Flip Sight Markings

[Bill Hollinger]

It all depends. There are a lot of counterfeit rear sights out there. If it is from Modesto, CA it is fake. Close up, in focus, macro photos of the sight and we'll be able to tell.

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[rocky321]

It all depends. There are a lot of counterfeit rear sights out there. If it is from Modesto, CA it is fake. Close up, in focus, macro photos of the sight and we'll be able to tell.

Here ya go! M1 Carbine Flip Sight Marked RP/R P for IP - eBay (item 260701768073 end time Dec-08-10 17:09:40 PST)

[mpd1978]

That is a 19.99 repro that will probably sell for $150. Looks like he has a good supply of marked push safeties and oilers as well.

I think this is authentic though:

Lot 3 Matrix Essentials Amplify Foam Volumizer Mousse - eBay (item 260687572042 end time Dec-04-10 05:54:22 PST)

[rocky321]

That is a 19.99 repro that will probably sell for $150. Looks like he has a good supply of marked push safeties and oilers as well.

I think this is authentic though:

Lot 3 Matrix Essentials Amplify Foam Volumizer Mousse - eBay (item 260687572042 end time Dec-04-10 05:54:22 PST)

LOL!! Thanks

[monkeyhammer]

So the M1 parts he sells are repo's? Interesting that he still has 100% on his feedback. I would think that there would be some complaints if someone got a repo and they expected it to be original. Is it they know they are repo's or don't know they've been taken?
John

[DaveHH]

You are having trouble finding one and really don't know that much about them. You buy one from some guy for $50 and it is in your carbine and you are happy. If someone points out that the parts someone sells are fakes, you have two choices: 1. Admit you were taken and learn from the experience or 2. ignore the information, consider your part as one of the real ones and feel great about what you did.

Very few people will admit to number one and it is much easier to just shut up and accept number two. Thus few negative feedbacks. If some of these people wound up in San Quentin, there would be a lot less of this stuff, but this is just stretching the truth to these psychopaths, so its OK, right? How someone could accept a pristine, newly made casting as a 66 year old used part is the real issue, as long as there are fools with money these crooks will prosper.

[mpd1978]

So the M1 parts he sells are repo's? Interesting that he still has 100% on his feedback. I would think that there would be some complaints if someone got a repo and they expected it to be original. Is it they know they are repo's or don't know they've been taken?
John

I am guessing that the individual that pays real money for fake stuff doesnt have anymore knowledge in the week or so it takes to get the part. They get it after a few days and post good feedback. How this continues to happen so much is beyond me, ie fake parts sellers with many thousands of positive feedbacks for total crap parts. I would imagine that most of these folks are just getting into collecting. Its up to the individual to learn before he buys. Fakery isnt new and isnt going away anytime soon. Coins, cars, guns and pretty much anything else suffers from these type of people. With the internet and so many helpful people on these forums, there isnt any reason to make some of these mistakes to many times.

[ChipS]

Re: such high percentage of positive feedback for vendors of reproduction carbine parts, I think there are several reasons. I agree inexperienced folks buy the stuff, it fits and works on their 'new' carbine, they leave positive feedback, get educated, learn it is fake and then don't patronize the humper anymore. Some buy it and never get educated and live forever in bliss. Some buy it knowing it is fake to fill in until they can find a real part and are ashamed to leave any feedback at all ( I admit to doing this once and will never again). Some don't ask the necessary questions before they bid or buy based on poor or limited photos and descriptions, are guilty of 'wishful thinking' and then rightfully accept the responsibility, leaving no feedback, if they can't return the item ("guilty"). Some bidders realize they have screwed up but don't leave negative feedback for fear of receiving 'payback' from the seller. Humpers rarely claim the counterfeit part they are selling to be an original USGI part, and when they do they simply take it back if called on it, with the buyer paying the freight, and sell it again to a less knowledgeable buyer. Don't get me wrong - it takes two to culminate a bad deal and the buyer has reponsibility in any purchase, perhaps just as much as the seller.

But I think the most prevalent reason so many humpers have ginormous positive feedback numbers is the shill bidding. I have no idea how extensive or sophisticated (read 'quid pro quo') the shill bidding is but I suspect it is off the board. A vendor can shill bid 2 or 3 times under different names to get the price up a little (or a lot) and create interest from the unsuspecting neophyte mark who bids more, thinking it must be good because other bidders think so, wins the part and is tickled sh_tless until sometime after he leaves positive feedback. If the mark doesn't bid, the humper pays the 1%-3% fee and gives himself a positive feedback. If he only hits occasionally he makes more money and his feedback rating is constantly enhanced either way. Bottom line - Caveat Emptor has meaning.

I pay almost no attention to feedback of any sellers I deal with, nor to that of competing bidders, particularly since the online auctions have had several years now to mature and build up fedback volume in multiple shill accounts. We have all made mistakes in buying parts based upon pictures and limited/ambiguous descriptions, and we have all been burned at one time or another. I am utterly ashamed of purchases I have made not so long ago and wonder what I was thinking at the time. But we all have to pay for most education (unless we live in Kalifornicatia) and I believe my previous 'payments' have made me better equiped to play responsibly and sort out the chaff at this stage of the game. I wish the same for those new carbine enthusiasts enjoying this forum. JMHO, Merry Christmas, ChipS