Surplus Firearms Magazine - RIP

[olyinaz]

This month's copy is the last Surplus Firearms Magazine. How sad is that? I guess maybe the people at Mitchell's are right - the end is nigh!

The editor makes it clear that the supply of and price of surplus arms is largely to blame, but he also takes the time to point out that many older gun sages refuse to once again turn over well plowed ground for newbies, and that makes good articles hard to get. The editor also offers the opinion that the surplus collector community has not helped the hobby by often sneering at and demeaning those who try to enter the field by purchasing an arm from one of the only cheap sources still available: Century Arms and Mitchell's Mausers. Who wants to be part of a community that sneers at you when you proudly show up with your new arsenal refurbed Mosin Nagant or Russian Capture Mauser?

Those are the primary reasons the editor states for the magazine's demise. The first I can understand and abide, the latter problems I cannot. I've seen this "holy huddle" BS time and time again in this hobby - at gun shops, on line in forums, at the range - and it just chaps my hide. Eventually the liberals are gonna win.

Oly

[gamekeeper]

I agree, we have gun shops over here that look down on you unless you park a Bentley outside.

[AJMD429]

The editor also points offers the opinion that the surplus collector community has not helped the hobby by often sneering at and demeaning those who try to enter the field by purchasing an arm from one of the only cheap sources still available: Century Arms and Mitchell's Mausers. Who wants to be part of a community that sneers at you when you proudly show up with your new arsenal refurbed Mosin Nagant or Russian Capture Mauser?

I agree that such behavior is intolerable.

I see it occasionally even on this forum, when some folks really 'dis' anyone who doesn't just buy and shoot pre-WW-II walnut and blued steel leverguns.

Same thing sometimes amongst the EBR crowd, a few of them think that if it isn't "tactical" it's junk.

Same thing in medicine too - some of my bottom-25%-of-the-class peers wound up in cardiovascular surgery or neurosurgery or other prestigious fields, and dare to 'dis' those of us who went in to primary care (some of whom were top-ten-percenters) as not too bright. Unfortunately their arrogance and ridiculously high fees have given the entire medical field a black eye.

I guess it's just human nature to form 'cliques', whether based on the type of gun one shoots, their career choice, what clothes they wear, or whatever.

[Hobie]

I got my copy. I've loved the series.

I think that in every collecting circle there are people with strongly held views about certain items that circulate in those circles. Some of them can be a bit over the top. However, that is what adds color and excitement to the interest.

I'd also like to note some people who bought that "stuff" at $49 from Roses (or other mass retailer) now have $400-500 rifles. I know several people (sadly I'm not one) who bought a M-1 from Woolworths for $175 that is worth nearly 10 times that now.

[Stan in SC]

I'm sorry to see that magazine go.I was into surplus rifles quite heavily until about three years ago.I feel that I "ran my course" and just felt there was nowhere else to go.Now the supplies of milsurp rifles seem to be dwindling.I'm sure that state of the economy also has a lot to do with the hobby dwindling down but still a bit active.
I remember when I developed and marketed my LT-2 sight adjuster for the Mosins how it was hard to keep up with the demand for them all over the world.I was always amazed at the places where there were active milsurp shooters.
Firearms will always be a popular hobby and perhaps milsurps will have a rebirth.

Stan in SC

[Streetstar]

The editor makes it clear that the supply of and price of surplus arms is largely to blame, but he also takes the time to point out that many older gun sages refuse to once again turn over well plowed ground for newbies, and that makes good articles hard to get. The editor also offers the opinion that the surplus collector community has not helped the hobby by often sneering at and demeaning those who try to enter the field by purchasing an arm from one of the only cheap sources still available:
Oly

you're right, the 20 and 30-somethings dont have the knowledge base of someone who has been an enthusiast for decades ---
--- i thought i've noticed a 3-5 year cycle in magazines for turning over the same material and coming back around.

the introduction of the selector switch with the M-14 and FAL era also signalled an end to firearms that could eventually be considered surplus firearms . The military would rather drop crates of these into the ocean than let them go to the public. So naturally the supply of readilly available 60-100 year old firearms that are attainable is dwindling

--- this may sound borderline blasphemous , but since black rifles are creeping in everywhere else, would they have gained any more ground by recognizing the growing "AR retro" crowd? --- i purchased a surplus Air Force M-16 upper receiver and cobbled together my own retro AR - and its a hoot to shoot (hey --- that rhymes) - or quality rebuilt FAL copies, things like that.
At my age, a slick side M-16 or FAL or G3 variant is as much an antiquity as a Garand or a '03 Springfield might be to someone 20-25 years my senior

[AJMD429]

At my age, a slick side M-16 or FAL or G3 variant is as much an antiquity as a Garand or a '03 Springfield might be to someone 20-25 years my senior

That's a good point some of the older shooters should be aware of, and not 'dis' the 'EBR-crowd'.

