Anyone going to Orangeville gun show tomorrow ?

Nabs

Nabs

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I'm going, been looking forward to it for months since I missed the last one. Its always fun to share the atmosphere with so many other milsurp enthusiasts and probably many CGNers among them.

Guess I will meet you all at the coffee and donut bar ? ;)
 
I've been going to gun and militaria shows since the late 1970's, first in Montreal, and now in Southern Ontario. My main interest is military firearms.

While there has been the occaisional excellent deal to be had, most of the time I just browse. The internet has become a reliable source for pricing firearms, providing a potential buyer a reasonable "ball-park" cost.

The internet also provides sellers with values, usually from the USA, often for high end, rare, and excellent condition items. Unfortunately, this often means that some rusty, worn out ex-military rifle, is unreasonably priced. A bubba'd Chinese SKS with sanded stock and visible rust is not a $400 rifle.

Frequently, attempts at bargaining with a seller results in being rebuffed. Too often I see a table full of used firearms offered for private sale, priced within a few dollars of retail. These sellers seem to display the same items month after month. Maybe they just show up for the social aspect, and like hauling their wares from show to show.

Accessories, such as slings, magazines, etc. fare no better. Why should I over pay for a military surplus sling, when the same item can be had off e-Bay for half the price, including shipping? Ammo priced within cents of retail?

There are many pleasant and knowledgable folks at these shows, buyers and browsers. Also some unpleasant ones too (death cult goths, criminal bikers, soldier wannabees, nazi enthusiasts, guys that have never heard of deoderant...). Just prepare yourself by doing a little research and setting your BS detector to "HIGH".

I'm not trying to deter enthusiasts from attending these shows. But proper preparation prevents piss-poor, phoney (and overpriced) purchases. I've encountered too many "humped-up" rifles being passed off as original and unaltered. Caveat emptor.
 
I agree that some of the items priced at the gun show are really out in space but I have run across some real deals there. Take my Finnish canvas sling and cleaning kit, both SA marked (pictures in April purchases thread if you are interested in seeing). I have tried to bid for the same canvas sling on E-bay only to turn the bid down because it was going into the $120-150 CDN range w/o shipping. I never thought I would find a cleaning kit but my friend, who happened to able to come along for the ride, pointed out the sling and cleaning kit on a table that many people were happily passing by (I very nearly did it myself) but sometimes you just have to look I guess. I make it a habit to do a circuit of the gunshow floor about four or five times to make sure I didn't miss anything the first few times.

The things I really hate is when sellers come to the gun show, display their firearms and put a sticker on them "NOT FOR SALE". Nice expensive way to show off your collection but also a nice way to drive away business.

I learned the hard way a few months back when I impulse bought a rifle and thought it was something it wasn't. I recommend to everyone that you do your research online or through reference books before going to a gunshow with the intent to buy.
 
I went looking for an extractor spring for my enfield & some other small stuff. I found the spring & a 1905 Ross. Damned guns shows are bad for the wallet. Now I have to sell something to make room.
 
Did you hit the table with all the Lee Enfields and a few Ross rifles or pick up the Ross sporter that was on another person's table (don't remember which one but it was on a horizontal gun rack IIRC) ?
 
Neither, the guys table was two rows in on the left from the entrance. The guy was asking $300, did you happen to see it? I thought the bore was kind of rough but it was actually cobwebs. It is missing the ejector though.
 
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Was that part of Dennis's table ? I remember seeing a Ross 1905 on a rack that was part of his table. If that was it, i saw it but didn't pay much attention to it though my friend did. I was more interested in the Steyr Kropatschek 1886 that Dennis had. Sadly, that one was in poor shape. When you opened the action, you could tell whoever fired it last did not clean it completely as the magazine elevator was covered in a thick layer of rust and the bore was extremely dark with an endless amount of pitting and barely any rifling left.
 
Here's a pic
DSC06785.jpg

DSC06784.jpg

Look familiar?
 
Ahh so you got that one. My friend and I were checking out the markings on the butt stock. We didn't check the bore but the rifle looked good overall. I forget who was selling it and what they put on it as far as a price goes.
 
Don't know about you guys but I thought the prices a this show were a little whacky. Usually I find a good deal on something but walked out this time with a fist full of pesos. Kinda disappointing. Hope Bracebridge is better.
 
Last 2 times I went to that show I walked away empty handed. Seems the only thing worth buyin are small pistol primers nowadays, if you can find em. There is that one guy with the surplus ammo tables that sometimes has em if you show up early. Other than that I am usually dissapointed. I was actuall in Brampton today but chose not to go as it is easter and vistiting family was more important than being frustrated by the prices at the show.
 
The buttplate is the wrong one. I have found the correct on on the ee. Now if I can just find the rear handguard it will be complete. The stock was sanded sometime during military life, the only deep clear stamps are DP. Some of the enfields where reasonably priced.
 
Hey Desporterizer, I was actually going to pick that one up, but you beat me to it. God Bless student budgets... bah humbug. As reccompence, would you please post up a translation of the markings?

Cheers,
Drachenblut
 
The Orangeville show was good as usual. I bought 120 rds of factory FNB .303 for 40 bucks. Was offered a side x side for $15 and full military stocks at 5 each. For kit one guy selling original v good ruck sacks and cargo packs for 20 each, plus he had much more. And there was other deals too. Orangeville is now the best show In Ontario.
 
I'd like to find out what sucka bought the 3 bricks of CCI Blazer I had on reserve, I was heading out and found they'd been sold. And at less than 25 bucks each. Grrrr!
 
The buttplate is from a Mk.III, and has been unstalled upside down. When you obtain a Mk. II buttplate, install a walnut patch at the toe, and correct the inletting. It will look like an armourer's repair.
Doubt that the stock got sanded while still in service. The army would not have removed the rifle's serial number. The date of manufacture, 1911 can still be made out, but the alphanumeric serial is gone.
In April 1913, the rifle was issued to a unit, and was rifle number 236 there. Can't make out the unit.
Maybe the May 1922 date refers to the Cadet Corps issue. Perhaps that is when the DP mark was applied.
I didn't notice any barrel breech markings indicating an enlarged chamber; this would suggest the rifle was not used for training in the UK during WWI.
Did you ask Bob M. about a rear handguard while at the show?
 
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