Gun Show Bust

[Aragorn243]

I'm also from south eastern PA and my take on the gun shows isn't that different. I've gotten pretty lucky at the last two I went to but one of them was a purchase off a guy walking around with it. In York, I found a No4 MKI in good condition, price $300. Only other one in the show was in rougher shape for $350. There were no other milsurps at the show that interested me. A very beat up MAS 36 for $1100 (I have no idea what's going through that sellers head), the same old dozen very overpriced and beat up Enfields and Arisaka's that I've seen traveling from Lancaster to Harrisburg, and a few Yugo Mausers. It's been slim pickings. Lancaster's gun show as a complete bust, other than the rack of beat up stuff, nothing except the usual Mosin Nagants just out of the crate. After walking around the entire show, went back to the first No4 MKI and made a deal that both he and I were satisfied with. Harrisburg was a lot better than both but I had one item on my list a Swiss K31 and while I hadn't seen one since a very overpiced one at Allentown, I found one on a dealers table that was priced OK and the one a fellow was carrying around that I got a great deal on.

The gun shops have dried up, Cabela's has dried up. I'm thinking no one is either turning them in to sell or they are getting bought up as fast as they put them out.

[bigduke6]

BDL had a good supply of South African No4,s at a very good price, infact while importing a rifle for myself I bought 3 x No4s from Brian to make up the numbers, good honest used rifles all shot OK, I had to recoupe the initial cost (wasnt very hard plust the postage and some of the export licence fee etc), I sold them all, but I did struggle,and they went for 230 pounds, I thought they would fly out like hot cakes but it seems folk want new ones or new looking ones, and wonder why there new prized Enfield (no one knows who stuck the new varnished timber on and sprayed it with gloss paint) shoots with the accuracy of a shotgun? always defeats the object in my eyes as its a Milsurp Rifle so its going to have a few dents, scratches, repairs etc, but they shoot well and were looked after in service by qualified and well trained Armourers.

It was only on friday that a member in the club had paid 280 pounds, for a sporterized No4 and not very good one, I was in shock more than anything else, this is kind you see in auction go for 50 pounds or less, I was lost for words, I could of built him one for half the cost of what he paid, like the old saying "some mothers do have them"

[Brian Dick]

I'm running out of No.4's here after all these years and 100's of rifles. I've only got 3 of the South African issue Faz's left, 2 in walnut that are matching and one pretty nice one in beech with a properly fitted but mismatch bolt. They've got lots of handling marks in the wood but are sound and the bores are immaculate. To think I had over 400 of them. The end of an era. When I was a kid, I used to think that everything had to look new so I understand that cosmetic way of thinking. It's simply unrealistic to expect with as-issued military rifles. The older I get, the more I appreciate the character of use as long as it isn't abuse and the rifles are sound. Unlike many dealers who insist on refinishing rifles to make them pretty before resale, I've always left that to the decision of the buyer/collector. It probably didn't speed up sales any but the true collectors generally appreciate it. There's no question of originality as they left military service. My last four matching, original 1950 Long Branches went back to England this year too. Where they originated after release from Greek service. Roger at Nordenfelt has them so snap them up guys. There was another British dealer who visited here but would never buy my rifles because they weren't good, (read pretty), enough in his opinion. I broke my back packing and exporting rifles for him too from Gunbroker and elsewhere, (mostly the new Mk.2's), until we parted ways a few years ago. I made the mistake of letting my new in the wrap Mk.2's go too and didn't even keep one for myself. Oh well bidness is bidness.

[Cold_Zero]

I have one of Brian's 1950 Long Branch rifles, Greek Service. Matching and sound, Great Rifle.

[Frederick303]

Any folks here going to the Forks of the Delaware show on Saturday? I will be there and it would be nice to meet up with any other enfield collectors from the SE PA area. If you see a middle aged fellow walking around pawing through parts bins with an incomplete No 7 MKI (british version) it will be me (looking for a magazine subsitute).

Regards

Frederick303 (Fritz on the gunboards forum)

[Aragorn243]

I've found the Allentown shows to be the most expensive shows I've gone to. No idea why but it's like they mark everything up about 30% or more for that show so I won't be going.

I did discover a show very early this morning that I would like to go to down at Aberdeen Maryland. It's at the baseball stadium I guess and is just military. It's a buy/sell/trade show and it's free admission. I wish I had known about it sooner.

The gun auction from hell is today and tomorrow is Mothers Day so I probably won't get down to it. Gun auction has three rifles I'd love to bring home that are all going to sell for about $100 more than they are worth. But I still have to drag myself down there on the .001% chance that there is no one else there that wants at least one of them.

[Peter Laidler]

Fred303. If it was me looking for a magazine that would fit into a UK spec No7 and operate and feed as opposed to an ORIGINAL, then it should be simplicity itself. All you need to find is an unserviceable No1 rifle magazine case and position into it a cheap and cheerful 5 or 10 round replacement aftermarket .22" magazine. Position it accurately and pour a setting resin into the case. Let it set and you have a .22" magazine for your UK spec No7. That's what my friend here did and it works perfectly.

The only reason the original No7 magazines were ex No1 rifle cases was because BSA sought a relaxation in the original spec because the No1 magazine cases were more substantial and it allowed them to rivet the housing plate into them. I was told that this wasn't strictly correct because by seeking the relaxation from the original spec, they were able to use up a few thousand un-useable and unsaleable No1 rifle magazine casings that they had in stock

[Frederick303]

Capt Laidler,

I had the No 1 BS marked Magazine body with the welded insert to allow the use of the modified BSA magazine. What I needed was the magazine.

I found one of the BSA model 5 magazines at the show this morning. It does have the reversed clip relative to the actual No 7 magazine clip, so I have to figure out how to modify that. Otherwise it seems to be a tight fit. I was very pleased to find this magazine, which was rather expensive at 40 US.

I ended up with the No 7 because a friend bought one cheap and then decided that I should have it as he did not want to put the time (or the money) into it for something that in the end would not be correct.


Araqorn243

Now as to why I like that show, I am interested in Irish and Enfield target rifles. I found two Irish marked No 9 MK 1 bayonets, one 1953 trials serial range, the other a late 54 dated one, with scabbards. The first put me back 28, the second put me back 40. Not a steal but better then I would do on Ebay with no shipping charge. I also found in one of the spare bins a A.J. Parker equivalent to the Ph-51 adjustable aperture for 20 bucks, a deal if ever there was one.

I found a bolt for the G33/40 for 140, not cheap but I needed that bolt and have not seen one without a rifle attached for years (and the one I saw was parkarized and on a Israeli 7.62 Nato rifle).

Last I found an excellent condition M39 Finn sling, an East German marked 91/30 sling, a brand new MAS sling, a slightly used Enfield pattern sling, each for 10 dollars each. Not a bad deal.

The forks show is one of the best show for finding odd bits like this. There were three folks with significant numbers of Enfield parts, I saw a plain (no grooves) No 4 cocking piece for 5 dollars, a rear lobbing sight and a SMLE MK I type magazine. All hard to find parts if you needed them (I did not). It is a most excllent show, though you are right the rifle prices are not cheap.