An Observation for Young Milsurp Collectors.

bearhunter said:
Badger this isn't by any means a put down on your fine site, but look at your total membership numbers. Not very high. Mind you, the CGS site is almost barren.
We as collectors of milsurp history are an uncommon breed and could very well be the next target of the anti gun crowd.
bearhunter
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No offense to either Forum, but Canadian participation on those two Canadian sites mentioned doesn't mean anything for how many milsurp collectors there are in Canada. For some, it's just an exchange forum. Others have moved on to other forums.
You go to where the best information is. You failed to mention all the Canadian members on US gun websites (certain forums are very specialized rather than generalized ie:Luger Forum, P38, Gunboards,etc) as well as the people who have no time or interest for the internet or Forums-they read and use books as reference.
 
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with the release of band of brothers, video games etc etc etc

more young people can recognize milsurps when they see them, and they will be attracted to them for the same reason.
Milsurp collecting is an expensive hobby, hence why its the older crowd that usually is in the spot light cause they can afford to buy milsurps on a monthly basis, however the community isnt diminishing, IMHO, but growing.

supply will create its own demand, and with RC mausers and cheap mosins, more people will be buying milsurps. ;)
 
Remember that CGS is only four months old. Our milsurp content will only improve and 375RUM is doing a fine job as moderator.

I am not a huge milsurp collector, but I do have a No.4 Mk.2 and a SAFN49.
 
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I'm 20 and I've been collecting milsurps for 5 years - with a transfer that I completed this afternoon I'm up to 36. Course, I'm also a reservist - say what you will about our underfunded Forces (and we are), but the pay rates don't suck.

I think that while there is a definate graying of the population in the firearms community, I get the sense that my generation is into milsurps to a degree that previous one's aren't. I think in 20 years or so milsurp collectors will represent a larger slice of a much smaller pie.
 
Nyles said:
I'm 20 and I've been collecting milsurps for 5 years - with a transfer that I completed this afternoon I'm up to 36. Course, I'm also a reservist - say what you will about our underfunded Forces (and we are), but the pay rates don't suck.

I think that while there is a definate graying of the population in the firearms community, I get the sense that my generation is into milsurps to a degree that previous one's aren't. I think in 20 years or so milsurp collectors will represent a larger slice of a much smaller pie.
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Must be nice to live at home still :p
 
Laniru, I meant no criticism of the CGS site, many of the people on that site are here, includeing yourself. Pretty much a bunch of good decent people. I would like to see lots of people on each site, the more the better. I was only trying to point out that in the overall scheme of things, milsurp collectors and shooters are a niche element in comparison to the hunters and sport shooters, many of which don't feel that milsurps should even be in civilian hands. Like it or not, it's all about perception, and it's getting very difficult to swing peoples perceptions of good and bad these days. bearhunter
 
bearhunter said:
Laniru, I meant no criticism of the CGS site, many of the people on that site are here, includeing yourself. Pretty much a bunch of good decent people. I would like to see lots of people on each site, the more the better. I was only trying to point out that in the overall scheme of things, milsurp collectors and shooters are a niche element in comparison to the hunters and sport shooters, many of which don't feel that milsurps should even be in civilian hands. Like it or not, it's all about perception, and it's getting very difficult to swing peoples perceptions of good and bad these days. bearhunter
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No offence taken.:) I was merely pointing out that although it seems "barren" over there in regards to milsurp content, we are still very young. I am committed to having some milsurp content. And as far as those in the fraternity that think milsurp firearms do not belong in civilian hands...well they can suck my hairy bollocks!:D
 
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BadgerDog said:
If anyone has any ideas on how to not just extend the longevity of our hobby, but increase the amount of younger people who find it enjoyable, I'm all ears.
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It would be good if the main-stream sporting goods retailers still offered a lot of low-end milsurps, and gunshops would stock more surplus 'blaster' ammo instead of expecting everyone to buy overpriced hunting ammo.

The advantage that milsurps once had for young people was that you could afford to start collecting and shooting a number of different guns on a "student" budget.

Back when I was in school (pre c-68), milsurps were very popular with my "gun friends" of about the same age. The reason was that they were cheap and they were still sold in retail sporting stores like Lebaron and SIR, and were listed in the catalogs. You could also still walk into Lebaron and buy surplus ammo at dirt cheap prices for 8mm, bandoliers of .303 etc. Now if you ask the cashier staff, they don't even know what surplus ammo is, and milsurps aren't listed in the catalog, if they are even sold at all.
 
