Entering the Big Leagues

Good Morning All,

As I just moved past my 65th year on earth, reflections abound, and I thought back to the day I crossed over into the big leagues and was able to plunk down $1000+ for a military surplus rifle. I only collect such and boy was that a moment. The rifle was a 71/84 Mauser and I still see the box and the USPS carrier asking me if I had gotten “a big one.”

It seems small in the scheme of life, but it was a moment of pride and joy that I was crazy enough to want, be able to afford, and took the plunge on a 140-year-old piece of history that was a blast to fire and hell to clean! I continued to cross over into bigger and bigger leagues and now am the guy at the range with the T-Gewehr.

Do you remember the first time you crossed over into bigger times?

Randy

Yep. Brought home an Underwood M1 carbine (all type 1, B marked receiver) that I picked up at a local gun store. It had been there for several years due to the price tag of $1,100. The wood was really dry and small bugs were falling out of it. My wife met me at the car and when she saw the gun, she said "oh, that's a small one, I'll carry it!" at which point she saw the $1,100 price tag and about fainted. Once I assured it was worth way more than what the price tag stated, she was ok. Now, purchases like this are normal for her and she is a big supporter!!

It was a moment when I went over to the 5th digit and mommy went into shock. She too is OK for now. Randy

I'm not really in to "collector grade". I'm sort of lying, but my point is my definition is not just different in degree than others, but in substance too. Nonetheless, the same idea applies as the OP. I crossed over the day I built my first Krag from a bucket of loose parts. It's worthless, but man does it feel good at the range - seeing my reflection in the bolt handle after shooting a perfect group, thinking of the day I'll hand it down to the kids and them staring into their own grin on the handle remembering chatting away their pops ear in the shop as he worked on it. They have gotten busier in their adolescence, and haven't been super interested in firearms, but they still find time to hang out in the shop with dad.

I got my. Carcano from my Grandpa. That was my baptism. After military duty, I bought a SPAS 12 because I loved it and never had the money before that. But the real start was with my adhored wife and mom buying me a Mosin Nagant 91/30 almost 25 years ago.
After that, the craze started and I never healed… Nor want to!

The 'Big Leagues' are relative to their times.

1970's Big Leagues: SVT40 for $115.00CDN
1980's Big Leagues: MG08 mit Schlitten unt Ruckstokverstarker for a couple of days electrical work.
1990's Big Leagues: Johnson 1941 for $375.00CDN...sold later for $2,500USD
2000's Big Leagues: DEWAT Inglis Bren MkI with tripod, Fixed Line Sight, Fixed Line Sight Housing Frame, Spare barrel carrier, Bren Wallet, tool kit, and magazine box: $750.00CDN
2010's Big Leagues: 1942 Canadian CMP 30cwt for $1,800USD (it's a truck).
2020's Big Leagues: Civilian M.L.E. MkI* with 'Twin Zero" micrometer peep sight for $2,100.00USD, Civilian C.L.L.E. with Vickers Son and Maxim sights for $1,900USD, Fulton regulated No.1 MkIII with PH5A sight for $2,000USD, Home Guard Ross M10 for $4,250.00.

Not sure I hit the big leagues yet. I've only paid over $1000 twice with cash. Add Cabelas points and there are two more, but cash out of pocket for each wasn't much. Most I ever paid was just a couple of months ago for the Irish Constabulary Rifle.

But there are many which are likely now worth well over $1000 which due to Sapper's relatives I didn't pay anywhere near that much for them.

Big leagues? It's a relative term. However, the first time I acquired a CMP Garand was a memorable process that spanned more than a decade. One must understand that my family doesn't fare well without a pet and never has. To quote Charles Dickens, "This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate."

In the '90s I developed a strong dream to purchase a CMP Garand. In the face of the most expensive period in my growing family, I began squirreling away a few dollars now and again to fund one. Probably a couple of weeks before I reached my coveted financial goal, the family dog died. In less than a week, my family was before me with long, teary faces, begging for a new dog. It was obvious that the only available money was my Garand fund, so I acceded to the pleas of my loved ones. My family went out dog hunting and came back with this tiny little fluff ball thath hardly seemed worth my fund but filled their hearts to overflowing with joy. The puppy eventually wormed her way into my heart as she had with the rest of the family. Mission accomplished, and I set about pinching the odd pence for the Garand again, slowly but surely.

A few years later as I reached the needed funds (now $200 more than before) for a Garand once again, the family's beloved dog succumbed to the toxic ingredients that the Chinese were putting in dog food at the period. Her kidneys failed and we rather suddenly had to put her to sleep. Within four days, the family was in my face with the classified ads, frantically and eagerly pointing to an advert from just across the state line for Labrador puppies. I gave in to the inevitable and made the odyssey to the farm, where we discovered that no-one in the family could settle on a single dog. Once again I turned out my pockets and gave up my dream, this time doubly so, and we made the journey back home in the January snow with TWO lovely little puppy siblings and my family glowing and overflowing with joy. This time we had acquired a male, and he latched onto me from the very first night. He was the first dog I could ever call my own. Mission accomplished, but my little fund was beyond drained.

I started the fund again and saved with great discipline but after a few years was still struggling to keep up with the rising cost of a CMP Garand. Eventually my wife stepped in and declared that I had earned the right to a rifle by plunking down my personal savings when the family was in need. Somehow we coughed up the funds to bridge the gap and I finally acquired a CMP Garand with all the trimmings. I had to save up for the first range trip, but it rewarded me by shooting like a Trojan.

And that is the story of my step into the big leagues, at least with my limited funds at the time.

Bob

I still haven't joined the Big Leagues with handguns, but it looks like I'm in the running for a Model 1900 American Eagle luger. Does it count if I trade an AR and some cash?

