milsurp Guns as investment?

[rocinante 100]

I read all the time folks bragging they got X gun for X dollars not many years and now it is XXXX dollars. Same with ammo.

 

Which guns or kits do you think would be worthwhile just to buy with an eye to flipping them some years later when the supply has dried up? There are a lot of guns and kits in the 100 to 3 4 hundred dollar range.

 

It seems the good to better Romy G kits are drying up, the word is Mausers of any sort are history, Swiss K31 are getting harder to come by cheap. SKS are rising in price. I keep holding myself back from getting a VZ58 kit because they are 70 bucks but I have to remember the receivers are never going to be cheap. I don't think mosin nagants will ever rise much in price.

 

I saw a beautiful caranco for 100 yesterday on a local board but ammo is rare and two bucks a cartridge so that is a turkey.

 

Is thinking a small time investment is silly or am I just trying to rationalize more gun purchases? Rephrase it this way. Think of them like stock you can play with. Any insider trader tips here on what would be good bets?

[rocinante 100]

okay I guess the silence says it is a dumb idea.

[kresk 10,063]

No, not a dumb idea. If you choose selectively there is a fair chance that your investment will appreciate. Currently the K31's and CZ52's are starting to dry up and might not be a bad snag at current prices.

[1liter 20]

I agree, could be a very lucrative investment. We've all seen, esp. during AWB, the cost of just high cap mags went through roof. Not to mention the evil weapons they belonged too.

That could be right around the corner again with current politics.

[SuAside 2]

the K31 probably isn't a good example though. we've got a huge supply here in europe, so i dont expect that to be a big problem anytime soon.

 

if it really dries up on the US market, they'll just come & get some here.

[rocinante 100]

thanks for the K31 info. great guns but ammo relatively expensive.

 

Maybe ammo will appreciate better than the guns that shoot them. Worst case scenario is if it doesn't pan out I can go out with a bang! well bang, bang, bang.

[Motopilot1 37]

i would buy a lot of parts kits. about 8 years ago i got an hk g3 parts kit for i believe it was 120$ shipped i found the same kit here http://www.floridagunworks.com/Merchant2/m...ry_Code=_SALEPK

same thing if you look at the sten mk2 kits thoes could be had for nothing and now they want 300$ soo i would say parts kits are a safe bet

[G O B 3,516]

I think Cz-52's and TT-33's will be a good investment, especially with holster, extra mag and an 800 rd "spam can" of ammo with each.

 

In a few years they wil be worth a lot more $$$, and if SHTF they will be excelent barter for whatever you need.

[SuAside 2]

thanks for the K31 info. great guns but ammo relatively expensive.

but in return you get matchgrade SURPLUS ammo! that's just as amazing as the rifle itself.

[BobAsh 582]

Most collectors will tell you to buy what you like.

 

That being said, if/when there is another AWB, pistol-gripped rifles (shotguns too) are going to go through the roof.

[DaGroaner 2]

CZ-52s and 82s are what I'm concentrating on at the moment.

[Vultite 57]

personally i wouldn't bother unless there is a significant historical value to what your buying or a very limited supply left thus making it a valued buy, cause everything else was massed produced into the millions and is just rotting, rather buy ammo sealed up....

[Bvamp 604]

good grade +make war mausers continue to increase in worth

 

kalashnakovs continue to slowly increase in worth

 

30-06 is dirt cheap these days, not a bad caliber to stock up on

 

colt pistols continue to hold thier value and go up slowly in worth

 

the cz52 is going up in worth

 

IMPORTED parts kits already sharply increased in worth (barrel import law went into effect), and will continue to hold worth and increase as well slowly.

 

yardsale guns are almost always worth more than you pay for them if you know what you are doing. I can often find guns for 50-100 bucks that are worth 2-3 times that the second I pay for it. beware guns that were stolen 30 years ago (call in the serial # to the sheriff, or have the current owner do it with you standing there).

 

PAWN SHOPS will have deals on guns as well, due to misidentification/original condition evaluation. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT is my warning on this avenue.

 

the local cheapo classified paper can have deals in them as well. I once picked up a near mint 1946 win94 out of one for 250 bucks and sold it for almost ten times that two hours later to a collector I know.

 

silver and gold coin grade metal is going up sharply as well, just like lead

 

 

most guns that are not know for having very deep rifling (for instance an enfield or other 303 or 302 chambering), you can test quite easily if the barrel is shot out by inserting a life round bullet first into the muzzle. if there isnt 1/16" left before the crannule or case shoulder, the barrel is junk.

 

cut-down barrels on hunting bolt guns and shotguns devalue the gun considerably, unless it is something like a carl gustav customised mauser, which can be had for a small price at times.

 

engraving always adds value, although not as much as you would think on some guns. the cheapo old crescent brand/make shotguns, unless mint, dont even buy unless its to decorate a wall with in your cabin. and when they are mint, dont pay more than 50-100 for them, unless engraved heavily, and then only pay twice that, even. you see a lot of these at yard sales along with the other typical common montgomery wards/sears guns, which only the winchester made are really of any interest to collectors, and not much at that usually.

 

any winchester with a flaming bomb, expect to be worth more, ESPECIALLY with matching serial #'s, and only if authentic. same goes with reich mark guns.

 

lugers are difficult to locate with a profit margin, from my experience, as are the mauser broomhandles. the japaneese guns however, can be found cheap at times, and you might be lucky and double your money on those as well.

 

 

 

but really --- KNOW YOUR SHIT, AND KNOW IT WITHOUT LOOKING IT UP IF YOU CAN.

 

this includes knowing how to accurately evaluate both NRA condition and blue book % condition levels. this is much more involved and skillful than most gun shop owners and workers are capable of, and as such, you can find deals on some types of guns because of that.

 

when you TRAVEL, carry a copy of your preferred FFL local to you back home. why? well, because the same rifle that goes for 450 in new mexico at the cowboy shop, you can get 650 for it in NY. that AR15 post ban you fucked with and made post AWB could have been sold to someone in a state like NY with those laws in place still. same thing with that AK.

 

 

 

hope this helps you a little bit. lost this post the night you posted it, and forgot to reply until I just saw it. Its just a few rules and things I try to keep in mind when I am out and about.

[Bvamp 604]

and oh yeh.....dont forgot those hunting rifles and shotguns that get sold for 350 bucks that the optic on it is worth 750-1250 at the store, IF you can find them. I was just learning myself on gun glass until my recent move across the country, and have been so busy I dont have time to think, let alone relax enough to memorise old catalogs and data/spec sheets, especially with optics. You can find guns from people regularly for under 300 bucks with a 500 dollar optic on it. gun only worth 150? shit. Ill take it.

 

edit: when you cheat someone, it comes out in your demeanor to other people, so dont do it. I personally, for instance, make sure a Vet knows what it REALLY is worth before I agree to a very lopsided price. I wouldnt do the same for the people that "just want to be rid of it" because "they dont like guns". Once you go beyond a certain point (I am not an FFL license coach), you should get an FFL. a C+R license might be what you want to get, in place of your next milsurp firearm.

 

edit for Gary - sorry for the typos and punctuation!! I know you love it, right?

Edited January 29, 2008 by Bvamp