The "Good Old Days"

While waiting out a commercial break on college football yesterday, I was thumbing through one of my old American Rifleman magazines; August 1960. Flaig's of Millvale, PA (remember them?), was selling Eddystones for $30, case of 10 @ $225.

Of course, in August of 1960 I was 22 years old with a wife and two very small kids, I was driving a 10 year old car, and if I had $30, it would have been ear-marked for something far more important than an old GI rifle. And I could only dream about having $225 all at one time.

And better than the price was the fact that they would have delivered it straight to your door.

Well the hoot of hoots to me is I ordered a bayonet about 1960 (maybe a bit before, I would have to do some math and not sure I want the answer!). I was around 7 at the time.

You could get amazing stuff for 50 cents. My mission was to cut down all the Devils Clubs (may be unique to AK, kind of a broomstick with branches and lots of stickers)

I failed (much to my regret, I ran into them latter on surveying, nasty things, hard to cut with a machete (put your foot on it first) or a chainsaw (whipping around).

Anyway, the Bayo was a random pick out of a bin by someone- lo many years latter my younger brother is cleaning up his garage and wants me to take my bayonet. I tell him to sell it, worth a pretty good chunk now. Nope, its yours, come get it, no idea why I got it.

Turns out to be a WT and the rarest of WWII. Saw a WT with the wrong grips go for $450. A couple in the $900 range. Amazing.

A Couple of ads from that time 1960, look at the prices.
To put it in proper context I was making $1.25 an hour as a journeyman printer
with thousands of hours of experience.

Attachment 113037


AZB

Yea, I was 16 in 1966. I went into a pawn shop in Phoenix. They had display case full of Norwegian 1911's. They let me pick out the best one.--- 50 bucks. No forms, no hassle. In the early 80s I was supporting my family and needed cash and sold it for $400. --- I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes in a cold sweat and think "WHY OH WHY". Salt Flat

Unfortunately for gun sickness, family has priority. We can always re-gun but re-family is never that easy. Family is forever, guns nearly so. Oh well.

The passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968 was a sea change. They have spent the last fifty years trying to achieve the total elimination of private gun ownership. Growing up, getting a box of .22s from Mr. Pirtle at the General store did not involve governmental interference.

A boy could take pride in knowing he helped put food on the table.

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Originally Posted by Daan Kemp

Unfortunately for gun sickness, family has priority. We can always re-gun but re-family is never that easy. Family is forever, guns nearly so. Oh well.

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Daan, So true--

Any chance I could get a picture of the Flaig’s ad? Believe it or not, I have a 1914 I’m bringing back to original that was purchased there around 1960. Flaigs is long gone but it was legendary according to the old timers. Thanks

QUOTE=ArtPahl;488539]While waiting out a commercial break on college football yesterday, I was thumbing through one of my old American Rifleman magazines; August 1960. Flaig's of Millvale, PA (remember them?), was selling Eddystones for $30, case of 10 @ $225.

Of course, in August of 1960 I was 22 years old with a wife and two very small kids, I was driving a 10 year old car, and if I had $30, it would have been ear-marked for something far more important than an old GI rifle. And I could only dream about having $225 all at one time.[/QUOTE]

mikemiller,

I've got several of those old Rifleman magazines with the Flaig's ads. If you're interested enough to pay the postage, I'll send you one.

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Originally Posted by old tanker

A boy could take pride in knowing he helped put food on the table.

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I used to hear from the older folk around that spoke of carrying a firearm to school across the fields so they could pot a couple of pheasant or rabbits on the way home. Anything to help mother feed the crew. Imagine now...?

I would absolutely do that. I’m happy to buy the magazine and postage. Thank you for the offer

Mike

QUOTE=ArtPahl;489458]mikemiller,

I've got several of those old Rifleman magazines with the Flaig's ads. If you're interested enough to pay the postage, I'll send you one.[/QUOTE]

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

older folk

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One doesn't have to be that old to remember. Even in the 80's and 90's many a rural school district across the US had a a marksmanship club, and the student parking lots were full of old beat up pickups with a rifle hanging in the back, and a few tractors parked in the back of the lot. Many schools even closed for the first week of hunting season, so as not have to list the majority of the school truant.

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Originally Posted by ssgross

Even in the 80's and 90's many a rural school district across the US had a a marksmanship club,

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Ours were long gone by then.

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Originally Posted by ssgross

the student parking lots were full of old beat up pickups with a rifle hanging in the back

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We had laws by then specifically written against these visuals...

Well I went to high school late 60s early 70.

We sure did not have any pickups with gun racks.

In High School in 1974 someone lit off a Yellow M18 Smoke Grenade. A little stirring and then "OK kids go back to class". My buddy and I picked up the now hot but lifeless canister and took it home. Found out a 209 shotgun primer would fit in the striker pocket. Those days are gone. We also used to get paddled, gone too. When I made $1.50 per hour, you would have to make $30 per hour today to get the same value out of your money. Oh well, get off my lawn...

Happy Holidays!

Dave

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Originally Posted by Wineman

Oh well, get off my lawn...

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Kids in my county would shoot a groundhog...stuff it in the farmers' mailbox with a note, whoever's property it was shot on, and usually get a $5 bill, or more if it was a big one, in their mailbox within a few days as a thank you. Pesky grass munchers would ruin thousands of dollars digging into the drainage tiles.

In the wheatbelt I was @14 y/o walked into the hardware store and brought a pkt 12Ga No.4's I was using my uncles brother inlaws Breda 5 shot on maine geese the keeper asked me what gun I was using to see if I was legit I said "A Breda 12 Gauge semi auto" that satisfied him and he promptly gave me a box. No license, no your are to young just farmer logic doing what comes naturaly cannot remember the price as that was nearly 50 years ago.
You had to stay put using that gun as usually after the second round the bolts charging tag/handle came out of the bolt and landed near you was a PITA to use but normaly you hid behind the dam wall wait a while then up over the top and hit'em rising from the dam just unloading all 5 rounds into the masses good chewing they are the geese that is!
I shot and tried moutain duck once gave that up as a lark and ate the rock I was boiling instead.......