Never was in a position to make the Big Leagues. Got lucky when I split with the ex, as she made more than I did. Only thing in my pockets was lint. Started out on this trail in the early '90's. At the time I was finding junker motorcycles behind sheds and such, fixing and selling them. The proceeds were mostly funneled into $200.00 rifles and pistols at gun shows. Nothing collector grade, but shootable examples. Still have most of them. As supplies of affordable stuff dried up, I just saved any loose cash for the odd find here and there. Got lucky a few times. Still driving old junker cars that I can fix, and living slim, but I do have a couple of safes full of old hardware that I surely couldn't afford to buy these days. I'm good with that.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

Not sure I hit the big leagues yet. I've only paid over $1000 twice with cash. Add Cabelas points and there are two more, but cash out of pocket for each wasn't much. Most I ever paid was just a couple of months ago for the Irish Constabulary Rifle.

But there are many which are likely now worth well over $1000 which due to Sapper's relatives I didn't pay anywhere near that much for them.

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The rifles I mentioned bought in the last three years are all in near mint condition. I know 'near mint' can be a somewhat over-used and hyperbolic term but in the case of those rifles it is profoundly accurate. The Ross was the only issued rifle, the other three were all civilian target rifles in pristine condition and all came with micrometer peep sights of one sort or another. The Ross is one of the Essex County Home Guard rifles and although it was issued, you'd never know it and was obviously well cared for. The M.L.E. was the only rifle I paid the "Buy Now' price for, the rest were all won after spirited bidding by several collectors, especially the Ross but as I may have mentioned before in the past, what would you pay for the finest example of a rifle extant and one that your family carried in WWI?

I only have one mint rifle. Not very interested in them to be honest because I can't afford them which gets back to not really feeling I'm in the big leagues. I've always bought what I can afford at the time and when I started it was well worn examples. The mint rifle was a yard sale fluke not likely to ever happen again and I've debated selling it to buy something else ever since the day I bought it. But it's still here.

Now, I'm a bit more discriminating although I've still bought a few RTI items recently that otherwise don't seem to exist in the US, at least where I live. I've spent more lately because I've reached a point in my life where I've realized it's only money and add to that, that money is losing value fast due to the whims of politicians, it's been easier to let go on something that will retain its value vs the current currency value. At least that's how I justify it to myself.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

Now, I'm a bit more discriminating although I've still bought a few RTI items recently that otherwise don't seem to exist in the US, at least where I live. I've spent more lately because I've reached a point in my life where I've realized it's only money and add to that, that money is losing value fast due to the whims of politicians, it's been easier to let go on something that will retain its value vs the current currency value. At least that's how I justify it to myself.

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I could not have summed my present attitude up any better.
Do multiples on the same day count towards entry into the Big Leagues? If $ 1000 is the entry fee I joined some time ago. But only once. But boy did it pay off. or will when my heirs have a yard sale.

I guess my dive was actually a few minutes ago when I dropped $2300 on 2 M1886 M27 Lebel rifles. One is in original shape and great condition the other is sporterized but there were very few made.

I do remember the days when a nice Lebel went for about $500! Yes, I did secure it but you know what happened later....

About 9 years ago there was enough in the kitty after a 20 year wait that I brought a M47C 1944 Sniper T all correct with its original scope A K & S 16684 & mount a JC think thats Rose Bros.
It was $6K the draws were stuffed but were repaired by a master stock maker it rarely sees daylight just to be oiled & RLO'ed thats my most expensive milsurp I have my 303's all except one were around $5-600/Aud.
My 5MD 1916 Lithgow started as a $100/Aud rifle but in the end probably set me back with all the corrections plus 5MD 1916 bayonet & 5MD 1916 scabbard Wrights 1916 sling brought it up to around $900 - $1000.

I remember well the days I didn't have the financial resources to pursue the firearms I wanted and had to resort to trading both possessions and work to get some of the guns I wanted. Raising three children, orthodontry, and college kept me poor for decades. I once swapped an old truck for a Boys ATR and a couple days of labor got me a DEWAT MG08 mit schlitten. Swapping a Sten MkII parts kit and some bric-a-brac got me a Johnson 1941 and attending many, many firearm's auctions culminated in getting an SVT 40 for $115, an Inglis DEWAT Bren MkI for $275 and a new Colt King Cobra for $350. Those days are long gone now but thankfully my funds allotted to discretionary spending have kept pace with most gun values.

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Originally Posted by Sapper740

thankfully my funds allotted to discretionary spending have kept pace with most gun values.

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Not me, my window was open for a brief five years and has slammed shut again. The general inflation hitting everything else has finally caught up with my local gun dealers at least. Last three gun shows have been nightmares as far as prices go. I actually found a pistol I was prepared to shell out $800 for and they guy wanted $1200 for it. I'm confident my valuation is a lot more accurate than his. It was one of those guys that had a lot of nice guns but no prices on anything. I knew it was a bad idea to ask but I had the cash ($800).

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

It was one of those guys that had a lot of nice guns but no prices on anything.

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I generally keep walking. I have missed a couple of deals though.

Gun shows have been tough the past few years. Found a very nice early Type 99 at the show about 3 years ago. It wasn't marked and when I asked the price he responded "$1,000." I told him that even if it was an all matching gun with a Mum, I might give him $700. His reply was "what do you mean, "all matching"? That told me everything I needed to know. A quick examination (with his permission) revealed it was a very nice "parts" gun and since I already have a beautiful Type 99 parts gun, I passed. He still had that same gun when I saw him at the show two years later. If it wasn't for the information I have learned from everyone else here on this site, I might have been lulled into buying it because it was in such great condition.