Ah, the good ol' days.

[Colt Smith]

I'm a bit of a nostalgic guy. I always get a kick out of a peek back in time when times seemed better. Like thumbing through a turn of the century Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog and seeing a 5" S&W M&P for $13. I came across this ad for an Enfield revolver and got a chuckle. Anybody have nostalgic old ads for handguns at "I wish I could buy it for that now" prices?

 

[Naybor]

Here is an address where you can download a copy of Guns Magazine from 1958.

www.jeffersonian.name/g1958/G0658.pdf

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

But at the turn of the 20th century, how long did it take to make $13?

 

[Snubshooter]

About 13 days.

 

[ironhead7544]

Around the time of that ad minimum wage was $1.00 per hr IIRC. One with the original barrel was about $10.00 in good condition.

I remember seeing the Winchester M1866 Musket for about $70.00. Probably was made for Turkey.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Mail order Hollywood chop-job. Talk about pulp fiction.

Those good old days featured Lugers for $20, 1917 Colts and Smiths for a $25 and 'off brands' like Astra 600's for a sawbuck.

 

[Roan]

Bah, we are living in the good ole' days right now. New weapons technology is flooding the civilian market, gun rights are expanding in this country, and costs for new arms has never been lower (cost of living-wise).

 

[earlthegoat2]

Fires powerful .38 S&W ammunition available anywhere.

It really was the good ol days if 38 S&W was available anywhere. Not so available these days.

 

[welldoya]

I've got a few 1950s Field and Stream mags at home. I remember one ad is for the Browning HP. Seems like the price was either $60 or $80. Send 'em the money, they'll send you the gun.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That Enfield revolver didn't exist around the turn of the century (that is, the turn of the 19th Century.) The .38/200 (AKA .38 S&W) Enfield dates to the 1930s at the earliest.

The ad is probably vintage 1950s-early 60s.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

If you know the year of the ad, punch the numbers in and see what it is in 2010 dollars.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The ad is probably vintage 1950s-early 60s.

More likely from the 1940s. Looks much older than the '50s and definitely older than the '60s.

 

[Colt Smith]

Does anyone have pics of old ads to show?

 

[Dr.Rob]

Some great ads at http://www.magazineart.org/

http://www.magazineart.org/main.php...nsandammo/ColtPistol_25Caliber-1912A.jpg.html

Colt, Iver Johnson, Marlin, Smith & Wesson, Savage, Winchester & Remington all represented here.

Great collection of Colt ads and memorbilia for sale:

http://www.sportingcollectibles.com/colt.html

 

[Colt Smith]

Dr. Rob,

That magazine art dot org link is pretty fun. Thanks.