Days of cheap Mausers are long gone

[AzRednek]

They're not getting cheaper

https://mailchi.mp/centerfiresystems/040719-mausers?e=e3380d1856

Remembering the dark days of the Gun Control Act of 1968. It was supported by US gun manufacturers because they wanted to eliminate competition from low cost, mail order mil-surps. It's some what surprising seeing battle rifles exceeding the cost of many commercial bolt actions.

[AzRednek]

On 4/8/2019 at 4:27 AM, Quick Karl said:

I was just looking on GunBroker the other day - crazy prices for Mausers with crest ground off, etc. - I sure wish I could find one decent VZ24 with intact Lion Crest!!!

I guess my Mauser days are over.

Mine too unless I come across a bargain for trading goods. I still have two Turks in the grease. I bought four of them way back for about 80 bucks each maybe a bit less taking advantage of the 2+ discount from J&G. When I joined this board the 69- 79.99 CZ 98/22's were abundant and contributed to a lot of projects on this board. Wish I had scarfed up a few more Turks but unfortunately the typical Turk miss-matched bolts and Turk monicker. Don't fetch the value of European Mausers. The pre import stamped models get a better price second only to the very few that have capture papers. I've only seen one Mauser for sale with papers. It came from Nam, was a real beater with a large red 792 and Chinese symbols spray painted on it. Can't remember the mid 80's asking price but do recall the gun show vendor wanted way to much for it. 

[Dr.Hess]

Most of the Turks are actually German actions.  All the small rings and I think the majority of the large rings.  Yeah, they kinda get looked down on, but these days with no more Mausers coming over from anywhere, they are coming into their place.

[AzRednek]

9 minutes ago, Dr.Hess said:

Most of the Turks are actually German actions.  All the small rings and I think the majority of the large rings.  Yeah, they kinda get looked down on, but these days with no more Mausers coming over from anywhere, they are coming into their place.

I really missed the boat in the 70's just as I became interested in mil-surprise rifles. At the time I was sole support of a family of six. I missed the $165 Garrands, $90 Krag and Springfields keeping food in the fridge and car and house payments current. 

[ken98k]

On 4/11/2019 at 5:30 PM, AzRednek said:

I really missed the boat in the 70's just as I became interested in mil-surprise rifles. At the time I was sole support of a family of six. I missed the $165 Garrands, $90 Krag and Springfields keeping food in the fridge and car and house payments current. 

$165 was a lot of money in those days. 

I rented my first home for $135 a month in 1980, try to find something similar today!

[AzRednek]

On 4/13/2019 at 11:05 AM, ken98k said:

$165 was a lot of money in those days. 

I rented my first home for $135 a month in 1980, try to find something similar today!

In 1971 I was furious when my furnished apartment rent jumped $10.00 to 100 a month. About the same time I passed on near mint $25.99 Siamese Mausers being sold at Woolco. The scarce ammo if one could find it was about a buck per round when a box of 20, name brand 30/30 was about 3.25. On the other hand think I was netting about 650-700 per month back then. My gross pay was was shy of 200 a week.

About the same time I bought a NIB Marlin 30/30 with a scope. Using my then wife's employee discount I paid 65 + change and a few months later a Mossberg pump for about 40. Can't recall the numbers but the wife bought me a Marlin Goose Gun for my birthday. It was a 12 ga bolt action with a 36" full choke barrel. It was reduced in price sold as a second for cosmetic scars. With with her discount I very seriously doubt she paid more than 40 and suspect it was priced mid 30's. 

[ken98k]

My Dad bought a new model 94 for me in 1976. K-Mart's price was $69 and change.

 

[Dr.Hess]

That was before the massive inflation of the Carter years hit.  20% annual inflation will do that.  We'll see it again, and worse, some day.  Remember that 3 cents in 1913 is about the same as a dollar today.

[AzRednek]

6 hours ago, Dr.Hess said:

That was before the massive inflation of the Carter years hit.  20% annual inflation will do that.  We'll see it again, and worse, some day.  Remember that 3 cents in 1913 is about the same as a dollar today.

