How times have changed...

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MosinT53Hunter

MosinT53Hunter

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I was looking at used rifles for sale at J&G Sales today, and to my amazement, they have a Chinese T53 Mosin Nagant, in their words "Very Good Condition", which means not bottom of the barrel, but close. But what made me look twice, then once more, was the price. $460.00!!!:what: How things have changed, prices on anything and everything surplus firearm has skyrocketed!

When I bought my T53 (date 1955) it was for $139.00 about four years ago. Its my go to deer rifle, and I couldn't be happier. :) Makes me glad I bought mine when I did, but boy, those prices sure are high now a days.

I know, its supply and demand, but I still remember how people would talk down on the Chinese SKS and the T53's, and look at them now, going more for them than a brand new rifle. Ok, I'm done ranting...
 
I paid 49 bucks for my Finnish Moisin at Roses department store. I figure it's a 100 buck gun at best today.
 
I think it's the Internet Echo Chamber principle combined with law of supply and demand.

China, Russia, Ukraine dump tens of thousands surplus rifles at laughable prices.

People buy them, get very happy that they got so much rifle for so little, brag about this, more people buy them, there's an internet following combined with love stories and flame wars, the rifles get overhyped just as demand starts to dry up.

So you see a beat up Chinese copy of a 130 year old Russian design going for about 2/3 of the cost of a new Remington 700.

Even though that Remington will likely run circles around that Mosin anywhere you don't need a bayonet.
 
Wanderling said:
I think it's the Internet Echo Chamber principle combined with law of supply and demand.

China, Russia, Ukraine dump tens of thousands surplus rifles at laughable prices.

People buy them, get very happy that they got so much rifle for so little, brag about this, more people buy them, there's an internet following combined with love stories and flame wars, the rifles get overhyped just as demand starts to dry up.

So you see a beat up Chinese copy of a 130 year old Russian design going for about 2/3 of the cost of a new Remington 700.

Even though that Remington will likely run circles around that Mosin anywhere you don't need a bayonet.
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Quite true, but also, don't forget when there is a new WWII movie that comes out every so often, new interest for said surplus guns explodes, and drives the scarcity and "value" up too.
 
Over the years I bought two Type 53s. Both in very good condition and matching numbers. I paid a about double the price on them, at the time I bought them, over what a standard dirty Type 53 was selling for. I would have to say, looking back, the best $200 I have spent on a pair of guns.
 
I remember when I first started going to gunshows, mosins in all conditions were going for $40 each, mausers usually $50, and Turkish mausers $35. Now those were the times. I tried out a lot of surplus guns that way.
 
About ten years ago when the Mosin Nagant had doubled in price to around $100 I half joked with many friends that they should buy all they could find as one day soon the supplies were going to dry up and *poof* it's the next incarnation of the Springfield 1903. Don't think so? Ah ha! Getting closer now. Before long we're going to start seeing threads about how to restore and un-Bubba these fine shooting irons into wonderful $1000 historical works of art. :neener:
 
illinoisburt said:
About ten years ago when the Mosin Nagant had doubled in price to around $100 I half joked with many friends that they should buy all they could find as one day soon the supplies were going to dry up and *poof* it's the next incarnation of the Springfield 1903. Don't think so? Ah ha! Getting closer now. Before long we're going to start seeing threads about how to restore and un-Bubba these fine shooting irons into wonderful $1000 historical works of art. :neener:
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Sounds like something I would say.

Really the simple fact is they don't make them anymore.....and if for some reason they do decide to make a "homage" or whatever to one like they did with the Colt 1908 you will find it costing way too much and not made by who you think it is made by.

FIL and his brother....guess that would be the uncle in law?....went in together and bought a Krag rifle....because they could not afford the $25 for the 1903. They "prettyed" it up also. It was their hunting rifle. That was about 50 years ago.....what do you think a 9130 will be worth in 50 years.
 
Yes, and gas cost a quarter a gallon and the attendant would check your oil, tires and clean the windshield while he filled you up before you took your date to the movies for $5.
 
This Thread reminds me of a gunshow in Medina, OH that I attended in ~1988.

One of the active sellers that year appeared to be SKSs (I do not recall their origin) that were being sold for less far less than $100 ($59? $69?). I recall seeing a LOT of guys walking out of the building with an SKS slung on their shoulders.

I looked one over and the type just did not appeal to me ... still doesn't, even though I have tried.

