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

Oldcarjunkie · Oct 4, 2014

Buy the most expensive one you can afford at that time. It will only go up higher if you dont.

Bob A · Oct 4, 2014

Docster said:
It's not choice, only PRIORITIZATION

Exactly. Also opportunity.

I consider myself a selective bottom-feeder; with a huge list of potential purchases, I lurk around looking for nice examples of stuff I want. Evntually a good one swims into view, and I try for it. Most often, someone else wants it more than I do, but I score often enough to keep my bank balance low.

I've found that sometimes people chase a given firearm, and the market starts to draw items out of owners' closets; once the guys who are really hungry for the item have made their scores, a nice example appears, and the usual suspects are either broke or happy with the one they scored, and it falls to my bid.

I'll give you a very helpful bit of online auction advice: pictures are worth a thousand words . . . always carefully examine the last picture before making a decision, because that's the one with the ugly bits.

Melnic · Oct 4, 2014

Yoda says "buy or buy not, there is no Choose"
You may only debate which comes before the other

Machodoc · Oct 4, 2014

Bob A said:
Exactly. Also opportunity.

I consider myself a selective bottom-feeder; with a huge list of potential purchases, I lurk around looking for nice examples of stuff I want.

^^^ This. I'd roughly estimate that only about 40% of the C&Rs that I buy are ones that I specifically searched for (bought on GB or through one of the large online dealers). The majority have been ones that I've found while visiting auctions, LGSs, gun shows, and (rarely ... VERY rarely) pawn shops.

jimbobborg · Oct 6, 2014

Pick a type or two and stick with that plan, or you will be broke. I wanted Czechoslovakian rifles and SMLEs, I have three of the first and five of the second. I still need about three more of the VZs and at least two more of the SMLEs to be happy.

cantstop · Oct 6, 2014

I usually buy the gun I didn't know I needed, but was too good of a deal to pass up.

Bob A · Oct 6, 2014

cantstop said:
I usually buy the gun I didn't know I needed, but was too good of a deal to pass up.

Yeah, I've got a safe full of those.

Bertfish · Oct 6, 2014

Bob A said:
Yeah, I've got a safe full of those.

Find something in 9mm and offload it to me

Machodoc · Oct 6, 2014

jimbobborg said:
Pick a type or two and stick with that plan, or you will be broke. I wanted Czechoslovakian rifles and SMLEs, I have three of the first and five of the second. I still need about three more of the VZs and at least two more of the SMLEs to be happy.

First of all, you'll be broke any way you look at it, so disregard that part of jimbobborg's advice.

Other than that, having a theme that you want to build on is a great approach. After all, that's what defines a "collection". The items have something in common.

What happens, though, is you find that you start developing multiple themes. For example, say you decide that you want a collection of South and Central American firearms, so you start learning about and buying them. Then you realize that nearly all of the long rifles you are buying are Mausers, so you start buying Mausers from countries in other parts of the world ... and then you realize that almost EVERYONE had Mausers at one time in their history!

Laddertowr · Oct 6, 2014

I had a plan when I started out ... now I have 3 or 4 plans

cantstop · Oct 7, 2014

Laddertowr said:
I had a plan when I started out ... now I have 3 or 4 plans

What is this "plan" I hear of? Some sort of Finnish Mosin?

yellowsled · Oct 7, 2014

My policy is just to buy at least one of everything. Buy in bulk if the price is reduced.

Bertfish · Oct 7, 2014

I need to keep an eye out for one of the 308 caliber FN49s. Love the look of that gun

I'm going to end up with a Star Model B, I just know it. Price point is right and I am a sucker for 1911-style pistols

rdc · Oct 7, 2014

Bertfish said:
I need to keep an eye out for one of the 308 caliber FN49s. Love the look of that gun

I'm going to end up with a Star Model B, I just know it. Price point is right and I am a sucker for 1911-style pistols

I got one recently and was plesantly surprised how much I like it. I let my buddy who doesn't like anything shoot it and he loved it. Plus it's 9mm not an "odd" or expensive caliber.

smdub · Oct 7, 2014

Bertfish said:
I need to keep an eye out for one of the 308 caliber FN49s. Love the look of that gun

I bought the Argentine FN49 (thats the 308 version) in the classifieds from Perrin about a month ago. After THOROUGHLY cleaning it, steaming out a ton of dents and re-applying tung oil to the stock its fairly nice. The stock had really lived a hard life but was all numbers matching. The recoil springs were bent (common from not paying attention when you put it back together) so I had to get new ones from Numrich. I think thats where I got the extra mags from too. I've only had it out once but was nice to shoot and dial in the gas block. Had folks ask if it was a M1A.

