Who else misses King Sol's Army/Navy?

[TheCoachZed]

I found one of their old catalogues last night. This was my first exposure to the wonderful world of surplus rifles back in the late 80s.......too bad you still can't buy a M44 for $89. Hakims, Tokarevs, Garands, AK-47 copies.....they had it all.

Didn't they go out of business because they were selling Saturday night specials or something along those lines?

 

[OneBarfly]

Nope...

********************************************
PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun
DATE: 2001.12.20

A Toronto businessman who admitted participating in the largest
international gun-smuggling enterprise in Canadian history was fined $17,000
and given a one-year conditional sentence yesterday. Crown attorney Calvin
Barry said Ira Meiteen was involved in a plan to send 21,000 (M1 Garands) to
alleged gun-smuggling kingpin Mel Bishop in Reno, Nevada. "The resulting
profits in this operation had the potential to hit millions of dollars,"
said Barry. "Meiteen was a dupe" who received less money than his fine for
his role, Barry added.
Justice Peter Grossi described the scheme as "sophisticated," but noted that
Meiteen, 39, a first offender who runs his family's King Sol camping goods
store, pleaded guilty early and cooperated fully with Toronto and U.S.
police without any promises.
Meiteen has already testified against Bishop, 64, at a grand jury hearing
and will testify against him at his trial for gun smuggling, Barry said.
"Meiteen was an integral part of bringing Bishop to justice, where he's
facing a substantial penitentiary term on an indictment," Barry alleged.
The arsenal "could have ended up in war-torn countries in the Middle East,
Africa and Afghanistan" as well as in the hands of American collectors,
Barry said. The M-1 Garand rifles -- popularized in the Hollywood hit,
Saving Private Ryan -- cannot be imported back into the U.S. without special
permission from the state department, Barry explained.
Bishop, a former Hollywood producer and L.A. sheriff department lieutenant,
allegedly cultivated a relationship with Meiteen, owner-operator of King Sol
Outdoor store on Queen St. W., to facilitate the smuggling of <firearms> in
1998.
"Bishop, a charismatic and charming man, was like a father-figure to
Meiteen," said his lawyer Brian Greenspan. "He was taken in by an older,
experienced and sophisticated person."
Bishop and Meiteen engaged in a business arrangement and met with Century
International Arms in Montreal.
Century, an American firm and one of the world's largest <firearms> dealers,
is a large importer of M-1 rifles from the U.S.
Century strips the guns down and ships "part kits" to the United States.
Meiteen used his firearms licence to buy the guns and had them shipped to
Toronto.
Once at the Toronto store, the guns were dismantled and the barrels and
parts would be boxed separately from the gun's "receiver, the weapon's meat
and potatoes," Barry said.
An investigation uniting the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms,U.S. customs and Toronto Police uncovered the plot.

 

[Gard]

I miss it alot. That's where we got our combats back when I was in cadets. They had good stuff.

 

[eos]

Got a lot of good stuff there back then. Never got a second look toting it home cased on the Queen Street car.

 

[TheCoachZed]

I remember the Garand case, but there was another incident too. I think staff sold a police officer a starter pistol and told him how to convert it into a firearm, or something along those lines.

 

[Pre-1898]

I miss them BIG TIME TOO ! I also miss Century International Firearms .

This was the good old time ! I was just starting in guns, and felt like a little boy in a Toy R Us every time I opened their catalogues.

 

[TheCoachZed]

It wasn't just the guns, though. They had gas masks, those crazy Rambo-style survival knives, S.W.A.T. jackets, tents.....they were like a Cabela's for the army buff...

 

[Beater]

yea, i bought lotsa stuff from them. how about this add......
from PA

 

[slug1977]

i remember those cataloges when i was younger ,my dad and a friend bought a couple of rifles from them,dad got a .303 no.4 ,he sold it "its too heavy ,all that wood",man could i kick him now......his friend bought a 6.5x55 ,he wouldnt sell that rifle to me ,says there isnt enough money in my bank account .oh well if i had of been smart i would have bought some myself......

 

[H Wally]

how about this add......
from PA

I love how the sporters are 1/3 more than the regulars

 

[sunray]

Century International Firearms is still in business, Stateside. And still building rifles out of parts bins with zero QC.

 

[bearhunter]

I bought lots of stuff from King Sol and International. Most of it wasn't put together from parts, it was to expensive, even back then.

Many of the rifles and handguns were of minimal quality, especially the sale items. In the early 70s, $15 Lee Enfields, new in the grease were common. Hudsons Bay, Marshall wells, Army&Navy as well as gas stations and livestock feed stores all carried them. I remember 1969, when Marshall Wells brought in a bunch of Springfield 98 Krag carbines, twelve bucks each with 100 rounds of surplus FMJ ammo. Twelve bucks was a lot of money for most people in those days, the average wage was $2/hr for tradesmen. The rifles were well used and in good only condition, took about a year for our local store to sell the dozen they brought in. For the same price, you could get a sported Lee Enfield No1 or No4 for the same price with the same amt of surplus ammo and the rifles were either new or FTRed before being improved.

We'll never see those days again, Garands were always relatively expensive, as were the Swede mausers when they first came out, (the carbines had come out several years earlier) later the market was flooded with M96s then the M38s all in excellent all matching condition along with 2000 rounds of 6.5x55 wooden tipped bullets and enough powder and 160 grn bullets to handload the cartridges into usefule ammo. The flake powder in the cases (wood bullets) was very quick burning and made excellent pistol powder for the 45acp and 44mag, all for $225 (rifle and components). Close to a week of take home wages in 1977. Not many people could afford the expense. Not so different from now.

bearhunter