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Iraqi SVD at Allentown Gun Show

4K views 28 replies 24 participants last post by  Stalin's Ghost 
#1 ·
I was at the Allentown, PA gun show this morning and came across an Iraqi SVD. It was really beat up and there were no papers with it. The seller was asking $20K for it. I passed. I saw one 91/30 and one M44 Mosins for sale, a Swedish Ljungman for $850, one or two Chilean and Argentine rifles all less than $400, and a Romanian SKS for $450. It seems that each show has less and less milsurps.
 
#2 ·
That's too bad. Almost took the weekend off to go down, but it's a 3.5 hour drive from where I am in New York. Last time I went in the fall I picked up the lone SCW M91/30 that was there. It was pretty much the only Mosin in the building that day. Notice any Arisaka's? That's what I was going to go down there looking for.
 
#6 ·
Not having gone to Allentown in the last ten years or so I can't comment on its decline but I will add that back in the late '80s and early '90s it was an incredible show for military C&R weapons and militaria. There was never a single show where I didn't find so many wonderful pieces that I spent every cent I brought, sometimes to the point of having to worry about gas money for the almost five hour return ride back home.

I miss the good old days!
 
#7 ·
If you dig a bit you can still find some good stuff, but it is often priced way too high. Some of those older dealers seem to want to hold on to their stock a bit too much.
 
#11 ·
The internet has killed the market. 50 years or more of learning what was what, can be accomplished by some bozo with a phone. How many times have I heard, "On the internet they're selling for ....." . Some people call me a cheap bastard but I know what I can sell it for if I have to. I try to pay only what I think I could sell it for or less, if I had to. Consequently, when I decide to sell, I sell. B
 
#8 ·
For the life of me, I don't quite get why vendors pay for a table for the weekend, only to price things so high that nothing sells.

Do they simply hope to escape from home for awhile?
 
#10 ·
I was there very early and many of the tables were still covered. I thought about going back later in the day to see what was under the covers but got involved doing stuff around the house. Fortunately I'm a member so I don't have to pay to get in the show.
 
#12 ·
I went to the local gun show here in FL about a month ago, I had a table, and all the " dealers " were complaining about not selling anything! One fellow told me he didn't even make back his $60 table fee! Funny, I sold over $3000 worth of stuff I didn't want anymore! Guess it just goes to show, there are two prices, one is "I don't want to sell it" price and the other is "I don't want it anymore"!
On a side note, I am finding the shows to be more and more a flea market or high end priced dealers looking for that one dumb bunny with more cash than brains!
 
#14 ·
I agree that the Internet is killing the gun show. No traveling, no setup/breakdown, and a larger audience are all benefits to auction sites. There were definitely many arisaka's there and there. I didn't look closely as I was looking for bayonet's. I was able to find four matching and unsharpened bayonet's that were in decent condition. Saw four more unsharpened and matching bayonet's that were not in the condition that I like. I didn't see any bargens but saw a nice Portuguese contract Mauser and a 1936 S/42 K98k that was picked up at the show.
 
#17 ·
I went to the Rock Island Auction back in Feb. and there were literally thousands of mil-surps. Everything, US, Jap, German, Russian, and others and not a bargain to be had after a day of bidding so I went home. Maybe there were some bargains in the days to follow but I was not going to wait to find out. Mismatched with poor bores going for top dollar. I think a lot of it was on-line bidding driving the price up and they do not know if it is matching or what shape the bore is in.
 
#18 ·
bao tze 包子;6844090 said:
For the life of me, I don't quite get why vendors pay for a table for the weekend, only to price things so high that nothing sells.

Do they simply hope to escape from home for awhile?

I have known a dealer and some collector's who would say, "I tell the wife I am going to sell some guns. She is very pleased and I have a weekend. Of course when I get home I say no one was interested. It buys me time when ever the 'collection getting to large' topic arises." So yes to your question.

