The funny and sad thing about people getting burned by them is a lot of them are poor or younger collectors who can't afford these rifles from normal sellers.
Or they just aren't patient enough. If you really dig and are patient you can find deals for not a ton more than RTI and it won't be such a dice-roll. Bonus is while you're waiting to find a deal you can save more and be able to afford a nicer one in the end.
@@Toolness1usually the people they're getting are newer to the scene. It's never the buyers fault if they don't get what they paid for. "should've just got it somewhere else" is the equivalent of being told "should've learned how to fight" after you get a sucker punch to the back of the head
As a long time RTI / Inter-Ordnance customer, since ~1999, I would'nt buy a surplus rifle from them unless I could look at it in person. That used to be easy, as they would set up a booth at the gun shows in Charlotte, NC. Take it from an old FFL dealer & collector, don't waste your money on beater rifles. Save up, and buy one in NRA Very Good or better condition. 🤠
They did used to be based in NC weren't they? Monroe was it? Last I heard about them until recently was.. theyd started making the hellcat? Ruger LCP-like pistol during the 380 craze, and a ak74 pattern rifle that had a clubfoot-ish stock and the front sight that was mounted on the gas block- unique for the time
I bought one of those East German "Walther PP" pistols. It was advertised by serial number and I got the weapon as described, so no surprises. A bit worn, but serviceable. I've seen enough bad reviews that I'm pretty leery about dropping a lot of money on them. I was tempted to grab one of the FN-49 rifles, but ended up backing out. It's worth spending a bit more on something I can inspect before buying.
I have to stand and stark contrast to the statement that RTI is grading system helps the buyer. If you look at their refurbished MAS4956 rifles, they have three grades but use the exact same rifle and picture for all three guns. Furthermore when I bought my rifle from them, they didn't even have a grading system at the time for those rifles. This is my warning to anybody who cares to listen, do not, I repeat do not trust any company's in house grading system. The only people who are worth trusting on grading is the CMP, And that is because they actually list out metrics and conditions for their grading system that you can compare.
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing your experiences with RTI and information from fellow buyers. Picked up an M1 Carbine and No4 Enfield early on and was happy with them after cleaning them up. I did purchase a “refurbished” MAS 49/56 from Atlantic Firearms. Didn’t realize it at the time, but as you pointed out these were originally RTI imports from Ethiopia. While the appearance of my MAS 49/56 looked good, the bore looked like a sewer pipe. Took a hand drill, bore brushes and solvent to get it cleaned out. Thankfully there was rifling under whatever was living in the bore. But, had I known the rifles were RTI imports being sold by Atlantic, I would have probably passed on it.
Just picked up a Carcano from Italy through them. I made sure to get the one from Italy. It was in Very Good condition per them…I’d have said good. The stock had more dents and dings than I’d like but the metal is good. I’m in the process of cleaning up the caked on cosmo but so far I’m pleased. This is my first purchase from RTI, I miss the days when AimSurplus had a plethora of great surplus stuff in stock.
Not into gambling, so never took the chance. I worked in a gun shop during the heyday of surplus, and not willing to pay top dollar for a gun that we would have stripped for parts. I mainly stick with Swiss firearms, and buy single imports and pay the price to have something with a top bore, and looking as good as possible.
I last bought military surplus rifles in the mid-late ‘60. A nice British Enfield was $20 and a German Mauser was $40-$50 in a good gun shop. I wouldn’t deal with the available trash now.
yes you are right it is definitely a dice roll with them. I received an Enfield that had two bullets jammed in the barrel had to send it back. The Ethiopian sand and dirt basically destroys barrel condition. To date I have purchased 7 rifles from them and the only decent one was an M1 Carbine I paid $1300 for all the others were basically trash with bores that were worn out.
Good review, sometimes I get frustrated for you because RTI operates in some ways that I just never would. In today's world they do make collecting quite a bit more interesting than otherwise would be.
I agree. 50% of the ones I purchased have been in satisfactory condition. I was very happy with the M1 Carbine if purchased. It was in awesome condition.
This is a very smart video to make haha i would say yes they are worth it if you dont mind a bit of gunsmith and potentially restoration work. Especially since they have things available that are previously unheard of on the market.
Bought a c-grade hakim. Dirty dirty. Crack in the handguard, bore is a little pitted, no mag, and missing a part or two, but for 4oo- Im pretty happy. Every part cleaned up fine, except on the barrel the rust masked the pitting beneath the stock, widespread but not very deep. Havent shot it yet. Posted a video of mine- I looked around a lot before buying to see what other ppl were getting before I made that plunge. You've inspired all us C&R people enjoying this limited C&R influx. Was very tempted on one of those jungle carbines myself, and I tried out your rust boil on the Hakim, and worked out pretty good. Thanks!
Glad to see you posted a video! Your wood looks a bit nicer than mine but looks like the wire wheel caught yours in an area. If I can get some good lighting I will make a vid of mine after cleanup. I wish I took a screenshot of the description when I purchased back in august as you have! Good luck with it
@@64KarmannGhia I know theres a lotta guys like me who wanted to take a swing at one of these, so i wanted to document:) Im interested in seeing yours! You know- it does kinda look like wire wheel marks. Its towards the rear of the action and up by the rear band- but the metal itself doesnt look wire wheeled? When my springs come in I'll post a part2 now that I have everything cleaned up. Underneath the uniform.. dirt? on the stock there was some really nice grained wood beyond the gouges and dents. I found some very light trench art there on the stock but cant make it out. Yeah! the description on the site has changed again for the latest batch. If they'd come down to 300 or 350 id roll the dice again. Lemme know if you wind up posting yours, I used my wifes ring light setup
Rather buy from an individual at a show , have been doing this for over thirty years and have had outstanding results , you have to be patient and sooner or later you find what you're looking for at a reasonable price , usually less than buying from an importer , and you can hold it and inspect it right on site , no shipping needed , some times no import markings , hock shops also have been great , don't be shy about making an offer , if it's priced right , buy it , as I've thought about it many times , and then decide to purchase and it's GONE !!!
If I've learned one lesson, mostly from Classic FA's, is to NOT purchase any gun sight on seen online. Buy guns ONLY when you examine a gun in person prior to purchase.
The Std RTI stuff is a gamble at best. All bets are off the table with RTI. Keep in mind a $300 rifle from them now used to be what you got for $50 sometimes buy one get one free deals.
