1958 Enfield Sale
- Thread starter moving target
- Start date
angrysoldier
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- under your bed
omg, what else can i say???
Minimum wage in 1958 was barely a dollar and hour, so the average Joe at minimum wage would still have to work three days to buy that jungle carbine. Cheap enough, but not an amazing deal by those standards for an old common milsurp.
In today's dollars, that carbine mint NIB might fetch a grand or so. That is well over 100 hours at nine or ten dollar minimum wage, or almost three weeks work.
So grandpa's prize tucked away in the back of the closet could have been a decent investment after all.
In today's dollars, that carbine mint NIB might fetch a grand or so. That is well over 100 hours at nine or ten dollar minimum wage, or almost three weeks work.
So grandpa's prize tucked away in the back of the closet could have been a decent investment after all.
If by any chance your Pacemaker has not crapped out on you by now, check out the really fine print at the right.
Those are ammunition prices: stuff in there which is now $10 a shot, and it was $4 a hundred.
Verily do I weep and wail and I cover my head with sackcloth and ashes, but it maketh no difference for it all has been shot off and the brass recycled. Perhaps in my next life the gods might be kind to me. On the other hand, if the Lady Bast is good to me, I will spend the rest of THIS life opening cans for Her special creatures!
But some of those prices must be a real shock today.
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Those are ammunition prices: stuff in there which is now $10 a shot, and it was $4 a hundred.
Verily do I weep and wail and I cover my head with sackcloth and ashes, but it maketh no difference for it all has been shot off and the brass recycled. Perhaps in my next life the gods might be kind to me. On the other hand, if the Lady Bast is good to me, I will spend the rest of THIS life opening cans for Her special creatures!
But some of those prices must be a real shock today.
.
Yeah. But don't we have to think about how much a Bottle of Coke cost (5 Cents from what my grandpapi used to tell me) and how much people earned. When you earn a fraction of what we do now what's the real difference?
So, for you older boys on the site is there really a difference???
So, for you older boys on the site is there really a difference???
Well, I can't buy a No4 sniper from an importer at any price, so yeah its different.
Har,har. They even got cheaper after 1958. In 1961 I bought a stone mint No5 JC for $18. Still have it. I remember buying .303 tracer by mail from the US around the same time. I believe it was $5/100. All I had to do was go down to Customs and pick it up.
Still have it. I remember buying .303 tracer by mail from the US around the same time. I believe it was $5/100. All I had to do was go down to Customs and pick it up.
I went through Golden State Arms show room in 1958. I was down there with My family and was 7 years old. My old man, was anti gun all of his life and was a PITN. Good thing my uncle liked firearms. I can honestly say, most of the firearms they had were well used. They had a few as new specimens but they were much higher priced than the the stuff in the bins. They had mountains of stuff. Rifles, pistols, sub machine guns etc. Ammunition for just about anything. They actually had two locations, one in town and another two story building that was further out, surrounded by 10ft high chain link fence, with a bunch of artillery pieces in the yard. We wanted to go into the compound to look at the warehous but they wouldn't allow the public into it, unless they were dealers, looking to buy in quantity.
Buffdog, you must have been making good wages back then, to indulge in collecting firearms for a hobby. My father, was a ticketed demolitions man, with underground certification and only made $1.80/hour. He made twice that much in bonuses though. He was considered to be a very highly paid individual in those days.
The whole trip down there, by rail, cost $120C for 6 people. It was his Christmas present to the family, children under twelve, rode free. We even managed to get to Disneyland, eventually. The good thing about the train, was that if you wanted to smoke, you had to go to the smoking car or into the noisey, cold and drafty little vetibules over the car couplings. It seemed like everyone over 12 years old, smoked in those days.
Purple, you're dead on on that. The new rifles didn't really start to appear until the early to late sixties. That doesn't mean there weren't any before. They were just few and far between. Most nations, were holding their FTRs and NIG stuff, in war reserves. They weren't released, until their new semi auto rifles started to arrive in quantity. Funny thing, the milsurps were bringing about what the rifles cost the governments new, for the average collector.
