The Second Golden Age of Milsurps

[HiredHand]

Poverty Arms

“The Nineties and early Aughties were the Second Golden Age of milsurps. Between a footnote inserted in a trade and tariff bill making the importation of military surplus legal again, and the ending of the Cold War throwing the dusty arsenals of the East open to American firearms importers, you could pick up reasonably decent blasters for next to nothing.”

read the full blog post here: https://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2021/03/poverty-arms.html

Tam makes an interesting point about the old days of cheap milsurp firearms being the go to for the cash strapped, but today’s prices make them less so.

 

[TheLlama]

Same could be said about alot of things. In the 90's you could go buy a regular cab work truck new for 10k. Now you cant buy the cheapest model for hardly for under 30k.

 

[HiredHand]

Same could be said about alot of things. In the 90's you could go buy a regular cab work truck new for 10k. Now you cant buy the cheapest model for hardly for under 30k.

Except in this case the market has a variety of newly manufactured, reliable, and less expensive options that are arguably better choices for those seeking to arm themselves than old milsuplus weapons.

 

[John6185]

Otasco sold me a mil surplus for $29.95 back in the early sixties.

 

[ssgrock3]

keep in mind, most militaries use modern full, semi etc etc weapon systems, that will never be milsurps. Gone are the days of new era military surplus weapons. such is modern times, it was fun while it lasted. It would be a blast to take my kids to a pawn shop that basically became a gun store with cheap chinese ammo, sks and ak rifles by norinco for 69.99 sks rifles, real russian refurbs were 89.99, 1200rd military cases of copper washed 7.62x 39 ammo for 90 a case. i was broke but had a credit card, and even as a college kid you could keep an sks or 3 around.

 

[rocketman]

I kept a few catalogs from FAC "Guns n Stuff" from 2003-2004 era. I feel like I could buy one of every surplus rifle in that magazine for the cost of a junk k98 today. I can post pics later but it goes something like this...

91/30 $70
M44 $ 60
yugo M48 $72
steyr M95 new/refurb in wrap $84
K98 $180
M96 swede $180
K98 + 91/30 combo $280
91/30 sniper $424

 

[n423]

I had bought a Yugo surplus rifle at WM for $89 back in the day...later sold it to my FIL

 

[HiredHand]

I really wish I had bought a Swede Mauser or two.

 

[okcBob]

It’s a great hobby. Fun to restore & shoot, while learning about history as well.

 

[AKguy1985]

I got into milsurps back in 2006. I remember when mosins were $64 from interordnace