Entering the Big Leagues

[rescuerandy2]

Good Morning All,

As I just moved past my 65th year on earth, reflections abound, and I thought back to the day I crossed over into the big leagues and was able to plunk down $1000+ for a military surplus rifle. I only collect such and boy was that a moment. The rifle was a 71/84 Mauser and I still see the box and the USPS carrier asking me if I had gotten “a big one.”

It seems small in the scheme of life, but it was a moment of pride and joy that I was crazy enough to want, be able to afford, and took the plunge on a 140-year-old piece of history that was a blast to fire and hell to clean! I continued to cross over into bigger and bigger leagues and now am the guy at the range with the T-Gewehr.

Do you remember the first time you crossed over into bigger times?

Randy

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[Singer B]

Yep. Brought home an Underwood M1 carbine (all type 1, B marked receiver) that I picked up at a local gun store. It had been there for several years due to the price tag of $1,100. The wood was really dry and small bugs were falling out of it. My wife met me at the car and when she saw the gun, she said "oh, that's a small one, I'll carry it!" at which point she saw the $1,100 price tag and about fainted. Once I assured it was worth way more than what the price tag stated, she was ok. Now, purchases like this are normal for her and she is a big supporter!!

[rescuerandy2]

It was a moment when I went over to the 5th digit and mommy went into shock. She too is OK for now. Randy

[ssgross]

I'm not really in to "collector grade". I'm sort of lying, but my point is my definition is not just different in degree than others, but in substance too. Nonetheless, the same idea applies as the OP. I crossed over the day I built my first Krag from a bucket of loose parts. It's worthless, but man does it feel good at the range - seeing my reflection in the bolt handle after shooting a perfect group, thinking of the day I'll hand it down to the kids and them staring into their own grin on the handle remembering chatting away their pops ear in the shop as he worked on it. They have gotten busier in their adolescence, and haven't been super interested in firearms, but they still find time to hang out in the shop with dad.

[Ovidio]

I got my. Carcano from my Grandpa. That was my baptism. After military duty, I bought a SPAS 12 because I loved it and never had the money before that. But the real start was with my adhored wife and mom buying me a Mosin Nagant 91/30 almost 25 years ago.
After that, the craze started and I never healed… Nor want to!

[Sapper740]

The 'Big Leagues' are relative to their times.

1970's Big Leagues: SVT40 for $115.00CDN
1980's Big Leagues: MG08 mit Schlitten unt Ruckstokverstarker for a couple of days electrical work.
1990's Big Leagues: Johnson 1941 for $375.00CDN...sold later for $2,500USD
2000's Big Leagues: DEWAT Inglis Bren MkI with tripod, Fixed Line Sight, Fixed Line Sight Housing Frame, Spare barrel carrier, Bren Wallet, tool kit, and magazine box: $750.00CDN
2010's Big Leagues: 1942 Canadian CMP 30cwt for $1,800USD (it's a truck).
2020's Big Leagues: Civilian M.L.E. MkI* with 'Twin Zero" micrometer peep sight for $2,100.00USD, Civilian C.L.L.E. with Vickers Son and Maxim sights for $1,900USD, Fulton regulated No.1 MkIII with PH5A sight for $2,000USD, Home Guard Ross M10 for $4,250.00.

[Bob Womack]

Big leagues? It's a relative term. However, the first time I acquired a CMP Garand was a memorable process that spanned more than a decade. One must understand that my family doesn't fare well without a pet and never has. To quote Charles Dickens, "This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate."

In the '90s I developed a strong dream to purchase a CMP Garand. In the face of the most expensive period in my growing family, I began squirreling away a few dollars now and again to fund one. Probably a couple of weeks before I reached my coveted financial goal, the family dog died. In less than a week, my family was before me with long, teary faces, begging for a new dog. It was obvious that the only available money was my Garand fund, so I acceded to the pleas of my loved ones. My family went out dog hunting and came back with this tiny little fluff ball thath hardly seemed worth my fund but filled their hearts to overflowing with joy. The puppy eventually wormed her way into my heart as she had with the rest of the family. Mission accomplished, and I set about pinching the odd pence for the Garand again, slowly but surely.

A few years later as I reached the needed funds (now $200 more than before) for a Garand once again, the family's beloved dog succumbed to the toxic ingredients that the Chinese were putting in dog food at the period. Her kidneys failed and we rather suddenly had to put her to sleep. Within four days, the family was in my face with the classified ads, frantically and eagerly pointing to an advert from just across the state line for Labrador puppies. I gave in to the inevitable and made the odyssey to the farm, where we discovered that no-one in the family could settle on a single dog. Once again I turned out my pockets and gave up my dream, this time doubly so, and we made the journey back home in the January snow with TWO lovely little puppy siblings and my family glowing and overflowing with joy. This time we had acquired a male, and he latched onto me from the very first night. He was the first dog I could ever call my own. Mission accomplished, but my little fund was beyond drained.

I started the fund again and saved with great discipline but after a few years was still struggling to keep up with the rising cost of a CMP Garand. Eventually my wife stepped in and declared that I had earned the right to a rifle by plunking down my personal savings when the family was in need. Somehow we coughed up the funds to bridge the gap and I finally acquired a CMP Garand with all the trimmings. I had to save up for the first range trip, but it rewarded me by shooting like a Trojan.

And that is the story of my step into the big leagues, at least with my limited funds at the time.

Bob

[Aragorn243]

Not sure I hit the big leagues yet. I've only paid over $1000 twice with cash. Add Cabelas points and there are two more, but cash out of pocket for each wasn't much. Most I ever paid was just a couple of months ago for the Irish Constabulary Rifle.

But there are many which are likely now worth well over $1000 which due to Sapper's relatives I didn't pay anywhere near that much for them.

[Sapper740]

Not sure I hit the big leagues yet. I've only paid over $1000 twice with cash. Add Cabelas points and there are two more, but cash out of pocket for each wasn't much. Most I ever paid was just a couple of months ago for the Irish Constabulary Rifle.

But there are many which are likely now worth well over $1000 which due to Sapper's relatives I didn't pay anywhere near that much for them.

The rifles I mentioned bought in the last three years are all in near mint condition. I know 'near mint' can be a somewhat over-used and hyperbolic term but in the case of those rifles it is profoundly accurate. The Ross was the only issued rifle, the other three were all civilian target rifles in pristine condition and all came with micrometer peep sights of one sort or another. The Ross is one of the Essex County Home Guard rifles and although it was issued, you'd never know it and was obviously well cared for. The M.L.E. was the only rifle I paid the "Buy Now' price for, the rest were all won after spirited bidding by several collectors, especially the Ross but as I may have mentioned before in the past, what would you pay for the finest example of a rifle extant and one that your family carried in WWI?

[Singer B]

I still haven't joined the Big Leagues with handguns, but it looks like I'm in the running for a Model 1900 American Eagle luger. Does it count if I trade an AR and some cash?