Back in the Day, Military Surplus Stores

[SmokeStack Lightning]

While being a kid brung up in the 50's/60's, there were 2 Military Surplus stores no further than 12 miles from my Pop's farm.

So, being brung up on a farm with few neighbors around, my friends and I played "Army" alot.

We'd save our dough and head over to the Surplus store and there were shelves and shelves of surplus gear.

Most was used from WWll, but they had just about anything anybody wanted back then. Especially kids playing "Army".

I had a steel pot with liner like new, an "Eisenhower" style jacket with all the "Patches". (I mostly recall the 1st Cavalry insignia, yellow with a diagonal black bar and black horses head). Had a new web belt, aluminum canteen with holder, several ammo pouches, a couple of inert grenades w/working spoons, olive green issued trousers, and a pair of reissued paratrooper boots. Even had an official "Face Camoflauge" kit, issued bug repellant and all sorts of "K" rations. (The Hershey Bar had become a little funky in 10 years, but I et them anyhow) Had me a gas mask w/ case, too.

Both stores had Jeeps for sale, some for parting out, some in really, really good condition.

One store had two "Light" tanks they were parting out.

All sorts of working weapons. Issued .45's, lots of M-1's, lots of M1-A1 carbines, even some Lugers and other captured weapons.

Now, reflecting back, I wish I hadn't given all my play gear away as I got older cuz the old stuff is really increasing in price these day. But, I was onto 'bigger and better' stuff......Ha!

These days, I don't know of any stores such as those, anymore.

 

[A-37]

Surplus Target Kite

At the local Surplus Store, my dad bought me a target kite. It was about 6' tall, light blue fabric with an outline a Japanese Zero on it. It had a rudder at the bottom and was flown with a pair of heavy lines. Being a skinny 11-year old, I couldn't fly it myself. It took two kids to keep from being pulled into orbit. See it here: Obscure Objects: Paul Garber?s Target Kites | AirSpace

 

[gunblade]

I also fondly remember browsing the old Army surplus stores from my youth. Always a neat selection of old rifles, bayonets, knives, web gear, mess kits, canteens and the like. Got my first pair of jungle boots there to use on a hiking trip while still in high school. That was back before all the new lightweight gear was available and the GI surplus store was the best place to get camping supplies.

 

[mauser9]

Know what ya mean Smokestack. Used to be one close to me when I was a kid. Recall scoring a couple canteens. Yeah I wish I still had em as this old mil-surp stuff is going for good bucks. Recall trading one of the canteens for a pack or two of firecrackers!! Was lucky to have inherited the Mauser Kar98 and NSKK dagger father brought home. When I saw what collectors are paying for this stuff I almost fell over. Used to be cheap back in the 50s and 60s but not anymore!!!

 

[fiasconva]

Yep, I can remember barrels stuffed with those M-1' s and carbines. I think I remember the carbines going for about $29.95 each. Audie Murphy movies were popular then and I wanted a carbine in the worst way. My dad was a WWII vet and had no use for a carbine and there was NO way I was getting one.

 

[finesse_r]

You mean way back when they actually has surplus military items?

 

[Comrad]

We called them Army Navy stores here in NJ, Paterson had a good one and I think it's gone now. Real military surplus, good stuff. I miss it. I've seen some make believe surplus stuff at flea markets but it's not real.

 

[sturtyboy]

I was raised in L.A. suburbs. We had what I thought was a great one. Not as great as Smoke Stack's.
Remember the smell? The mildew smell, canvas, uniforms, GUNS! Everything seemed to be greasy. I can remember racks of everything us collectors still crave today. They couldn't give away carbines as I recall. Barrels of bayonets and swords etc. Our store even had some WW1 items we passed right up. We would look over all the foreign army stuff looking for Nazi gear. Did you ever look for blood stains on stuff? I know, that's what kids do.

I don't recall exactly what the cost of a Garand was...I think it was around $30.00. I was hoping they'd still be there when I became old enough to by one.

That was a fun place to hang out.

 

[GatorFarmer]

There are still military surplus stores -brick and mortar - and online. Sportsmans Guide and KeepShooting.com are just two of many purveyors. I bought a nice Goretex French jacket, unissued, property of whatever their version of the FBI is, for around $30.