Interesting videos I’ve had my eye on RTI, and after watching your videos, decided that the value is just not worth the gamble I would also suggest off-topic you get a backstop for whatever you’re shooting it
I bought a C grade SMLE from them in November and got very lucky with. It’s an actual enfield produced rifle and not one from India. The bore was is good condition but very and I mean very dirty. It was missing the firing pin screw and the top Hand guard was broken, but other that this has turn out to be a beautiful and well shooting rifle with time and effort. I’ve realized I got very lucky and others haven’t had the luck I’ve had.
Less than $500 rifles a lot of them you could get at least most of your money back from parting them out if you get a sewer pipe example. Agree with everything you said here...
I bought two Enfield Jungle Carbines from Classic who got them from RTI.. I bought these as surplus turn ins.. 499 ea. I was very impressed with what I received. Both of these are BSA 1945. Bores are amazing, wood is amazing, blueing is worn, one is 75 % and the other is 50 % everything works.. I'm very pleased with these rifles. It's a roll of the dice.. 😁
I wonder if Classic insisted on a certain quality from RTI or just refused to sell a lot of them. Ive been kicking myself for not picking up one of those jungle carbines. They've got sweet triggers with a lot of zest
@@herrcobblermachen Interesting, I'm sure classic would have hand selected what they purchased from RTI to resell with their name on it, this greatly increased the odds of getting something good..never thought of that.makes sense
Pretty accurate video, I have bought 8 carcano cavalry carbines, m95 in 8x56, yugo m48, Swiss k31, and a vettei in 6.5 carcano. I have been very lucky and all have had shootable bores and been in fair to good cosmetic condition. Just ordered one of the 1891 carcano long rifles when they had a flash sale for 150 bones but I’m not too optimistic about bore condition. I called in and they told me the bores were in poor to fair condition. Guess I’ll find out when it gets to my ffl.
My experience is the same. I've bought 3 Carcano rifles & a K31. They were all decent for the price. Some were dirty but cleaned up great. I would order again from them but once I get burned that could be it depending on how bad it is. Especially because I have caused NUMEROUS other orders from coworkers going to RTI. So once they burn one of us RTI will lose business from several people in PA. Imo RTI should 100% tell you WTF the EXACT rifle that you're ordering has right & wrong with it. You're paying them for a gun! Their time should include an explanation built into it with pics.
I just learned that youtube unsubcribed me from your channel. So im catching back up, ive had 1 dealing with RTI and it was a C Grade Lebel 1886 and I always wanted 1 so i took my gamble just at least getting a cool wall hanger, what surprised me was under ALL the gack and bug and hells knows what else, was a numbers matching with a usable bore!
I just picked up a k31 for $500 from rti. Ive always liked the swiss rifles but ammo cost and rifle cost kept me away. It was the cheapest i could find it and i slowly got equipment to reload for it.
@@isthatafamas curious, did you purchase yours when they were $500 or marked down to the $400 that they now reside at? (Assuming you purchased a C grade). I got one in august for the $500
@@isthatafamas dang I’m sorry to hear that. They sound even worse in the c grade description now. I got really lucky and was only missing the front barrel band, and rear sight slider but otherwise complete. Bore came out pretty good though I have not fired it yet. The stock definitely has seen better days and it’s almost like a beaver got mine too. I will be taking to the range this weekend to see what it can do
I got 2 m38 Carcanos. The barrels was pited but shot OK. My 91 long rifle was a sewer pipe. The Berthier was dirty and they had taken a wire wheel to it but it shoots great. The m95 cabine was decent. I converted 7.62x54R and cast my on bullets. The m95 long rifle had a sewer pipe bore.
I remember good shooter grade Enfields advertised in the ShotGun news back in ‘87. They were going for 200 bucks. 303 ammo was super plentiful. Yup, I’m old.
The good ole days... Roses. 1995. mas 49/56 for $150. Indian 762 Enfield for $125. SKSs werent too much more. I remember TTs and cz52s for around $125- No one would touch them because they shot that weird caliber. When everyone saw the ammo was so cheap it set off that big 762 tokarev rush
This guy deserves to get a good discount from RTI because he probably sells more products for them than any other type of advertising...Howard Hughes once said "Any publicity is good publicity" gets people talking about it
Hahaha you should see the Hakim I got off them for $300 But honestly the other 2-3 guns from them luckily had great bores and cleaned up fine. The hakim however has a hollow stock seemingly eaten by bugs or worms loll
I can’t speak for everyone but I bought my M1 Garand in good condition for $1,000 and it was not bad at all. Worked great and the handling/service was great plus the transaction to my FFL shop near me wasn’t an issue. Yes, I admit I noticed their prices on the same have gone up but then again when I bought mine it came from a random lot now they charge by era which makes sense since WWII productions M1s are more sought after than post-war ones. I think it’s up to individual experience and mine was positive. It might not be next time or would be positive again but that’s for the future to determine.
RTI lists rifles as "original condition". Does this mean covered with dirt, rust, and cosmoline? What is the number one reason you keep buying from RTI? Thanks for the information. I just placed an order with RTI and already have regrets.
I’ve purchased 9 rifles and 2 bayonets from RTI. No1 Enfield, 2 Manlichers, 4 Carcanos, 1 Calvary Gras, 1 Vetterli conversion. I’m thinking of grabbing another Carcano Calvary carbine. That would make 3 in my collection. I’ve also been toying with the idea of getting a DP Enfield and a C grade from RTI to try and build a shooter. That’s what I did with the first one. I’ve gotten pretty lucky and I’ve done well on the bullet test on all the rifles. Still need to shoot some of them like the Manlichers and the M38 Carcano. The 7.35x51 is a little tough to find like the 8x50r. They all cleaned up pretty nice. Even with my success I’m still skittish though. Can’t find the nerve to buy a M1 Carbine, or any of the other US or high dollar items. Well happy hunting out there. Maybe one day I’ll bite the bullet and get something from Hunters Lodge. 😋🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸😎
I would not ever buy a rifle from RTI for a few reasons. 1. A lot of the rifles seemed overpriced for what they are and especially the condition that a lot of these rifles are in. 2.RTI just seem scummy to me. I know they probably pay pennies on the dollar for these rifles but sometimes charge market value or above, like WTF. Yeah and I know they use excuses like import laws and sanctions and yada yada to justify their prices. I know that stuff cuts into their profit margins, but probably not as much as they want you to believe. 3. Trying to sell these rifles would be a nightmare because immediately someone would notice the big ugly RTI import mark, know it came from the Ethiopian cache, and run for the hills ( these rifles probably are not as bad as their reputation but you can't easily change people's opinions). I think I will just stick to shows or online. I feel that I can usually find what I'm looking for in better condition and maybe even a better price too. I would more than happy take the gamble if the rifle were cheap but they usually are not anymore.
