GunnyUSMC
Member
My shop may be the last stash of milsurps. My kids have some of my milsurp collection but not all. I might sell some down the road.
here are a few in my shop.
here are a few in my shop.
MILSURP guys- what is the current "good deal"? Is there one?
- Thread starter FL-NC
- Start date
- Status
OP
OP
FL-NC
Member
Yep, it seems like the glory days are gone. I have a good collection of MILSURP, but its all US stuff, aside from a nazi mauser a friend gave me and a SKS I paid $75 for in the 90's, and an Enfield break-top 38 I got from... somewhere. Kind of wish I had bought a Mosin carbine or 2 when they were $80. Would also like to have a Tok SVT.I guess we can just hope some get shaken loose from some overseas tree, and are allowed to come into the US one day.
The glory day now is that little old lady who has this ______________ owned by her late husband. Doesn't happen to me, but known people past who stumbled on some steals. Personally in such cases I would literally feel like I am stealing if I did not tell them what it is worth.
Cabela's isn't stocking any of those sob stories for sure 
Candyman87
Member
Last good deal I got was a Sporterized Enfield No.4 MkI* that I'm hoping to restore to its former glory.
OP
OP
FL-NC
Member
Yep, AR's are the hot thing right now for sure- but something that was built in the last 90 days and was never issued to a person in the military isn't "surplus", by my definition.
DeepSouth
Random Guy
Couldn’t agree more! While not necessarily cheap right now, I believe 10 years from now the CMP will have been empty for awhile and prices will climb pretty rapidly. And we will be talking about how good the prices were in 2018-20 maybe 2021. But I could be wrong, I have been a couple times before.
Panzerschwein
member
Maks and other "commie crap" pistols but not many rifles sadly.
illinoisburt
Member
Well in theory we could have another big round of milsurps - Beretta M9s. However they certainly aren't going to be a good deal if priced at or above current retail new pistols. Why pay extra? Who knows, but people will.
D.B. Cooper
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2016
- Messages
- 4,396
Yeah, I'm conflicted on this one. I would happily pay more for a CMP 1911 from the World Wars than say a Springfield or Colt just to "own a piece of history" (and as a "companion to my Garand), but with a new 92FS at about $600, I would never pay that for a surplus M9 from Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
True that. But sadly I bet it’s as close as we get to milsurp m16.
Regarding the Beretta M9's, some would acquire them for sentiment, others because they used them in the service, and some would acquire them to make a profit. Me, I like Berettas and despite that, I have negative sentiments toward the M9. Was in service when the transition occurred from the S&W M15 revolver to the Beretta M9 (and no I was not in the Army). Loved the M15, did not like the Beretta.
Coupled with our cursory qualification training, I could not hit a lick with the new M9's because the darn pistol was just too big for my hands--so for me, I would pass on a surplus M9. It is well built, accurate, and built for someone with large hands. And, the military is replacing these for a reason just as they replaced the 1911, wornout weapons cost more to restore than simply buying new ones.
Coupled with our cursory qualification training, I could not hit a lick with the new M9's because the darn pistol was just too big for my hands--so for me, I would pass on a surplus M9. It is well built, accurate, and built for someone with large hands. And, the military is replacing these for a reason just as they replaced the 1911, wornout weapons cost more to restore than simply buying new ones.
entropy
Member
You can buy M16A1 kits from Sarco and other places that are demilled rifles, but of course can't set them up with 'da switch'.
illinoisburt
Member
When people talk about "missing out" on milsurps it's rarely about the history or special feeling behind the weapon. You can always pays collector prices and pick up that special piece of armament. There is no shortage of Garrands if you're waiving $5000 in the air.
Nope, they are regretting having not participated in the fire sale! They are bummed a sturdy military arm with dirt cheap ammo passed right on by without their notice. The challenge seems to always be that no one actually wants to admit liking them when they are priced as scrap. I am confident an M9 release will not be a mass dump. Instead it will be a collectors thing. So sadly it won't be the "good milsurp deal" we might like.
AlexanderA
Member
Excellent candidate for restoration, provided the barrel hasn't been cut or the receiver drilled for a scope sight. Lots of original new wood is available in the UK, at reasonable prices. There are always listings on ebay. (New buttstocks are far more common than forends, because buttstocks were made in three different lengths and there was always a surplus of them.)
Panzerschwein
member
I've fondly used M9s in the service. I took a recent production Beretta M9 and replaced all parts with metal ones and changes the grips to the older "shinier" looking kind, aquired some surplus flat bottom M9 mags plus some USGI web gear for the gun. Daddy like.
Still I'd probably buy one from the CMP if they were in decent shape just for sentimental reasons.
But as for the WW2 Era milsurps? The sun has set and that makes me frown.
Still I'd probably buy one from the CMP if they were in decent shape just for sentimental reasons.
But as for the WW2 Era milsurps? The sun has set and that makes me frown.
For myself, and I believe for a lot of other guys as well, a Big part of it is about the history, I wanted to experience what shooting many of those famous, historical rifles was really like. I always learn the history associated with the guns I buy.... There are lots of people who can't afford to pay collector prices to experience this..... The surplus guns made it possible....
I've never had a problem with this..
Last edited:
Whiterook808
Member
I just miss the feeding frenzy! Each morning I would check my inbox hoping for an email from Century on what new guns they had in. After I got my C&R there was a point where I was buying a gun a month. Mind you, Mosins were $99 for three when they went on sale back in the '90s, so I wasn't spending that much. There was nothing more exciting than when that BBT pull up my street and stopped in front of the house. Then ripping open that box to see if I got lucky on the pick.
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
They turn up on Armslist under a grand pretty regularly. Got my Inland and Winchester on AL for $760 and $800 respectively. Gunshow prices are always inflated.....
Oh.....and pawnshops, of course. Never know what you'll find! Of course many pawnshops have listings on AL, they do layaway, and usually ship to your FFL.
Last edited:
I don't understand why you guys think that M9's will be hitting the surplus market, at least anytime soon. The 1911's were replaced over 30 years ago, and the first ones still aren't for sale. I suspect once the CMP announces the prices for those the excitement will go away fast.
My theory is that the CMP prices things so they won't ever be accused of underselling the commercial firearms manufacturers. The good old milsurp days were when serviceable firearms went cheap.
My theory is that the CMP prices things so they won't ever be accused of underselling the commercial firearms manufacturers. The good old milsurp days were when serviceable firearms went cheap.
Just hang in there, peace talk with North Korea is one month away, all the N.K. SKSs will be coming in, so is Iran, those Garands and M1 carbines we gave them. In the worst case, there must be still WW2 or Cold War age caves they haven't discovered yet.
This. You can get a really good quality AR for a little more, or get a lowball one and test extensively, and replace any parts needed. In either case, you have a capable modern firearm with either good sights, or inexpensively added ones, extensively customizeable. For less than you'd pay for a decent-quality MILSURP using late 1800s tech, with usually poor sights and inconsistent metallurgy.
Police and military trade-in sidearms are the only "surplus" screaming deals I've seen recently, as well. HOWEVER, you can get a brand new Kahr CT40 shipped to your FFL from SG for about $250. This is a quality single-stack with enough barrel length for good accuracy, but slim and light enough to conceal very well. Here's my visually similar CT9, which is my current daily carry.
John
- Status