[Terry G]

My wife and I helped some friends of our's out with managing a garage sale this past weekend, and my friend stopped by to drop off a gift of appreciation. I was cleaning an old Yugoslavian Mauser at the time, and of course he had to ride me about "that old junk." Like I usually do, I rode him right back with "real men can get the job done with any rifle." It's BS on both our parts, as we regularily shoot our Colt AR-15's together, but it's still fun. Of course I dragged the old girl out and let him fire some rounds of hot Turkish ammunition. After commenting how "She yerks a little, but pretty accurate", I told him I had three others just like it. Then it started. "how much do they go for?" "How much is ammo?" "I wouldn't mind playing around with one." Then the tug of war started with "well, sell me one of yours." (Me)"Can't, I bought them on a C&R license, not for resale." I finally agreed to sell him one I had bought off license at a Fleet Farm Store. It never fails that every time I have trotted out some C&R relic, somebody wan't to buy it. Be it Mauser, Turkish, SKS, or SMLE. First they laugh, Then they WANT.

 

[Terry G]

sure they want, at HALF price you paid for it. So what?

Thanks for your response. You have not answered a post of mine politely since I joined this Forum. Maybe you can't. I sold it for exactly what it cost me, minus the work to get it clean. I threw in a 70 round bandolier of ammunition, too, because he is a friend.

 

[Terry G]

Is it me, or is someone jealous that we can buy or sell guns as we want to??

I think that is exactly what it is, Garand. To buy or sell a 50 year old gun is a minimum of effort unless you are forbidden to. Then it becomes priceless.

 

[Terry G]

Wow, Terry, those are beautiful. Looks like you did some work on them. Myself, well, I have picked up a Model 1917 Winchester recently, and I have a very nice 1903A3. Both are good shooters, but I am large, and the short stocks on the things are not pleasant for extended shooting. On a tip, I ordered rubber grenade-launcher boots for them from Sarco. That should give me a little extra padding and also increase the length of pull on these stocks, which as you know are very short so they'll fit a wide range of soldier bodies. Am also working my way (money going to other projects first) to buying several Spanish Guardia .308 Mausers for gunsmithing practice and for truck guns. Did you do your own work on the rifles in your photo?

Regards,
Jon

Yes. Two are missing because I bought them a short while later. I'm no expert at this, just Mineral Spirits, Guns scrubber and a lot of work and rags. The SKS's were MUCH tougher, due to the gas system and grenade cut off, all filled with cosmoline. The blond wood one jammed repeatedly, until it finall spat a glob of cosmoline in my face. It's worked fine ever since. The military guns are designed to fit everyone, so they fit no one!

 

[Terry G]

M-16 Stock length

This is kind of funny, BigJon, and don't know if it's true or not. But supposedly when Colt bought the rights to manufacture the M-16 for the government, a typographical error occured where the average height of the U.S. serviceman was given as 5'8" when in fact it was 5'7" (in the late '50's). This led the rifle to be designed a tad long for the average Soldier, Marine, and Air Forceman. Again, who know's?

 

[Terry G]

I appreciate all the information, gentlemen. I did some research and talked to ATFE, and you are correct that C&R's can be sold as you choose to "improve your collection". Keep your records straight and you will have no problems, as long as your buying, selling is within reason.