Weapons I could have had

Thinking back I have to kick myself.There's an old saying "too soon old,and too late smart" When I think about the rifles I could have now hAd I not been young and dumb. In Vietnam there seemed an endless supply of old Milsurps to be had from the VietCong. Most of the NVA carried the Kalashnikov AK47, and the Soviet SKS Tula These were forbidden If found we were to hand them in to the MPs, CID or Higher Hqs But like so many others I was hell bent to own that which I could not own. In those days I didn't have the foggiest about Rifles like the French Lebelle, the Mauser K98, the Mosin 91/30 and M38, an assortment of other Mausers, and yes I had a chance at an M1 Carbine An Arvn officer beat me to it. I remember one of NCOs offering me this old Mauser that was dirty and beat up. It was a Turkish Mauser, but I didn't know that at the time I refused. I wanted what I could not have. I still can't have it. The M1 That's a story in itself Procrastination again and again Now forget it Well this is my sad story, and I imagine there are a few of you who had the same experiences
Paul M

I saw many weapons I wanted while Peacekeeping in Cyprus. The Turks looked like WW2 US and the Greeks looked like WW2 Commonwealth. Sprinkle in some mixed stuff for good measure. All marks of Bren, and Sten. All makes and models of Thompson. One #5 Jungle Carbine. One MP38 with no finish whatsoever remaining. Mag pouches included. All marks and models of #1 and #4 Lee Enfield. Even some scarce and rare types. MG 34 and 42 and Vickers guns too. We sure didn't get to bring much back.

Thats the trouble with life, it's too short, goes to fast and is full of self recriminations,

Sedgeley Springfield sporter, receiver sights, excellent condition, $375 at Ron Peterson's in Albuquerque, 2009.

7mm Mauser '98 with US Army seal on the crest. Bubba got the stock, but the barrel and sights were intact. $175 at Ron Peterson's in Albuquerque, 199X.

1873 trapdoor carbine, rawhide sleeve on stock at wrist, lots of carpet tacks. Serial # between two numbers known issued to the 7th Cav. Pawnshop in Missoula MT, summer 1981.

8X57 civilian Mauser, mannlicher stock, butter-knife bolt handle, profusely engraved, $875 at Ron Peterson's in Albuquerque, 198X.

jn

Brass Argentine Maxim with optical sight for $1,200 and Lewis guns in the chest for $35.00. (spare barrel and bolt included) But, as a student, who had the money!!! But then a new car was $2200 and with am radio and whitewalls as well.
AND if you know someone who ran a service station and they bought FRAM oil filters you could sometimes get the Mk. IV 577/450 Martini that Acklands gave them with a case of filters.

Barrels and barrels of old Military rifles that were in the Army Navy store in the 60's for $9.99 to $19.99. they were at the end of each isle!

I worked part time at the Army and Navy Deptment Sore Ltd. :-)## ...The milspec No.4's were $9.99 (on sale once a month at $6.67), the "sporterized" No.3's were $12.96, the No.5's (New, with the "dog tag" still on the trigger guard) were $24.95 (never on sale) and the K98's were $29.95. 303 ball was $2.57/50 rds. Ross bayonets were 99 cents and 1907 Patt. bayonets were a whopping $1.49. Web slings were 19 cents and the leather 29 cents. USAAF sheepsking flying jackets with the water decal crests on the shoulder and "as new" were $2.98 (Today you'd be hard pressed to find one under $500.00 What used to be really neat was to find a name and address of someone who made the jacket in the pocket...with "write me, I made this jacket".
However, the 65 cents an hour I made allowed me to run a car, pay the insurance, tuition fees and the "blue plate special" at the Chinese restaurant on a Saturday night...

My uncle left me his deer rifle. At the time I thought it was an M1 carbine and I had no use for one at that time so I took the boat and let my cousin have the rifle. It wasn't a carbine. It was a Remington Model 1903-A4. Without scope but in the DMC box with papers and unfired still in the cosmo.

And yes I do still kick myself every single day.

22 years ago, I had $450 burning a hole in my pocket. There were three pistols I was looking at. An early 1900s .45 Colt, 4.5" barrel, a WWI Luger, working condition, Nazi markings, all matching, no import marks, etc., and a S&W 1076. I dawdled too long, and missed the first two. While I loved that S&W, and wish I still had it, I missed out on the Colt and Luger deciding.

Jim

The guns I can live without; it's the women I could have had and didn't which plague my mind still!