The part I want to emphasize is his statement about you wanting a specific rifle. I would not be willing to roll the dice for something more than $300 (total with all fees and shipping) that I really wanted, that said, I have purchased one of their cheapest Bolos ($450 total) and a B grade Fusil Gras ($225 total) and been very pleased. The bolo has a bulged barrel and the timing does not quite line up (bent pawl) and the Fusil Gras (B grade) stock was pretty beat up. That said, the revolver revolves and the Fusil Gras will chamber and extract a round. For sitting in my chair watching WWI documentaries (bolo) and a trip or two to the range (FG with a 410 insert) I've not felt like I wasted my money.
I picked up a m38 carcano in 7.35. I ordered it as a parts gun to fix another one and once it came in and i cleaned it it was in such good condition i couldnt bring myself to parts it out becuase of how nice the conditon including the bore was.
So far I’ve gotten 3 guns from RTI. The Carcano was an Italian imported gun and in great condition. I also got a Standard Model Mauser that is actually pretty nice and the bore is worn but good for its age. The last is a Yugo 98K that’s a DOU45 and has a great bore and is in great condition.
I've bought 3 rifles from RTI now, one M95, one M91/24 carcano, and one M91 Cavalry Carcano. I will say, the majority of their stuff is a crapshoot. Usually shootable, in rough shape, but 90% functional. That said, the stuff that they have that they know is good, is way overpriced, I get that everyone is fairly overpriced right now, but stuff coming from RTI does not need to be so expensive.
While they are here, if you are interested in German handguns absolutely pick up some of the post-war Walther P38/P1 pistols that are in the market. For $500-600 you will probably never find them at this price again. I'm just trying to let people know since surplus like that will very likely not resurface any time soon or ever again. When a bunch of Chinese SKSs and Mosins came on the market just before covid for around $200- 300 I know a bunch of friends who kicked themselves for not grabbing them when they were available. I grabbed a "water damage crate" Mosin for $100 and aside from some surface rust and cosmoline, it was in great shape and had an excellent bore.
dont know if you know this ir mentioned thos but rti does offer 8x50r loaded ammo recently. but good to see your review as i thought of a carcano(if so prolly be the moschetto you mentioned) or m95 which i noticed skme dud say 8x56r listings.
ive got lucky with RTI only one purchase but i order 3 guns from them i got really lucky with my 8x50r was in really good shape for its age still wired wheeled thou, the other 2 where 6.5 carcano i got a b grade and a c grade, the b grade was great no issue with it just cleaned it up and it was gtg, now my c grade required a good about of work but i restored it after i got all the replacement parts striped the stock and restrained turned out nice for a c grade.
Against my better judgment, I bought a Turkish Mauser from them. I rifle I received was a ball of rust and the stock was severely burned in several places. They graciously allowed me to return the rifle and the replacement they sent me looked better, but the barrel was so corroded that it could not be cleaned. I worked on it for days . When I took it out to shoot it , I fired two rounds and the shell casings split open . Between the horrible barrel and throat erosion, the rifle is useless. I will never buy from them again.
The only Enfield that I have is a brand new Lithgow 22 caliber trainer rifle. It is identical to a 303 except for bore.. I never cared much for the 303 round. I like my M39's and Swedish 96 Mausers the 6.5x55 is a wonderful accurate round.
Just received my 1918 Carcano calvary version from them, i was looking at the $140 one but was too scared to buy it so i chose the $270 and it was a great choice, bore is perfect, barrel decent with very minor pitting, wood is great too though it does stink like hell, but it did come with the classic mold, I've been in the process of restoring it but its come out beautiful, now just trying to hunt down the ammo
RTI benefits from the impatient instant gratification attitude that many people have. They could have operated more fairly by not over-grading rifles, using the industry-standard NRA conditions instead of making up their own system "c grade", no that's called "gunsmith special poor" , not charging 100 bucks to peek at the bore for you, etc. They would have way less horror stories floating around, less complaints and bad reviews (which they usually delete anyway). It really didn't have to be such a dice roll if they were simply HONEST out the gate. 95% of what they brought in would be graded poor, some fair here and there, and a few gems mixed in that may try to sneak into the "good" category.
So far from the 5 rifles that I have purchased from them (c grade) all turned out with good bore and good functioning rifle (definately not mint - but totally workable after you put some time and effect to it).
I paid for an A-grade "shootable" Lebel. They sent me a rifle with a welded barrel. Not only was it straight up false advertising, but it's also dangerous. If someone didn't check the barrel before taking it to the range (which they should), it would've blown up in their face. I will never give RTI another dollar for that reason. They clearly don't check what they send.
RTI is the current “Atlanta Cutlery”. They selected the worst of the worst and are pricing it higher than other retailers all under the guise of “history”.
I have purchased 4 Carcano rifles and carbines. All were good except for the long rifle which probably could shoot a 7mm bullet down the barrel. The best one I paid $349.00 for a 91/24 which was dated 1897 and was heavily pictured in their antique section. After your review, I think I might buy an M1 carbine when they go on sale again.
With todays prices, let me simply suggest this,- buy a special sale priced piece of crap from them, take it apart, and replace the bad stuff with parts from eBay.....it probably will cost you about what a good one would have cost to buy in the end, but, if you really want a certain model of rifle, buying the restoration parts is equivalent to making payments....and youve the benefit of knowing its been repaired correctly,and safely
I have ordered plenty from RTI, and I think a lot of times it’s 50-50, especially for bore. Most of the stuff I buy is on flash sales because I think it’s too expensive for what they have. Especially considering the condition. I just picked up a Mauser yesterday and I think it’s my first Mauser from them and the bore is completely smooth or the last 6-7 inches, so that kind of makes sense with the 8 mm theory. Most of the antiques I got have been good.
I've probably got about 10 guns from them over the years, and while it's a 50/50 crap shoot, and my experience matches those odds, I'm not incredibly disappointed, even if I don't get something with a good bore. My number one gripe with them is that they need to take the wire wheels away from the Ethiopians packing the guns up for shipment. I'll bet that most of those guns could have been converted and conserved if not for the damn wire wheeling. Offer them as untouched relics like IMA did with the Nepal cache.
