A trip back in time to the 1958 Golden State Arms Store

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I think it was Martin Retting who had a sale to be all sales. This ad had Swiss military firearms going to when that country used French flintlock muskets. Included were several styles of muzzle loading target rifles. Also included were many variations of the 41 RF repeater. You could go on and on like this. I wish somebody could share that ad from the AR.
 
I looked through the 1958 GSA catalog (subtitled "Guns of the World") and failed to find this gun.
I did find something very similar in a 1927 Bannerman's catalog under the heading "Inventor's and Experimental Pistols". I don't have the book at hand right now but I believe it was priced at $27.95.
 
Those Swedish Lahtis were supposedly not as good as the original Finnish, IIRC. For memory lane, in the depths of Brooklyn, NY in Macy's (now a fancy clothing store), the basement sporting goods department had barrels of surplus rifles.
 
GEM said:
Those Swedish Lahtis were supposedly not as good as the original Finnish, IIRC. For memory lane, in the depths of Brooklyn, NY in Macy's (now a fancy clothing store), the basement sporting goods department had barrels of surplus rifles.
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I still remember when Goldstock's was in downtown Schenectady. They had nice Berettas and fancy Weatherby rifles in there. Good old days will never come again. Glad I am not a small kid today
 
theotherwaldo said:
I looked through the 1958 GSA catalog (subtitled "Guns of the World") and failed to find this gun.
I did find something very similar in a 1927 Bannerman's catalog under the heading "Inventor's and Experimental Pistols". I don't have the book at hand right now but I believe it was priced at $27.95.
Click to expand...

I do not see it, but if you can tell the page number when you look next.. thanks
 
My older brother used to take me to Golden State Arms in the early 1960's. I still have clear memories after all these years. OUTSIDE of the front door, you had to walk over a concrete pad, that had about 20 pistols of various types embedded in the freshly poured concrete. I remember that one pistol, it might have been the Webley revolver, had been damaged when someone tried to pry it out. Besides the guns, like German Lugers in a barrel for $50 each, was the fantastic militaria for sale everywhere. Along the upper walls, you could see that even surplus Civil War and Indian War uniform items were still available and for sale. I remember Civil War era enlisted rank chevrons of EVERY rank, and in EVERY different color for the various army branches, were displayed for sale. Spectacular and overwhelming to a 15-16 year old kid. I'd give anything to be able to visit THAT store again.
 
Fantastic thread and opening post. As a Californian I am both saddened and delighted to think of what a hotbed this state was for shooters, decades ago.
 
Doug Hjelm said:
My older brother used to take me to Golden State Arms in the early 1960's. I still have clear memories after all these years. OUTSIDE of the front door, you had to walk over a concrete pad, that had about 20 pistols of various types embedded in the freshly poured concrete. I remember that one pistol, it might have been the Webley revolver, had been damaged when someone tried to pry it out. Besides the guns, like German Lugers in a barrel for $50 each, was the fantastic militaria for sale everywhere. Along the upper walls, you could see that even surplus Civil War and Indian War uniform items were still available and for sale. I remember Civil War era enlisted rank chevrons of EVERY rank, and in EVERY different color for the various army branches, were displayed for sale. Spectacular and overwhelming to a 15-16 year old kid. I'd give anything to be able to visit THAT store again.
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Uhhhhhhhhhhh Oh man please keep talking dirty to me... :)
 
Where’d they all go!?

That’s my question. Clearly there a lot in circulation in shops etc, but is everything else in people’s attics and basements? River and lake bottoms? Melted down in police buy backs?
 
I still have the $29.95 Enfield No.1 Mk III rifle my dad bought from GSA back in the early 50's. He worked for Southern Pacific and had it sent Railway Express.

Priceless to me.

Conelrad
 
.38 Special said:
Fantastic thread and opening post. As a Californian I am both saddened and delighted to think of what a hotbed this state was for shooters, decades ago.
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I do not want to make these reflections back into a big crying Jag.. But you can say the same on the darn East coast.. For the Love of God Bannermans had their sales office in Manhattan on Broadway.. It was a block long.. They worked in that city bringing goodness and history for all. Think if it was open now.. Heck they had to operate a Gunship on the Hudson to supply the store from the island.
 
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My dad’s dad used to buy SMLE’s by the crate from companies like this and give them away as gifts. He did that until he died in 1973. I think there’s still a crate full floating around with some family member or other. I was too late for any pre-GCA 68 goodness but I can remember seeing barrels of rifles in KMart and Gibson’s in the 1970’s. Can even remember getting shiny-eyed over surplus 1911s for sale in an army navy store.
 
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