Surplus Military (american manufactured)

[1911crazy]

1. Why are the american manufactured surplus military guns so way over priced?

We got into this sport because we wanted to collect guns on a tight budget and we could afford to do this.

2. Are they better than what the rest of the world has to offer?

I really don't think so.

3. Do you own any american surplus military guns?

Nope i don't and probably never will.

So what are your thoughts???

[jshootr]

yes
i do own two
a M1 Carbine and M1 Garand both WW2 vintage
some of the coolest stuff I have.
still both shoot great. great quality

I also have a Mosin 91, very neat but not the quality and accuarcy of the American

its whatever you like and can afford
 
I have fun with all my "stuff"   

[hillbill]

maybe its cuz we are americans and like american stuff.but its not just us, everybody else does too.supply and demand.

[Siskiyou]

I think the reason is that we eat the cream of the crop first.  Back in the fifties and sixties Springfield rifles cost forty to sixty dollars.  I know a family who equipped four boys with Springfield rifles.  They were chambered for America’s choice the 30-06, and there was a lot of surplus G.I. ammunition to be had.  A lot of hunters were filing the tips of the bullets.

A lot of M1 carbines were bought up because they were American, and they were cheap.

During the same period of time some 1917 Enfield rifles were showing up.  In 1962 I was in Northern Alberta, Canada at a Hudson Bay store.  They had a drum full of 1917 Enfield at a low price.  The British Enfield’s were popular in Canada because that was the arm the returning Canadian vets were familiar. 

The U.S. armed half of Asia, Central America, and South America with M1 Carbines, and rifles.  Greece and other European countries armed up with the carbines and M1 rifle.

When you are giving away choice equipment and ammunition there will be takers.

Then there is the politics of surplus U.S. arms to the Citizens.

[Curtis]

3. Do you own any american surplus military guns?

Yup, three Garands.  Two I bought on purpose about a year ago and one about six month ago that I just couldn't pass up because of price.  The ironic thing is that the third one (that I didn't set out to buy) is in such great shape from '54 that it probably saved me from rebarreling one of the earlier ones to get a shooter.  The earlier ones are both six digit Springfields from '40 and '41 with barrels from '44.

My only other surplus arms are an SKS and a Yugo Mauser that I picked up in January of last year.  I don't know what I want next, but if the prices weren't so high I really would like to stick with American arms at least until I have examples of the major ones.  I have a sporterized Krag though and that has got me wanting an original example if for no other reason than to show what the sporter came from.  I haven't found one that I can afford though.

My dream collection would include every US battle rifle from the trapdoor up through WWII and then an M1A1 just for the cool factor.  Not likely on my income however.

Curtis

[84Jim]

1. Why are the american manufactured surplus military guns so way over priced?

Many Americans are interested in collecting WWII memorabilia.  Plus these guns are of highest quality.  They have been as good of an investment as you can get.

2. Are they better than what the rest of the world has to offer?

IMO, some are as good, but none are better.

3. Do you own any american surplus military guns?

2 M1's, 2 Springfields, 1 Carbine.  I love the Springfields, and if the CMP finds any more to sell plan to get another.  Also have a Swedish M96 rifle and 2 Swiss K31's.  Love those guns too!

[Langfur Buchsen]

US manufactured rifles were of good quality.. don't forget the British No4 Mk1*s in .303 made by Savage - these are also of good qulaity US amnufacture

[Mnswede]

Alot of the WWII and Korean vets started to buy what they carried and I started to see the prices go up from the 1980's up.

[DanChamberlain]

Because there aren't 20 bazillion 03s and Garands out there.  There are 20 bazillion old com-block Mosins and SKSs floating around, not to mention the Mauser copies in every corner of the world.

Dan

[mannyrock]

  Answer:  Movies, movies, movies.

  After the film, "Saving Private Ryan," there was a huge surge in the price of American military surplus, especially the M-1 Carbine, M-1 Garand, and Springfield 03A3.

  But, in 15 years, all of this will change.  Virtually all WWII Vets will have passed onward, as well as the vast majority of Korean War Vets, and a huge number of Vietnam Vets. 

  Result:  Tons of American surplus rifles will be up for sale.

  The overwhelming majority of people who enjoy collecting and shooting the American surplus rifles are age 45 and up.  The younger crowd are mostly AR guys.

Just my thoughts.