I got a K 98 restored with hand select bore from rti and it was not worth it. They refinished it right over the dirt and grime. The bolt release was so full of grit that it wouldn’t even close all the way.
just picked up a 1916 BSA Enfield b grade and am pretty happy with it everything functional decent shape dirty but ill work on that barrel is original and looks worn but still leaves a light quarter inch heavy 8th of a bullet visible with the bullet test. cant wait to get it on paper to see if she key holes
You forgot one of the best condition rifles they have. The vetterlis are in pretty good shape. Of course still a dice roll but most of them have a good bore and great bluing
You have to consider they have the market . Also the selection varies greatly and when you control the market and the selection its alway a crap shoot. Buyer beware.
I bought a Carcano from PSA a few years ago, it was dirty as hell but in fairly decent shape (bore was good too!). Unfortunately, I don’t believe they carry them anymore.
I got a B grade lebel in c grade condition, and c grade enfield that were both horrible draws. However I got an awesome c grade lebel and a c grade hakim. Just ordered a Carcano Calvary carbine so I’m excited for that
@@herrcobblermachen turned out pretty good. There was some rusting so I have stripped it down then boiled all parts, carded, and finished off with oiling to preserve the finish. There is bluing wear but it’s not in the white. Stock has many dings and dents in it and needs some cracks repaired on the hanguard so I got lucky to not receive one with the stock cut. Only parts missing were front barrel band which I sourced already and the rear sight adjustment which unfortunately I have not been able to find. Bore is decent with lands and grooves present and is shiny after cleaning
@@64KarmannGhia Sounds exactly like mine. Missing the front band, the rear band retainer, extractor and spring. Stock beat up pretty good all over, but intact! handguard has a crack. I feel pretty lucky about mine too. hakimparts as the rear sight slider adjustment pieces except the slide itself. I saw one somewhere, lemme look.
@@herrcobblermachen nice! Sounds like you did pretty good. My stock is rather quite beat to but we’re lucky to have them intact because they are really hard to come by. I got my for $500 in August I believe when they listed them. I see they lowered them to $400 now but I bet they are more bottom of barrel.. yeah unfortunately I am missing the whole rear sight adjustment. But other than that I’m complete, I even sourced a bayonet at a gun show recently for $95 so pretty excited about that. Got one of the repro mags but if I can find an original decently priced I’ll pick one up. Apex has NOS barrels so I’m gonna order one of those. I don’t think I need one but in case it will be really nice to have or if I pick up another
@@64KarmannGhia What a steal on that bayo! yeah i picked mine up recently at 400. They went out of stock, and then a few days later same price, but, the overall condition went from fair to "poor to fair" and they dont guarantee its functional, so I assume its missing key components. Id like to see what they're like now, but like you said, surely these are deeper from the bottom of the barrel. Are the repo mags alright? thought about getting an original mag body and swapping in the parts for a slightly more authentic look. RTi is selling hakim mags but they're like 200+, it makes me alittle bitter yknow, if you sell the rifles without mags, but you have mags.. ... Yes, 100% on the apex barrels. Might as well pick one up and lay it back being new.
Classic is pretty similar in the whole "casino" aspect. I am of the opinion physically buying milsurp stuff is preferable to doing it online, unless it is an extremely good deal you are willing to gamble on.
It's too easy to just click and type in numbers .That's how you get stuck with junkers. Save your money and shop around for something you can check before buying. I really like your programs.
I bought a fair number of stuff from RTI, Id say its generally not worth it unless its something rare like the Mannlicher 1888/90 or stuff that is still in austrian 8x50R. Never ever get the hand select option! HS is BS! (the first 1888/90 I got with hand select came with a bulged barrel).
I was considered buying a k11 or k31 from rti but now I'm unsure about it has anyone had any experience with buying those specific rifles from them. they seem to be in good shape but I'm unsure about the price and customer service.
no wonder the 303 are in sad conditions reason PRIMERS used , BERNADINE TYPE TWIN FLASH HOLE, when they were in Issue with military we had to wash the bore with hot boiling water then use the usual cleaning procedure required by the AU Military ,if from Africa suspect if that procedure was carried out
The thing going for corrosive Berdan primers is they have an extremely long shelf life. Militarys don't care about reloading brass. They just want the round to fire when the trigger is pulled. Corrosive ammo is one of the reasons that chrome-lined barrels are commonly used in military rifles.
The funny and sad thing about people getting burned by them is a lot of them are poor or younger collectors who can't afford these rifles from normal sellers.
Or they just aren't patient enough. If you really dig and are patient you can find deals for not a ton more than RTI and it won't be such a dice-roll. Bonus is while you're waiting to find a deal you can save more and be able to afford a nicer one in the end.
@@Toolness1usually the people they're getting are newer to the scene. It's never the buyers fault if they don't get what they paid for. "should've just got it somewhere else" is the equivalent of being told "should've learned how to fight" after you get a sucker punch to the back of the head
RTI: Are the Smooth Spots supposed to be Inside or Outside of the Rifle? Also RTI: Are The Grooves supposed to be on the Outside of the Barrel?
As a long time RTI / Inter-Ordnance customer, since ~1999, I would'nt buy a surplus rifle from them unless I could look at it in person. That used to be easy, as they would set up a booth at the gun shows in Charlotte, NC.
Take it from an old FFL dealer & collector, don't waste your money on beater rifles. Save up, and buy one in NRA Very Good or better condition. 🤠
Simpson LTD is my go-to. I’m willing to pay reasonable market value for a very good to excellent condition rifle that will only increase in value
Genus
Their wall hangers not shooters
They did used to be based in NC weren't they? Monroe was it? Last I heard about them until recently was.. theyd started making the hellcat? Ruger LCP-like pistol during the 380 craze, and a ak74 pattern rifle that had a clubfoot-ish stock and the front sight that was mounted on the gas block- unique for the time
Collectors not shooters
Yep nothing good at NC shows past 3 years :-( Hickory had nothing I wanted and even Mosins were 800 beans for a 91/30... smh.
RTI has one category: laughably overpriced.
Yet sell out
I don't know anywhere else to get a Carcano for $150.
@@calebdean2440I agree I bought 2 Calvary carbines for 150 each and both are in great shape.
@@calebdean2440 hunters lodge but that's a much bigger risk
Saw one locally for $100 with some clips and ammo. @@calebdean2440
I bought one of those East German "Walther PP" pistols. It was advertised by serial number and I got the weapon as described, so no surprises. A bit worn, but serviceable. I've seen enough bad reviews that I'm pretty leery about dropping a lot of money on them. I was tempted to grab one of the FN-49 rifles, but ended up backing out. It's worth spending a bit more on something I can inspect before buying.
