Not just the guns, but all the stuff that goes with them
Here’s one for everyone in Comments:
“What is the gun you most regret selling, swapping or losing?”
You get one, and only one. No 1a, 1b, 1c, or top 5 or any of that nonsense.
One gun, and one only.
Here’s mine:
If I could ever find the goblin who stole it, I’d flay him alive then roast him over a slow fire like a stuck pig.
When I’m bored and don’t feel like reading (it happens, shuddup) and can’t face watching TV of any description (like none of you ever feel that way), I go to websites that are All About Guns.
In this case, it was Collectors Firearms, and under Foreign Military Rifles, I started to view the products available. I got depressed at the prices, of course, which led to the thought: a 1970 Dodge Charger used to cost $3,711 brand new (about $25,800 in 2021 dollars). That same 1970 Charger now can cost you up to $85,000 depending on its condition. (A new 2022 Charger costs $40,000.)
My head was starting to spin from doing all that math, so I just decided to set an arbitrary dollar limit of less than a grand (<$1,000) on these old rifles. (And yeah, I know that back in 1970 you could get a surplus Mauser or SMLE for $25 — about $175 in 2021 dollars, never mind.)
And here’s what I found to be worthy, in no specific order (and all pics can be clicked to embiggen):
Chilean 1895 Mauser 7X57mm — $750
This old gal has been ridden hard, often, and put away wet every time. Nevertheless, if the barrel hasn’t been shot out, I’d get it because a.) Mauser and b.) 7x57mm.
Swiss 1911 7.5X55 Swiss — $899.95
This is the carbine version of the K11, not the longer infantry rifle, and as such, it’s an outright steal for $900. And as the Swiss have started to manufacture their brilliant GP11 cartridges again…
Carl Gustafs Stads 1896 6.5×55 Swedish — $895
I think everyone in the Western world knows of my affection for this wonderful rifle and its cartridge and actually, given that all the serial numbers match, this too is a steal at $900. (I paid $450 for mine back in 2003, but whatever.)
BRNO 1908/34 7×57 — $995.00
There are a couple of reasons why this rifle is priced so high on the sub-grand spectrum: it was made by Brno, not Mauser and it comes with a wicked-looking spike bayonet.
‘Nuff said.
And finally:
Enfield No.4 MK 2 .303 British — $995
Of all the rifles posted here today, this one would probably get my #1 vote, but only because I have a ton of .303 ammo already stashed in Ye Olde Ammoe Locquere. That said, I’m a little lost as to why this lovely rifle is priced as high it is. Simply put, it’s of post-WWII manufacture (thus taking away the “wartime” appeal and collectability value), which leads me to think that it’s probably in superb condition compared to the older versions. Also, ROF Fazakerley in Liverpool only made the Mk 2 for a few years before the tooling and machinery were sold off to Pakistan in, I think, 1952 — making this a relatively rare beast.
So there you go. If you had a spare grand that had to be spent before Accounting / your wife took it away, which one would you choose?
I saw this ad a couple days back, and it brought back fond memories.
The Silvertip has been around for donkey’s years, and I recall that of late, its effectiveness has been somewhat derided by the usual tests (ballistic gel, whatever).
Here’s what I know.
Back in the early 1980s, I saw an autopsy of a corpse in a police morgue (long story, not important) of a man who had been shot once with a .45 ACP Silvertip. The entry wound was, well, .45 inches, and the exit wound about double that. Nothing much to report, there.
What really impressed me was what damage the bullet had caused along the way. It hadn’t hit any rib bone on the way in, but the guy’s insides still looked like they’d gone 5 seconds in a commercial blender.
After seeing that, I carried Silvertip ammo in my carry guns exclusively until the early 2000s, when it just got too expensive. I see that Lucky Gunner, among others, now has the 9mm Silvertips on sale for about a buck a round, which is expensive but not massively so, in today’s Bidenflation World.