Regards,
Mannyrock

[Avyctes]

1. Why are the american manufactured surplus military guns so way over priced?

   Quality.  Historical significance.  Demand.  Popularity.  Same things that drive everything.  
   I'm not so arrogant to say that if your collection doesn't have at least one
   M1 or '03 you ain't got much of a collection, but for my own collection, which is
   heavily WW2 based, I would never be satisfied collecting only $80 Mosins,
   as much as I like Mosins (and I have 3, have owned 2 others that I've sold, and just bought one
   a couple of days ago).

2. Are they better than what the rest of the world has to offer?

   Maybe not, if you are comparing a Mauser to a '03 Springfield.  But what are you
   going to compare the M1 Garand to?  Anything in the same category, European built, is
   going to be in the same ball park price-wise, or way more (think G/K41s, G43s, Svt38s, 40s).
   You can't really compare a $250 Norinco SKS to a vintage HRA M1 Garand, for obvious reasons.
   So when you think of the price the SVTs and German G43s are going for, the M1 Garand is a peach of
   a deal!  You can get one for about $500 from CMP, about the price of 2 re-arsenaled Soviet m91/30s
   and a nice Finn m27.

3. Do you own any American surplus military guns?
     
   Yes!

   HRA M1 Garand
   SA M1 Garand
   NPM M1 Carbine
   Remington 1903A3

   But not nearly enough.

   I want a 1903.
   I want a 1917.
   I want a Krag.
   I'd love a Johnson, but that won't happen unless Mr. West by Gosh Virginia Lotto comes my way (and I don't play).

   Bottom line is, not everyone got into this C&R business because it's cheap.  I've heard this argument before and my reply
   is always - No it's not cheap. If you want it to be, it can be, by sticking to Mosins, etc.  But if you collect according to a
   genre of some sort (IE European military, US military, WW1, WW2), then you will eventually run up on guns that don't fit the
   weekly allowance.  Those are the ones you plan on for the future, and if you have to buy one less Mosin a year for 2 or 3 years
   to get that SVT or M1 Garand, it's worth it, dude!  My US rifles are my favorite.  

   I was always a big European rifle fanatic, loving old German mausers, but once I got my first CMP Garand, which i drove to Camp
   Perry and hand picked myself, I was hooked.  Right now I'm ogling every m1917 I come across and regretting not getting one when
   I was at Perry and they were only $350.

[huntducks]

Just to add a few things about Surplus guns.

I worked summer job for National Ordance in So El Monte Ca while going to HS 1964-66 they imported weapons from all over the world 90% were American, Carbines, Garands, 1903, even a few 1917 even a few Johnsons got shipped in the stack I sat at a bench taking them a part, this was before the gun control act of 1968 and a number of us who worked there would buy some of the better looking ones that came in at one time I had no less then 15 carbines 1/2 doz garands and 4-5 03 and box's of replacement parts, the owner was a good guy and sold everything if memory serves me right for about $10 ea seems to me I was making about $1.10 hr then.

I still have 2 carbines 1 garand and 4-03 and 1-17 all but 1-03 were redone into customs (who would have thunk) I remember trading 2 carbines and 2- 03 for a Ruger 44 carbine at one time and sold many of the Carbines I had for $50 and less for a 03.

Boy I sure wish I had everyone of them now and the box's of parts I dam near gave away.

[S.S.]

Why more expensive?
Never have figured this out myself?
Better Quality? Nope.
More Accurate? Nope.
More Durable? Nope.
More Attractive? Nope.
WAY overpriced? Yep!

[Victor3]

Because there aren't 20 bazillion 03s and Garands out there.  There are 20 bazillion old com-block Mosins and SKSs floating around, not to mention the Mauser copies in every corner of the world.

Dan

 Yup.

 We've generally always had a market in the US for almost any type of gun, so it stands to reason that US milsurps would eventualy dry up and prices would rise, just like anything else popular and only produced for a given time in limited numbers.

 Not so in most other countries. Not many folks in Europe are going to gun shows looking for a good deal on an SKS; they ship them here (for cheap and in high quantity) where we have the freedom to buy them.

[jlwilliams]

  No reason not to have both US and foreign milsurp guns if you want them.  If you're strictly looking for cheap shooters, well then US rifles aren't the bargain they used to be.  It's just the result of suply and demand working.  I love my Garand and my Carbine, but the SKS goes to the range more often.  Ammo price has a big effect.

  One rifle I'm keeping an  eye open for is a Westinghouse or Remington Mosin Nagant.  Not everybody knows that there were US made Mosins.  Back before the 1917 Communist Revolution we made rifles for them.  Keep your eyes open and you can find US made examples of a few foriegn guns.  The USA was the breadbasket and rifle rack of the world once upon a time.