Need Help Starting a WW2 rifle collection

[adamjay]

One thing is clear regarding all Mosins - they seem to have risen in price very rapidly in the last couple years. I did see that the PUs got pretty high there - then there was another round available from an importer and they were available for a slightly lower price. As soon as those were gone, they seemed to immediately jump up again.

2 years ago was a good time to buy Mosins, 10 years ago a great time and 20 years ago phenomenal. Pretty sure this is the case with all milsurps - so the best time to pick any of them up is asap (you more seasoned collectors please correct me if I'm wrong here).

This is all regarding the mainstream market - you still hear of guys finding ridiculously great deals here and there.

[I Swan]

In some cases picking up a milsurp early can hurt. For instance North Korean guns are very expensive but if for some reason they ever are imported the values will drop immensely. It happened with certain guns once the Cold War winded down.

[highpower]

I have been activity collecting for a good number of years and probably the one piece of advise that I can give you that will save you money in the long run, is to buy the best example of each gun that you possibly can.

Rare junk is still junk and if you change the direction of your collection in the future, the good stuff will always be worth top dollar. I know that what you can afford is going to depend on your budget, but I would rather have a few really good pieces than a mass quantity of second tier beaters.

I have just a few examples of foreign weapons as most of them just don't interest me, but the ones that I do have tend to be those that are more mainstream military stuff.

[Capybara]

You're really starting to make us jealous highpower. That is a sweet MG, Cold War era receiver no less. Nice.

[DennisCA]

floyd1977 - I'm assuming you don't have your C&R lic and COE?
If you don't I'd suggest getting them, it will open many avenues for you.
In the mean time, there's no better place to start looking (IMHO) than the Calguns marketplace!

[emcon5]

What is your goal? Do you want a pristine safe queen, or do you want decent shooters?

I have seen some pretty solid Arisakas for a lot less than $700.

There are still a few PUs in the vendor pipeline:

http://www.royaltigerimports.com/product-p/mosi0028.htm

If you can get one rifle now, I would get the PU, because there is no telling when they will dry up. Arisakas area all going to be on the secondary market, from individuals, so availability should not change much.

[marksmandowntown]

You are correct. Get the PU Sniper now and the Garand in the next 6-8 months. You are going to need the K98 too, but that one can wait. The reason that the guys saying get the Garand now are wrong is that the CMP and Garands will still be around and available at retail sale in 6 months and PU Snipers probably won't be.

Go PU Sniper, then Garand, then K98, then an Enfield. Save Carcano and Arisaka for last, because they aren't sold at retail hardly at all and ammo is a problem for them.

[G-Man WC]

From what I've seen nothing is dropping in price. You can still aquire Mosins, Enfields, at decent pricing. Depends what you want to spend, mixing , or covering one model.
I started with a Mosin and thought I 'd just get one more and call it quits...I was wrong! -g

[19K]

youre far behind! prices are only going to keep on rising! you can get a decent k98k for under 300, JG recently had the yugo capture rifles for 249.

US rifles are increasing, and anything russian besides the mosin is already a high price.

[rdfact]

Keep an eye out for Swiss rifles such as the 1911 and K31. They are fine quality and excellent rifles for the price.

[paratroop]

I am going to parrot what most here are saying. CMP M1! When they run out, the prices are going up, up, up!

I started collecting in 2009ish, almost everything i have can be sold for way more than what i paid. But the cmp has raised prices very little since then.

The best time to buy was years ago, the next best time is asap. If youre worried about rising prices, just wait til the cmp runs out. Look at what happened to the m1 carbine!

[Jimja]

Best thing you can do is try to make it to the C&R shoot that's being organized this coming Sunday (If you're in Southern California)

http://http://www.calguns.net/calgun....php?t=1079467

Lots of very friendly people from this forum that will bring most of the rifles mentioned in this thread. You can try shooting all of them, you'll get a good idea how each shoots, what they feel like, prices, etc.

Then you can decide yourself which one you like the most and want to get first

[Garandimal]

OP, you can score Arisakas pretty cheap. They stay affordable despite the fact that most or all of them are bringbacks and none are import marks. The affordability is most likely due to the lack of plentiful ammo for them.

I just got my first Arisaka and it was cheap, exactly $301 shipped to my door. It is ground mum and as a late model it isn't supposed to have the AA or monopod. In fact that sights are not adjustable at all. I will put a few rounds through it for function check and then just keep it for its historical value and the fact that it is just plain cool as hell.

Nice Toyo Kogyo "Last Ditch" Type 99 Arisaka.




GR

[rdfact]

I am going to parrot what most here are saying. CMP M1! When they run out, the prices are going up, up, up!

I started collecting in 2009ish, almost everything i have can be sold for way more than what i paid. But the cmp has raised prices very little since then.

The best time to buy was years ago, the next best time is asap. If youre worried about rising prices, just wait til the cmp runs out. Look at what happened to the m1 carbine!

Case in point: http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_in...f6ed2c952f7125

An IHC Garand for $1,795. CMP recently had these for less than $1,000.

[floyd1977]

Ok..you've all convinced me, I'm working on getting the M1. Also, that type 99 ended the auction going for over 1,500 which is far beyond what I was looking to spend.
One other question, how should I store the K98 (and other bolt actions)? Should the weapon be cocked and on safe or should I try fire it and leave it on fire?