I have to stand and stark contrast to the statement that RTI is grading system helps the buyer.
If you look at their refurbished MAS4956 rifles, they have three grades but use the exact same rifle and picture for all three guns.
Furthermore when I bought my rifle from them, they didn't even have a grading system at the time for those rifles.
This is my warning to anybody who cares to listen, do not, I repeat do not trust any company's in house grading system.
The only people who are worth trusting on grading is the CMP, And that is because they actually list out metrics and conditions for their grading system that you can compare.
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing your experiences with RTI and information from fellow buyers.
Picked up an M1 Carbine and No4 Enfield early on and was happy with them after cleaning them up.
I did purchase a “refurbished” MAS 49/56 from Atlantic Firearms. Didn’t realize it at the time, but as you pointed out these were originally RTI imports from Ethiopia. While the appearance of my MAS 49/56 looked good, the bore looked like a sewer pipe. Took a hand drill, bore brushes and solvent to get it cleaned out. Thankfully there was rifling under whatever was living in the bore. But, had I known the rifles were RTI imports being sold by Atlantic, I would have probably passed on it.
'Turn in condition' I find that humerous in terms of grading 😂
Love these videos, while other youtubers review really cool expensive guns, you talk about really cool cheap guns that even I can buy
I would NEVER, EVER Purchase anything from R.T.I. simply because of all the "Horror Stories" I have heard over the years!....
Just picked up a Carcano from Italy through them. I made sure to get the one from Italy. It was in Very Good condition per them…I’d have said good. The stock had more dents and dings than I’d like but the metal is good. I’m in the process of cleaning up the caked on cosmo but so far I’m pleased. This is my first purchase from RTI, I miss the days when AimSurplus had a plethora of great surplus stuff in stock.
Not into gambling, so never took the chance. I worked in a gun shop during the heyday of surplus, and not willing to pay top dollar for a gun that we would have stripped for parts. I mainly stick with Swiss firearms, and buy single imports and pay the price to have something with a top bore, and looking as good as possible.
I last bought military surplus rifles in the mid-late ‘60. A nice British Enfield was $20 and a German Mauser was $40-$50 in a good gun shop. I wouldn’t deal with the available trash now.
yes you are right it is definitely a dice roll with them. I received an Enfield that had two bullets jammed in the barrel had to send it back. The Ethiopian sand and dirt basically destroys barrel condition. To date I have purchased 7 rifles from them and the only decent one was an M1 Carbine I paid $1300 for all the others were basically trash with bores that were worn out.
Congrats for using the microphone correctly. Many people get too close and make an annoying "popping" sound. 7 or 8 inches is correct.
Good review, sometimes I get frustrated for you because RTI operates in some ways that I just never would. In today's world they do make collecting quite a bit more interesting than otherwise would be.
I agree. 50% of the ones I purchased have been in satisfactory condition. I was very happy with the M1 Carbine if purchased. It was in awesome condition.
This is a very smart video to make haha i would say yes they are worth it if you dont mind a bit of gunsmith and potentially restoration work. Especially since they have things available that are previously unheard of on the market.
I remember back in the 80's, you could buy a Blue Sky import M1 Carbine for $200.00.
I believe those came back from S. Korea.
This channel needs to be called The RTI Junkman!
A friend of mine bought a K98 from RTI a few years ago. It was complete, decent rifle. The finish was rough but it shot well out of the gate.
Bought a c-grade hakim. Dirty dirty. Crack in the handguard, bore is a little pitted, no mag, and missing a part or two, but for 4oo- Im pretty happy. Every part cleaned up fine, except on the barrel the rust masked the pitting beneath the stock, widespread but not very deep. Havent shot it yet. Posted a video of mine- I looked around a lot before buying to see what other ppl were getting before I made that plunge.
You've inspired all us C&R people enjoying this limited C&R influx. Was very tempted on one of those jungle carbines myself, and I tried out your rust boil on the Hakim, and worked out pretty good. Thanks!
Glad to see you posted a video! Your wood looks a bit nicer than mine but looks like the wire wheel caught yours in an area. If I can get some good lighting I will make a vid of mine after cleanup. I wish I took a screenshot of the description when I purchased back in august as you have! Good luck with it
@@64KarmannGhia I know theres a lotta guys like me who wanted to take a swing at one of these, so i wanted to document:) Im interested in seeing yours! You know- it does kinda look like wire wheel marks. Its towards the rear of the action and up by the rear band- but the metal itself doesnt look wire wheeled? When my springs come in I'll post a part2 now that I have everything cleaned up. Underneath the uniform.. dirt? on the stock there was some really nice grained wood beyond the gouges and dents. I found some very light trench art there on the stock but cant make it out. Yeah! the description on the site has changed again for the latest batch. If they'd come down to 300 or 350 id roll the dice again. Lemme know if you wind up posting yours, I used my wifes ring light setup
Ive gotten alot of their project grade stuff and been pretty lucky. I agree on the M1s, the CMP is the way to go.
Rather buy from an individual at a show , have been doing this for over thirty years and have had outstanding results , you have to be patient and sooner or later you find what you're looking for at a reasonable price , usually less than buying from an importer , and you can hold it and inspect it right on site , no shipping needed , some times no import markings , hock shops also have been great , don't be shy about making an offer , if it's priced right , buy it , as I've thought about it many times , and then decide to purchase and it's GONE !!!
If I've learned one lesson, mostly from Classic FA's, is to NOT purchase any gun sight on seen online. Buy guns ONLY when you examine a gun in person prior to purchase.
The Std RTI stuff is a gamble at best. All bets are off the table with RTI.
Keep in mind a $300 rifle from them now used to be what you got for $50 sometimes buy one get one free deals.
Interesting videos I’ve had my eye on RTI, and after watching your videos, decided that the value is just not worth the gamble I would also suggest off-topic you get a backstop for whatever you’re shooting it
I bought a C grade SMLE from them in November and got very lucky with. It’s an actual enfield produced rifle and not one from India. The bore was is good condition but very and I mean very dirty. It was missing the firing pin screw and the top Hand guard was broken, but other that this has turn out to be a beautiful and well shooting rifle with time and effort. I’ve realized I got very lucky and others haven’t had the luck I’ve had.
LOL at all the scratches on the wall from the guns slipping and the sights sliding against them.
Thks for heads up on from Italy Carcano's & M1 carbines. My dad loved his M1. Great hunting in heavy brush!
For M1 Garand’s, the CMP is way to go!
Less than $500 rifles a lot of them you could get at least most of your money back from parting them out if you get a sewer pipe example. Agree with everything you said here...
