"X" Mum

[Aragorn243]

The Mosin Nagant situation at this place is bizarre to say the least. I hadn't gone to this auction for quite a while because I wasn't in the market for anything but with my long subdued interest in Milsurps being renewed by an ad for $99 Mosin Nagants at Cabela's I started going again. Between 15 and 20 years ago I had bought a few rifles, a British WWI 303, an Australian cadet rifle and the Kraq I just posted pictures of. The Australian cadet rifle was the last rifle I bought at this auction.

So Cabela's sells them for $99.00 I get if for free because I have points for using their credit card. Dunham's starts selling them for $79-$89 depending on the sale and both of these merchants are within a 40 minute drive of here. I go to the auction and they have two of them for sale, exact same rifles, import marked with the pair of ammo pouches, oiler, bayonet, etc and they both sell in the $180-$200 range. I had been talking with a fellow that collects them and he was there for the same reason I was, if they sold for $50-$60 he'd get them. He was as baffled as I was on the price. I went out the next day and went to Dunham's and bought one for $79.00

Gradually, the prices have been going up. The last auction that had them they again had two and both sold for $350.00. It is very tempting for me to go to Duhnams again, buy one and swap out parts with the ones I have and then take it there for them to sell.

Some things sell for decent prices, others do not. While I was concentrating on the Arisaka's today, they had a beautiful 1917 all matching Winchester with a 1-18 barrel on it that had not been refurbished, the eagles head could still be seen stamped into the wood and the metal was nice and clean. The bore was like new and there was no question the crown on this was like new as well. Very crisp and clean. This sold for $500 which considering it's condition was probably a steal. A 1942 Lithgow 303 with full length stock, very good metal and wood sold for $400, three like newly issued 03A3's sold for $500 each with a fourth bringing $825. The last that I caught was an 1885 Chilean Mauser for $375 which seemed a bit high.

I made a mistake in skipping the Reading Gun Show. I saw the signs for it in time and thought about it but I'd been waiting on this auction for 2 months figuring with 10 Arisakas there would be one that would match both my desires and price range. I couldn't examine them until yesterday when I narrowed it down to three and then today to two. I believe Harrisburg will have one in June and I guess I'll make the trek there to see what I can find.

[Patrick Chadwick]

I also take into consideration that this is the same auction that two Mosin Nagant import 91-30's were bought for $350.00 each very recently.

Perhaps that was the price for a pack of 5