BadgerDog said:
Anyway, I think it does work to invite youngsters to the range for "youth days", but I think an endeavour like that has to be supported by parents (or other relatives), who are already into shooting sports. They aren't ignorant and understand the hobby already.
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So then the question we have to ask is, How do we reach those not already exposed to shooting? I'm afraid I don't have an answer for this, but I think the first step is "coming out of the closet" with firearms ownership. There are older and wiser members on the board who know what has been tried and what hasn't, but in short, we need a way to get OUR message out in the public media.

Sigismund said:
with the release of band of brothers, video games etc etc etc more young people can recognize milsurps when they see them, and they will be attracted to them for the same reason.
Milsurp collecting is an expensive hobby, hence why its the older crowd that usually is in the spot light cause they can afford to buy milsurps on a monthly basis, however the community isnt diminishing, IMHO, but growing. supply will create its own demand, and with RC mausers and cheap mosins, more people will be buying milsurps. ;)
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A lot of guys I know that play these kindof games are the biggest hypocrites in the world. They're either so into gaming that going outside is a crazy and dangerous concept, or, they're scared of guns! A few of them even thought I was going to go to jail because "guns are illegal arent they?" Since we're a consumer generation, we need to be marketed to, just as video games, cars, clothing etc are. In fact, most people my age (late teens) don't even know that you can own guns legally, or safely. It is accepted school teaching that all guns are about as safe as a burning pile of full propane cannisters, they will at any moment randomly explode, killing everyone for miles. Turn that around and get new people exposed to it, and we're set.
 
Support clubs and organisations that have junior programs. Open the junior programs to the general public with and under direct adult supervision. Give junior members an extremely reduced rate of membership.
Young people will come out to junior events such as rifle shooting, fly tyeing and trap shooting if YOU or others in YOUR club will get off Your collective backsides and do it.
By putting on decent junior programs, clubs increase their "acceptable behavior" levels by a hundred fold.
WE as gun enthusiasts have become far to complacent. We WILL lose this sport to the left wing social radicals and media if our attitudes don't change.
As time very quickly marches on and I listen to the rants on this board and at the local clubhouse and especially "WHY DOESN"T SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING", I get a little ticked.
That's the prevailing attitude of Canadians in general, and if you think one person or just a few can't make a real difference, just stand back and watch Wendy C and he very small bunch go at it. Take a look at what a very few "RED LIEBERALS AND RED CONSERVATIVES" accomplished in a very short time before people finally had enough of their BS and turfed them.
Wether this hurts a little or not YOU and ME are the people that have to do something about this situation if it's going to be reversed.
Lethargy just doesn't work, neither does procrastination, they are the tools of the enemy in Ottawa that are being used against us every day.
bearhunter
 
Nyles said:
I'm 20 and I've been collecting milsurps for 5 years - with a transfer that I completed this afternoon I'm up to 36. Course, I'm also a reservist - say what you will about our underfunded Forces (and we are), but the pay rates don't suck.

I think that while there is a definate graying of the population in the firearms community, I get the sense that my generation is into milsurps to a degree that previous one's aren't. I think in 20 years or so milsurp collectors will represent a larger slice of a much smaller pie.
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Great observations from what may be considered by many as "young" collectors.
I recall the first "Bud Haynes" auction I attended in Red Deer as a scant teenager with my Dad in 1974...milsurps were too cheap for words. Full wood Enfields were $20 to $50, Antique Springfield 45-70's were averaging $150 to $200. International Firearms were selling things so cheap it was relatively easy to get into collecting with minmum investment. Also in those days it seemed most guys were hot for Winchesters, Marlin or Colts. I was laughed at by many of these guys for collecting Smith & Wesson Hand Ejectors. In thoses days an 1873 winchester carbine would only net $300 to $400.. It was amazing how quiet the room got when the prices went that high. I recall a Henry rifle selling for the underheard of price of $1500 in 1978...now it is 20 times that at the minimum.
As time progresses WW2 era guns will become virtually nonexistant...late era guns (Black rifles) of the 1970's and up are quickly being regulated out of existance by corrupt governments.
What advise is there for newer milsurp collectors? You have three ways to approach this.
1. Buy what you can in any 1960 to 1990 era stuff, while it's still available.
2. Buy what you can find in any 1930 to 1950 era stuff, it's still out there with a bit searching.
3. Save up to invest in WW1 or earlier stuff, it is tougher to find but worth the investment.
Cheers
 
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