Tiptoe back in time

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FlSwampRat

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This thread: https://thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/‘68-gun-laws-a-1969-guns-ammo-article.850852/ made me want to read the article in full, so I checked ebay and sure enough someone was selling a stack of old G&A magazines that contained that issue.
I got into being an actual gun owner in the early 70's, about the time I started reading G&A, Shooting Times, etc. Obviously all post GCA '68.
The earliest cover date on the stack of magazines I got from ebay was late '67. As I stood there looking at the five or six issues pre GCA it hit me how much the shooting world has changed since those magazines were printed. I'm really looking forward to reading the news and views pre GCA.

PS.. When I get that article linked above scanned I'll put it up.
 
Don't forget inflation. Median family income was like $5500 in 1960. $25 was a whole day's salary. That's more than monthly rent a lot of places.

Prices now aren't bad. But availability. Oh, so much cool stuff to get, and mailed right to your door!
 
Thanks for mentioning the older gun publications. Yes, the prices are amazing, but they illustrate at least two other really important points. First, many of the articles, particularly about gun control could have been written yesterday. Even before the increase in the leftists' absurdities after the tragedies of 1968, the left wing lunatics were attacking the Second Amendment and those of us who owned firearms. Second, just look at the addresses for the businesses that advertized in these publications. Many of them were located in places like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Alexandria (Va.). Not only are the businesses gone, but the same business would be illeagle or impossible or both in these places today. The fact that no one could own or operate a similar busiess in these locations today demonstrates how much physical ground we have lost in recent decades, which leads to the question: projecting forward, how long will it be before we loose all ground? As Edmund Burke, the Anglo-Irish statesman, tried to explain, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
 
Thanks for mentioning the older gun publications. Yes, the prices are amazing, but they illustrate at least two other really important points. First, many of the articles, particularly about gun control could have been written yesterday. Even before the increase in the leftists' absurdities after the tragedies of 1968, the left wing lunatics were attacking the Second Amendment and those of us who owned firearms. Second, just look at the addresses for the businesses that advertized in these publications. Many of them were located in places like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Alexandria (Va.). Not only are the businesses gone, but the same business would be illeagle or impossible or both in these places today. The fact that no one could own or operate a similar busiess in these locations today demonstrates how much physical ground we have lost in recent decades, which leads to the question: projecting forward, how long will it be before we loose all ground? As Edmund Burke, the Anglo-Irish statesman, tried to explain, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
^Every time i see and/or hear that Edmund Burke quote it makes me think of in the New Testament the "synagogue of Satan" that Jesus mentioned.
 
Didn't get into heavy reading last night, just leafing through them to get a sense of that point in time in gun history. So many of the legal concerns are much like today. Oddly enough, the more gun laws that get passed the more violent incidents seem to erupt.
I did have to chuckle, one article from the late 60's was discussing whether the 1911 was a dead beast. Seems we kicked that around just recently on another thread.
 
Ah the good old days of 1957 and the Sears truck delivery to home, of my mail order rifle(Nagant/Finnish capture). My parents signed for me. Back then it was advertised as a 7.62R (7.62X54) and bonus it came with 100 rounds, all for under $10. But these are the good old days now and there ain't no going back.
 
Don't forget inflation. Median family income was like $5500 in 1960. $25 was a whole day's salary. That's more than monthly rent a lot of places.

Prices now aren't bad. But availability. Oh, so much cool stuff to get, and mailed right to your door!
Something about that daily wage math doesn’t add up unless they only worked part time.

As a nurse, I make pretty good money. I’d gladly pay a day’s wages for milsurps delivered to my door today.
 
One of my favorite jobs was in high school when I worked in the periodicals section of a library. Was one of the few jobs I have had where there was always something new to learn and almost no one interrupted me.

I guess the internet would have been cool too back then, even takes up less space than microfiche.
 
I went nuts in the late 80’s when I was old enough to buy rifles and got a job for 25$ an hour, in Alaska, leaving behind 3.35$ an hour in Montana......and Mosins were my new lust.

The Montana pawn shops with racks of 91’s, 27’s, 28/30’s, Finn 91/30’s we’re far and away, but I soon learned how to use a Shotgun News and a local gun shop ........like gallons of gas on the fire......
 
I guess the internet would have been cool too back then, even takes up less space than microfiche.

One of the things about the printed references is that, once printed, they can't be altered. New, amended editions can come out, but a printed vintage reference is what it is. The internet is too easily purged of information entirely if simple "correcting" isn't enough.
 
We both missed out on this deal.

View attachment 840666
In the late 1950s early 60s my Dad worked at the Memphis Defense Depot, one of his big regrets in later life was not buying crates of M1 garands ,carbines or 1911s for 9 cents a pound. I remember a army surplus store in a quonset hut just off I55 in West Memphis where they had barrels of loose ammo,and milsurplus rifles and handguns stacked along the walls . Ammo was couple of cents a round and firearms sorted by condition were from $5 up to $79. Liked going there better than a candy store.
 
Thanks for mentioning the older gun publications. Yes, the prices are amazing, but they illustrate at least two other really important points. First, many of the articles, particularly about gun control could have been written yesterday. Even before the increase in the leftists' absurdities after the tragedies of 1968, the left wing lunatics were attacking the Second Amendment and those of us who owned firearms. Second, just look at the addresses for the businesses that advertized in these publications. Many of them were located in places like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Alexandria (Va.). Not only are the businesses gone, but the same business would be illeagle or impossible or both in these places today. The fact that no one could own or operate a similar busiess in these locations today demonstrates how much physical ground we have lost in recent decades, which leads to the question: projecting forward, how long will it be before we loose all ground? As Edmund Burke, the Anglo-Irish statesman, tried to explain, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
35112055543_18b5c37868_m.jpg Nailed it, drk1!

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”


Words to live by^^^^^

The tempo was not quite as bad before the 60's when it really got a toe hold, but as long as I can remember, the anti's have had their knives out; they just didn't have the momentum they have steadily gained over the years.

Stay informed and actively oppose the assault on the 2A:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...only-no-comments-replies-please.849343/page-2https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...only-no-comments-replies-please.849343/page-2

Regards,
hps
 
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