Poll: Is the surplus market dead?

[Member 34319]

The "worth" of ANYTHING (from from coffee to a Lamborghini) is only what someone is willing to pay…. Marketing is the artistic application of PSYOPS.

I am truly in awe of marketing. It's the one thing I'd go back to school to learn more about. Social media has amplified marketing to a whole new level. The stuff is simply fascinating to me. So many things in life are marketing in some form.

 

[Stomper]

I am truly in awe of marketing. It's the one thing I'd go back to school to learn more about. Social media has amplified marketing to a whole new level. The stuff is simply fascinating to me. So many things in life are marketing in some form.

Marketing is just another word for, "propaganda".


It's so effective because so many of the masses are weak-minded.


Remember the movie, "THEY LIVE".

 

[Member 34319]

Marketing is just another word for, "propaganda".


It's so effective because so many of the masses are weak-minded.


Remember the movie, "THEY LIVE".

Agreed. Very similar. Both are great forms of thought manipulation.

 

[Stomper]

Agreed. Very similar. Both are great forms of thought manipulation.

By "great" you must mean diabolical and horrible….

 

[Member 34319]

By "great" you must mean diabolical and horrible….

Oh, there is definitely true evil in some marketing.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I am truly in awe of marketing. It's the one thing I'd go back to school to learn more about. Social media has amplified marketing to a whole new level. The stuff is simply fascinating to me. So many things in life are marketing in some form.

Pickin up chicks is the only marketing exercise I ever enjoyed.

 

[mhayd93]

The main point of the surplus market is dead. Cheaper than the commercial market. Once Mosins' cost more than a new Savage or Ruger, what's the point? Unless you are a collector. Even old cop guns. I like the S&W 5900 series, but only for collecting. So many better guns made in last 30 years for same price.

I think this is the best take on the topic. When you take into account how many surplus firearms are also chambered in obscure or "obsolete" cartridges, it becomes even more difficult to justify spending the kind of money many surplus firearms now command.

Being a millennial, I never even experienced the glory days of the surplus market (sub-100$ SKS's, complementary Mosin-Nagants, etc...) ; however, I do greatly regret not collecting a few Mosin-Nagant's, K31s, and Carcano rifles back when there always seemed to be racks of them for 250$ or less (save for the K31s) at the Cabela's in Springfield and Tualatin during the Obama years!

 

[genin88]

I think there are a lot of valid points in this thread regarding the surplus market, stemming from a bunch of different perspectives. IMHO I do not think the surplus market is dead, although I do think it has changed in many regards compared to days of old. As noted in a few posts, the days of $95 SKS is long gone (I purchased my Chinese SKS in 1991 for $129, pulled it out of the crate of cosmoline myself) and that heyday will never be back again.

I've not purchased any surplus from Classic Firearms, RTI or other "marketed" milsurp sellers. I've purchased from Empire Arms and GunBroker (GB only to fill in the missing Yugolavian M24 and one M48 in need of rescue as there still are some deals in GB, not many). For me, collecting milsurps has allowed me to meet some truly unique people, that started into collecting way before I did. I prefer to work locally with those sellers that are thinning their collection and I've connected with some collectors that have just been outright outstanding people in all aspects of my dealings. Two of the best folks I have meant recently actually have reached out to a WTB post in various local forums.

So not to start a rant, in summary:

- Yes surplus is more expensive then days of old.
- Yes surplus is less available for the mass.
- A good deal of surplus is still held by collectors with many years under their belt. You have to work harder then just responding to a ad and actually reach out to people to establish relationships.
- Not establishing relationships costs you more in the long run because you end up paying marketing or GB prices (which is all over the map and someone who holds to GB prices I just walk away, not worth the time).

Again just my perspective out of many, but it's still a fun place and time to be as a collector. It's all about what you make out of it.