Buffdog, you must have been making good wages back then, to indulge in collecting firearms for a hobby. My father, was a ticketed demolitions man, with underground certification and only made $1.80/hour. He made twice that much in bonuses though. He was considered to be a very highly paid individual in those days.
The whole trip down there, by rail, cost $120C for 6 people. It was his Christmas present to the family, children under twelve, rode free. We even managed to get to Disneyland, eventually. The good thing about the train, was that if you wanted to smoke, you had to go to the smoking car or into the noisey, cold and drafty little vetibules over the car couplings. It seemed like everyone over 12 years old, smoked in those days.
Purple, you're dead on on that. The new rifles didn't really start to appear until the early to late sixties. That doesn't mean there weren't any before. They were just few and far between. Most nations, were holding their FTRs and NIG stuff, in war reserves. They weren't released, until their new semi auto rifles started to arrive in quantity. Funny thing, the milsurps were bringing about what the rifles cost the governments new, for the average collector.
bluemike807
CGN Regular
- Location
- Eastern Ontario
Oh you guys are killing me. My generation (now in their 20's) can only put things like this up there with penny candy and .05c cokes, the tooth fairy and other mythologies.
What bothers me is that we're not likely to see the like of that again - not necessarily even cheap rifles in bulk, but military firearms in bulk. No FNC1's for us, no sir, and if/when the M16/C7 series is retired, none of them either. Sigh.
What bothers me is that we're not likely to see the like of that again - not necessarily even cheap rifles in bulk, but military firearms in bulk. No FNC1's for us, no sir, and if/when the M16/C7 series is retired, none of them either. Sigh.
Money for Hobbies
BEARHUNTER wrote "Buffdog, you must have been making good wages back then, to indulge in collecting firearms for a hobby."
There were other opportunities to make money if you were willing to do some work for it. Two of us bought and old truck, and cruised the countryside. When we spotted and old house, barn, chicken coop, etc., we stopped and offered our services to tear it down (for a fee, of course.) The better lumber and stuff was saved, and it ended up on a lot of basement walls as the Barnboard Decorating craze was at that time.
We also cleaned out attics and basements. The junk went to the dump, but reasonable stuff went to a couple of shops in Hamilton, Ontario, on consignment. Paid for cleaning the stuff out, and paid when some of it was sold. I always asked about guns and sporting goods, and there was a surprising amount of it that was given to me.
My thing was to double my money on things that I bought. There was lots available, and the shopowners and dealers gave you a discount once they knew you. Sporterized Lee Enfields and Ross rifles could be had for $5. Winchesters, Henrys, Spencers, Sniders, Martinis, Springfields, and a multitude of others were reasonable. And, at that time, our Canadian Dollar was worth about $1.20 American.
Places like Ye Olde Hunter, Hunter's Lodge, Century Arms, Golden State Arms, and Kleins in Chicago offered lots of goodies. Bannerman was still in business, but selling out.
Of course, it also helped being a bit chubby, and looking innocent, wet-behind the ears, a pigeon ready to be plucked, amongst a bunch of Belgian Tobacco Farmers who thought that they were the best Poker players in Southern Ontario. I was pretty good at Poker too.
P.S. My brother-in-law was laid off about 15 years later. My sister bought him a welder, and he used an old garage to start a business. He is now worth about Eight Million Dollars. So, it can be done, even now!
.
BEARHUNTER wrote "Buffdog, you must have been making good wages back then, to indulge in collecting firearms for a hobby."
There were other opportunities to make money if you were willing to do some work for it. Two of us bought and old truck, and cruised the countryside. When we spotted and old house, barn, chicken coop, etc., we stopped and offered our services to tear it down (for a fee, of course.) The better lumber and stuff was saved, and it ended up on a lot of basement walls as the Barnboard Decorating craze was at that time.
