How the heck do you all choose which C$R gun to buy?

Bertfish · Oct 4, 2014

Seriously, the list of wants keeps growing for me. I looked at some stuff at the Oaks Gun Show today and now I'm feverishly reading up on different firearms.

Current candidates:

Another FN49 (love my Egyptian one)

Hi-Power (I like this one http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=444852111, can anyone comment and school me some on older Hi-Power pistols?

L-35 Lahti (I believe somd_mustangs had a post about one he sold a while back and I love the look)

Polish Radom (still trying to understand all of the varients and their respective values)

Star Model B (seems like a lot of folks on here are scooping up the ones from J&G and I'm a sucker for 1911-style pistols. Doesn't hurt that they are cheap either)

reverendbeer · Oct 4, 2014

Bertfish said:
Seriously, the list of wants keeps growing for me. I looked at some stuff at the Oaks Gun Show today and now I'm feverishly reading up on different firearms.

Choose which to buy? I don't understand the question.

Bertfish · Oct 4, 2014

reverendbeer said:
Choose which to buy? I don't understand the question.

Guess I could just spread them out

Brychan · Oct 4, 2014

What is this chose you speak of, I no understand.

ibanez_rocker06 · Oct 4, 2014

I've had my C&R for a few months now and since I'm back to work I can finally use it to buy something and boy is it a nightmare. For weeks I was debating whether to start with a rifle or handgun. After I finally decided on a handgun I had the daunting task of deciding what to get. For days I struggled to narrow down the list until deciding between a Tok and a P64 and finally picking up a P64 from Classic, now just waiting for it to deliver. On the bright side, with that one in the bag, picking another C&R will be slightly easier for next time.

somd_mustangs · Oct 4, 2014

I had an M/40 Lahti. Selling it was one of the more boneheaded decisions I've made. But the only way I can get new toys is to sell some old ones. The Lahti was just too cumbersome for my little girly hands.

The BHP you referenced is a good one. You can find refurb'd/import BHP's cheaper but this one will hold/increase value and be fun too. MR ROCK is an interesting guy, knows his stuff and has honest descriptions - usually what you get is better than described/expected. He uses a filter on his pics that brings out the finish flaws - in person the gun will look nicer. That BHP looks to be at least 95% (oye, now I see that's what he says too). I had looked at it when it first came up and really liked it, but can't do much about it right now.

Coincidentally he also has one of the best MBA Gyrojet collections in the world

Back to original question, for me I've always loved the Browning designs and WWII stuff so early Colt semi's seemed a good place to start. Prices have almost doubled in recent past though. Best thing is to determine what you want - investment pieces, just go out and shoot 'em guns, stuff that just seems interesting to you, etc. Often those are at cross-purposes. If you don't care as much about investment value and just want to have fun it's a hell of a lot cheaper. But it's a fluid hobby, do what makes you feel good

Pretoria78 · Oct 4, 2014

I'd get the Radom.

somd_mustangs · Oct 4, 2014

Many models of Radom - are we talking WW2 Radom P.35? The pre-war Polish Eagle vz35 are very expensive. WW2-era "nazi" P.35's are running $800+ nowadays (depending on variation) and you have to be careful that the recoil assembly isn't boogered up, & that you have original mag and grips. As an investment gun a good one is worth getting, they've been under-valued compared to contemporary WW2 1911's/Lugers etc.

j8064 · Oct 4, 2014

This "choose" concept has me baffled. The idea must have roots in Mosins. In C&R world Mosins choose you...
:innocent0

ken792 · Oct 4, 2014

If it's an M1 Garand, then you should buy it.

FN switched Hi Powers to external extractors in 1962, so all internal extractor Hi Powers (at least if the frames are original), are C&R. After that, you'll have to go by the serial number. The thing you want to be careful about with internal extractor Hi Powers is that if you break the extractor, it's not going to be a cheap fix. The cheapest extractors I've seen were 45 Euros.

