Milsurp After Hours

There are about four large gun shows in my part of Alabama each year. I try to make some of them just to see what is being offered and get a feel for what people are asking for stuff like what I have.

Today was day two of a weekend show in Mobile Alabama at the Abba Temple. I went fairly early before the crowd.... most people go to church down here before they go looking at guns. Since I'm a heathen the rule doesn't apply to me, even though in my youth my mother did her best to prevent it.

Noticed some Nagants of the 91/30 type at the "retail" of $105 to $120. Saw a few of those once upon a time $50 Turk Mausers for $150, No. 5 Enfields for $495. Saw a decent Arisaka for $250 and a bunch of M1 Carbines from $250 Universals to war time issue for as much as $950. Plenty of Ak knock offs from about $475 and up as well as SKS's at just about any price you want to quote from beaters under $200 to some tricked out stuff for a grand.

One that's not C&R that I noticed was a Remington speedmaster 22 just like one I've had for over 30 years. The first one looked excellent for $299! The second looked "good" for $250 and the third looked reallly rusty, beat up and neglected and it still had a price tag of $199. I couldn't believe it.

Did you pick up anything interesting Robert?

I visited a armsfair in St Paul MN a few years ago and i was like a kid in a sweetshop. The armsfairs in the UK are crap, though having said that the Bisley armsfairs usually have some decent kit on offer. Trouble is i can't be arsed with the travel to Bisley.

Joe

I didn't see much of anything that I could afford by the prices they were asking.

I did see a good number of BP guns of the historic and actual version. But don't have the kind of money they were asking for Civil War guns....$1100 to $3000 depending on what and condition.

Went to show in upstate NY at Poughkeepsie Civic Ctr.and the prices aren't great and the condition of the milsurps is generally not worth the prices being asked. My recent bargain was at Gander Mt...just hit it right cause their prices are generally not terrific either....Just one guys opinion. The used guns are generally poor shape and over priced. New guns make themselves more a bargain cause their isn't much difference in the price being asked for the clunkers.... afish4570

Joe,

Just out of curiosity, how far is it from your house to Bisley, that it's too far to drive?

Vern.

About 300 miles Vern, and i didnt actually say it was too far to drive.

So before you say anything about it being just "a hop and a skip", i just detest driving on Englands roads, especially motorways. Roadworks, traffic jams, inconsiderate driving, foreign truck drivers in left hand drive trucks, i could go on.



Joe

joseyclosey wrote: i just detest driving on Englands roads, especially motorways. Roadworks, traffic jams, inconsiderate driving, foreign truck drivers in left hand drive trucks, i could go on.


Joe

And thats just Shiremoor to Brancepeth.

Joe,

"Trouble is i can't be arsed with the travel to Bisley."

It looks like the word "arsed" means that it's more trouble than it's worth.

And I wasn't going to give you the hop and skip, 300 miles is a fair distance, it's like driving across the whole width of Arizona.

Your description of driving in England sounds like every city in the US.

Is a motorway the same as our freeway and what is the speed limit on your major roads? The top speed on the freeway in AZ is 75mph in the rural areas, but usually slows down to 55mph going through cities and about 5mph during rush hour.

Vern.

The last time I was in the UK (In my LH drive frogmobile) I couldn't wait to get out and back to France where it is still possible to enjoy driving on empty roads and motorways / freeways where you can do 80 mph legally (which means the French do 90+ ).

I can drive from St Androny, where I live, in the SW to Calais, 830kms / 515 miles, in 8 hours with meal breaks

Not only that but between here and the range in Bordeaux (55 kms / 43 mls) there is only one speed camera Joe!

Vern, "cant be arsed" in my vernacular basically means, i cant be bothered. 70mph is the speed limit on UK motorways BTW.

Duncan, who's the "lucky buggar" now.

Joe