For me, I can bring a gun home and no questions. However, if I bring home some old gun books or magazines, that is a real no-no. No PAPER! :)
 
#20 ·
20K is pretty pricey for one of those. I have seen the Chinese copy of the soviet for $3-5K . I like my PSL that I bought for $500, years ago. Much nicer on the shoulder than a 91-30 .My advice if you want to get some deals, buy a table, show up Friday and early Saturday morning. After 9 AM, all that's left is leftovers. B
 
#21 ·
I religiously attended the Forks show for many years, as a table holder and just walking around. As stated, it used to be a show full of milsurps and other treasures, and there were deals to be had whether you were there on Friday night or Sunday afternoon before the show shut down. From the single table holder bringing his prizes out of the attic to the dealer selling racks of rifles and cases of pistols there was always something for the collector of martial arms from the Revolution to the present day. I think the beginning of the end started when the club show turned into a business, and they required all table holders to have a PA Sales Tax # and a merchant permit from the local municipality. The single table guys disappear, replaced by multi table dealers with deep pockets and high prices, for whom the gun sales aren't a hobby business but rather a full time endeavor. Once I started hearing about "what it will sell for on eBay", or "Check out Gunbroker" I knew the day was nigh...let's face it, if eBay and Gunbroker are bringing such great prices why aren't you selling there? Many of the older guys weren't internet savvy, but as they die or retire a new generation has stepped in and if you look at their cards they have a website now they are selling on those online venues...the hobby, and the business is now right here, on the screen in front of you that you are reading right now, the big gunshows are just a place to kill a rainy afternoon, but not much chance of finding a deal.
 
#23 ·
I was at the Allentown show today (the Fairgrounds are literally about 2 miles from my house) & it seems that the most C&R rifles I saw were Arisakas..there were a lot of them there. I want one, but don't know enough about them yet except I want the "mum" intact. I did see one Arisaka that was $200, the mum was partially visible, and it was from the Tokyo arsenal...I almost bought it & kinda wish I did. I'd like to hold out for one with the intact mum. I saw a lot of M1917s, 1903s, an awesome Turkish Mauser but it had clearly been refinished...a good amount of K98s, and maybe 2 M38s, and for sure just 1 91/30 round receiver Tula for about $250.00. Lots of authentic Nazi pins, patches, helmets (I want a Nazi helmut, but too expensive for me at the moment) I almost bought a nazi WW2 canteen, etc...Lots of cool WW1 & WW2 US military ammo pouches/belt pouches & stuff like that. Saw 2 Enfield jungle carbides, & they were in the $550-$600 range if I remember correctly...I did buy a bayonet without the scabbard for my Remington Pattern 14 for $140.00. It had the original British markings struck out, & a US stamp just below....I guess it's the correct math for my gun..it fits perfectly. Nonetheless, I had fun but REALLY wish there were more of the military C&R rifles that we all love for sale...It's getting tough for sure..
 
#24 ·
I think in the next 20 years we'll see an explosion in the availability of milsurps. If you look at the CMP site there are guys on there with dozens and dozens of garands. The guys with one or two you'll probably never see those back on the market as they're destined to go to a kid or grandkid. But the guys with 10 or more (and there are a lot) aren't going to will them all away. And it'll end up being the kids or wife sending them back out into the world. A lot of the mega collectors are boomers or older, as they start to shuffle off the coil their toys will flood the market again. Couple that with decreasing interest in millennials and I think the bottom will drop out of the surplus market in the next couple decades.
 
#26 ·
This nothing at gun shows issue has been a rumor or misunderstanding of how guns shows work for many years. If one does not think they can find anything at gun shows, please stay home. I have used every way to find guns for 35 years now. I have found guns by every single method, gun shops, auction sites, pawnshops, folks who put out the word of "I know of", gunboards, other sites, for sale sites, I posted it thread, local papers and more than any other method--gun shows. The stuff is still there and if collectors do not want to do the work and "game" of gun shows, I am fine with that as I find more there than most other sources combined. Much of it is networking, word of mouth, getting in or a table before the show, leg work guys, leg work networking, talk, get to know. The only thing that keeps me from finding enough stuff at gun shows is I am not a millionaire. I got an amazing pre-1913 Colt 1903 in Colt oven/bone/charcoal blue recently at a gun show and the stuff there I could have bought at this small show that was worth buying was in the hundreds of thousands. I am not sure how many of you see things but vision may be a problem??

If you want only a Mosin only, maybe. If you collect collectable firearms, I think many folks have not judgement and can not do the work it takes. It is not as simple as showing up and looking, it is work. Returns on what work gives up depends on the work applied.

By the way, and Iraqi SVD is not nothing. That is why he was asking $20K. There may be a dozen in the US. Exactly why is this nothing?
 
#28 ·
That and jewelry, coins, Chinese knives, stucco treatment, sunglasses,massage therapy ,handbags,toys and a lot else I can't remember seeing. I get tables at all the local shows because I have to sit down every so often and want to eat something other than greasy $10 HAMBURGERS . That said, I feel bad for the poor suckers who pay dearly to get into the show and see tables and tables of this type of junk. B
 
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