We also cleaned out attics and basements. The junk went to the dump, but reasonable stuff went to a couple of shops in Hamilton, Ontario, on consignment. Paid for cleaning the stuff out, and paid when some of it was sold. I always asked about guns and sporting goods, and there was a surprising amount of it that was given to me.
My thing was to double my money on things that I bought. There was lots available, and the shopowners and dealers gave you a discount once they knew you. Sporterized Lee Enfields and Ross rifles could be had for $5. Winchesters, Henrys, Spencers, Sniders, Martinis, Springfields, and a multitude of others were reasonable. And, at that time, our Canadian Dollar was worth about $1.20 American.
Places like Ye Olde Hunter, Hunter's Lodge, Century Arms, Golden State Arms, and Kleins in Chicago offered lots of goodies. Bannerman was still in business, but selling out.
Of course, it also helped being a bit chubby, and looking innocent, wet-behind the ears, a pigeon ready to be plucked, amongst a bunch of Belgian Tobacco Farmers who thought that they were the best Poker players in Southern Ontario. I was pretty good at Poker too.
P.S. My brother-in-law was laid off about 15 years later. My sister bought him a welder, and he used an old garage to start a business. He is now worth about Eight Million Dollars. So, it can be done, even now!
.
- Location
- Tucson, Arizona
Cadet Martinis at $9.95, and 12.95 if you had it rechambered to 30 Win spl (big mistake)
Colt New service or M1917 S&W for $35
03 springfields, $40
M1911Colt, U.S. marked $45
Trapdoor springflelds $65
Once had all of those.
Now if you want to go waaaay back, Bannermans catalog around 1910
Trapdoor Springfields $1.25
12 pound Napoleon $300
Limber for same $250
Colt New service or M1917 S&W for $35
03 springfields, $40
M1911Colt, U.S. marked $45
Trapdoor springflelds $65
Once had all of those.
Now if you want to go waaaay back, Bannermans catalog around 1910
Trapdoor Springfields $1.25
12 pound Napoleon $300
Limber for same $250
buffdog, I know where you're coming from. I retired at 58, I was reluctant to do so, because I was still in the "have to earn more mode". All is well though. The stock market, has been very good to me. I'm no millionaire but I'm comfortable and have no problem keeping the lifestyle I had, before retirement.
I first started buying rifles, when I was 9 years old. My neighbor, had a Ranger 22rf, that he wanted $2 for. I told him a lie, that it was OK, with my father and paid for it with my first monthly paper route percentage. I lived in a rural area, we're talking a 10 mile route and spotty customers. Things got better after acquiring a second route in town as well. I hid the rifle and ammunition in the ceiling of the barn. After that, I had a few given to me, mostly clunkers but jewels in my young eyes. At 16, I went to the coast for a few months each year, to work for Allen Lever. Great guy. Most of my earnings, went on firearms, ammunition and accessories. My old man was POed. He didn't stop me though. I've been buying, selling, trading for 50 years. I've learned a lot from many people and forgotten a lot. I love this site, it makes me think. Some of the stuff here is garbage but not much, most is just good stuff, that everyone should try to get familiar with.
When Lever Arms, got a new shipment of stuff in, it was like opening a box of candy, without a wrapper. You just didn't know what you would find, I can remember so many Martini's coming in in dirt filled boxes, with huge spiders in them, that we just threw the box into a tank of varsol, for half an hour, to kill the bugs and to make clean up easier. Alan didn't like to put dirty or cosmolened stuff out. I can still remember the one batch of M1 Garands, many of them with NM marks and some as new. Most were well worn. The NM ones, didn't get any preferential price, only the VG-Exc ones were premium priced.
Lever, sold hundreds of thousands of rifles. Maybe millions. So did Marshall Wells, Sears, Army & Navy, Hudson's Bay, Eaton's as well as many others. You could buy rifles and ammunition at every gas station, hardware store, variety store and some grocery stores in rural areas. There were literally millions of rifles, and thousands of outlets. Many of them were "customised" most weren't, to much work. Many just rotted away, out in the shed or damp basement. Most just disappeared. The odd one still surfaces but not many. I'm willing to bet, there are close to 5 or 6 million milsurps, still out there, that are gathering dust, many, still in hardened cosmolene.