I bought two Enfield Jungle Carbines from Classic who got them from RTI.. I bought these as surplus turn ins.. 499 ea. I was very impressed with what I received. Both of these are BSA 1945. Bores are amazing, wood is amazing, blueing is worn, one is 75 % and the other is 50 % everything works.. I'm very pleased with these rifles.
It's a roll of the dice.. 😁
I wonder if Classic insisted on a certain quality from RTI or just refused to sell a lot of them. Ive been kicking myself for not picking up one of those jungle carbines. They've got sweet triggers with a lot of zest
@@herrcobblermachen Interesting, I'm sure classic would have hand selected what they purchased from RTI to resell with their name on it, this greatly increased the odds of getting something good..never thought of that.makes sense
Pretty accurate video, I have bought 8 carcano cavalry carbines, m95 in 8x56, yugo m48, Swiss k31, and a vettei in 6.5 carcano. I have been very lucky and all have had shootable bores and been in fair to good cosmetic condition. Just ordered one of the 1891 carcano long rifles when they had a flash sale for 150 bones but I’m not too optimistic about bore condition. I called in and they told me the bores were in poor to fair condition. Guess I’ll find out when it gets to my ffl.
My experience is the same.
I've bought 3 Carcano rifles & a K31.
They were all decent for the price.
Some were dirty but cleaned up great.
I would order again from them but once I get burned that could be it depending on how bad it is. Especially because I have caused NUMEROUS other orders from coworkers going to RTI. So once they burn one of us RTI will lose business from several people in PA.
Imo RTI should 100% tell you WTF the EXACT rifle that you're ordering has right & wrong with it.
You're paying them for a gun! Their time should include an explanation built into it with pics.
I just learned that youtube unsubcribed me from your channel. So im catching back up, ive had 1 dealing with RTI and it was a C Grade Lebel 1886 and I always wanted 1 so i took my gamble just at least getting a cool wall hanger, what surprised me was under ALL the gack and bug and hells knows what else, was a numbers matching with a usable bore!
I just picked up a k31 for $500 from rti. Ive always liked the swiss rifles but ammo cost and rifle cost kept me away. It was the cheapest i could find it and i slowly got equipment to reload for it.
If there’s one thing I’m thankful of it’s the fact they drive down the prices everywhere else.
I’ve bought 13 carcanos and 15 mannlichers from them and have been mostly happy. The one thing I bought from them that I absolutely hated was a Hakim
What about the Hakim?
@@herrcobblermachen Wood looked like a beaver got it, neither handguard present, bore is awful, tons of rust.
@@isthatafamas curious, did you purchase yours when they were $500 or marked down to the $400 that they now reside at? (Assuming you purchased a C grade). I got one in august for the $500
@@64KarmannGhia I got one at 500 which was a huge waste of money
@@isthatafamas dang I’m sorry to hear that. They sound even worse in the c grade description now. I got really lucky and was only missing the front barrel band, and rear sight slider but otherwise complete. Bore came out pretty good though I have not fired it yet. The stock definitely has seen better days and it’s almost like a beaver got mine too. I will be taking to the range this weekend to see what it can do
I got a K11 last month from rti for 450 very nice gun shoots like a dream
I got 2 m38 Carcanos. The barrels was pited but shot OK. My 91 long rifle was a sewer pipe. The Berthier was dirty and they had taken a wire wheel to it but it shoots great. The m95 cabine was decent. I converted 7.62x54R and cast my on bullets. The m95 long rifle had a sewer pipe bore.
I remember good shooter grade Enfields advertised in the ShotGun news back in ‘87. They were going for 200 bucks. 303 ammo was super plentiful. Yup, I’m old.
The good ole days... Roses. 1995. mas 49/56 for $150. Indian 762 Enfield for $125. SKSs werent too much more. I remember TTs and cz52s for around $125- No one would touch them because they shot that weird caliber. When everyone saw the ammo was so cheap it set off that big 762 tokarev rush
I got a minty Longbranch No.4, matching number, Mark1 for 12 bucks from Sears. my first milsurp.
I purchased an Enfield from Interarms around 1995 for $200 and it looked amazing compared to what is being sold today for triple that.
The m48 yugo I bought, the bore looks rough but shoots fantastic. its worn but well worth the money. Hunted some good game with it
Great info, thanks.
This guy deserves to get a good discount from RTI because he probably sells more products for them than any other type of advertising...Howard Hughes once said "Any publicity is good publicity" gets people talking about it
Awesome video RR
Looked at a Lee Speed they offered. Sooooo rough. Could not jump. Good review.
Every time I consider buying from R.T.I. UA-cam brings me to my senses.
Hahaha you should see the Hakim I got off them for $300
But honestly the other 2-3 guns from them luckily had great bores and cleaned up fine. The hakim however has a hollow stock seemingly eaten by bugs or worms loll
I can’t speak for everyone but I bought my M1 Garand in good condition for $1,000 and it was not bad at all. Worked great and the handling/service was great plus the transaction to my FFL shop near me wasn’t an issue. Yes, I admit I noticed their prices on the same have gone up but then again when I bought mine it came from a random lot now they charge by era which makes sense since WWII productions M1s are more sought after than post-war ones. I think it’s up to individual experience and mine was positive. It might not be next time or would be positive again but that’s for the future to determine.
Great review.
RTI lists rifles as "original condition". Does this mean covered with dirt, rust, and cosmoline? What is the number one reason you keep buying from RTI? Thanks for the information. I just placed an order with RTI and already have regrets.
I’ve purchased 9 rifles and 2 bayonets from RTI. No1 Enfield, 2 Manlichers, 4 Carcanos, 1 Calvary Gras, 1 Vetterli conversion. I’m thinking of grabbing another Carcano Calvary carbine. That would make 3 in my collection. I’ve also been toying with the idea of getting a DP Enfield and a C grade from RTI to try and build a shooter. That’s what I did with the first one. I’ve gotten pretty lucky and I’ve done well on the bullet test on all the rifles. Still need to shoot some of them like the Manlichers and the M38 Carcano. The 7.35x51 is a little tough to find like the 8x50r. They all cleaned up pretty nice. Even with my success I’m still skittish though. Can’t find the nerve to buy a M1 Carbine, or any of the other US or high dollar items. Well happy hunting out there. Maybe one day I’ll bite the bullet and get something from Hunters Lodge. 😋🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸😎
I would not ever buy a rifle from RTI for a few reasons.
1. A lot of the rifles seemed overpriced for what they are and especially the condition that a lot of these rifles are in.
