Not sure if I need to cry or not.

Went to Maitland Arms Fair today, usually try for Saturdays to get first look at the goods.
But had the boss girl with me as she wanted to do a bit of shopping.
This time around, there was more gear there than the Penrith Gun Show, heaps of L.E Parts and timber and a large range of rifles and collectibles........I added 25 S/Ns to my Lithgow list and found a couple of gems.

.......and thats where I'm not sure whether to cry or not.
Hidden under a lot of grease and dirt, a Lithgow 1914. (allready have two in this year) big problem was it was converted to .410.
But the conversion was a dinkum Lithgow SAF job, so bleeding heart me had to take it.
Mentioned it to Ian Skennerton when I stopped at his stand to say hello, all he wanted to do was sell me another copy of Aussie SMLE Variations(S.A.I.S 19) But I have two copies of that anyway, so we parted on a laugh.

Not been bothered with the variations to this stage, just been content to collect the Lithgow years, but the last couple are taking time to aquire, so might just have to be content to pick up the oddball here and there.......bugger.

I was going to go and have a look. Sounds like I might have missed some good stuff.

What years have evaded you to this point in time.

Was there on Saturday. I picked up some books for a young mate just starting out and asked Ian to sign it for him, thank you, mate. Ended up discussing a few topics with him over two hours and approaching the same question from different sides, we may have solved a long term mystery... More later, have some research to get together and send on for consideration. Yes, there were quite a few nice rifles there and a good supply of bits, but I'm not in the market for anything at the moment due to a big purchase coming up. Best show there for several years, well attended on Saturday, so signs of good times to come in the business I hope.

I've been to the last several shows here in Ontario Canada. North Bay had one complete No4 $750 (beat up). Couple of sporter No1s. No parts, No guns period. 1 Mosin Nagant for that matter; Thank god I was in town for other reasons. Glad to here a good market is somewhere. Infact I was in Parry Sound a few weeks back and was looking at a P17. No price on it, I asked what's it worth. The guy said, what's it worth to you. He never even gave me a starting price. Its a tough market here in Canada right now . $300-500 for a sporter.

All cleaned up and raring to go.
Attachment 76359
Attachment 76361 what a waste, but I guess back in those years they did not expect us to value them so much.
.........and all the other bits.....Attachment 76358Attachment 76360Attachment 76362Attachment 76363, note the new S/N marked on the barrel, making this the 2,726 rifle converted from a total of 6750.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JerryEAL

The guy said, what's it worth to you. He never even gave me a starting price. Its a tough market here in Canada right now .

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That's easy, for a P17 with the right bits in place and no obvious concerns, I would pay about $425 CDN tops. Otherwise they can be found online, at my leisure maybe for more, maybe for less. I have found gunshows are a difficult place to make a deal in Canada, and have never successfully bought anything from one. Negotiations usually break down after demands of "gunshop retail+buy the seller's lunch" pricing and a refusal to budge. There are deal to be had I am sure, but I can't seem to find it on the tables.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sentryduty

I can't seem to find it on the tables

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Most are gone when the doors open. If you get a table and scatter some odds on it you get to deal while the deals are there. Then you might sell some of your rusty stuff after. You could sell all your overseas takeoffs...boots, skivvies, genuine battlefield pickups...

Q Muff had it reached the end of the line as a 303 but was ok as a 410.

Hard to say Bindii, the locking lug recess's are ok, they removed the bridge, the barrel is from a '41 B series, so lord only knows the reason.