the countries we have imported them from in the past but there are many 1,000's more yet out there in other countries that don't like the US or deal with the US that we probably won't ever see imported. But who knows they maybe just tomato stakes by now too. I have a gut feeling we probably have seen about 1/2 of the worlds mausers so far. There's many more we will never see imported here. There is a lot more in south america too that we haven't seen yet. There are about 1,000 different mausers alone. We have only some of the WW1 and WW2 stuff. My only surplus gun shop that closed many years ago because the BS gun laws were changed here was wall to wall with surplus guns. I can remember seeing not a few mausers but rows of racks from every country each row was full of mausers from one country. He had the surplus guns from all over the world there. Just the smell of cosmo turned me on when i walked in there. I could look for hours and no one would bother me. It felt like i was on sacred surplus collector ground looking at guns that won wars and of wars lost. I will never see the likes of that again i'm sorry to say. Today if it was still around i would work there for guns for sure!!!! It was a place that a surplus collector only dreams about. Its funny I was at the biggest gun show in the northeast and the guy infront of me mentioned that gun shop to his buddy. I said yup i knew the place your talking about and it was awesome too bad its gone.

It doesn't leave much for us collectors/shooters to look forward to now does it? I am seeing the older collectors recycling their collections lately too its the only chance we have of seeing some great treasures again i'm sorry to say but they do go from one safe to another. I think were kind of lucky right now to see and get whats out there right now because in the next few years we may not see too much more of surplus guns. Its been said here before if you see it and want it you better buy it because once its gone its gone forever. I think with the supplies running low right now and the end is in near this is why we are seeing the prices going up from the wholesalers and dealers on the net. Its not going to get any cheaper lets face it.

cal sibley · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2005, 06:59:11 PM »

Actually military bolt action rifles haven't been in vogue for some time except for those few used as sniper rifles. With the passage of time it just figures that bolt action military rifles will become more scarce, but I think it'll be many years before they disappear, if ever. Just one mans opinion. Since I have a few WWII bolt action rifles I'd like to think they'll be around forever. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

1911crazy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2005, 03:52:34 AM »

The future doesn't look good for surplus military bolt action rifles. With all the military guns of today being burst and full auto we will never see these for sale here unless the guys at Century Arms refurbishes them into semi-auto's. Thats our only hope for the future military stuff.

Or if the European Union gets there way and disarms us first.

MGMorden · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2005, 02:37:04 PM »

I do think that we are in the waning days of being able to purchase the surplus military rifles. It's unfortunate, but such is life.

Thankfully, modern military pistols are not that much unlike their early 1900's counterparts, and most of them are available to civilians to purchase outright. I think that we'll be buying up C&R handguns (assuming the gun grabers don't outlaw handguns) for long after the rifles dry up.