2.RTI just seem scummy to me. I know they probably pay pennies on the dollar for these rifles but sometimes charge market value or above, like WTF. Yeah and I know they use excuses like import laws and sanctions and yada yada to justify their prices. I know that stuff cuts into their profit margins, but probably not as much as they want you to believe.
3. Trying to sell these rifles would be a nightmare because immediately someone would notice the big ugly RTI import mark, know it came from the Ethiopian cache, and run for the hills ( these rifles probably are not as bad as their reputation but you can't easily change people's opinions).
I think I will just stick to shows or online. I feel that I can usually find what I'm looking for in better condition and maybe even a better price too. I would more than happy take the gamble if the rifle were cheap but they usually are not anymore.
The part I want to emphasize is his statement about you wanting a specific rifle. I would not be willing to roll the dice for something more than $300 (total with all fees and shipping) that I really wanted, that said, I have purchased one of their cheapest Bolos ($450 total) and a B grade Fusil Gras ($225 total) and been very pleased. The bolo has a bulged barrel and the timing does not quite line up (bent pawl) and the Fusil Gras (B grade) stock was pretty beat up. That said, the revolver revolves and the Fusil Gras will chamber and extract a round. For sitting in my chair watching WWI documentaries (bolo) and a trip or two to the range (FG with a 410 insert) I've not felt like I wasted my money.
Im so thankful I bought most of my surplus 20 years ago. I really miss the prices for what I got.
I picked up a m38 carcano in 7.35. I ordered it as a parts gun to fix another one and once it came in and i cleaned it it was in such good condition i couldnt bring myself to parts it out becuase of how nice the conditon including the bore was.
thanks for another video would love to see more gun cleanings
So far I’ve gotten 3 guns from RTI. The Carcano was an Italian imported gun and in great condition. I also got a Standard Model Mauser that is actually pretty nice and the bore is worn but good for its age. The last is a Yugo 98K that’s a DOU45 and has a great bore and is in great condition.
And to think that they have somewhere in the area of a million more than the government won't let them import
I've bought 3 rifles from RTI now, one M95, one M91/24 carcano, and one M91 Cavalry Carcano. I will say, the majority of their stuff is a crapshoot. Usually shootable, in rough shape, but 90% functional.
That said, the stuff that they have that they know is good, is way overpriced, I get that everyone is fairly overpriced right now, but stuff coming from RTI does not need to be so expensive.
While they are here, if you are interested in German handguns absolutely pick up some of the post-war Walther P38/P1 pistols that are in the market. For $500-600 you will probably never find them at this price again. I'm just trying to let people know since surplus like that will very likely not resurface any time soon or ever again. When a bunch of Chinese SKSs and Mosins came on the market just before covid for around $200- 300 I know a bunch of friends who kicked themselves for not grabbing them when they were available. I grabbed a "water damage crate" Mosin for $100 and aside from some surface rust and cosmoline, it was in great shape and had an excellent bore.
dont know if you know this ir mentioned thos but rti does offer 8x50r loaded ammo recently. but good to see your review as i thought of a carcano(if so prolly be the moschetto you mentioned) or m95 which i noticed skme dud say 8x56r listings.
I got an M1 Carbine from them when they were $899 and almost no one heard of them. That was the best offering they had IMHO.
ive got lucky with RTI only one purchase but i order 3 guns from them i got really lucky with my 8x50r was in really good shape for its age still wired wheeled thou, the other 2 where 6.5 carcano i got a b grade and a c grade, the b grade was great no issue with it just cleaned it up and it was gtg, now my c grade required a good about of work but i restored it after i got all the replacement parts striped the stock and restrained turned out nice for a c grade.
Against my better judgment, I bought a Turkish Mauser from them. I rifle I received was a ball of rust and the stock was severely burned in several places. They graciously allowed me to return the rifle and the replacement they sent me looked better, but the barrel was so corroded that it could not be cleaned. I worked on it for days . When I took it out to shoot it , I fired two rounds and the shell casings split open . Between the horrible barrel and throat erosion, the rifle is useless. I will never buy from them again.
Theyre carcano cavalry carbines and m1 carbines are really nice. I bought 3 ccs for 130$ and all were really nice early 1940s dates
The only Enfield that I have is a brand new Lithgow 22 caliber trainer rifle. It is identical to a 303 except for bore.. I never cared much for the 303 round. I like my M39's and Swedish 96 Mausers the 6.5x55 is a wonderful accurate round.
Just received my 1918 Carcano calvary version from them, i was looking at the $140 one but was too scared to buy it so i chose the $270 and it was a great choice, bore is perfect, barrel decent with very minor pitting, wood is great too though it does stink like hell, but it did come with the classic mold, I've been in the process of restoring it but its come out beautiful, now just trying to hunt down the ammo
RTI benefits from the impatient instant gratification attitude that many people have. They could have operated more fairly by not over-grading rifles, using the industry-standard NRA conditions instead of making up their own system "c grade", no that's called "gunsmith special poor" , not charging 100 bucks to peek at the bore for you, etc. They would have way less horror stories floating around, less complaints and bad reviews (which they usually delete anyway).
It really didn't have to be such a dice roll if they were simply HONEST out the gate.
95% of what they brought in would be graded poor, some fair here and there, and a few gems mixed in that may try to sneak into the "good" category.
Check description usually they have resized or re-bored rifle to different calibers
Thanks!
So far from the 5 rifles that I have purchased from them (c grade) all turned out with good bore and good functioning rifle (definately not mint - but totally workable after you put some time and effect to it).
I paid for an A-grade "shootable" Lebel. They sent me a rifle with a welded barrel. Not only was it straight up false advertising, but it's also dangerous. If someone didn't check the barrel before taking it to the range (which they should), it would've blown up in their face. I will never give RTI another dollar for that reason. They clearly don't check what they send.
RTI is the current “Atlanta Cutlery”. They selected the worst of the worst and are pricing it higher than other retailers all under the guise of “history”.
2 out of 4 enfields i got from them had trashed bores. I got a really nice m1 carbine and an ethiopian contract czech with a beautiful bore.
I like you to make about 10 purchases from Hunters Lodge and do a video on you many experiences, They make RTI look like Gem condition.😆
I have purchased 4 Carcano rifles and carbines. All were good except for the long rifle which probably could shoot a 7mm bullet down the barrel.
The best one I paid $349.00 for a 91/24 which was dated 1897 and was heavily pictured in their antique section. After your review, I think I might buy an M1 carbine when they go on sale again.