I like big calibers and think a MAS49/56 and then maybe a Hakim are next on the list.

Abulg1972 · Oct 7, 2014

smdub said:
I bought the Argentine FN49 (thats the 308 version) in the classifieds from Perrin about a month ago. After THOROUGHLY cleaning it, steaming out a ton of dents and re-applying tung oil to the stock its fairly nice. The stock had really lived a hard life but was all numbers matching. The recoil springs were bent (common from not paying attention when you put it back together) so I had to get new ones from Numrich. I think thats where I got the extra mags from too. I've only had it out once but was nice to shoot and dial in the gas block. Had folks ask if it was a M1A.

I like big calibers and think a MAS49/56 and then maybe a Hakim are next on the list.

How exactly do you steam out a dent? I read about this all the time but no one says how it's done. I received a VKT M39 tonight and it has one if the nicest stocks (fit and finish-wise) of all my M39s, but it does have one major ding on the butt that's making me angry.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bertfish · Oct 7, 2014

smdub said:
I bought the Argentine FN49 (thats the 308 version) in the classifieds from Perrin about a month ago. After THOROUGHLY cleaning it, steaming out a ton of dents and re-applying tung oil to the stock its fairly nice. The stock had really lived a hard life but was all numbers matching. The recoil springs were bent (common from not paying attention when you put it back together) so I had to get new ones from Numrich. I think thats where I got the extra mags from too. I've only had it out once but was nice to shoot and dial in the gas block. Had folks ask if it was a M1A.

I like big calibers and think a MAS49/56 and then maybe a Hakim are next on the list.

Wow, I missed the boat on that one. Lucky dog

smdub · Oct 7, 2014

Abulg1972 said:
How exactly do you steam out a dent? I read about this all the time but no one says how it's done. I received a VKT M39 tonight and it has one if the nicest stocks (fit and finish-wise) of all my M39s, but it does have one major ding on the butt that's making me angry.

Its as simple as it sounds. It helps if there isn't much finish on it so it will absorb water but any dent will have cracked the finish and some will seep in anyway. Get a wet cotton rag (paper towel works too.) Not dripping wet. Lay it on the dent and try to get the wood wet so sometimes helps to leave it there for a few minutes. Steal the wife's iron

and set it on good-and-hot. Leave the rag on top of the wood and apply a iron to the rag over the dent to create steam for a couple seconds. Have to apply a little pressure to transfer the heat to the wood too but you don't have to mash it. Wood is just a bunch of 'straws'. If dented, when the steam vaporizes the pressure will try to straighten them. It works better w/ dents that haven't split/cut the fibers. Repeat until it stops getting better. As long as you have a wet rag and are producing steam you shouldn't be burning the wood.

Water can raise the grain a little so you may have to VERY lightly sand to knock those back down. Then reapply the finish if needed.

I have a pair of consecutive Kimber 82Gs w/o the stock scratches and one got knocked putting a dent in the grip right where your fingers touch it. I was madder than hell at myself. But steamed it out and now isn't even visible.

The FN49 I prob got dozens completely out and shrink the big ones in half or better. But there is still only so much you can do w/o sanding and I didn't want to do that.

ken792 · Oct 7, 2014

Abulg1972 said:
How exactly do you steam out a dent? I read about this all the time but no one says how it's done. I received a VKT M39 tonight and it has one if the nicest stocks (fit and finish-wise) of all my M39s, but it does have one major ding on the butt that's making me angry.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pouring boiling water out of a kettle right off the stove also works great for lifting out dents and cleaning the wood at the same time. It will probably wash the finish off and mess up cartouches though, so keep that in mind. I generally do that for USGI wood that's dirty and dented. So far I haven't hurt any of my cartouches, though preserving them was secondary to getting the dents out.

tsmith1499 · Oct 7, 2014

After 39 posts I still don't understand the question.....................

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

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