"Back in the day" firearm deals

[ijosef]

A coworker (who happens to be a big gun enthusiast) and I have been discussing firearms lately. He's a big 1911 guy, and alluded to the fact that his elderly uncle has two milsurp 1911's bought "back in the day" when you could order them through the mail from the NRA. According to my coworker, the cost was twenty-five bucks a piece in the late 60's. Adjusting for inflation, that would be roughly $160 today. Even if I didn't like 1911's I'd still buy an old military issue .45 for $160.

The best one is the M1 Garand he could've bought. It was never issued and still in the original packing crate from the factory. The NRA was charging $100. He told me his uncle thought about buying it but told himself that he'd "never pay $100 for a rifle." That would be just under $650 today. Not too shabby!

[870TC]

Still have my dads Smith Corona 03A3 he order for $17.00 through the mail.

[DeanC]

The NRA was charging $100. He told me his uncle thought about buying it but told himself that he'd "never pay $100 for a rifle." That would be just under $650 today. Not too shabby!

It really depends on how long ago that was. If it was 40+ years that is a return of less than 5% per year.

[Shipyard]

i'm not even that old and i can remember crates of SKS's sitting at every gun show - $100 - $125 out the door usually with a handful of ammo. rusian makarov's for $50-$75

i clearly remember seeing AK's for $250 and thinking "dang those are expensive"

[DeanC]

i clearly remember seeing AK's for $250 and thinking "dang those are expensive"

I bought one at that price in 1994 before the ban. Today it's worth about $600 based on gunbroker prices which is about a 5¼% annual return. Whoopee!

[ijosef]

The NRA was charging $100. He told me his uncle thought about buying it but told himself that he'd "never pay $100 for a rifle." That would be just under $650 today. Not too shabby!

It really depends on how long ago that was. If it was 40+ years that is a return of less than 5% per year.

True, although I'm just talking about inflation-adjusted pricing. How much would an original M1 Garand still in the shipping crate be worth today? I'm sure it would take a heck of a lot more than $650 on gunchoker.

[LarryFlew]

Typical old gun pricing doubled every 10 years through about 2000 and then slightly less to 2010 which would make it more like $800.

[Spartan]

My dad paid $20.00 for my first Enfield. NO scars just like new ... Long Branch.

[Boone]

My exGF's grandfather was in the Army back around WWII. He had duty on his last day in the service and was carrying the issued 1911. They told him to leave base, with the gun. Still has it too, wish they would've told me that.

[Erik_Pakieser]

Much later, but I still remember when a 10/22 was under $80, and a Mini-14 was $150.

[1911fan]

I got a rem rand 1911A1 thru the mail when I was ten or eleven. Something like 12 bucks worth of postage stamps on the back of a postcard. Brother got a Colt the same way. Seeing as a good condition rem rand is $12 to $1500 now and a good clean Colt is $1500 or more, I think we beat inflation. I was fifteen or sixteen beiges I shot the thing. I played cops and robbers with it.

[Seismic Sam]

Yup, I lucked into one of those deals. Was a new employee at 3M, and some guy I worked with in the pilot plant got his FFL. Wanted a Colt AR-15, and it was 1975, and the guy told me that he would charge me $1 over dealer cost to be his first customer. So I got a brand new $1 bill from the bank, and we went down to the distributor, and I paid him $126 (including the new 1$ bill) for a NIB (cheap carboard box at that...) for a Colt AR-15. Still got it, but it isn't all that accurate because it lacks a free floated barrel, and I'm not about to screw with something of this vintage.

[Dave Pendleton]

I've always been fascinated by the vet bring-backs of WWII.

My grandfather brought back complete uniforms, various souvenirs and guns from europe, without even so much as a how do you do. I'm not sure how he was able to manage all this because he was an (E-2) infantryman but he did.

[bluelens]

I have my grandpa's carry gun (before it was legal), in the original box with receipt for a colt single action 22, $55.

[Squib Joe]

I miss free Arisakas with purchase of any "real" firearm