No wonder, the registry is such a flop. Even back then, when Warren Allmand was crying about gun control, the hue and cry went out to buy and hide. He was a Liberal MP, dedicated to the UN and one world government. Many of his sig lines are present in todays version of C68. Most, just thought he was a crack pot. Funny thing though, people seem to be drawn to crack pots, like moths to a flame.
There I go wandering off topic again, my apologies, delete it if you want.
I first started buying rifles, when I was 9 years old. My neighbor, had a Ranger 22rf, that he wanted $2 for. I told him a lie, that it was OK, with my father and paid for it with my first monthly paper route percentage. I lived in a rural area, we're talking a 10 mile route and spotty customers. Things got better after acquiring a second route in town as well. I hid the rifle and ammunition in the ceiling of the barn. After that, I had a few given to me, mostly clunkers but jewels in my young eyes. At 16, I went to the coast for a few months each year, to work for Allen Lever. Great guy. Most of my earnings, went on firearms, ammunition and accessories. My old man was POed. He didn't stop me though. I've been buying, selling, trading for 50 years. I've learned a lot from many people and forgotten a lot. I love this site, it makes me think. Some of the stuff here is garbage but not much, most is just good stuff, that everyone should try to get familiar with.
When Lever Arms, got a new shipment of stuff in, it was like opening a box of candy, without a wrapper. You just didn't know what you would find, I can remember so many Martini's coming in in dirt filled boxes, with huge spiders in them, that we just threw the box into a tank of varsol, for half an hour, to kill the bugs and to make clean up easier. Alan didn't like to put dirty or cosmolened stuff out. I can still remember the one batch of M1 Garands, many of them with NM marks and some as new. Most were well worn. The NM ones, didn't get any preferential price, only the VG-Exc ones were premium priced.
Lever, sold hundreds of thousands of rifles. Maybe millions. So did Marshall Wells, Sears, Army & Navy, Hudson's Bay, Eaton's as well as many others. You could buy rifles and ammunition at every gas station, hardware store, variety store and some grocery stores in rural areas. There were literally millions of rifles, and thousands of outlets. Many of them were "customised" most weren't, to much work. Many just rotted away, out in the shed or damp basement. Most just disappeared. The odd one still surfaces but not many. I'm willing to bet, there are close to 5 or 6 million milsurps, still out there, that are gathering dust, many, still in hardened cosmolene.
No wonder, the registry is such a flop. Even back then, when Warren Allmand was crying about gun control, the hue and cry went out to buy and hide. He was a Liberal MP, dedicated to the UN and one world government. Many of his sig lines are present in todays version of C68. Most, just thought he was a crack pot. Funny thing though, people seem to be drawn to crack pots, like moths to a flame.
There I go wandering off topic again, my apologies, delete it if you want.
Yes, ---- I remember those days and prices well, I was just a teenager in /58 , but did buy a few of them, which I still have. But I sure wish I had got more of them, but I was not working yet so money was a problem, not that its not now. I can still see the # 1 and #4 Enfields, P 14,s Model 17,s, stacked like cordwood in the Army & Navy in New Westminter, The Three Vets, Woodwards, Harkley & Hayward, Lever Arms , Etc; and a lot of very nice #5 Jungle Carbines !! I did buy one of those Italian Vetterh -Vitali,s pictured in the ad, from Peterbough Arms back in Ontario for $ 9.95, I picked it up at the Rail Staion in New West, which is now the Keg , and still have it . So Many were avaliable , And Yes I bet also, there,s a lot Still out there , Just have to Find Them !!! Like those Old Harleys and Indians , you hear about !! -- Sure brings back Memories !!
-- Sure brings back Memories !!
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