Well ... my Albanian is somewhat interesting. :)
 
Price perception is a funny thing. When something is cheap folks tend to view it a not good quality. When these Mosin Nagant rifles were selling for $40 they were trash. $100 still trash. $200 over priced trash to some but maybe not too bad to others. $350 historic pieces, lamenting missing the cheap days. I'm waiting on the $600-1000 we need to preserve these beautiful example of old world quality - how could those terrible people have butchered them without understanding their value.

I'm guessing another 5 years. People are so silly.

(I got mine and shoot it a whole bunch - wasting all that cheap crappy surplus ammo that will be collector stuff too. So there LOL!)
 
illinoisburt said:
Price perception is a funny thing. When something is cheap folks tend to view it a not good quality. When these Mosin Nagant rifles were selling for $40 they were trash. $100 still trash. $200 over priced trash to some but maybe not too bad to others. $350 historic pieces, lamenting missing the cheap days. I'm waiting on the $600-1000 we need to preserve these beautiful example of old world quality - how could those terrible people have butchered them without understanding their value.

I'm guessing another 5 years. People are so silly.

(I got mine and shoot it a whole bunch - wasting all that cheap crappy surplus ammo that will be collector stuff too. So there LOL!)
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Ah, you mean like those 1916 Spanish Mauser's that are all the rage right now, bottom of the barrel (I have one, converting it into something more fun) kinds. Going cheap now, give it two years, they will double their "value" on gunbroker and people will be scrambling to get their hands on these relics.
 
MosinT53Hunter said:
Ah, you mean like those 1916 Spanish Mauser's that are all the rage right now, bottom of the barrel (I have one, converting it into something more fun) kinds. Going cheap now, give it two years, they will double their "value" on gunbroker and people will be scrambling to get their hands on these relics.
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Exactly! I'm a shooter and hunter, not a collector. Thankfully I've been able to dismiss the naysayers and enjoy the heck out of various milsurps over the years. If it's solid, inexpensive, and has gobs of full power centerfire ammo available, I'm gonna be there. When the ammo dries up or the guns start getting expensive guess who may have a well used example for sale...
 
I collect, shoot, and hunt a little. Those 1916 Spanish Mausers, mine cost me $75 back in 1985.
Those $300 Mosins, I bought a crate of 20 for $1700 a while back when they were selling for $100 each.
When the Chinese SKSs were $69 each, I bought 10. Still have one.
Those Turkish Mausers? Wish I would have started buying them back in 1998 when they were four for $100 with bayonets. I started buying them when they ware selling for $60 back in 2007. I'm glad I picked up over 30 of them before the price went over $200.
We look back on the good old days, but today will be tomorrow's good old days.
 
I bought a 181-series Ruger Mini-14 in 1979 for $179. I see similar rifles offered on sites like Gun Broker today for aboud $500 to $600 (I ignore listings that price used Mini-14s more than new ones). My HP-12C tells me that's appreciation of around 2.75% per year which seems rather modest - particularly given the Obama panic.

When the flood of under-$100 SKS rifles came in, I looked long and hard at them. What held me back was that I reload everything I shoot and while steel-case ammunition was cheap, brass-cased 7.62x39 was not and once-fired cases were difficult to find and expensive when I did. I decided to skip it and concentrate on optimizing the load for my Mini-14. I'm glad I did since the SKS/AK didn't take off in this country like people seemed to think it would and today my sons' 16 inch ARs shoot the loads I optimized for my 18 inch Mini-14 just fine.
 
ColtPythonElite said:
I paid 49 bucks for my Finnish Moisin at Roses department store. I figure it's a 100 buck gun at best today.
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Um, even well worn Finnish Mosins are bringing about $300-400 now if not sporterized. I'm pretty sure that you would be able to sell that Finnish Mosin pretty quick on GB if you posted it with a Buy it Now @ $100 excluding S/H and brokerage fees.
 
Saw a case of Yugo 59/66 SKSs in a gun shop in 2016 for $450 each. Saw an almost identical case of the same gun in 2006, in the same area, for $95 each. Guess I should have bought the case back then, but I just didn't want the grenade launcher spigot thing on one.

I got pretty hosed on a deal in about 1993 when I bought an SKS for just over $200. Now, that was not smart, but it was a pristine Russian model. They've gone up enough that I don't stay up and cry about being dumb back then.
 
Scarcity of SKSs and Mosins is largely driven by Obama era import restrictions. If Pres. Trump undoes those restrictions, just watch the prices fall. I would guess that such a move is highly likely.
 
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