In .45 ACP, however, the cost per squeeze (IF you can find any in stock) is between $1.80 and $2 (!!!), which is definitely too spendy for my wallet.
But if you want to put only the best ammo in your carry gun for those unexpected antisocial occasions (and there’s nothing wrong with that), do consider the Silvertip as well as your usual suspects in premium self-defense ammo. I’ve seen first-hand what it does, after all.
And of course, I get no kickback from Winchester or anyone else from my recommendations.
Comment by Reader Velocette about our little TDSA excursion:
“That Winchester High Wall is the class act of the lot, unless you were enjoying an 1873 Colt or a P 35 Hi Power”
Not quite an 1873 Colt, but we did have a 1980 Colt Python 6″ (.357 Mag), not mine, alas for I own one not:
…and yes, a Browning High Power:
…and sundry 1911 variants, of course:
…as well as several .22 pistols and revolvers, and a few other .357 Mag/.38 Spec revolvers.
Also on hand, a Winchester 1894 lever rifle (.30-30):
…a Taurus (Winchester copy) Model 63 ( .22 LR):
…the aforementioned Browning High Wall (.45-70 Gov):
…and lastly, my M1 Carbine (which Doc Russia managed to break; Mr. FM’s comment: “It survived WWII and Korea, but not one range session with Doc”):
There were other guns, most of them high-tech / gadget-loaded 9mm and .223 EVIL BLACK RIFLES WITH SILENCERRRRRRRS, but of them we will not speak.
I can’t believe that we blew through so much ammo, but considering that firing commenced at about 10:30am and the guns finally fell silent at 3:30pm, perhaps it’s not all that surprising.
In conclusion, I cannot say enough good things about TDSA and its owner Len Baxley. If you haven’t ever been there, you should. Mr. FM has been there twice (two separate trips Over Here), and says it’s the most fun he’s ever had, on both occasions. If you want to try the place out, let me know and I’ll give you advice on what to take and not take so you can have a great time.
The secret is out: Mr. & Mrs. Free Market are Over Here for Doc Russia’s nuptials, so of course while Mrs. FM went off to deplete his millions do some shopping, her husband, Doc and I went to TDSA to shoot off, as it turned out, well over a thousand boolets.
Here’s Doc, doing his bit to keep noise pollution down:
(note the pattern on his shirt)
…Mr. FM shooting what turned out to be his favorite gun of the two dozen or so we took out there:
Then he and Doc did a little run-and-gunning:
…and later, Mr. FM went all Warsaw Pact:
(no, he wasn’t shooting at the paper target blowing around in the wind)
Your Humble Narrator was to busy taking pics and loading mags to shoot much (maybe a hundred .45, and the same of .357 and 9mm), but the most fun for me was going old-time .45-70:
A full report to follow once I’ve got all the product descriptions from Doc.
A day at the range with BBQ sandwiches and ribs, good friends and no range Nazis, shooting whatever we wanted, in whatever quantity we wanted, teasing each other mercilessly and friendly, no-score competitions followed by a little beer time afterwards… we all agreed that it just doesn’t get any better than this.
I love these guys.
Your great-uncle Jimmy was a lifelong lover of Smith & Wesson revolvers, but when he passed away, he left his entire collection to his sons. However, in order to spread the goodness, he sent Collector’s Firearms a gift card in the amount of $2,000 in your name, with the proviso that it could only be spent on a S&W revolver.
So feel free to peruse the lists (old and modern) thereof, and tell me in Comments which one (or ones) you’d buy, and why.
Me, I’m partial to this old M&P, at $1,495:
The pre-war Target Models are wonderfully accurate, and while I’m not especially partial to the pearl grips, it would make a fine Governor’s BBQ gun.
A very close second would be this Model 624, at $1,395:
Not quite beautiful enough to be a BBQ gun, but damn close. (And amazingly, .44 Special ammo is not as expensive as it used to be — or maybe it’s just that the other calibers have caught up with it.)