Gun shops with milsurp rifles.

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Ignition Override

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People have stated that not many shops have classic rifles such as 1930s, WW2 and Korean vintage because they earn less profit.

Is it difficult to find a shop in your area, or more than one, which often has about a dozen examples, if not more?
 
I have found that the gun-shop markup on milsurp items tends to be rather high, at least in the Midwest, often being doubled that of the Internet prices. Part of the appeal of milsurp in the first place is that it is usually affordable.
 
Not any more, but that shouldn't be surprising since the big bubble of milsurps has come and gone. If you missed it...

Remember that there was a finite supply to have been drawn on, a lot of low prices on what was made available and a lot of active buyers.
 
hso:
To my regret, the gun bug only bit me late in '07, well into middle-age.
At least there are quite a number of non-sport. examples in good (+) condition floating around.

We are so fortunate to have the CMP, but are many more Garands still available overseas for govt. importation, or will the CMP's supplies of them gradually decrease?
If we exclude any potential commercial imports from South Korea (some could evade the White House's ludicrous bans), could there be many other sources?
 
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If you are interested in milsurp rifles, you should have a C&R FFL. I've been collecting for about 5 years, and I've never bought a surplus rifle in a store.

$30 for 3 years, and you can buy surplus guns at wholesale prices online and have them shipped to your door.
 
I remember when I was a kid most hardware stores, Montgomery Ward, Sears and a bunch of others had barrels full of surplus rifles for like 35 bucks your choice.
 
In my area the mark up is outrageous. C&R is the way to go and I think that so many are bought from the importer/wholesaler that way. With a C&R lics you pay almost the sameas the local dealer pays. They have to mark it up so by they time they get to the shelf of the local shop they are priced too high.

The only people who sell retail milsurp at a fair price are guys who buy in bulk. That does not apply to most local shop. Mainly places like AIM and J&G etc....
 
$30 for 3 years, and you can buy surplus guns at wholesale prices online and have them shipped to your door.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that there are some strings attached to that license. It's best for true collectors. For those of us who buy and sell a lot it's not the best.
 
the gun shops in my area have $300 nagants that can be had for $70 from aim. I think it is because they don't have access to the same importers that the bigger places have.
 
If you really want to collect then follow hirundo82's advice. Get a C&R to buy directly from wholesalers.
Back to the original question... Yes. Both LGS and Gander Mountain have over-priced Mosin Nagants. I've also seen some various Mauser rifles. The C&R market has been pretty dry for some time.
 
There's a few shops out here with Milsurps....one wants $400 for a Nagant....the other sells them for a fair price, but is an online shop with a pseudo storefront, which means you can't ask to see x many rifles and cherry pick.
 
i bought a japanese nambu pistol at a local pawn shop that was labeled as a "japanese 9mm" a couple of years ago. $200. Bill
 
My local shops in CNY usually had a few, usually good ones, for a reasonable price, and were always happy to get more. There was always demand, and usually supply, though supply didn't always keep up because most of the surplus rifles they were carrying were good pre-68 imports that came out of the tertiary market and brought good money, rather than just peddling cheap refurb Mosins and Yugo Mausers.
 
It seems that pawn shops are too risky, as you might be stuck with it if the gun has a malfunction.

We seem to have only one actual 'gun shop' which always has a selection of non-sporterized milsurp rifles, but his prices are too high.
He might earn his living mostly from handguns and ammo.

For those with a C&R, "Joesalter" has a wide selection and is very trusted.
Bought my first Enfield "J. Carbine" from his company in NH, and have no plans to have the C&R.
 
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My local gunshop has a small double sided rack on the floor with milsurp's. Its usually sks and mosins. There are always a couple odd balls that I have never seen before though.

The prices are generally higher than whats online, but no where near double that. I think the mosins usually run around $150.

They're definitely not the main focus of the store, but they're nice to browse through. I've never closely inspected them though.
 
There's a couple of LGS around me, with $200plus nagants/enfields in medium to bad appearance. Though they do have about 8 of em. And an SKS for as much as an AK?

Sucks cause they also have some nice looking P1s, ya know the P38 remakes, but for $400, $400 I could get another plastic gun with twice the mag cap and a warranty. But I like the style. I offered to trade a G27 (valued at $480ish)outright for one plus a few extra mags, they declined. Is it hard ordering arms online?
 
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