The last milsurp bonanza?

cyclone

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More of a conversational-question but, aside from mythical Korean Garands, is the SKS the last model/type of the (cheap) milsurp firearms we Canadians will see?
 
Where are we at these days with the “mythical Korean garands?” Anyone heard any recent rumours?

Youtube and the Forgotten Weapons channel probably has the most current info. I know a pile (!) of guns went from the Philippines to the US CMP, but don't recall Korean ones.
 
Basically its whatever stockpiles are kicking around in the world at this point. There is no new military surplus firearms being made that civilians can possibly own (except for some handguns and sniper rifles, both things that are more likely to be destroyed than sold to the civilian market at this point anyways).

I suspect countries like Iran might have a stockpile of Persian Mausers that might possibly one day come available, or if North Korea ever changes there might be some interesting arms stockpiled there we might be able to buy (I doubt that country throws anything out). But otherwise just whatever small cashe that are found being.
 
I guess I should be glad I got in on the SKS opportunity, which has now tapered off - no more crates of $170 SKS in great condition.

I suspect that is a close comparison to the barrels of Garands or Lee Enfields selling at $40 each which many of you here experienced.
Although I wonder if many of you appreciated the opportunity back then? Did you buy three or four and preserve them?
Perhaps a better question would be: Will young people be wanting to collect SKS and pay inflated prices, twenty years from now?
They won't have the emotional connection to SKS that many present collectors have to LEs and Garands.
 
The Ranger Enfields are to be rebarreled to .308 by Colt Canada for civilian sale according to the local Ranger instructing Warrant officer. Rumors.

That doesn't make a lot of sense to re-barrel them they are likely worth more as original.... unless the barrels are completely shot out
 
The Ranger Enfields are to be rebarreled to .308 by Colt Canada for civilian sale according to the local Ranger instructing Warrant officer. Rumors.


What? That’s the first I’ve heard that. Are you sure? I mean, I know the RIFLES are being replaced with 308s (the clown coloured Tikkas), But I’ve heard no talk of modifying the surplus...
 
The Ranger Enfields are to be rebarreled to .308 by Colt Canada for civilian sale according to the local Ranger instructing Warrant officer. Rumors.

The most recent media release about the Ranger Enfields that I seen was that individual Rangers were to be given the option of keeping their Enfield for personal use , with the remaining Enfields being deactivated , and given to Cadet Corps around Canada for practice parade rifles . A few will go to museums ; but who knows for sure , I suspect Trudeau will just have the remaining Enfields sent to the smelter .
 
Pistols are semi-auto .... perhaps we will continue to see them still on the milsurp market from time to time like the ex police Beretta pistols.
 
Lots of WWII era bolt actions are still kicking around Central/South America for reserves/militias etc. The Venezuelan red-shirts (oh, if only they were smart enough to watch Star Trek, they might have chosen a different fashion statement) are largely armed with mossy-nuggets. Mausers are also quite common with militias in that part of the world.

The problem with old guns in that part of the world, is that the hot, humid climate, combined with the negligible training and education levels of the militias, means that these guns are quickly rotting back into the soil. But you never know. There are some armouries with caretakers who somewhat know what they're doing, so a few batches of old guns might emerge in usable condition.

The only other real chance for significant numbers of older milsurps is North Africa. Untold thousands (millions?) of "anything that goes bang" have been bought up by the various petro-states and desert warlords since the end of WWII and thrown into warehouses or buried in a random chunk of sandy nowhere, "just in case". It never ceases to amaze me what kinds of antiquated gear ends up being photographed in use whenever they decide to exercise North African Lead Democracy (TM and Patent Pending).

The problem with vintage guns making their way from those regions to Canada, legally is... Well... International law. The less civilized parts of the Americas, and most of North Africa, are perpetually under various forms of sanctions and watches. This doesn't stop a steady flow of guns getting into those countries (because they couldn't give a flying fig about laws and sanctions), but it does do a very good job of making sure that those guns never make it back into the civilised world.

But you never know. Hope springs eternal. If a sudden rash of democracy and rule of law and good governance breaks out in those countries, they may sell off old stockpiles to balance a few books. Stranger things have happened.
 
