I was into the surplus military guns first, back when they were affordable and available. But about the last two decades I seen prices on some of them soar in a short time. As time went on the surplus ammo dried up first. Then the surplus military rifles started to dry up. Your Turkish m38/8mm Mauser isn't $39.99 anymore it's $400 now. Talk about the m41 Johnson these were $1,000 at one gun show, every gun show after they were up a $1,000 more that year. I think they leveled off at $7,000 the last time I seen them. The German 98k sniper rifles were the same way they were $1,000 at the time and went up slowly. Recently the Swedish mausers just went up price wise these were long over due. A hobby of collecting and shooting these old war horses just became expensive.

I once went to a black powder gun show by accident. Talk about prices?
My misses came with me. At the time she was complaining about what the surplus military guns were costing. The blackpowder guns were $3,000 plus there. Things got really quiet when I told her I might collect a few blackpowder guns next. I got the evil eye while I was laughing inside. But they are awesome to look at.

I wonder where the older s&w guns will be in the next decade price wise. The colt Python is proof the prices are going to explode across the board. The s&w n frames are proof it's starting. I've seen these prices getting close to $2k online. The average seems to be hitting $1,500.

I don't buy to collect I buy to shoot and enjoy them but I also take care of them. We never know what they will be worth in the future.