C&R Aquisitions of 2017 and those you said good bye to

[Melnic]

I hate going through this exercise because it makes me realize how much I spent.

INVESTED!!!!

 

[Melnic]

Better than normal year for me, but probably the first in 30 yrs with no Enfield additions to the fold.
The only loss, most heartbreaking, was of my longtime avatar Tucker. And the best addition to the household was my new avatar Bucky (in the doghouse tonight for eating my nice warm slippers).
The long and short of 2017...
French Navy FN 1922
Dutch Army FN 1922
Nambu Type 94 Rig
SCW Remington Mosin Nagant M91
Winchester Lee Navy Musket
Winchester 1907SL
Australian Webley MKVI
Colt Woodsman Match Target, 1st Series
Colt Woodsman Target, 1st Series
US Marked Winchester 75 trainer
Gustloff KKW trainer
Remington 81
Smith Corona 1903A3 (this only took over 10 yrs to find!)
H&R Model 65
SCW(?) Lebel 1886
Winchester Winder Musket (another looong search closed)
US Marked Mossberg 44
Papa Nambu
Wartime Commercial Mauser HSc

Who here would NOT want to see the entire Mawkie Collection?

I think you could host your own firearms collection museum. If only everyone here had a day and you could just bring stuff out one at a time and tell a 10 minute story on each and its history. That would be a day well invested.

Nice qualify stuff you get!

And of course, your not the only one here who buys the nice quality stuff either. I don't' want to sell others short.

 

[somd_mustangs]

OK... so the next question...

Who was the first to bang out a new C&R purchase in 2018?

just closed yesterday on a consecutive pair of Manurhin P-1's...
there's two different slide markings for these, and this pair has one of each which is pretty cool.

 

[somd_mustangs]

.derpitude. double post, and you can't delete anymore...

 

[NCtoMD]

Where do you guys source these things? I have a c&r but haven’t bought anything yet because stuff seems hard to find (or questionable condition) from classic, aim surplus, etc.

Is there a good place to keep an eye on? Gunbroker?

 

[Melnic]

Where do you guys source these things? I have a c&r but haven’t bought anything yet because stuff seems hard to find (or questionable condition) from classic, aim surplus, etc.

Is there a good place to keep an eye on? Gunbroker?

Very little is easily browsed and thrown into a shopping cart and purchased anymore. 5 years ago Mosin Snipers were at AIM for many months before they sold out.
Out of state Gunshows (Chantilly, anywhere in PA)
Gunbroker

Mawkie and some others will go to auctions and I think Estate sales. The good stuff they find take time and research. All part of the hobby. Good stuff does not come easy. Myself, I try to research things but I"m also an opportunist buyer. (look at OldCarJunkie's purchases for opportunist buyer)

 

[somd_mustangs]

Finding/purchasing really depends on what your goals are... shooter, collector, etc.
As Melnic says - you typically have to work hard to dig out good collector-grade stuff nowadays,
or buy from a reputable dealer who does that for you
There's a lot of over-priced crap on GB, auction arms, etc but there are also some gems -
it takes knowledge, time and patience, and not a little bit of luck to ferret those out (same could be said of shows as well).

Shooter-grade surplus isn't really my thing so not sure where good reliable sources are for those,
although lots of it on GB - but you really need to know what you're doing to avoid the screwage.

The over-arching theme is... knowledge is power.
Buy books, go to specialty forums, ask questions, etc and get smart on the stuff you want to buy.

 

[mawkie]

Thanks for the kind words Melnic! Knowledge is indeed power. Being able to ID what's unique and valuable. I probably have thousands invested in quality reference books. They pay for themselves in manifold ways.
You also need to spend some time watching auctions, online sales on GB, etc. to see what stuff sells for so you can recognize a bargain when it pops up. I learn lots from stuff I don't buy. Will have on avg 20 lots bookmarked on GB at any given time so I can stay up on market prices. Will watch 3x that on auction sites. The best stuff doesn't just drop into your lap from the heavens. You have to dig to find it! Or spend time establishing relationships with collectors and dealers so you're in the loop when it's time for them to let go of good stuff.

 

[Abulg1972]

INVESTED!!!!

I guess you’re right ...

 

[Abulg1972]

Finding/purchasing really depends on what your goals are... shooter, collector, etc.
As Melnic says - you typically have to work hard to dig out good collector-grade stuff nowadays,
or buy from a reputable dealer who does that for you
There's a lot of over-priced crap on GB, auction arms, etc but there are also some gems -
it takes knowledge, time and patience, and not a little bit of luck to ferret those out (same could be said of shows as well).

Shooter-grade surplus isn't really my thing so not sure where good reliable sources are for those,
although lots of it on GB - but you really need to know what you're doing to avoid the screwage.

The over-arching theme is... knowledge is power.
Buy books, go to specialty forums, ask questions, etc and get smart on the stuff you want to buy.

You mean like Facebook???

:-D

 

[airbornetrooper]

just closed yesterday on a consecutive pair of Manurhin P-1's...
there's two different slide markings for these, and this pair has one of each which is pretty cool.

