Cheap surplus guns - a thing of the past?

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So what will the future look like? Just commercially produced firearms, and an occasional surplus rifle being sold for like $500?
Certainly so, eventually that's inevitable.

The only equivalents to military surplus that are likely to be available in the future are modern-produced variations of military rifles built to conform to US law for civilian firearms. That means rifles built (or to some extent "rebuilt") by companies for commercial sale. Items made to military spec, since the last quarter of the 20th century, are not lawful for sale to US civilians. Hence, no more military surplus guns.

It is possible that foreign military sidearms may still be surplussed out and lawfully imported in the future, as they rarely have the capacity for automatic fire. But that's by no means a sure thing considering how many agreements, executive orders, import laws, and trade agreements have to be worked around.
 
Still a handful of surplus guns out there just a diff selection...but the ammo $$ is creeping up on them.

$100 bin: Styers, Mosin 91/30, Nagant Revolver

$150-200 bin: Type 53s, Toks and Maks

$250-300 bin: New batch of Norinco SKS and post war Walther P38s
 
I think you'll see mainly handguns imported in the next 20 or so years. The rifle days are long gone. You'll get parts kits.
 
It's not the end of the world The surplus guns haven't disappeared. They're just all moving into the individual market. You'll still be able to buy mausers and garands but it will be from an individual seller and not an importer.
 
Is there a fair chance that more Norincos could be imported from somewhere besides the PRC? I did not know that imported guns might be allowed from China since the Clinton ban-if this is possible.

Are many more Makarov-caliber handguns still available in eastern Europe for export to the US?
 
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Y'all seem to be missing the point.

We still have "cheap surplus guns" but since the world moved mainly to machineguns, subguns, and assault rifles post WW-II, they're just in a different form.

Now they come in parts kits form and "some assembly is required."

:)
 
Tons of surplus out there. It is all just select-fire now because after WW2 a switch to use semi-auto or selectve fire became standard, (a global trend with platforms since WW1).
That switch is forbidden to commoners, and so all those inexpensive guns are out of your grasp.
They are there though.


Additionally now many governments around the world and organizations at an international level encourage destruction of arms when they are replaced by something else in military and police forces. Rather than passing them on like in prior generations.
Our own government has in fact been a big player in that regard for many years both domestically and abroad.




There is tons of AK-47s phased out of use out there, they would likely be under $200 if you could purchase them in stock format from surplus, no labor involved in unpacking, disassembly, converting etc. There was a lot of m14s. Massive quantity of FALs. The list goes on and on.
In Libya they just uncovered a big cache or practically new STG 44s, those would be in your local gun store if not for laws preventing you from having that almost 70 year old rifle.
The surplus market would be large and thriving if you were not forbidden from owning select fire weapons.
They would be just as inexpensive as in the old days (and in many cases even less expensive), adjusted for inflation. You just would have semi-auto/select fire guns instead of bolt actions.
By being legislatively stuck in the stone age...surplus has passed you by.

But it is certainly not because there is no dirt cheap surplus out there waiting.
 
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So, we need to over turn the Federal gun control laws, and get busy importing those guns with selector switches!
 
Part of the issue is that the old military surplus guns that you could find everywhere were bolt actions and semi automatics. Now most military surplus weapons are select fire, which makes them harder to import, requiring modifications to the receivers just to bring them in.

The days of the $120 rifle are gone excluding Mosins, even good examples of those are beginning to rise in price.
 
@ millwright...
Atf says once a machinegun always a machinegun. So m4 and m16 no matter what are going to captain crunch.
True, that is AFT policy. However, remember how PTR got its start? Taking G-3's, making semi receivers. Could create more cottage industries. Look at SMG guns.com, making a semi auto FG-42. Something to think about.
 
The lack of surplus .303 ammo-and if found, priced similar to reloadable Prvi .303-seems to have limited demand for Enfield rifles in the original configurations. Maybe its also their appearance.

Aren't ammo prices a major factor for many people who might want their first surplus rifle (or consider selling), if we exclude Mosin Nagants?
 
The lack of surplus .303 ammo-and if found, priced similar to reloadable Prvi .303-seems to have limited demand for Enfield rifles in the original configurations. Maybe its also their appearance.

Aren't ammo prices a major factor for many people who might want their first surplus rifle (or consider selling), if we exclude Mosin Nagants?
People have fireformed American brass for foreign guns. My dad did this with .284 Winchester to fit a k-31 Schmit-Ruben. Many guys resized 30'06 into 8mm. Where there is a will...
 
With the huge sales of rifles/shotguns/handguns what has occurred over the past 110ish years, there is a huge supply of old used firearms at a great value. I just picked up a 1904 patent stevens 520 pump for $120 at cabelas. Deals are out there, and will continue to be out there. The name of the game has just changed. :)
 
No point in repeating what others have already pointed out. I will say though that with surplus guns, simply do not pass up a really good buy when you see one. As myself, many others on this board and elsewhere will tell you stories about what they passed up in times long gone and regretted later.

While you probably will not see any more $70 rifles etc largely because of the dollar's decline, there will likely be some relatively cheap surplus guns come along as supply and availability provide. Save your money - have cash on hand - do not wait to see them appear and then fret about finding the money to buy them.

Study the types, learn as much as you can in order to know what is a good buy, decide what you want, and bide your time.

In addition to local classifieds etc, visits the dealers and pawn shops regularly and see what's in the offing. Sooner or later you'll score something(s) good.
 
I recall the day I turned my nose up at a $200 M-1 carbine. I bought a cherry $129 Russian SKS. Still have the SKS, though I haven't shot it in a decade.

Wish I'd a bought more than 1 of the $49.95 Russian M44s. I don't know what I'd do with 'em, but I'd never pay the $200 people expect for a M44 today.
 
I still don't regret buying that $150.00 Romanian SKS over the Mini14 the counter guy was trying to hard sell me on.
There were several that got away. However, the one that didn't; prior to getting married, I bouthgt an 8mm FN-49 for $180.No regrets on that either. Love that rifle
 
Well, I have enjoyed the C&R guns for the last decade. Sadly it's all coming to an end.

I am VERY pessimistic about the importation of guns and ammo going forward after the election. Dark days ahead for gun owners.
 
Well, I have enjoyed the C&R guns for the last decade. Sadly it's all coming to an end.

I am VERY pessimistic about the importation of guns and ammo going forward after the election. Dark days ahead for gun owners.

What does C&R and importation have to do with things? C&R is NOT totally about imported guns
 
I don't know how things are "relatively" cheaper nowadays.

That $17.50 .45 represented 17 1/2 hours work @ the $1.00/hr minimun wage in 1960.

17 1/2 hours work at the current minimum wage of $8.25/hr will gross you $144.375.

I haven't seen a shootable .45 for TWICE that price in years.

ed
 
This is why when I shop for a new gun, I look at surplus. I feel fairly confident that so long as a commercial firearms sells in reasonable numbers, it will always be available. They still make Single Action Armys, they still make 30-30 Winchesters. They don't make M1 Garands anymore.
 
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