Pawn shop score!

[pdc]

So, I've been trying to find a good deal on a Lyman or Redfield receiver peep sight for my 03 Springfield sporter. Today, on a whim, I stopped into a pawn shop on my way home from work. I asked if they had some old take-off sights lying around and sure enough he comes out of the back room with a Redfield that they took off of an old Springfield that someone pawned. I asked how much and he said $25! I was thrilled as it has all the parts and screws and good finish. A little spit polish and it will be good to go. Now I just need to find someone who'll drill and tap the receiver to mount it. Just thought I'd share a simple pleasure.

[Rick the Librarian]

Sometimes the "liitle" pleasures can be nearly as appealing as the "big" ones. A few years ago, I went to small gunshop and noticed they were examining a rifle they had just taken on to sell. I noticed it had a M1907 sling in excellent condition. I asked the price and they said "$25". It turned out to be a nice 1918 sling which now graces my 1920 M1903.

[pdc]

Good story. I think I'm going to start making the pawn shop rounds for just this sort of stuff. Good trade fodder.

By the way, I always enjoy reading your C.S. Lewis quote. I need to memorize it.

[DRAGONFLYDF]

Never know what you will find, I bought a Garand at one for $600, I knew it was worth more, it was a Lend Lease, with 98% matching numbers, its value was at least 3 to 4 times what I paid for it.

[Rick the Librarian]

Never know what you will find, I bought a Garand at one for $600, I knew it was worth more, it was a Lend Lease, with 98% matching numbers, its value was at least 3 to 4 times what I paid for it.

I hate you! I paid a LOT more for my L/L M1!!

[joem]

I used to check pawn shops around here but these guys know what there worth and don't negotiate very much.

[Griff Murphey]

I think the Internet has hurt us with pawn shops. A shop owner can add hundreds of dollars to the value of something he is selling with modest research.

[DRB]

Got this NRA Sporter 1903 at a pawn shop a couple months ago for $400, my best deal in a long time. They thought it was just another sporterized 03.



Got an all correct Standard products carbine for $300 but that was 7 or 8 years ago.

[Thaine]

Our local big pawn has priced their selves out of the gun business due to the internet. The counter toads, not gun smart, spend their time looking on the various auctions sites. If what they have remotely resembles an item, then it instantly becomes a "rare, vintage, collectible" high priced POS. You can even point out the factory marks and explain them to them and they will argue about them. They used to have some bargains, some reasonably priced and a few overpriced items. For the last couple of years, it has all been the overpriced crap and they wonder why their inventory sits so long. Watched one of them tell a young Airman in a flight suit that he couldn’t afford an AR they had in the rack (before the Dec. ramp up). Kid flies on AFSOC C130 gunships. With all his pays and his tax free pay during combat deployments he probably makes more in a quarter than the counter toad does in a year. Funny part was they were asking $2500 for a beat up Vietnam era AR, which was in reality a late 70’s beat up SP-1.

[PKelly]

A local shop has a P1917 on the shelf that's been there for at least five years. It's in good shape but it's a rebuild with a cleaned up stock, just a decent shooter more or less. The shop owner wants nearly a grand for it. I've offered him half that but he won't take it. One of the store clerks has told me he knows he got taken on the deal, but his ego won't allow him to cut his losses so there it sits. The internet is an excellent source of information but it's a double edged sword.

Back during 2008 during the economic crash I actually found a few good deals at local gunshows, as a lot of "grand dads old gun" stuff was coming out of the closet and sellers were a bit desperate. Now, things are even more insane than normal at gunshows and I haven't bothered with them in about two years. I used to enjoy going just to browse but the idiot ratio, both behind and in front of the table, seems to have increased dramaticly.

[The Wolf]

There continue to be diamonds in the rough out there, but it's definitely more difficult to find them, especially with the advent of the Internet Age. With that said, I've had some good luck over the years at some of my local gun shops, and even the big one in my neighborhood at the Expo Center in Chantilly-Virginia. There are around 1000 tables, and they've got just about anything you can imagine. A few years back I found a Springfield 1922M1 in completely original condition, to include the original M1 bolt. The only thing replaced was the buttplate, which I ended up buying from a fine gent here. I kept going back to the rifle, looking at it, putting it down, coming back an hour or so later, looking at it again. After the fourth time the seller said "Enough! You've been coming over here the entire afternoon, looking at that rifle... make me an offer!" LOL! We settled on $900 cash.

Best Regards from Virginia,

Chris

[ncblksmth1]

Just this last weekend at a local show I picked up a 1903a4 based sportered hunting gun for under $500.00. Good deals to be had.

[menefrego]

Idiot ratio.....Well Put Its really tough when you go to a show and find out who's gone to gun heaven and the newbies who have taken their place know it all! It does get lonely!! As far as prices go, (PIGS GET FAT, HOGS GET SLAUGHTERED)