Hunt Chat  

Go Back   Hunt Chat > Tools of the Trade > Military/Surplus Arms

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-16-2016, 05:46 PM
Adam Helmer Adam Helmer is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Mansfield, PA
Posts: 3,865
What are friends for?

Last Saturday night at the square dance at my American Legion Post, a fellow in our set had just retired from his business and told me he was cleaning out his store. In the distant past, he provided merchandise to a fellow short of cash and "took in two rifles" in lieu of cash. I asked what did he accept? The fellow said, "I dunno, they are .308s I guess." I arranged to see the rifles and both were bolt actions. I asked him what he wanted in the way of money. He said I got $90 in parts, so give me $100 and the two guns are yours. I gave him two Fifty dollar bills, pronto.

I got an Excellent Rock Island High Number Model 1903 .30-06 rifle and a Very Good Remington P-17 .30-06 serial number 8XXX. This is the lowest Remington P-17 serial number I have ever seen in all my life; one of the first ten thousand ever made! Both rifles had M1907 leather rifle slings that have dry rotted from being set by for decades. One rifle had a nickeled brass oiler cleaning kit in the stock.
__________________
Adam Helmer
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-17-2016, 07:17 AM
Jack Jack is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Georgia
Posts: 6,087
Nice deal!
__________________
“May we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower
"If the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter"
George Washington
Jack@huntchat.com
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-17-2016, 08:41 AM
Dan Morris Dan Morris is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Posts: 2,491
Dang it, you always find this stuff.......congrats.
Dan
__________________
Lifes not meant to be a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thouroughly used up, totally wore out,loudly proclaiming....
WOW.....WHAT A RIDE.......
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-17-2016, 05:29 PM
Gil Martin Gil Martin is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Schnecksville, PA
Posts: 2,908
I hate it when that happens

Good catch, all the best...
Gil
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-18-2016, 02:07 PM
Adam Helmer Adam Helmer is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Mansfield, PA
Posts: 3,865
Gil, Dan and Jack,

To be more accurate, the store owner is a very dear friend and fellow square dance person hereabouts. He is not a "gun guy" and actually only wanted to be rid of rifles he had on hand for decades. He was vacating his store location and was relieved to be rid of the guns. I told him I did not need any more guns, but he insisted I "take them away." I did tell him they were worth more than $100 and he said it was worth it to him to have them gone.

I see that same mind set at yard sales in my area. It applies to guns as well as WWII GI kit. I obtained a large pile of WWII GI uniforms, web gear, books and medals sold cheap by next-of-kin who had no interest in the stuff. As president for the past 12 years of my county historical society, I have culled nice stuff for our military history room in our museum. The $100 rifles will be cleaned, lightly oiled and placed on display with the dry leather slings I am oiling to restore former condition.

A few years ago we were notified by a lawyer that the society was beneficiary for 187 guns. A life member, and WWII veteran major, bequeathed two houses full of stuff to us. I carefully examined the guns and retained 40 very historical arms and the rest were sold at auction. Our museum is the best I could hope for.

Adam
__________________
Adam Helmer
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:52 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version
Copyright ©2000 - 2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.