With todays prices, let me simply suggest this,- buy a special sale priced piece of crap from them, take it apart, and replace the bad stuff with parts from eBay.....it probably will cost you about what a good one would have cost to buy in the end, but, if you really want a certain model of rifle, buying the restoration parts is equivalent to making payments....and youve the benefit of knowing its been repaired correctly,and safely
I have ordered plenty from RTI, and I think a lot of times it’s 50-50, especially for bore. Most of the stuff I buy is on flash sales because I think it’s too expensive for what they have. Especially considering the condition. I just picked up a Mauser yesterday and I think it’s my first Mauser from them and the bore is completely smooth or the last 6-7 inches, so that kind of makes sense with the 8 mm theory. Most of the antiques I got have been good.
I've probably got about 10 guns from them over the years, and while it's a 50/50 crap shoot, and my experience matches those odds, I'm not incredibly disappointed, even if I don't get something with a good bore. My number one gripe with them is that they need to take the wire wheels away from the Ethiopians packing the guns up for shipment. I'll bet that most of those guns could have been converted and conserved if not for the damn wire wheeling. Offer them as untouched relics like IMA did with the Nepal cache.
Those future engineers and scientists know what they're doing!
@@bitterdeputy900 I see what you did there.
Great video
I got a K 98 restored with hand select bore from rti and it was not worth it. They refinished it right over the dirt and grime. The bolt release was so full of grit that it wouldn’t even close all the way.
just picked up a 1916 BSA Enfield b grade and am pretty happy with it everything functional decent shape dirty but ill work on that barrel is original and looks worn but still leaves a light quarter inch heavy 8th of a bullet visible with the bullet test. cant wait to get it on paper to see if she key holes
Got a c grade smle it was from 1908 and turned out to have a cracked bore and bulged barrel
I scored a Graw in a pawn shop. Excellent bore. I just could not find any ammo🙄
You forgot one of the best condition rifles they have. The vetterlis are in pretty good shape. Of course still a dice roll but most of them have a good bore and great bluing
You have to consider they have the market . Also the selection varies greatly and when you control the market and the selection its alway a crap shoot. Buyer beware.
I bought a Carcano from PSA a few years ago, it was dirty as hell but in fairly decent shape (bore was good too!). Unfortunately, I don’t believe they carry them anymore.
Was going to get a cz52 figured it wouldn't be shot out. Ending up winning one on GunBroker and saving money on parts.
Quality content
I got a B grade lebel in c grade condition, and c grade enfield that were both horrible draws. However I got an awesome c grade lebel and a c grade hakim. Just ordered a Carcano Calvary carbine so I’m excited for that
Howd the Hakim turn out?
@@herrcobblermachen turned out pretty good. There was some rusting so I have stripped it down then boiled all parts, carded, and finished off with oiling to preserve the finish. There is bluing wear but it’s not in the white. Stock has many dings and dents in it and needs some cracks repaired on the hanguard so I got lucky to not receive one with the stock cut. Only parts missing were front barrel band which I sourced already and the rear sight adjustment which unfortunately I have not been able to find. Bore is decent with lands and grooves present and is shiny after cleaning
@@64KarmannGhia Sounds exactly like mine. Missing the front band, the rear band retainer, extractor and spring. Stock beat up pretty good all over, but intact! handguard has a crack. I feel pretty lucky about mine too. hakimparts as the rear sight slider adjustment pieces except the slide itself. I saw one somewhere, lemme look.
@@herrcobblermachen nice! Sounds like you did pretty good. My stock is rather quite beat to but we’re lucky to have them intact because they are really hard to come by. I got my for $500 in August I believe when they listed them. I see they lowered them to $400 now but I bet they are more bottom of barrel.. yeah unfortunately I am missing the whole rear sight adjustment. But other than that I’m complete, I even sourced a bayonet at a gun show recently for $95 so pretty excited about that. Got one of the repro mags but if I can find an original decently priced I’ll pick one up. Apex has NOS barrels so I’m gonna order one of those. I don’t think I need one but in case it will be really nice to have or if I pick up another
@@64KarmannGhia What a steal on that bayo! yeah i picked mine up recently at 400. They went out of stock, and then a few days later same price, but, the overall condition went from fair to "poor to fair" and they dont guarantee its functional, so I assume its missing key components. Id like to see what they're like now, but like you said, surely these are deeper from the bottom of the barrel. Are the repo mags alright? thought about getting an original mag body and swapping in the parts for a slightly more authentic look. RTi is selling hakim mags but they're like 200+, it makes me alittle bitter yknow, if you sell the rifles without mags, but you have mags.. ... Yes, 100% on the apex barrels. Might as well pick one up and lay it back being new.
Classic is pretty similar in the whole "casino" aspect. I am of the opinion physically buying milsurp stuff is preferable to doing it online, unless it is an extremely good deal you are willing to gamble on.
I rolled the dice on one of their 70/87/15 vetterlis last month. Im hoping it turns out to have been a good risk to take
It's too easy to just click and type in numbers .That's how you get stuck with junkers. Save your money and shop around for something you can check before buying.
I really like your programs.
Gave ya a thumbs up but I'm done with RTI.... Still looking for parts just to keyhole, smh.
Did you get one of the $150 enfields when they were on sale earlier this week?
I bought a fair number of stuff from RTI, Id say its generally not worth it unless its something rare like the Mannlicher 1888/90 or stuff that is still in austrian 8x50R. Never ever get the hand select option! HS is BS! (the first 1888/90 I got with hand select came with a bulged barrel).
After firing the B Grade P14 how does the bore look ?? As well as you hoped ?
I was considered buying a k11 or k31 from rti but now I'm unsure about it has anyone had any experience with buying those specific rifles from them. they seem to be in good shape but I'm unsure about the price and customer service.
You never mention in any of your videos about Egyptian Hakim, do you have one in your collection.?
no wonder the 303 are in sad conditions reason PRIMERS used , BERNADINE TYPE TWIN FLASH HOLE, when they were in Issue with military we had to wash the bore with hot boiling water then use the usual cleaning procedure required by the AU Military ,if from Africa suspect if that procedure was carried out
The thing going for corrosive Berdan primers is they have an extremely long shelf life. Militarys don't care about reloading brass. They just want the round to fire when the trigger is pulled. Corrosive ammo is one of the reasons that chrome-lined barrels are commonly used in military rifles.
Ive got an m48BO from even when listed as very good condition. Still requires 4hrs of cleaning. Great shooter tho
I've been very lucky with every gun I got from RTI...