Remember when

[cass]

I well remember in 1957 when both colt SAA`s and pythons were listed at $125.00s. That looked to me like a couple thousand does today.
I bought a brand new winchester 94 in 1956 for about $60s. I belive my ruger convertable single six was also about $65s in 1961.
In the gun magazines klines out of chicago sold both colt and s&w 1917s in select condition for $29s, the average ones were $24.95. Mausers ran about $30s.
Now this one is going to sound unbeliveable but I dont recall the price. I got ahold of a bad underground comic book back in the 50s that on one page offered to sell you a deactivated thompson machine gun and on another page it had a ad that said, "New barrels for your thompson!!" I remember the comic book also had a page of "tips", one was how to make Knucks out of milk pail handels!
I well remember when s&w .357s and .44 specials ran about $65s new and I belive the m&ps were around $50s! All new!
The thing is that with inflation all those guns were close to buying the same guns value wise as they are today. A $1.75 or $2.00 a hour job was a GOOD job! I remember starting out on the conservation dept in 1962 for $320s a month! Wages in the NPS in 1960 and 1961 were about $1.80 to $2.10 a hour. I worked long hard nights in the late 1950s while going to school for green giant cannery for $1.00 a hour. No benifts nor OT pay either! Before that I worked in the fields in wisconsin alongside the "Brassero`s" for roughly 65 cents a hour weeding and blocking lettice on my knees. Buying a gun back then was every bit as hard and probley harder than it is now. What did change was the relative desirebility of the guns sold then as to now. In other words a off brand mossburg or whatever might cost you close as much as a winchester. They stayed cheap while the winchester is worth plenty now. Maybe a colt .45 auto or woodsman cost similar to a H&R sportsman or ruger or not that much more. Some guns climbed high in value and others did not that you payed similar for. A break open .38 s&w english enfield in those magazine ad`s ran about the same as a colt 1911 or colt and smith 1917s did! Thats the differance!

In 1966 I started a new job for $2.53 per hour, and with overtime I could see a weekly check for $100.00. That was good money, but still couldn't afford those gun prices, just I can't now.

 

[caliperman]

model 36 in 1967 NIB $67.50. Still have it.

 

[kraigwy]

I paid $235 for my Model 70 Win 375 H&H New.

My M1 (then DCM) Garand was $112.70 delivered to my door in Anchorage.

I remember as a kid buying a 22 revolver for 19 or 29 dollars, (can't remember) so I could trade it to my aunt for my Grandfathers 16 ga single barrel (killed my first deer with that rifle).

She wanted something for protection and thats why she wouldn't give up the 16 ga. I doubt she had shells or ever fired either one.

But thinking back, I can afford the new prices now better then I could the old prices back then.

I wanted a 1903a3 when they were $29 bucks from the DCM but couldn't afford it.
But I could afford the $795 I paid for the one I have now.

It's all relative.

 

[pownal55]

Early 70's got a 29-2 in the case for 279.00 and a year later a 27-2 in a blue box for 198.00 both new. My dad thought I was crazy to spend that kind of money on those guns.

 

[feralmerril]

In 1965 I worked as a guard for universal movie studios for I think $2.00s a hour. I quit to go to lockheed as a guard for $2.14 a hour. I remember working for a plywood factory for $1.45 a hour in 1958---hard! A dirty, hot and hard foundry in 1959 for about $2.00s a hour, and that job being so dirty and hot was top pay for about everyone I knew back then. Still, I remember paying $800s for a 1956 chev coup that was like new on that job. In the mid to late 50s I paid about $45s to $100s for my first 3 good cars. 46 chev, $45s. 50 studebaker starlight coup, $100s. Things were pretty much relative to buy as now.
Motel rooms were $4.00s or so. Breakfast 65 cents to $1.25. I was a foreman for a company 1962 to the end of 1964 where I traveled all over the country. In between contracts while traveling coast to coast my per dieam traveling allowance was $6.00s a day! That was for a motel and to eat on!

 

[Nedroe]

I bought a.....

Ruger Blackhawk Convertible in 357/9mm for $165 & a 3-1/2", 27-2, in the case, brand new for $205.

