I keep reminding myself of inflation, the relative minimum wage, etc. when I see those $9.95 M93 Mausers and those $19.00 Astras. And the variety! A mid '50s ad had complete set of French long guns from muskets to MAS 36.Another ad had Henrys, Spencers, and Sharps located in some Central American armory.Lots of guns from Spanish Civil War, including Mausers, "Mexicanskis"(Moisen-Nagants), & scrubbed Polish Kar98az variants.I have hundreds of old catalogues & magazines '40s-70'swith these ads
I remember those catalogs. Oh what a guy could of bought! Looking back on those days I was struggling through college and could not afford it anyways :) This video brings back memories.
I have some American Rifleman magazines from the 1950's and the surplus ads are probably the most interesting content in them. No doubt there is a lot of interesting stuff floating around out there from those days.
@Rivieratime I have some 1940's shooters bibles and they are pretty interesting. I'm still kicking myself for passing on an old ratty Bannerman catalogue a few years ago. Bannerman's was simply amazing, If I had a time machine I would go back and visit that place!
I've only heard stories about the wonders of years past. Not only were there lots of "older" surplus, but modern G3 and FAL surplus rifles that were permanatly converted to semi. I wish I was able to purchase firearms back then.
P&S Militaria sometimes has a good selection, Lever Arms Service sometimes has the odd surplus item, but mostly it is best to frequently visit every dealer near you, hit all the gun shows and watch the on line sites lit Canadian Gun Nutz.
Color me guilty as one of those dealers with the tables and tables of this stuff for sale. Most of the surplus coming in was in doggy, doggy shape but there were some major gems in the lots! My fondest memories are of the Mklll SMLE', #4Mk1s and #4Mkll Enfields. Some came in as new from rebuild and were gorgeous! All could be easily sold at $200 or less and still realize a profit! You could buy ammo for those Hungarian straight pull rifles for $1.99 dealer per 15 rounds clipped. Remarkable times
The stuff we could get here in Canada was pretty impressive in the 1970, 80's and early 90's, and the prices were good. Not much in the way of Henry's and Spencer's though!
I wish someone like Mowbrey, Scarlata, or Cornell Publications would reprint these ads. Surely after almost 60 years, the copyright and other issue would be irrelevant.The "Ye Olde Hunter" ads(Sam Cummings company, Interarms) had to be the most amusing.The most mysterious ads were the S&D Bookstore from '60s that had the most unique offerings (Luxemborg Mausers in 1,2 & 3 digit selections)
@MegaMonkeyChunk At one time there were many machine guns and submachine-guns available which had been converted to either semi-auto or single shot. But the laws got changed and the imports of those was no longer allowed.
My cousin bought a Mosin Nagant 91-30 at a local hardware store back in the 60's for $17. I haven't seen it for years, but he still owns it and is going to bring it over some time. I am very curious to see what he got for his $17.
@logcabinlooms He probably got a pretty nice rifle for $17. One of my $29 M91's was in excellent condition, back then they were cheap because everybody thought they were "Russian junk". The cold war warped many people and their attitude to anything made in the USSR.
@esh325 I think the majority of the importable surplus out there has been either sold off or destroyed. What remains will be in smaller quantities and of higher prices. Quality surplus guns are a good investment, IMO.
@314299 I wish I would have had the money that I have now. Especially at those prices! Oh well the education was worth it........ I think :) Thanks for the video. Folks like you and I are few and far between.
Gun Control Act of 1968, in response to the Black urban riots,stopped a good deal of surplus imports and limited sales in US.(Democrats feared cheap easy access to military type guns by urban minorities, hence law, despite fact most milsurp was obsolete.)Hey day was about 1955 to 1968.Should post vid with some of these old ads.Stuff out there in sheds, attics, basements and closets, awaiting the appreciative collector fearing the "gun buy back" where an unknowing descendant will sell for $50
I keep reminding myself of inflation, the relative minimum wage, etc. when I see those $9.95 M93 Mausers and those $19.00 Astras. And the variety! A mid '50s ad had complete set of French long guns from muskets to MAS 36.Another ad had Henrys, Spencers, and Sharps located in some Central American armory.Lots of guns from Spanish Civil War, including Mausers, "Mexicanskis"(Moisen-Nagants), & scrubbed Polish Kar98az variants.I have hundreds of old catalogues & magazines '40s-70'swith these ads
Oh, Star in the catalogue. Cheers from Spain.
I remember those catalogs. Oh what a guy could of bought! Looking back on those days I was struggling through college and could not afford it anyways :) This video brings back memories.
I have some American Rifleman magazines from the 1950's and the surplus ads are probably the most interesting content in them. No doubt there is a lot of interesting stuff floating around out there from those days.
@Rivieratime I have some 1940's shooters bibles and they are pretty interesting. I'm still kicking myself for passing on an old ratty Bannerman catalogue a few years ago. Bannerman's was simply amazing, If I had a time machine I would go back and visit that place!
I love the old American Riflemans, Guns,Shooting Times, etc. from 1952-1968. The milsurp ads are fabulous.
I've only heard stories about the wonders of years past. Not only were there lots of "older" surplus, but modern G3 and FAL surplus rifles that were permanatly converted to semi. I wish I was able to purchase firearms back then.
That would make an interesting booklet.
P&S Militaria sometimes has a good selection, Lever Arms Service sometimes has the odd surplus item, but mostly it is best to frequently visit every dealer near you, hit all the gun shows and watch the on line sites lit Canadian Gun Nutz.
@Gungeek The older catalogs are even better!
@Swarm509 I think my Garand cost me $269. The ones in this edition of the Catalogue are the leftover junkers which is why they were cheap.
Color me guilty as one of those dealers with the tables and tables of this stuff for sale.
