Identifying a fake

I have more guys try to get exact number parts than you can believe.They think that 1 special number part will be there. Its hard for me to explain to them that I buy out old gunsmiths junk parts. Which really is all the parts left over after they did a sporter job on a full military arm. In my opinion a firearm in all correct parts as was originally on the firearms is a shooter grade . All matching numbers wood etc. Is collector grade. Which unless some one passes away or starts to sell off there collection all matching are scare on the for sale side. Fakes are everywhere. The number offered to me at shows is crazy. When i tell them its a parts gun they get mad at me. I am just a nice old man nothing more.

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Originally Posted by mmppres

I have more guys try to get exact number parts than you can believe.They think that 1 special number part will be there. Its hard for me to explain to them that I buy out old gunsmiths junk parts. Which really is all the parts left over after they did a sporter job on a full military arm. In my opinion a firearm in all correct parts as was originally on the firearms is a shooter grade . All matching numbers wood etc. Is collector grade. Which unless some one passes away or starts to sell off there collection all matching are scare on the for sale side. Fakes are everywhere. The number offered to me at shows is crazy. When i tell them its a parts gun they get mad at me. I am just a nice old man nothing more.

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I see nothing wrong with an honest seller telling people exactly what they have for sale.
I also think that shooter grade rifles are a good buy. I am going to buy a shooter grade RC or a rebuilt. I just don't want to pay collector value for a re-stamped rifle.
I still can't believe people are re-stamping these rifles. And that you can buy the stamps!

Remember a crook with spend money to make money Some of these guys spend so much time faking a part It would be easier to buy a full collector grade from a honest dealer. I am lucky as 70% of my sales shows are for parts only sell about 15% good to great firearms an 15% rebuild-able firearms.Some shows I sell a lot of fixer up guns. You hit the shows enough. You will know who to deal with an who to stay away from. An a big plus once you know who is who, you can ask for thee opinion on a find while at show.

That being said some people aren't always looking to create a fake, they are just misguided attempting to recreate something as close to original as possible (snipers in particular come to mine). There are many things I simply just don't buy because of how many fakes there are. Things like all matching K98k, all matching german semiautos, any sniper rifle (with the exemption of Swiss sniper rifles as they are extremely difficult to fake, they are relatively available and the value simply isn't there), etc.

Now days unless possessing a great deal of knowledge buying at a gun show would be tough. Not impossible as folks do walk into the shows trying to dispose of said items. Finding the right rifle from a reputable seller or dealer would be the way to go. Or start boning up on knowledge buying reference books on the subject. I have been fortunate to find vet bring back K98's since my childhood. The only one in the collection now is a ce 43. The gun basically fell in my lap on day when I was not even looking for one. So they are still out there. Good luck in the hunt.