Gun porn!!! Just added some WW2 guns to the collection.

[CarlosC]

Actually, I have a long-range buying plan for guns. I'm talking like up to ten years down the road. Here's what's on my wish list in no particular order:

CZ-75b, Armalite AR-180, Luger, Sig P-225, Sig P-220 (.45), HK USPc 9mm, Walther P-99 9mm, Glock 38, Walther P-22 or Sig Mosquito, Ruger P-345, AK-74, M-1 Garand, M-1 Carbine, 9mm Uzi (SBR), Thompson M-1 (SBR), MP-5 (SBR), Enfield, CETME, Mosin-Nagant M-38, Tokarev TT36, Turkish or Yugo Mauser, another AK-47 but with an underfold stock, another FAL, and build another AR - a super light model.

[Snakeoil]

Very nice collection man.

[mr0w1]

I have something to say about some of the guns in your list: (Luger, M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, AK-74, Thompson, Enfield, Cetme, Mosin M38, Tokarev, Turk/Yugo Mauser, AK-47, FAL)

Keep in mind that, and this is just my opinion, the surplus rifle market is drying up very rapidly. We are at the beginning of the end of them; US milsurps are more or less limited to gunshows and the CMP (and the CMP will be gone soon, I fear), the Russian and Chinese milsurp market is limited to pawn shops and gunshows, and the Yugo, Swiss, Russian and English markets will dry up in the next few years, if not sooner. There were once tables upon tables of Swedish Mausers at gunshows to be had for $79. Now they're going for $300-400, when you can find them for sale. Some day this will be the case with even the lowly Mosin 91/30. The CZ-52 was only made in one country and then only for 3 years there -- that supply can't last forever. The ammo for these guns will have the same fate (cheap 8mm will dry up someday like the .303 has, etc.)

I can appreciate a long term gun buying strategy; I have one of my own. But take into account that guns are getting more and more expensive, and the milsurps are going to dry up sooner or later (probably sooner).

Also, I hope I'm just being pessimistic. I hate to send out negative waves, and if anyone can prove me wrong, please do. I just wanted to say that so you could buy accordingly (assuming I'm right, that is...)

[CarlosC]

No, no, I agree with you 100%. In fact, I was saving money for the MP-5, but I started seeing the quality of 91-30s available for sale going down, so I jumped on the opportunity to get a 91-30 and an M44. The MP-5 will have to wait. I also got a good deal on the 98k so I jumped on that too - I got to pick the exact rifle I wanted.

The Enfield will definitely be my next purchase as I am seeing them dry up as well. M-38s are still available and I often see "new warehouse loads" of them springing up. I am going to probably buy a laminate stock model as my M-44 looks so nice.

I am not too worried about the Garand because, if all else fails, I can fork over the money for a new one from Springfield Armory. Thompsons are available brand new from Auto Ordnance, even as SBRs.

I think AK-47s will still be around for a long time and real cheap. FALs, in one form or another, are still being made as are just the receivers, so that is not a big concern.

CETMEs - I could kick myself in the butt for not getting one sooner as they all seem to have gone away suddenly. They were $299 one year ago, now you can't find them.

Tokarevs - still available, but pricey. Ditto with Lugers. AK-74s are still around but the prices are going up.

I do follow the market trends and on my wish (an Excel spreadsheet) I actually prioritize based on availability and price. It changes constantly.

If I were giving advice to someone in the market for older style guns, I would encourage them to buy: 1. All Mosin-Nagant models, 2. CZ-52 (prices have already increased 10-20% this year), 3. Walther P-38/P-1s (super deals right now), 4. Makarovs, 5. CETMEs, 6. Enfields, & 7. Mausers, especially German.

[mr0w1]

Just to clarify why I put the AK's on there: If you look at the availability of parts kits, you find that, well...they aren't available. Most places are sold out of them. The Saigas are gone now, and I feel like the WASR's are pretty much the last huge shipment of cheap AK's that the US will see. After that, you'll be stuck w/ overpriced gunshow specials or very pricey Arsenal/Robarm AK's. Again, I can only hope I'm wrong.


I also wish now that I'd bought a CETME about a year ago as well when they were $299. *sigh* Oh well. All you can do is learn from it and act accordingly. For me, that means stocking up on K31's. I feel like they'll go the way of the Swedish Mauser and the Spanish FR8 -- very desirable but very hard to find, and thus, very pricey. I'm also very, very temped on the RC k98's like you got...

The main reason I don't have gobs of these other "odd" guns is that I can barely afford to feed my AR, AK, Mosin and XD, much less a French MAS 49, a 8mm Mauser, a CZ52, a Makarov, an Enfield...you see what I mean.

[Brickboy240]

8mm Mauser ammo is cheap and plentiful. 303 British and 6.5 Swede and 7.5 Swiss...now those are getting nonexistant. Ditto for 8x56R.

You're right about the cost of milsurps. Here are my costs on some of my dandies...

1943 Rock-Ola M-1 Carbine bought in 1989 for 125 dollars
1905 Swede M-96 Mauser (pristine) bought in 1991 for 85 dollars
1937 Finnish M-27 (pristine) bought in 1993 for 75 dollars
1952 Russian Tula SKS (unissued) bought in 1992 for 75 dollars
1942 Czech made K98k Mauser (ver good) bought in 1995 for 160 dollars
1944 Sa Garand bought form CMP in 1994 for 300 dollars

...see a pattern there? Better buy all the Yugo Mausers, Yugo SKSs, Mosins and everythign else you can afford and squirrel them away.

-Brickboy240