The "Good Old Days"

[ArtPahl]

While waiting out a commercial break on college football yesterday, I was thumbing through one of my old American Rifleman magazines; August 1960. Flaig's of Millvale, PA (remember them?), was selling Eddystones for $30, case of 10 @ $225.

Of course, in August of 1960 I was 22 years old with a wife and two very small kids, I was driving a 10 year old car, and if I had $30, it would have been ear-marked for something far more important than an old GI rifle. And I could only dream about having $225 all at one time.

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[champ0608]

And better than the price was the fact that they would have delivered it straight to your door.

[RC20]

Well the hoot of hoots to me is I ordered a bayonet about 1960 (maybe a bit before, I would have to do some math and not sure I want the answer!). I was around 7 at the time.

You could get amazing stuff for 50 cents. My mission was to cut down all the Devils Clubs (may be unique to AK, kind of a broomstick with branches and lots of stickers)

I failed (much to my regret, I ran into them latter on surveying, nasty things, hard to cut with a machete (put your foot on it first) or a chainsaw (whipping around).

Anyway, the Bayo was a random pick out of a bin by someone- lo many years latter my younger brother is cleaning up his garage and wants me to take my bayonet. I tell him to sell it, worth a pretty good chunk now. Nope, its yours, come get it, no idea why I got it.

Turns out to be a WT and the rarest of WWII. Saw a WT with the wrong grips go for $450. A couple in the $900 range. Amazing.

[ArizonaBeagle]

A Couple of ads from that time 1960, look at the prices.
To put it in proper context I was making $1.25 an hour as a journeyman printer
with thousands of hours of experience.

Attachment 113037


AZB

[Salt Flat]

Yea, I was 16 in 1966. I went into a pawn shop in Phoenix. They had display case full of Norwegian 1911's. They let me pick out the best one.--- 50 bucks. No forms, no hassle. In the early 80s I was supporting my family and needed cash and sold it for $400. --- I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes in a cold sweat and think "WHY OH WHY". Salt Flat

[Daan Kemp]

Unfortunately for gun sickness, family has priority. We can always re-gun but re-family is never that easy. Family is forever, guns nearly so. Oh well.

[old tanker]

The passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968 was a sea change. They have spent the last fifty years trying to achieve the total elimination of private gun ownership. Growing up, getting a box of .22s from Mr. Pirtle at the General store did not involve governmental interference.

A boy could take pride in knowing he helped put food on the table.

[Salt Flat]

Unfortunately for gun sickness, family has priority. We can always re-gun but re-family is never that easy. Family is forever, guns nearly so. Oh well.

Daan, So true--

[mikemiller69gs]

Any chance I could get a picture of the Flaig’s ad? Believe it or not, I have a 1914 I’m bringing back to original that was purchased there around 1960. Flaigs is long gone but it was legendary according to the old timers. Thanks

QUOTE=ArtPahl;488539]While waiting out a commercial break on college football yesterday, I was thumbing through one of my old American Rifleman magazines; August 1960. Flaig's of Millvale, PA (remember them?), was selling Eddystones for $30, case of 10 @ $225.

Of course, in August of 1960 I was 22 years old with a wife and two very small kids, I was driving a 10 year old car, and if I had $30, it would have been ear-marked for something far more important than an old GI rifle. And I could only dream about having $225 all at one time.[/QUOTE]

[ArtPahl]

mikemiller,

I've got several of those old Rifleman magazines with the Flaig's ads. If you're interested enough to pay the postage, I'll send you one.