There is lots lf foreign gear, particularly British, French, and German, to be had. There is also plenty of ALICE gear, earlier MOLLE stuff, OD and woodland pattern gear etc.

The French always tended to hang onto stuff so they have sold off some brand new gear from the 50s that is a lot like WW2 USGI.

 

[shouldazagged]

When I was a Boy Scout in the late '40's we all outfitted ourselves with camping gear from surplus stores. Canteens and covers with web belts, mess kits and utensils, shelter halves, etc. Many of us carried bayonets as sheath knives till we found out they were only good for throwing at each other's feet and got some real cutting tools.

Entrenching tools, of course, and frameless packs. A few kids had lensatic compasses that were said to be GI.

I had a GI blanket sleeping bag with twill cover that I used for nearly twenty years.

When I was ten or twelve I somehow acquired a white steel Civil Defense/air raid warden's helmet. Didn't look military, so it didn't get much play

Sturtyboy put me into further time travel when he mentioned how those stores smelled. Hell yes, I remember! It was unique to the surplus joints.

 

[kamloops67]

Surplus herbie's in kamloops bc, was my favourite store when I was growing up
Lots of junk but lots of good stuff too , they are still there today but i don't get as excited as i did when i was 10
I get my ammo cans and work gloves etc from them now

 

[Iggy]

I spent hours looking and touching the neat stuff in those stores.. I too can still remember the mildew smell.

 

[rwsmith]

I miss the real.....

I miss the real Army/Navy stores. They had some really neat stuff. One time I was looking for a backpack and the ones they had on the floor had mud in them. I thought, "Uh, oh. I bet these have been to Vietnam."

 

[pharmer]

We called them Army Navy stores here in NJ, Paterson had a good one and I think it's gone now.

There was one in Passaic too. I remember buying a full length Dutch military, lined overcoat with a lambswool collar. Paid $5 and it kept me toasty all through the winters at William Paterson U (we called it "Bill on the Hill").

 

[rwsmith]

Boy I wish I had money....

Yep, I can remember barrels stuffed with those M-1' s and carbines. I think I remember the carbines going for about $29.95 each. Audie Murphy movies were popular then and I wanted a carbine in the worst way. My dad was a WWII vet and had no use for a carbine and there was NO way I was getting one.

Boy I wish I had money back then. What am I saying? I don't have money now.

 

[Arik]

I know of a few surplus stores. You can still get surplus 80s stuff along with new stuff. However no more jeeps and tanks. What I like about the new ones is there is stuff from all over the world.

 

[Arik]

We called them Army Navy stores here in NJ, Paterson had a good one and I think it's gone now. Real military surplus, good stuff. I miss it. I've seen some make believe surplus stuff at flea markets but it's not real.

There one not far from Trenton Harry's I think

 

[hatt]

Those sound like the good old days. I missed them. The Bearcats and MRAPs would be racking up 20K miles a year if kids did that stuff these days.

 

[jack the toad]

You mean way back when they actually has surplus military items?

browsing the stores now seem to have labels "Made in China"

 

[kaaskop49]

As in NJ, they were known as Army-Navy stores in NYC, though I do not remember any firearms in them. The deactivated 20mm rounds were cool. Many veterans walked around wearing their old field jackets and other pieces of outer gear. My Dad's field jacket NEVER wore out and he used it through the 1960s. Vets would wear these items when shopping for large household items, saying "I'm a veteran, can you give me a better price?" They usually would.

I forget the name, but the last A-N store in Manhattan was on west Canal Street, maybe still there? I'm sure some members remember the jillions of grey Swiss/Swedish (nobody was sure) first aid kit bags that arrived in the 80s. $2, as I recall. They were so popular that eventually, knock-offs were produced.

There were surplus rifles in a place on west 29th Street near 11th Avenue. Mausers, Enfields, Springfields and others galore and some under $20. Piles of .303 cartridges, you would buy them by the shovelful. Funny, despite all the inexpensive military arms and ammo, originally designed for wartime killing, I don't recall any reports of mass shootings that are so prevalent today.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103