Bertfish · Oct 4, 2014

somd_mustangs said:
Many models of Radom - are we talking WW2 Radom P.35? The pre-war Polish Eagle vz35 are very expensive. WW2-era "nazi" P.35's are running $800+ nowadays (depending on variation) and you have to be careful that the recoil assembly isn't boogered up, & that you have original mag and grips. As an investment gun a good one is worth getting, they've been under-valued compared to contemporary WW2 1911's/Lugers etc.

I know there are many models. Looks like pre-war, Nazi-capture, then three variants produced under Nazi control. Need to research a lot more before I dive in

ken792 said:
If it's an M1 Garand, then you should buy it.

FN switched Hi Powers to external extractors in 1962, so all internal extractor Hi Powers (at least if the frames are original), are C&R. After that, you'll have to go by the serial number. The thing you want to be careful about with internal extractor Hi Powers is that if you break the extractor, it's not going to be a cheap fix. The cheapest extractors I've seen were 45 Euros.

You can't get the internal extractors in the US?

somd_mustangs · Oct 4, 2014

Also bear in mind late war HP's had hand-fitted parts. You'd probably need some skilled gunsmithing. I personally wouldn't recommend shooting a Waffenamt'd HP (i.e. made under German reign) anyway.

Bertfish · Oct 4, 2014

IIRC the one I looked at was post-war. I assume by then they had gone away from the hand fitted components?

somd_mustangs · Oct 4, 2014

Bertfish said:
I know there are many models. Looks like pre-war, Nazi-capture, then three variants produced under Nazi control. Need to research a lot more before I dive in

I wasn't sure if you meant Radom TT's, P64's, etc...

"Buy books before guns" - this is an excellent book on the vz35/P35

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VIS-RADOM-P...476?pt=US_Nonfiction_Book&hash=item1c45cd9dd4

For the P.35 keep in mind that an original mag runs $150-250 and grips $100-150 so it's important that they are present and in good shape. Special ones, like late phosphate mags, are practically unobtanium. Same with the late war wood grips. They're cool guns.

Machodoc · Oct 4, 2014

Try to figure out first which ones are likely to not be available soon, and which are priced low for the quality. The Vz. 82s were in both groups for a couple of years, but now that seems to be ending.

somd_mustangs · Oct 4, 2014

Bertfish said:
IIRC the one I looked at was post-war. I assume by then they had gone away from the hand fitted components?

The one from MR ROCK is post-war. I think things had gotten back to a more normal high-quality production by then (and no more sabotage by forced-laborers). That one has a nice high-polish finish as opposed to the crude stuff at the end of the war, and I'd bet it's in great shape.

ma_deuce · Oct 4, 2014

somd_mustangs said:
Also bear in mind late war HP's had hand-fitted parts. You'd probably need some skilled gunsmithing. I personally wouldn't recommend shooting a Waffenamt'd HP (i.e. made under German reign) anyway.

True enough for late-war HPs. My personal rule is don't buy a war-time HP w/o the mag disconnect pin hole as a shooter. (Not for want of the mag disconnect, but for what it says about period cost-cutting.) However, OP's picture-posted HP appears to be early post-war, just as the description says, and a pretty nice specimen. My advice to him would be to buy it, if he wants it. Just be aware that replacement parts for the internal extractor assembly are somewhat hard to come by. If you can find one or two on the parts market, it might pay to get them and keep them on hand.

ken792 · Oct 4, 2014

Bertfish said:
I know there are many models. Looks like pre-war, Nazi-capture, then three variants produced under Nazi control. Need to research a lot more before I dive in

You can't get the internal extractors in the US?

I believe Numrich once had some made, but they didn't quite work. I've seen a few original internal extractors at $80-150 on Gunbroker.

ibanez320dx · Oct 4, 2014

This is why I haven't applied for a C&R yet. I want one but I know my wallet and GF would kill me. It's been a few months since I bought a gun or gun related stuff. Im kinda proud but annoyed at the same time.... I'm going through withdraw.

Docster · Oct 4, 2014

It's not choice, only PRIORITIZATION :lol2:

How the heck do you all choose which C$R gun to buy?

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