Most of the surplus coming in was in doggy, doggy shape but there were some major gems in the lots!
My fondest memories are of the Mklll SMLE', #4Mk1s and #4Mkll Enfields. Some came in as new from rebuild and were gorgeous! All could be easily sold at $200 or less and still realize a profit! You could buy ammo for those Hungarian straight pull rifles for $1.99 dealer per 15 rounds clipped. Remarkable times
The stuff we could get here in Canada was pretty impressive in the 1970, 80's and early 90's, and the prices were good. Not much in the way of Henry's and Spencer's though!
No wonder my Dad had a fit when I told him how much a M1 Garand costs these days... Both of us wish he had picked up one or two.
I wish someone like Mowbrey, Scarlata, or Cornell Publications would reprint these ads. Surely after almost 60 years, the copyright and other issue would be irrelevant.The "Ye Olde Hunter" ads(Sam Cummings company, Interarms) had to be the most amusing.The most mysterious ads were the S&D Bookstore from '60s that had the most unique offerings (Luxemborg Mausers in 1,2 & 3 digit selections)
@M1CHAZZ Yep, the days of surplus guns cheap and in quantity are pretty much over.
@MegaMonkeyChunk At one time there were many machine guns and submachine-guns available which had been converted to either semi-auto or single shot. But the laws got changed and the imports of those was no longer allowed.
I bought a Irish Enfield from these guys...was new lol.
I have this catalogue and several
Others from century
@onmilo It certainly would have been fun to be in a position to pick over all that stuff!
Too bad I didn't have more cash when this was still a current catalog!
I got a Fn FAl sporter for 198 bucks in about 1992 from Century Arms
@WolfNewark That would be a huge one to change.
@M1CHAZZ I Don't think I've ever seen one of those in person, but I've seen pictures of them online.
My cousin bought a Mosin Nagant 91-30 at a local hardware store back in the 60's for $17. I haven't seen it for years, but he still owns it and is going to bring it over some time. I am very curious to see what he got for his $17.
The price for a gun back then is now only enough for shipping. What a change
Yes, that's what inflation does to our purchasing power.
@logcabinlooms He probably got a pretty nice rifle for $17. One of my $29 M91's was in excellent condition, back then they were cheap because everybody thought they were "Russian junk". The cold war warped many people and their attitude to anything made in the USSR.
@DaShnipa We need to keep reminding them who paid the bills to get them where they are.
@esh325 I think the majority of the importable surplus out there has been either sold off or destroyed. What remains will be in smaller quantities and of higher prices. Quality surplus guns are a good investment, IMO.
That is amazing. Too bad I missed the boat!~
F./
@WolfNewark It would help if we all called or wrote our MP to remind them that the firearms act need to be replaced with a better, simpler law.
@Rivieratime Of course the big question is does he still have those rifles?
@ShawnCFarm I remember those - they had the plastic thumbhole butt stock?
@MegaMonkeyChunk I dont think they sold many of those as I've never come across one.
@MrXFIELD Wow! That was a deal!
@ALAPINO Apparently I don't throw out anything gun related. I wonder does that make me a collector or a hoarder?
@forrestry Sometimes things like education, food and rent get in the way of whats really important!
@onmilo I wish I had more money back then, I would have bought more of that stuff!
@SamEEE12 Indeed it is.
@314299 Yes it did. It hurt the thumb after awhile. Just a few years ago they mad me sell it because I let my rpal go when I had kids.
Many of the p-09 & p-38 at this time came from the former E Germany. They rebuilt them. remeber the dark black finish & plastic grips
went on the century web site. Mostly modern AR-15 & current mfg ammo. Mossin nagants only
@ALAPINO Well I'm surely a bit of both too!
13:25
CHinese Type 53? If only those were still available.
@314299 It was indeed. I should have kept more than I did but was selling the stuff as fast as I could get it in. Shinein' times I tell ya! :-)
@odinn62 My local dealer had them for $180 this year.
OH I was in tears but not because of bordom.
Now if you'll excuse me I got to get back to installing a Flux capacitor in a Bricklin!
@goddaor Sounds like a good deal.
@MrXFIELD I'd take a dozen of those M27 Mosin's!
Any advice for Canadian's looking for surplus. I know of Marstar, Tradeexcanada and SFRC, but are there any other good ones?
Frank
@314299 Thats definitely doable. What do you think it would take to get some carry laws going?
@314299 I wish I would have had the money that I have now. Especially at those prices! Oh well the education was worth it........ I think :) Thanks for the video. Folks like you and I are few and far between.
I just picked up a 1931 91/30 for 109
My heart aches.
Ah hindsight has 20/20 vision thats for sure.
And the prices in those ads are super cheap!
Do you have a listing on gun grips for a buntline scout 22 cal.?
Sorry, I don't understand the question.
@josefcrist Conservatives said they'd scrap it, I'm sitting and waiting.
@canhuntincanuck When you get that sorted out give me a call we can go on a road trip - I'll pay for the fuel!
@314299 your on !
Where can I find a copy of this catalog?
I have no idea.
Well, it was worth a try. Thanks anyways though.
Gun Control Act of 1968, in response to the Black urban riots,stopped a good deal of surplus imports and limited sales in US.(Democrats feared cheap easy access to military type guns by urban minorities, hence law, despite fact most milsurp was obsolete.)Hey day was about 1955 to 1968.Should post vid with some of these old ads.Stuff out there in sheds, attics, basements and closets, awaiting the appreciative collector fearing the "gun buy back" where an unknowing descendant will sell for $50
Well time for Canadians to get out and vote to change the firearm laws.
Shame my loser family had no clues about guns when i was in high School in 95
How do we get back to that? Canada blows these days. Can the conservatives fix this?