Schematic of the Schmitt-Rubin

Almost all of us have all missed out on an opportunity to buy a unique gun and kicked ourselves later, it happens.  But when a boat load of guns come in and we walk on by, that is just wrong.  Reading Richard Johnson’s article last week “The Mosin-Nagant Rifle-Why don’t you have one yet?” I got to thinking.  

Now I have seized the opportunity to purchase both a long rifle and a carbine Mosin-Nagant, but what else have I missed?  You know when you go into the gun store and they have a rack full of a surplus weapon of one sort of the other. You look at the price, which is usually reasonable enough, but you figure there is no rush. 

After all, they have a bunch of them, and if you wait long enough the price may go down.  The next thing you know they are gone.  

Back in the nineteen-eighties we had an influx of S.L.M.E.s from the UK, both the No.1 Mark IIIs and No.4 Mark Is.  They were selling ever ywhere for under a hundred dollars.  At the same time SKSs, complete with bayonets, were also available everywhere for less than a hundred dollars.

The bulk of the S.M.L.E.s are long gone.  There are SKSs available again, but at a much higher price. At one point you could even get a mint World War II dated Soviet Gas Seal Revolvers for $39.99. So, the point of this rant to tell you, to “get them while you can.”

I think that I missed the small window to get a Makarov pistol at a reasonable price.  But right now I see Schmitt-Rubin rifles, in large quantities, in several stores-Carpe diem.  

I tell new militaria collectors and gun collectors alike, don’t miss these opportunities. I know the “purist” collectors don’t like the import marks usually stamped on the barrel. That means that it was not a Vet “bring back” weapon, and hence not necessarily a piece that saw combat. But hey, the price is right and until you find the piece with provenance, it can fill a void in your collection.

Finally, don’t forget about the de-milled “non-guns” as well. A few years back MG-34s, MG-42s, Maxims, Stens, etc. became available.  These have real parts, but the receiver is a solid block of metal, and thus could never function.  I don’t expect to ever have the disposable income to buy any of these guns in a real / functioning status.  Not to mention the fees etcetera, involved with the required Class III dealer permit required to make the purchase.  Most of these look good, there is no complicated paperwork (in most states), and are relatively reasonable.

In conclusion, there is no excuse to pass up these opportunities when they present themselves. Carpe Diem!