[Cosmoline]

I was cruising the local shops yesterday when I overheard a customer refer to an M-48 Yugo as a "German rifle" from WWII. I corrected him, explaining not only the history of the intermdiate action M-48 but that he'd been misled by a Mitchell's Mauser ad. I then described the differences between the K-98k's and the M-48's, and advised him on what rifle he should get.

If this weren't bad enough, I overheard the same customer later on asking about a particular handgun and when the clerk was stumped I told him three other stores in town where he might be able to find the pistol.

I've reached the stage in crankdom where I can't keep my trap shut :D How much longer till I reach the stage of picking up brass at the range on weekday mornings while mumbling to myself about the fascinating stages of Mosin-Nagant development?

[bakert]

It's a condition you can learn to live with. Probably won't even have to have therapy. Good idea to always carry a few pieces of brass in your pocket to calm you down when listening to the sales pitch of gunstore owners and clerks. :D

[CajunBass]

Don't worry about it until you get thrown out of the last gun shop in town.

[HighVelocity]

I think your brother was at Military Gun Supply in Ft. Worth today and his mouth was going 90mph. :D

[WayneConrad]

Good idea to always carry a few pieces of brass in your pocket to calm you down when listening to the sales pitch of gunstore owners and clerks.
In times of stress, one could roll them in one's hands like the little steel balls of Captain Philip Francis Queeg. That is so perfectly crankish!

[Cosmoline]

Who took my strawberries!

[Matthew748]

Good job advising him on that Yugo M-48. There is nothing wrong with that rifle, but I hate to see people misled into thinking they are buying German K98s when they are really aren't.

[MountainPeak]

I STILL prefer the term "gun nut" to "crank", but that's just me! :)

[Bwana John]

I think I may have been a certifyable guncrank :cuss: sense 1972.

[Cosmoline]

OMG. I'm hopeless. I just read your comment about "gun nut" vs. "crank" and the first thing that popped into my twisted mind was a lecture about how in the early days of 20th century gun magazines, the term "crank" was far more frequently used. I'm like the Cliff Clavin of guns :uhoh:

[Mr. X]

I'll bet it's hard to watch the History Channel, as they often botch facts. I saw Goldberg refer to the ".306 Win" on the latest "AutoManiac."

[Smokey Joe]

FWIW, long long ago before the anti's had any political clout to speak of, and I was a much younger junior member of the NRA, that fine organization referred to people who did not favor private ownership of firearms, or who did favor putting restrictions on firearm users, as "gun cranks."

At the time, these what we now call antis, were merely amusing. American Rifleman articles assured us that they could be safely ignored.

Of course, at the time, the then DCM was selling surplus US Gov't Colt autos for I think $45. Springfields were even less. You had to be 21 to order one. I was disgusted that I could never talk my Mom in to signing up and ordering one. There were no surplus M-1's--That was what the Army was using at the time!

Anyhow, when I think of the term "gun crank," nothing positive comes to mind!

[Cosmoline]

Smokey--that's fascinating. My use of the term has come from reading a series of article segments published in the latest Gun Digest that reprint parts of the legendary bolt vs. lever debate that waged in the gun mags prior to WWI. The writers called themselves and each other "gun cranks." I liked the term.

[1911Ron]

If you have shot a Gatling gun you could be a GUN CRANK :evil: :D :neener:

[BHPshooter]

I then described the differences between the K-98k's and the M-48's, and advised him on what rifle he should get.

Pardon me for the thread veer, but please enlighten me! I've wanted a mauser ever since I shot Sumpnz's Swiss (?) Mauser. What a sweet gun. So, for the ignorant: what is the difference, and which should I (eventually) get?

Back to your regularly scheduled program,
Wes

[Onmilo]

I always felt "Gun-Nuts" referred to something else,,,,,

I would rather be a 'Crank' than a 'Nut'.

[GRB]

Cosmoline,

I consider myself a Firearms Aficionado.

Of course other suitable terms, I think more suitable than either Gun Nut or Gun Crank, would be: Gun Devotee, or Firearms Enthusiast.

If I am ever nutty or cranky, it has nothing to do with my enthusiasm for firearms and shooting. Now as to asking about the strawberries - have you been playing with Chinese Therapy Balls lately? I can say from experience that they work much better than shell casings.

Best regards,
Glenn B

[MountainPeak]

In today's PC world, to each his own, and I do know the history of "crank". I just happen to be a PROUD "gun nut", and don't give a "whatever" what other people think about me, my guns, or my love of the 2nd Amendment. :neener:

[Cosmoline]

I can't be an "aficionado" because I don't have enough money.

Pardon me for the thread veer, but please enlighten me! I've wanted a mauser ever since I shot Sumpnz's Swiss (?) Mauser. What a sweet gun. So, for the ignorant: what is the difference, and which should I (eventually) get?

If you found a SWISS Mauser, you've really got a rare rifle :D The Swiss used Schmidt-Rubin straight pulls and the K-31 carbines.

As far as Mausers, the M-48 Yugos are strickly workaday rifles. They're solid but I don't know of any of them being exceptionally accurate. THey're also an odd size, so they don't mesh well with aftermarket barrels, stock, or other parts. The K-98k's were generally better made, but the down side is they went through the losing side of a world war and most of them look like it. The Czech Mausers tend to be in better condition and have the same quality engineering. The very best ones for the money IMHO are still the Persians, if you can find them. These were purchased from the Czechs by the Peacock Throne and basically just got carried around by well-dressed soldiers in white gloves. No wars+quality engineering=excellent Mauser. The South American mausers are also very good, but they tend to be more expensive.

[eab]

I am pretty sure he means Swede Mauser, very nice rifes from what I here. Shoots 6.5mm and not the usall 8mm found in mausers

[Cosmoline]

Yes, those are pre-98's but excellent. They are getting more $$ all the time.

[GRB]

I can't be an "aficionado" because I don't have enough money. In that case, maybe I am a gun nut.

[entropy]

How much longer till I reach the stage of picking up brass at the range on weekday mornings while mumbling to myself about the fascinating stages of Mosin-Nagant development?

OMG, that's me! :what: Well, OK, I'm usually picking up the brass from the test tube, not a range, but, otherwise..... :uhoh:

I had a guy try to sell me a Mitchell's Yugo M48 at a gun show, and he kept claiming it was a German K98, even after I showed him the Yugo crest and Arsenal markings. Sure, Mitchell's got the cleanest looking of the Yugos, but I wouldn't pay what they want for them, and definitely not what this guy wanted.

I usually have a piece of brass or two in my pocket; it's kind of like worry stones... :p