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I first got into firearms around 2010. I never thought about gun shows. My boy was into guns and I never knew until I told him of the guns I got from Dad. He took me to a show at the EXPO center. Boy, that was fun!! I remember seeing one of those crates that held twenty or more rifles. Still all covered in cosmoline! I wish I knew then what I do now! At that time I saw NO reason to have anything but hand guns. I never say "Never" now.It's just a different world.
No more massive mobilizations of traditional, infantry heavy armies. Now it's tech heavy for the big boys, and insurgencies for the rest. Small arms are used up and discarded, or left behind with local friendlies. ComBloc surplus was the catch o the day when I was a youngster. $90 sks by the crate load, maks , toks, the fugly but beautiful cz 52 . All plentiful and reasonably priced.
And the ammo. Oh how I miss pallets of cheap import ammo.
That was really "inventory surplus to need " , which is why we probably won't see it raining rifles and ammo ever again. The cold war had both sides stackin everything deep .
Not sure about the real C&R stuff I saw mentioned above.
This ^^ is why they'll have to pry the 1902 Swedish Mauser, 1918 Lee Enfield and 1943 M1 Garand from my cold dead hands!Dead. The surplus days are long gone. Today's market is not the same, no real big wars, no need to off load stuff for cheap when it can be sold to someone somewhere for $$$$. I read something awhile back about how the military got wise to how they sell their extra stuff. Instead of selling it to companies here in the states for pennies on the dollar, they can sell it to nations in need of military gear for slightly reduced costs. Second hand military gear can fetch a good price for countries that are desperate enough for the gear.
The only sort of surplus we see anymore is contract stuff from companies that can't do as our military (government). IE it isn't worth the extra red tape to offload the stuff to another country that will pay top dollar for the gear since the government decided they no longer wish to fulfill the contract. Or the company had overrun the contract. So marketing takes over, now instead of it being extra, which usually meant it would be inexpensive, it is exclusive due to limited amounts. Market it right and you'll get yahoo's that will pay large percentage's over what it cost to produce, simply to own one. Think about all the pistols that were made to compete for the next military contract we saw only a few years ago. There were all sorts of "special editions" or "limited series" marketed. Which isn't exactly the truth, since they were just a military contract that failed and they needed to have X amount ready to ship if picked the winner of the trials. So for that the tan Glock 45 is $700-$1000 now since they only made so many. Certain Sig models are $$$$$ because they didn't work for the government, but citizens will pay a ton for the collector value. M1 carbines sitting in crates over seas will sell for $$$$$ because gun owners will be convinced via marketing they are rare and demand a higher price.
Marketing…
At those prices, I'm going to say you and I have very different definitions of the word "surplus".Definitely not dead. Midway just posted thousands of M1 carbines and they sold out within 8 hours at over a grand each. CMP sold out of service grade Garands. There is definitely demand. SVT-40's are now over 2 grand. Enfields are $600 and up.
Couldn't pay me enough to buy an M-9!On the bright side they are going to surplus the M9 Berettas.
Or you can buy a new one for 500 bucks LOL
Exactly. I used to have a blast with my 03FFL ordering several of a type, keeping the best example and sending the rest down the road in a completely legal fashion according to the rules and guidelines of 03FFL holdersYup, when Salem decreed whatever that bill number was "LAW", my C&R was rendered invalid. Because those bastiges can get away with it.
The end of most of the decent milsurp was ushered in by the Kenyan Usurper.
Anybody remember Radway Green?
Andy, he's still around and has stuff, but does not do shows since Vicky died. Doesn't like the new guy.I'd say not dead....but not like it was "Back in the day"...so to speak.
We had dealer at our local shows....didn't sell firearms...but he had knives , bayonets , cleaning gear , patches and the like...all those cool items to round out your surplus rifle with.
The best things that he had were small sized jackets , caps and hats...he sold those cheap...Just so the son or daughter that went to the show with mom or dad...could afford to buy something too...
Andy
Dead. The surplus days are long gone. Today's market is not the same, no real big wars, no need to off load stuff for cheap when it can be sold to someone somewhere for $$$$. I read something awhile back about how the military got wise to how they sell their extra stuff. Instead of selling it to companies here in the states for pennies on the dollar, they can sell it to nations in need of military gear for slightly reduced costs. Second hand military gear can fetch a good price for countries that are desperate enough for the gear.
The only sort of surplus we see anymore is contract stuff from companies that can't do as our military (government). IE it isn't worth the extra red tape to offload the stuff to another country that will pay top dollar for the gear since the government decided they no longer wish to fulfill the contract. Or the company had overrun the contract. So marketing takes over, now instead of it being extra, which usually meant it would be inexpensive, it is exclusive due to limited amounts. Market it right and you'll get yahoo's that will pay large percentage's over what it cost to produce, simply to own one. Think about all the pistols that were made to compete for the next military contract we saw only a few years ago. There were all sorts of "special editions" or "limited series" marketed. Which isn't exactly the truth, since they were just a military contract that failed and they needed to have X amount ready to ship if picked the winner of the trials. So for that the tan Glock 45 is $700-$1000 now since they only made so many. Certain Sig models are $$$$$ because they didn't work for the government, but citizens will pay a ton for the collector value. M1 carbines sitting in crates over seas will sell for $$$$$ because gun owners will be convinced via marketing they are rare and demand a higher price.
Marketing…