[2571]

Post on Mich gun site had string about guns made by strange manufacturers -- firms known for toys, household goods, etc. Guy asked people to list unexpected mfgr's.

I suggested Singer Sewing Machine, National postage Meter, IBM, Union Switch & Signal, Saginaw Steering Gear, Walther.

They didn't believe me. Youngsters have no knowledge of past war munitions makers.

[jnyork]

This is not the first rodeo for the Nagants, DCM wound up with a bunch of them right after WWI, sold them by the thousands to NRA members for around $2.50 per, these were brand new rifles manufactured by Westinghouse and Remington. If you look through American Rifleman mags from back in the early '30s you will see lots of accessories for mods to the "russian rifle", every so often at gun shows you can find a sporter made dure that era from one of those Nagants.

[olyinaz]

This is not the first rodeo for the Nagants, DCM wound up with a bunch of them right after WWI, sold them by the thousands to NRA members for around $2.50 per, these were brand new rifles manufactured by Westinghouse and Remington. If you look through American Rifleman mags from back in the early '30s you will see lots of accessories for mods to the "russian rifle", every so often at gun shows you can find a sporter made dure that era from one of those Nagants.

And an unmolested Remington or Westinghouse Mosin-Nagant is worth quite a bit these days.

Oly

[JB]

The editor also offers the opinion that the surplus collector community has not helped the hobby by often sneering at and demeaning those who try to enter the field by purchasing an arm from one of the only cheap sources still available: Century Arms and Mitchell's Mausers. Who wants to be part of a community that sneers at you when you proudly show up with your new arsenal refurbed Mosin Nagant or Russian Capture Mauser?

I have no problems with any ARSENAL refurbed firearms, but those those sucker job Mitchells sells are in no way arsenal refurbished firearms.

[olyinaz]

The editor also offers the opinion that the surplus collector community has not helped the hobby by often sneering at and demeaning those who try to enter the field by purchasing an arm from one of the only cheap sources still available: Century Arms and Mitchell's Mausers. Who wants to be part of a community that sneers at you when you proudly show up with your new arsenal refurbed Mosin Nagant or Russian Capture Mauser?

I have no problems with any ARSENAL refurbed firearms, but those those sucker job Mitchells sells are in no way arsenal refurbished firearms.

Yeah, you and I know that, but when a guy shows up with one I don't poo all over his parade the way some like to do. Facts and truths about the "problem" with a Mitchell's refurb can be meeted out with some kindness, but too many in our sport/hobby like to make themselves feel good by dumping on others.

Oly

[MrMurphy]

The magazine refused to bring in any new authors, i.e someone born after 1905.

Us 'young' (I'm 34) guys are just as interested even if we don't own 312 pieces predating 1945 each. My milsurp collection is a grand total of two (Lee-Enfields) and I've shot dozens of other things.


Reprinting articles in 2-3 issues back to back (practice going back to 2007 or so) didn't help. I still own most copies of Surplus going back to the mid 2000s and there's a lot of reprints.

[Ben_Rumson]

Me being in my sixties I was pleased awhile back to see a young guy in his twenties with a nice Yugo Mauser... During the cease fire I said to him he had a fine looking rifle... He didn't say a word & turned his back on me.. Was it some kind of a superiority thing on his part cause I was shooting my black & chrome Nylon 66... I dunno I'm still scratchin my head about it..

[olyinaz]

Me being in my sixties I was pleased awhile back to see a young guy in his twenties with a nice Yugo Mauser... During the cease fire I said to him he had a fine looking rifle... He didn't say a word & turned his back on me.. Was it some kind of a superiority thing on his part cause I was shooting my black & chrome Nylon 66... I dunno I'm still scratchin my head about it..

Most likely he was just a jerk. Happens.

Good on ya for tryin' though!

Oly

[MrMurphy]

Works both ways.

Last time I took my dad shooting, he shot my (circa 1900ish) '93 Mauser and loved it (he has a 1918-production G98 Kar B). Both were sporterized 30-40 years ago, his finally got a new stock as the old one cracked. Friend of mine, aged 28, Iraq veteran, brought his Garand. As my dad carried an M14 to Vietnam and switched to the M16 after a while there, and there were 4-5 AR's, 3 1911s, one M9 and a half dozen other rifles handy, he got to shoot everything he carried in combat or was shot at him (we had a couple AK's as well) except the M14, though the M1 was close enough.

Us younger guys are generally quite fine with people shooting our stuff, I had a couple 9 year old deer hunters zeroing in their stainless/synthetic deerslayers just awestruck after trying out my No.4 Mk1 and realizing the gun was six times their age and had fought in World War Two. One of them's mom was there, and approved.