Martin B. Retting mail-order handguns - 1948

[B Strong]

Hold on to your hats...

Antique:

Colt Dragoon,, barrel cut to 5 1/2", looks factory, all original otherwise and vgc, $75.00

Colt 1851's several, from $30.00 to $35.00

Colt 1860's several, $25.00 to $45.00

Cased 1849 with complete set of extras including a bullet mold, 90% + condition, all original, $50.00

1849's several, $17.50 to $45.00

1860 conversion to .44 center fire, U.S. marked, exc. $45.00

1861 Navy, converted to .38 CF, refinished by Colt, exc. $35.00

Revolvers:

Colt Alaskan, .45 Colt, 6" barrel, marked U.S. 19-02 with inspectors marks, vgc, $35.00

Colt Army Special, 32-20, 5" barrel, like new, $42.50

Several Colt Police Positive specials, various calibers, $32.50 to $45.00

Colt SAA, 5 1/2 " 32-20, factory refinished, $50.00

Same as above, 7 1/2", $45.00

Lot's of S. & W Victory's original and barrels cut to 2", $27.50 to $37.50

Semi-auto's:

Colt 1911's, commercial production, various conditions, $25.00 to $45.00

Colt 1911 military production re-nickeled, several, $35.00

Star 9mm 1911 copy, Nazi marked, blued, exc, $40.00

Bergman-Bayard 1910 9mm vg-exc, $45.00 With original holster, $50.00

Steyer-Hahn 1911 Austrian Military 9mm 7 shot, original issue exc. $30.00 - Nazi issued, Nazi marked condition same as above, $35.00

Mauser HSC .32 ACP, several, $35.00 - $40.00

P38's, several, $25.00 - $40.00

Browning High-Power, early isue with 500 meter sight, org. holster, vgc. $40.00

BHP Nazi issued and marked, several, $35.00 - $40.00

Lugers 9mm, several various conditions and barrel lengths, $35.00 - $50.00

Lugers 7.65mm. several, as above, $27.50 - $50.00

Luger, 12" barrel with shoulder stock, 9mm, vgc, $80.00 Snail drum for another $8.50

Polish Radom 9mm. several, various, $25.00 to $40.00

Browning 1922, .32 acp, several, $22.50 - $27.50

Browning 1922 .380 acp, as above, $35.00 - $40.00

Mauser Broomhandles, several, 9mm, $40.00 - $55.00

Mauser Broomhandles, several, 7.63mm, $35.00 - $45.00

Walther PP's - .32 acp, several, $32.00 - $35.00

Walther PPK's .380, several, $35.00 - $45.00

Tokarev, exc. condition, $35.00 w/holster, same, no finish, $27.50

[greasemonkey]

Think those prices are still good? I'd like to place an order!!

[B Strong]

Think those prices are still good? I'd like to place an order!!

I started buying guns in the 1960's as a kid, and prices weren't much different - iirc my Jungle Carbine was under $30.00 bucks shipped, and .303 Brit surplus ammo (cordite/corrosive, I pulled a bullet to find out) went for $8.00/100.

[CmpsdNoMore]

Browning High-Power, early isue with 500 meter sight, org. holster, vgc. $40.00

500 meter sights for a handgun!?

[B Strong]

500 meter sights for a handgun!?

Rear tangent, slotted for shoulder stock.

Pretty common pre-WWII.

[aplinker]

Rear tangent, slotted for shoulder stock.

Pretty common pre-WWII.

How old are you?!

I think it would be pretty cool if we had some 90+ CGN members.

[singleshotman]

to keep these prices in context-my dad's mortage payment in the same era(but north california) was $135/month.So these are not as cheap as you think.Wages were MUCH lower.

[RipVanWinkle]

to keep these prices in context-my dad's mortage payment in the same era(but north california) was $135/month.So these are not as cheap as you think.Wages were MUCH lower.

I had my first gun, a shotgun, given to me as a teenager in the mid 1950's, a little bit pre-Elvis. My first summer job paid less than $0.50/hour, but it was considered pretty good pay at the time. So it would have taken a couple of week's pay to buy one of the guns on that list; probably not too much different than today.

Pricing was a lot different when it came to stuff that was less sought after. Does anyone remember the "Pistol Grab-Bag" from Klein's Sporting Goods? You mailed them 12 bucks and they sent you 6 pistols, no guarantee of condition or functionality. You never knew what you were going to get: old cap 'n ball revolvers, automatics, Derringers, you name it. That may have been the origin of the expression, "hotter than a two dollar pistol". In spite of the caveat emptor I never did get one that failed to function or was obviously dangerous or missing parts.

Of course all that ended when Lee Harvey Oswald bought his rifle from Kleins, and it's been all downhill ever since!

[B Strong]

How old are you?!

I think it would be pretty cool if we had some 90+ CGN members.

Over 50, grew up in a gun store/indoor range - the first commercial indoor range on the S.F. peninsula.

[B Strong]

to keep these prices in context-my dad's mortage payment in the same era(but north california) was $135/month.So these are not as cheap as you think.Wages were MUCH lower.

Absolutley true, but the mail order context is more important than the price - imagine buying a BHP or a 1911 through the mail.