I think I need to move out of my state.......

[burb1989]

Over the past couple of years I have noticed a sharp decline in the number and quality of decent milsurp rifles here in southern Mississippi. In four years I have only found one (and I mean one) k98 for sale either sportered or military at a show(it was a mitchells that I bought to test hand loaded 8mm ammo). Arisakas are hit and miss (most come from other states and those aren't the best at all [mostly mismatched and mummed or refinished but almost always overpriced]) and enfields of any kind are rare unless they are heavily sporterized or mismatched. Any ww1 items are like hen's teeth and any German or Japanese stuff is either in less than desirable condition or fake. It seems like any milsurp rifle here is a rarity no matter which country or era it came from and I think it's about time for a change. I hope I get my job promotion soon as I'll have to leave here and hopefully find a better market elsewhere. My brother does "ok" at the shows he goes to in Colorado but even there he tells me is starting to slim down on good rifles and other militaria. Anyone else having the same experience where they live?

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[Patrick Chadwick]

Why do you think it will be easier somewhere else? Surely the guys in other states are also filling their cellars as fast as they can empty their wallets? The fault is not with the states, but with those who hamster truckloads of guns they are never going to seriously use.

If it's any consolation, the second-rate stuff you can find now is probably going to look favourable in a few years time!

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Probably the same most places to some degree. I know what you describe is the same here. Might visit two states east Anzac 15 seems to always be scoring somthing odd and interesting.

[Aragorn243]

With the 75th and 50th anniversaries of WWI and WWII going on, their are more active collectors out there. With the politics inspired gun nut craze, we have been dealing with more gun buyers/hoarders than usual. Both are starting to decline so I expect to see more milsurps available in the future. I'm already starting to see more now.

You can't sit back and wait for them though, go after them. Put out ads, watch the auction sites, go to shows, go to auctions. Prices keep going up. I'm glad I started when I did because I wouldn't be able to afford much these days.

[burb1989]

Those are great points everyone and thanks for the input. Down here there doesn't seem to be many collectors, hence why no real supply coming in. I do have some adds out but I haven't received any calls or emails in like a year or so. The hurricanes that come through here probably washed away most bring backs and the few that are here the families won't sell unless it's a stupid high number. Most of the ww2 vets I have down here are navy vets and even then most of them don't have much due to the storms. I go to shows regularly but the past couple of shows have been disheartening. Heck my last rifle I bought from a friend as I left the last gun show and went to his house nearby (that brought my total gun collection up to thirty pieces). I also go to flea markets and yard sales but again those are very disheartening. Maybe the market will change and maybe more stuff will walk in to shows that aren't shotguns (don't get me started on those) but until then I'll just stick to watching the forums and planning my next gun show, which won't be until the end of August as the other four shows in between haven't been that great to me in the past. Thank you all again for putting up with my rant.

[Aragorn243]

I'd spend a little time to see if your state or local area has any firearms associations that offer classified ads. I have a site that I check a few times a day and have made numerous trades and purchases. Military stuff usually sells pretty fast unless it is way overpriced. I've gotten rid of a few commercial rifles that way and got military stuff in exchange. I guess part of it depends on the laws of your state. PA has unrestricted sale of long guns between state residents which is a plus.

[bob4wd]

Those are great points everyone and thanks for the input. Down here there doesn't seem to be many collectors, hence why no real supply coming in. I do have some adds out but I haven't received any calls or emails in like a year or so. The hurricanes that come through here probably washed away most bring backs and the few that are here the families won't sell unless it's a stupid high number. Most of the ww2 vets I have down here are navy vets and even then most of them don't have much due to the storms. I go to shows regularly but the past couple of shows have been disheartening. Heck my last rifle I bought from a friend as I left the last gun show and went to his house nearby (that brought my total gun collection up to thirty pieces). I also go to flea markets and yard sales but again those are very disheartening. Maybe the market will change and maybe more stuff will walk in to shows that aren't shotguns (don't get me started on those) but until then I'll just stick to watching the forums and planning my next gun show, which won't be until the end of August as the other four shows in between haven't been that great to me in the past. Thank you all again for putting up with my rant.

.
I dunno where you are, but Tulsa is well worth the drive, I go there annually and I'm in central California!
Oops - I see you're in Mississipi- that's close enough to make the drive worthwhile for sure.

[burb1989]

I would try and go to Tulsa but I have no real funds to do so. I am at a new job and what I'm making per hour isn't even enough to move let alone take a week off to go out of town(I had to stay at home with my parents instead of moving out after college) and now I have some medical bills I have to sort out. All the money I have saved up for SOS next year is now gone thanks to my first kidney stone and I have to start saving for that again. One day when I can affordably take the time off of work I'll try and make it to Tulsa but it probably won't be for a while sadly. You know the whole story about being young and out of college with a halfway decent job but not good enough to move out of the parent's house quite yet. We've all been there.

---------- Post added at 10:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 PM ----------

Aragon I have some connections with the local gun stores and a few pawn shops that are always on the lookout for anything military for me. Nine times out of ten when they call me the rifle is either a mosin or a Yugo mauser or in some cases what sometimes they would call a "mystery rifle" which when I get there turns out to be either a Turkish mauser or something sporterized so far that I couldn't put it back to military configuration again. However I am more optimistic about what might show up in the future thanks to everyone's insight.