That's neat, I learned something new there. Please post pictures in the future to illustrate the two different slide markings.

 

[somd_mustangs]

Will do.
Short version is the most common marking is "Made In France" under the Manurhin logo on left side, and proofs on right side (firing proof & crossed cannon);
less common is just "France" with the firing proof on left side and no proofs on right side.

 

[Abulg1972]

Where are the izhevsk and Tula plants?



If famous person is from London, they say he is from England.

IF they are from Edinburgh he is British.

I was really just busting your chops by getting super technical, but ... When M44s were made, the country of origin - the collection of soviet republics - was known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Russia was one of those republics, and it was one of the 12 that emerged when the USSR was dissolved in 1991. It is now generally known as the Russian Federation. It is true that both Tula and Izhevsk were located in the republic of Russia, but, from an economic taxonomy perspective, I don’t think anyone refers to them as Russian guns.

 

[Abulg1972]

Love the japanese 44. Have a type 1; would like another.

On my must have before I die list.

 

[Abulg1972]

Where do you guys source these things? I have a c&r but haven’t bought anything yet because stuff seems hard to find (or questionable condition) from classic, aim surplus, etc.



Is there a good place to keep an eye on? Gunbroker?

The days of finding nice, collectible guns at the major online retailers are gone. You can still find nice P-64s, Romanian Toks and Yugo SKSes, but you won’t put your kids through school with them. The lone exception is Simpson LTD, but that’s not a place that has a full inventory of guns 365 days a year - you really have to visit the site daily to see what’s been added.

Today, most of us are stuck with online auctions and other secondary market transactions. Finding nice guns requires a lot of time and effort, and some luck. Most of the online auction sites allow you to save searches and will notify you of upcoming auctions. Being able to tell when a seller doesn’t know what it has and having the money and risk tolerance to roll the dice also come into play.

Your post made me review my list and think about where I found each gun:

Finnish marked 1900 Izhevsk M1891 (Gunbroker)

1944 Tikka M30 (took a chance at Century. Stole it at $219, but the bolt doesn’t match)

Brazilian Mauser Model 1935 long rifle and
Chilean Mauser Model 1935 Cavalry Carbine (a package purchase for $900 shipped for from a FB seller who didn’t know what she had)

Husqvarna Model 1887 Nagant (Gunbroker, and paid at the top of market price)

Winchester M1 Garand (CMP)

ZAR contract Mauser Model 1893 repurposed for Chile (Gunbroker. It is a mixmaster but has all correct parts for the contract. Just a place holder for now)

1944 Izhevsk PU Sniper (collector friend)

1944 Sk.Y M39 (proxibid)

1941 VKT M1891 (Gunboards Trader)

Cz50 (Classic)

P-27 M1891 (proxibid)

Finn capture Izhevsk M38 (invaluable. Gun was labeled as a M91/30 and the pictures were terrible, but I could see enough of an [SA] stamp to know what I was looking at).

 

[Abulg1972]

These are a few of my favorite things... New to me in 2017...

S&W Highway Patrolman

I don't know much about revolvers, although I do have one of these.

Question 1 - was it first called a Highway Patrolman or a Model 28? I believe the former until S&W started assigning model numbers?

Question 2 - the hammer on mine is blued, and I think that's probably not original? Were the hammers on all S&W revolvers left in the white?

 

[Jimbob2.0]

I don't know much about revolvers, although I do have one of these.

Question 1 - was it first called a Highway Patrolman or a Model 28? I believe the former until S&W started assigning model numbers?

Question 2 - the hammer on mine is blued, and I think that's probably not original? Were the hammers on all S&W revolvers left in the white?

Every S&W revolver I have seen including those to date has ad a heat treated trigger and hammer. Thought it was one of those signature S&W things.

 

[sxs]

I bought a couple. My favorite is a 1936 L C Smith in 16 gauge. Still has decent case and excellent bluing on the barrels. Only real issues with it were a couple somewhat buggered screws (but everything works) and an added recoil pad from perhaps the 60s. Also a 1914 FN 32 cal pistol in pretty good shape plus a 1910 Mauser. Also sold an M1 Garand and one of my Tokarevs. Traded a Lincoln Jefferies 10 ga shotgun for a Lefever in 12 ga.

 

[Jimbob2.0]

OK... so the next question...

Who was the first to bang out a new C&R purchase in 2018?

Not me but my list is fairly simple for next year:

- CYQ and SVW P38
- Early 60s post war PPK (saw one recently bond style and it was sweet) in .32
- Walther PP or Mauser HSC
- Anything Webley
- Maybe a S&W victory
- A couple CZ50s just because they are coming in cheap right now.

Now if C&R still exists when we get into the 1970s guns that will change as they turn 50. Then you start getting into Dan Wessons, CZ75s, lots of Rugers etc.

Other than that its really targets of opportunity. What I see that intrigues me when its infront of me at a decent price.

 

[Abulg1972]

Every S&W revolver I have seen including those to date has ad a heat treated trigger and hammer. Thought it was one of those signature S&W things.

Don’t know. It has the same finish as the rest of the revolver except the top of the frame and rear sight, which have a matte finish.