About five years ago I spotted a Johnson rifle in a gun shop in College Station Texas. You don’t see that very often.
I have always wanted one. This one was beat up pretty good. Cracks in the stock.
Picked it up thinking i might walk out with it. But 5000.00 dollars separated me from that mission. Evidently TAMU attracted a lot of retired military who are gun collectors and from time to time gems like that surface. I keep hitting pawn shops and gun stores in that area looking for these finds.
Yours is a classic example of what serious gun lovers are facing out there now. Seeing that since the Gun Companies which are facing SERIOUS raising prices because of inflation of the once invincible dollar, material, labor, energy, legal fees, insurance etc etc. They have to start cutting corners everywhere so that they can to stay in business. IMHO, this has been going on now for almost 40 years in my experience.
Which then means that they have HAD to make some really piss poor looking & operating guns. Some of which could not hit the broad side of the Pacific Ocean on a good day. Unless you the gun buyer goes to your local Gun Smith. Where you have to usually have a trigger job, put a decent sight system, etc etc. On your own time & dime!
For example in 50 plus years of my love affair with guns. I have so far bought only one gun that I did not need to go to the Gun Doctor. That being 20 years ago when I bought a Sig P220 in 45 ACP.
Also I am convinced that the really rich folks out there are buying up the good stuff now for the past ten plus years. For example, Until Colt brought back the Python. I would see a Python on the shelf for sale, oh about every 10 years or so.
(I would hit all my favorite gun shops about every week after school. This before I started to have some medical problems) Or when was the last time you have seen a good Colt Target Woodsman on the shelf of your friendly local Gun emporium? Or a Luger Hmmm?
Now heres another something to nibble on. Since the Gun Companies began to start selling their “new and improved” stuff.
Have you noticed that the old stuff like the Pre 64 Winchesters for example. Have vanished or taken off like a ticket on price?
The same goes for the old Remington 700’s or the M1 Garand or Carbines. Recently I saw a rack grade Garand going for over 2 Grand. Also I have seen ordinary Mauser 98s and Lee Enfields going for $900 and up.
The bottom line is that there is a huge demand for a declining number of quality guns. Which is going to continue these push these unreal prices UP.
The REALLY bad news is that this is going to keep the young folks and Joe six pack from thinking about joining our fraternity. As it is getting to be just too F*cking expensive for them and the rest of us. Aren’t I a cheerful SOB today !?! (So now you know as to why I am called Grumpy)
PS Thanks for the comments and sorry about the rant!
2 replies on “Some they ain’t cheap guns”
About five years ago I spotted a Johnson rifle in a gun shop in College Station Texas. You don’t see that very often.
I have always wanted one. This one was beat up pretty good. Cracks in the stock.
Picked it up thinking i might walk out with it. But 5000.00 dollars separated me from that mission. Evidently TAMU attracted a lot of retired military who are gun collectors and from time to time gems like that surface. I keep hitting pawn shops and gun stores in that area looking for these finds.
Yours is a classic example of what serious gun lovers are facing out there now. Seeing that since the Gun Companies which are facing SERIOUS raising prices because of inflation of the once invincible dollar, material, labor, energy, legal fees, insurance etc etc. They have to start cutting corners everywhere so that they can to stay in business. IMHO, this has been going on now for almost 40 years in my experience.
Which then means that they have HAD to make some really piss poor looking & operating guns. Some of which could not hit the broad side of the Pacific Ocean on a good day. Unless you the gun buyer goes to your local Gun Smith. Where you have to usually have a trigger job, put a decent sight system, etc etc. On your own time & dime!
For example in 50 plus years of my love affair with guns. I have so far bought only one gun that I did not need to go to the Gun Doctor. That being 20 years ago when I bought a Sig P220 in 45 ACP.
Also I am convinced that the really rich folks out there are buying up the good stuff now for the past ten plus years. For example, Until Colt brought back the Python. I would see a Python on the shelf for sale, oh about every 10 years or so.
(I would hit all my favorite gun shops about every week after school. This before I started to have some medical problems) Or when was the last time you have seen a good Colt Target Woodsman on the shelf of your friendly local Gun emporium? Or a Luger Hmmm?
Now heres another something to nibble on. Since the Gun Companies began to start selling their “new and improved” stuff.
Have you noticed that the old stuff like the Pre 64 Winchesters for example. Have vanished or taken off like a ticket on price?
The same goes for the old Remington 700’s or the M1 Garand or Carbines. Recently I saw a rack grade Garand going for over 2 Grand. Also I have seen ordinary Mauser 98s and Lee Enfields going for $900 and up.
The bottom line is that there is a huge demand for a declining number of quality guns. Which is going to continue these push these unreal prices UP.
The REALLY bad news is that this is going to keep the young folks and Joe six pack from thinking about joining our fraternity. As it is getting to be just too F*cking expensive for them and the rest of us. Aren’t I a cheerful SOB today !?! (So now you know as to why I am called Grumpy)
PS Thanks for the comments and sorry about the rant!