The Ranger Enfields are to be rebarreled to .308 by Colt Canada for civilian sale according to the local Ranger instructing Warrant officer. Rumors.

That is the furthest from the truth....that Warrant officer must be from Mars!!!
We are being "gifted" our rifles as long as we have a current and up to date PAL.
The Rangers that did not bother to get a expired PAL renewed or simply neglected to get a PAL.....their rifles will be handed over as they are issued their new rifles......the Rangers that cared about their previous issued rifle and took the necessary steps to make sure all their legalities were in order......take home their old issued No4 and the new Tikka. The old issued enfield becomes their personal property. What happens to the rifles that were not gifted becomes anybodies guess.....melted down in Stelco's blast furnace, drill purpose rifles for cadets etc.,most of us will probably not know. What I do know is I won't believe that we will be able to keep a "Crown Asset" especially a rifle until I sign the paperwork and it's in my hands. Lets face the facts...the gov't does not usually gift rifles to it's current serving DND members especially the current serving Gov't. Shhhhhhh......Trudeau may not even know about it!!!
 
Lots of WWII era bolt actions are still kicking around Central/South America for reserves/militias etc. The Venezuelan red-shirts (oh, if only they were smart enough to watch Star Trek, they might have chosen a different fashion statement) are largely armed with mossy-nuggets. Mausers are also quite common with militias in that part of the world.

The problem with old guns in that part of the world, is that the hot, humid climate, combined with the negligible training and education levels of the militias, means that these guns are quickly rotting back into the soil. But you never know. There are some armouries with caretakers who somewhat know what they're doing, so a few batches of old guns might emerge in usable condition.

The only other real chance for significant numbers of older milsurps is North Africa. Untold thousands (millions?) of "anything that goes bang" have been bought up by the various petro-states and desert warlords since the end of WWII and thrown into warehouses or buried in a random chunk of sandy nowhere, "just in case". It never ceases to amaze me what kinds of antiquated gear ends up being photographed in use whenever they decide to exercise North African Lead Democracy (TM and Patent Pending).

The problem with vintage guns making their way from those regions to Canada, legally is... Well... International law. The less civilized parts of the Americas, and most of North Africa, are perpetually under various forms of sanctions and watches. This doesn't stop a steady flow of guns getting into those countries (because they couldn't give a flying fig about laws and sanctions), but it does do a very good job of making sure that those guns never make it back into the civilised world.

But you never know. Hope springs eternal. If a sudden rash of democracy and rule of law and good governance breaks out in those countries, they may sell off old stockpiles to balance a few books. Stranger things have happened.

Well explained, sir, and well written. Thanks for that. :)
 
I guess I should be glad I got in on the SKS opportunity, which has now tapered off - no more crates of $170 SKS in great condition.

I suspect that is a close comparison to the barrels of Garands or Lee Enfields selling at $40 each which many of you here experienced.
Although I wonder if many of you appreciated the opportunity back then? Did you buy three or four and preserve them?
Perhaps a better question would be: Will young people be wanting to collect SKS and pay inflated prices, twenty years from now?
They won't have the emotional connection to SKS that many present collectors have to LEs and Garands.

Comparing an Enfield or Garand to an SKS is like comparing a WWII Jeep to a 1980's version. While it will still have a following it will never have the history or value.
I have several new condition SKS. Bought them as a curiosity. I will give them to my boys eventually as I have never shot them. I doubt they will ever be worth double what I paid let alone the prices a premium Enfield or Garand can bring.
 
Comparing an Enfield or Garand to an SKS is like comparing a WWII Jeep to a 1980's version. While it will still have a following it will never have the history or value.
I have several new condition SKS. Bought them as a curiosity. I will give them to my boys eventually as I have never shot them. I doubt they will ever be worth double what I paid let alone the prices a premium Enfield or Garand can bring.


And yet... when they both appeared in a big way on the Canadian milsurp "scene", the SVT-40 and the SKS were both selling for around $200/pop.... :canadaFlag:


The price-differential materialized about 1-2 years later, IIRC... :cheers:


I see that "Model 1917" rifles are now selling for near-or-over $1,000 ... after years of being the 1903 Sprinfield's poorer/neglected sibling... :yingyang:
 
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