I recall very well the inflation during the Carter administration. See something you wanted, it was buy it now because next month or even next week it would cost more. While I was working in auto parts. Store and warehouses used to really stock up on hot selling parts because of the ever increasing costs. Ignition and brake parts, we'd get new price sheets every 4-6 weeks. Slower moving items like carburetors, vacuum boosters or accessories like vent hose, choke conversion kits or antennas. Didn't see the constant steady increases but when the prices climbed it would be a sharp increase. Sometimes as much as 20%. Intense competition and marketing from the big three (AC, Autolite & Champion) kept spark plug prices the same for years. Best I recall spark plugs during the entire 70's only increased a nickel more than 60's prices. 

Its easy to recall the dollar store bargains at the beginning of the Obozo era. Although the names have stuck like Dollar General or Family Dollar. There were no longer any bargains to be had for a buck at the end of his term in office. In my grandparents time it was the so-called five and dime stores that eventually became TG&Y, Ben Franklin or Sproutz-Ritz. 

I can recall my Grandmother telling me in the late teens through the 20's her family of five ate very good on $4-5 a week but if money was tight she could get by on 2-3. A live whole chicken's price varied from 10-25 cents. An additional nickel or so more the butcher would ring its neck and dip it in hot wax. The wax after it hardened made it easier to pluck. As a no charge courtesy the butcher would chop off the dead chicken's head so you didn't feel guilty looking into its eyes as you cleaned its innards out. Grandma told me she didn't have the nerve and felt guilty selecting the chicken. She let the butcher pick it. 

Doc you might get a kick out of this. During the Depression my great grandfather a MD kept his entire family well fed. People didn't have money so he was often paid with chickens or bushels of vegetables, fruit or nuts. People with connections to the Chicago Stock Yards often paid with fresh meat, most likely stolen. Railroad people often paid with coal or other items likely stolen off boxcars. Grandpa told me his father was once paid with a French revolver. He kept it in the bag he carried nearly everywhere. Grandpa told me he risked a beating with a razor strap if he did as much as touch the bag without permission. 

[Dr.Hess]

An actual example of the "pay in chickens" saying that permeates medicine. 

Anyway, we are living in an economic experiment in fiat money.  These things have been tried before and never turn out well.  We (us geezers with Mausers, etc.) may all be dead by the time it blows up, but it will.  My money is on it blowing up very shortly after I retire and start collecting Social Security.  Just because I'm the year that everything happens to.  First year to have to register for the new draft, SS age keeps moving for me, etc.

[FC]

Yeah I’m wondering when it’ll be realized our paper has no real value?

Guy today, younger than me, not working. He was talking to a woman about Social Security and VA Facebook pages where there are ideas about getting benefits. I sometimes wonder what would happen if government checks stopped? I for one am trying to get positioned better for such a day. Yeah, the 70s were horrible times with inflation, high interest rates, and all kinds of shortages. Younger people don’t know what it’s like looking for gas and not finding it.

[AzRednek]

53 minutes ago, Dr.Hess said:

An actual example of the "pay in chickens" saying that permeates medicine. 

Anyway, we are living in an economic experiment in fiat money.  These things have been tried before and never turn out well.  We (us geezers with Mausers, etc.) may all be dead by the time it blows up, but it will.  My money is on it blowing up very shortly after I retire and start collecting Social Security.  Just because I'm the year that everything happens to.  First year to have to register for the new draft, SS age keeps moving for me, etc.

Wish I had listened to Beck and Hannity and dumped as much as I could afford into gold at the beginning of the Obozo term. I made some bucks buying Mexican gold during the Carter administration. I could've made more but waited to long into Reagan's term to cash out. After Clinton was elected I expected vigorous inflation like during the Carter era but with the demands of the Republican controlled Congress. The govt shut down over the Republican demand of a balanced budget. Gold prices didn't go crazy. Foolishly after at best breaking even or small loss during Clinton. I didn't bother during Obozo's term needing to tighten up after my business failed and I became disabled. From what I've read on the net Beck, Hannity and others made mega bucks on gold during Obozo's term. Unless Trump himself is heavily invested into gold. I expect gold prices to remain stable keeping up at best with inflation. If buy some miracle Bernie gets elected in 2020. I will sink everything I've got including guns and rental property into gold and silver. 

I like Mexican gold because it can be bought in smaller increments. Be hard to buy a tank of gas with a one ounce gold coin and the seller can't make change in anything other than near worthless cash. If it ever gets as bad as Post WW1 Germany when people burned cash because it was more cost effective than buying firewood. Gold and silver might be the only way to stay well fed. It happened in Venezuela's excellent economy and could happen here.