Ned

 

[jaykellogg]

I remember when Colt Trooper Mark III .22LR revolvers were selling for well under $200 new. Well, I have an Officers Model target in .38spl and I wanted one in .22. I decided the Trooper was a good substitute. By then the supply of new ones had dried up so I bought a very nice one for about $150 used. I just looked at what they're going for on Gunbroker.com WOW!

 

[straightshooter1]

Nice 1911s or 1911A1s-$70-$80 and few takers.

Bob

 

[H Richard]

My first K22, was $90 and I traded a Colt Frontier Scout for it plus $20 in 1971. Unfortunately I traded it off for a Mod. 41 ($250) I had to put $75 with the K22 for the Mod 41.

 

[Brian41]

Mid 1970's, used M-19 for $165.00, new Ruger MKI bull barrel $100. I was a new Buck Sgt then and was serious money. A little later a Ruger Super Blackhack for $208 new.

 

[jaykellogg]

Nice 1911s or 1911A1s-$70-$80 and few takers.

Bob

I like gaudy guns. My first was a chrome Colt Woodsman which I still have. A day or so after I bought it, I dropped in to a local gun store and they had an engraved chromed Colt 1911 with three magazines and at least two holsters. it appeared to be in perfect condition. All for $80. This would have been 1966

 

[sophie]

I remember when Colt Trooper Mark III .22LR revolvers were selling for well under $200 new.

Yeah, me too. I bought 2 new ones for less than $200.00 each and later traded them NIB. Kind of wish I still had them.

__________
James

 

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

In the mid/late '60s I can remember purchasing Colt Pythons for $135.00, I also remember the purchase of a couple of $25.00 30-40 Krags and $40.00 Model 1911s through the NRA.

I purchased the all three caliber of Ruger Blackhawks when they first came out at Montgomery Wards, I believe the .357 was $69.00, the .41 Mag was $79.00 & the .44 Mag was $89.00.

I can also remember "winning" for lack of a better word a "Saturday Night" special at the logal drug store off a punch board.

 

[kimporter]

i remember that the local k-mart and another store called mr wiggs had trash cans full o surplus guns,98k's,03's p-17s',303 brits and arisaka's .i think they were around 19.95 a piece,my uncle got a 30/40 krag outta there

 

[Faulkner]

In the early '80's I started buying very nice conditioned M1 carbines for around a 100 to 125 bucks and gasoline was 50 cents a gallon.

Now gasoline is over $3.50 a gallon and those same M1 carbines would run $750 to $1,000. I bought more M1 carbines than I could really afford and now I'm glad I did.

 

[JaPes]

I inherited a Colt Woodsman from my dad. I believe it was purchased in 1970. The box has a hand written price of $100.

My mom's 1971 Ruger Super Single Six cost $90.

 

[Alpo]

When as a small kid I first started noticing ads for Enfields in Popular Mechanics they sold for $14.95. In today's bucks this would be somewhere around $240-$260.00. Not entirely unreasonable but not a great bargain, either. But Merrill, I don't remember any Colt 1911's quite that cheap!

(Not that it would have mattered to me--my allowance was 35 cents a week.)

Not quite fifteen bucks, but not bad.

 

[guy22]

In the early '80's I started buying very nice conditioned M1 carbines for around a 100 to 125 bucks and gasoline was 50 cents a gallon.

Now gasoline is over $3.50 a gallon and those same M1 carbines would run $750 to $1,000. I bought more M1 carbines than I could really afford and now I'm glad I did.

In 1963 my Dad and 9 of his Buds bought 100 M1 carbines, and 100 M1 Garands. They gave $600.00 for the carbines. Another $1400.00 for the Garands. They also bought a bunch of surplus ammo, and a bunch of 15 round mags for the carbines. All told $2500.00.

You have to remember how many surplus guns were on the market at that time. Just 18 years after the big one.

Also $2500.00 bucks would buy a new car, and sometimes a house/land.

I still have my M1 Carbine/Garand. The 69 year old ammo still goes bang.

Guy22

 

[westcoast362]

I bought my first AutoMag from Harry Sanford in Pasadena $220. I don't remember exactly, but it was in the early 1970s. He had the prototype in his shop that I played with before I got mine.

 

[teesur]

My best deal ever was a Parkerized Remington Model 1911, US Govt. issue, new in it's box, packed in cosmoline, shipped to my house in 1958, for $18.00, through the DCM, (Department of Civilian Marksmanship). I still have the gun.
teesur.