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  1. #11
    Legacy Member jensen wise's Avatar
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    Mr

    It can also work the other way! I just wanted to take part in the bidding experience when I sore an M.L.E. on Holt's internet web auction site, I placed the starting bid weeks before the auction ended.
    I received an email telling me I had won it! I was the only one to have placed a bid on it, even though the number of people watching it was in the thousands.

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #12
    Legacy Member P51Mustang's Avatar
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    I have seen that happen before. That what can happen when you get Two scholars in One room....

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    Contributing Member Flying10uk's Avatar
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    I use to know a chap, long since no longer with us, who served the whole of WW2 with Bomber Command, flying in aircraft such as Wellington bombers and amazingly survived the war. When he left the RAF at the end of the war all that he had was pretty much what he left the RAF with, after risking his life for over 5 years fighting for his country. After several salesman type jobs, living out of B&B's, for a few years, he started on his own going to MOD auctions buying ex MOD fire extinguishers reconditioning them and repainting them with Woolworths paint. He always used Woolworths paint because he considered that it was good value for money. Not many people go to MOD auctions, or they didn't when he attended years ago, to buy used fire extinguishers that may also need repair and reconditioning but he did and he made a good living out of it for many years. He would also bid on tools or anything else if it was going cheap if he thought that he could make something out of it. He told me that at one MOD auction he went to he thought that he had bid and won a small lot but after the auction was over he was asked to move a giant framework for holding an aircraft fuselage or wing that was located elsewhere because it was too big to get into where the auction was being held.

    He had identified something that he could buy cheap, add value and then resell at a profit and for him this was mainly ex MOD fire extinguishers.
    Last edited by Flying10uk; 02-10-2020 at 07:45 PM.

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    Legacy Member Sunray's Avatar
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    "...things that I can flip..." You'd have to get the stuff really cheap for that to work.
    The auctioneer's job is to get the most money for his client. A lot of the assorted on-line auction sites(Gunbroker and Guns International, for example) seem to be populated with dealers who think they're going to get rich by selling mediocre stuff for high prices to people who don't know any better.
    Mind you, vintage bayonets and the like have not been made for 70 plus years and are getting scarce in decent condition. Not many Ross rifle bayonets to start with either.
    "...my main source of inventory is auctions..." No more wholesale milsurp distributors these days. Used to be a gun shop could buy milsurp stuff from distributors without much fuss. Those days are long gone. Governments don't seem to be surplusing stuff either. Our bunch chopped literally thousands of perfectly good No. 4 and No. 7 Lee-Enfields when they took 'em away from Cadets. Plus thousands of brand spanking new C1A1 rifles(I heard there were something like 500,000 of 'em in War storage.) and C2 LMGs and Sterling SMGs. Even the old green CF combat uniforms were not surplused.
    Spelling and Grammar count!

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    Contributing Member mmppres's Avatar
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    I agree with Sunray. No long a source of milsup stuff out there. Here in USAicon Springfield Sporters sold out. Very few government auctions that go reasonable. My business is parts. To find them, Its a daily hunt.
    Auctions are some of my ways. For me to buy a lot it cost me. But I have to figure out per piece. Then bid for whole lot. Some of those rare pieces go really high. These young collectors have no choice but to buy high. They also have more money than us old guys lololol

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    Legacy Member can14&'s Avatar
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    I really liked Springfield Sporter's, bought lots of rifle parts from them.
    Then , they stopped shipping to Canadaicon.
    Got more than enough new Israeli 98k parts from them at the time for great prices
    Got mint 98k rifles from Israel in oil soaked stocks and needing cleaning, new wood and fittings.
    They had all of it

  9. #17
    Advisory Panel Surpmil's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying10uk View Post
    I use to know a chap, long since no longer with us, who served the whole of WW2 with Bomber Command, flying in aircraft such as Wellington bombers and amazingly survived the war. When he left the RAF at the end of the war all that he had was pretty much what he left the RAF with, after risking his life for over 5 years fighting for his country. After several salesman type jobs, living out of B&B's, for a few years, he started on his own going to MOD auctions buying ex MOD fire extinguishers reconditioning them and repainting them with Woolworths paint. He always used Woolworths paint because he considered that it was good value for money. Not many people go to MOD auctions, or they didn't when he attended years ago, to buy used fire extinguishers that may also need repair and reconditioning but he did and he made a good living out of it for many years. He would also bid on tools or anything else if it was going cheap if he thought that he could make something out of it. He told me that at one MOD auction he went to he thought that he had bid and won a small lot but after the auction was over he was asked to move a giant framework for holding an aircraft fuselage or wing that was located elsewhere because it was too big to get into where the auction was being held.

    He had identified something that he could buy cheap, add value and then resell at a profit and for him this was mainly ex MOD fire extinguishers.
    One or two old dealers from your side of the pond told me in the 80s, that in previous decades it was common to go to a surplus auction, bid on and win a few lots and when they went to load up the handlers would shove as much extra stuff on board as the dealer would let them. Couldn't get rid of it fast enough.
    Last edited by Surpmil; 12-07-2020 at 10:55 PM. Reason: Typo
    “There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”

    Edward Bernays, 1928

    Much changes, much remains the same.

  10. #18
    Contributing Member mmppres's Avatar
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    Surpmil that is correct. When i was a kid hanging out with the old-timers who showed me the ropes. I saw first hand just that. You would bid or at times just buy a lot. Drive to dock back in an then the handlers would put what they wanted to get out of there way into your truck. Was funny some times because you would get cases of GI bore cleaner the good old smelly stuff.

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  12. #19
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mmppres View Post
    Drive to dock back in an then the handlers would put what they wanted to get out of there way into your truck
    Wish it was like that now, these days they watch close to see if you have light fingers. Heavy control to avoid thieves, things have changed though in people.
    Regards, Jim

  13. #20
    Contributing Member mmppres's Avatar
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    Yes thats correct. But there is still some good who;e sale dealers out there that will offer you lots that have been around for ever that they need to move at a good price.

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