Too soon old...

[Tumbleweed]

I was digging through some old magazines, and came across a copy of "Guns" from Oct., 1961...and now I'm sad....

Hunters Lodge, from Alexandria, Va. was offering Persian 98 Mauser Carbines for $34.95 in VG or better condition. $5 extra for brand new condition......#5 Mk.1s for $24.95.....G33/50 Swedish Mauser Carbines for $29.95, or $5 extra for brand new condition......

N.F. Strebe Gun Works was offering "Genuine New Commercial FN Mauser Actions" (in the white) for $39.95; add $8 for double set triggers (installed).

Numrich Arms was offering Savage 99 barrels, brand new, for $12.50 plus $.75 shipping...bolt bending blocks for $9.95...U.S. M1 carbine magazines, 15 round, new in the wrap for $1 ea. or 30 shot "banana" magazines, 2 for $7.95....

Tradewinds offers Husqvarna Lightweight Sporters in .243, 30-06, .270, .308, 7 mm, and .358 Magnum for $129.95...

Rifle Ranch offers 50 pound kegs of #4831 powder for $20.95 or 20 pound kegs for $11.95...

Walzer Arms offers 8 mm ammo for $35/1040 rds, and 6.5x55 Swedish for $55/1170 rds.....30-06 (non corrosive, in clips & bandoliers) for $100/2160 rds....

And the list goes on. Does anyone have a time machine...???

 

[green]

If you were around for those deals you are even older than I am. In 1970 I was making a cool $1.28/hr. In real terms I believe the real bargains were International, Montreal 1975-90.

 

[MD]

1979

Well I got my Swede 96 for $49.99 from SIR mail order around 1979 or '80 and I feel lucky that I did.

I could barely afford it too. Just before that I got a MN 91 for $29.99 that was not a good shooter, but in about 82 or 83 SIR sent me a real nice 1938 Tula MN for 50 or 60 bucks that was a Finn capture and appeared unused after re-arsenalling.

That's a good shooter.

Even in the 1990s when I discovered the CAI catalogue, I was buying a house and just couldn't afford another gun, no matter how cheap. Missed some deals there for sure.

Bought a barreled action MN for $12.95 though, then an M-44 stock for another $12.95. Built a scout rifle with a B-Square mount and a long eye relief scope out of that one. Believe me, the mount and scope cost a lot more than the rifle parts!