Gun Show Warning

**mauser9** · 04-06-2012, 09:43 PM

Thanks for answering my old post guys. Yes I attended the last show in Northeast area and indeed they were selling beer popcorn and just about anything else you could imagine. I was put off by all the cheap knives from China. Did however enjoy the old Colts and Winchester models however. Prices are so inflated even in this day and age it is crazy. Like you I usually browse local gunstores in my area to check out Kar 98s turned in by vets or family members for more modern firearm. Better chance of finding original that has not been screwed with. Found a 98K with unmatching bolt but other wise in original condition for $300 a few years back. Good luck with your searches

**mauser9** · 04-19-2012, 08:15 PM

Yep thats what I thought. I am with you on gun shows. In all fairness I have seen legit Winchesters and Colts but too many forgeries when it comes to Mauser 98ks. Just browse local gun shops for trade ins from vets or their family members. Better chance of finding all matching bring backs and also a lot cheaper. Thanks for keeping this old post alive.

**samnev** · 04-19-2012, 10:36 PM

I have to say they are not totally useless. I needed a bayonet for my recently purchased French 1907-15/M43. After looking on the net for one to match my rifle I gave up as anything decent was in the $150 range. So I went to a local gun show and found a really nice one with scabbard and frog for $70 on the 10th table in. Walked the rest of the show and there was the usual swap show junk, forgeries and lots of over priced black guns. Strangely enough very few semi AK's and very few surplus weapons. The show was only a few miles from my house and admission was only $5 so I acme out OK.

**me109g4** · 05-09-2012, 02:46 AM

If a buck can be made someone is going to forge it,, I collect Garands and with the going price for original buttstocks going for several hundred dollars the fakers are out there, and getting better all the time, it a real minefield. I got all my stocks yrs. ago and considered selling some off but with all the fakes out there i dont need to be taking crap from some novice with a book who thinks what i sold him is faked. So it all sits in the hobby room.

**samnev** · 05-09-2012, 03:07 PM

Not only dofakes abound at gun shows it is just as bad on the online gun auctions. I was tempted to bid on a G24. Bid was up to 750 at the time. I noticed that it had a bent bolt handle when it should have been. Asked my Mauser specialist to take a . Turns out the matching bolt came from another Mauser with the same series as the rest of the gun. I forget how he determined it was a forgery. I recently saw a SVT 40 that was supposed to be an original sniper from the sellers personal collection. Listed a great bore with strong rifling. When I asked for pictures the bore was a sewer pipe andthere was no C on the receiver.

**NDShooter** · 05-09-2012, 03:27 PM

Ah; when I think fake K98's... Mitchells comes to mind. I don't care if its been "Refurbed" when you have the ability to put whatever markings on a rifle to make it match, its fake.

We should start a thread on fake firearms.

**kingtiger** · 05-09-2012, 03:48 PM

I am also a Garand collector and they are simple to work with. Most are "part is parts" rifles but as I study them I was able to find a few over the years in the $600.00 to $1,000.00 range and nothing ever changed. I bought a six digit SN Garand at a Ft. Lauderdale gun show about 15 years ago with British proof marks. The rifle SN dated to 9 41. The seller said it would be worth a lot more if it did not have those "import marks". He wanted $600.00 for it. I bought it so fast my wallet smoked getting it out of my pocket. It is a beautiful Lend Lease model with a TE of less than 1. Probably my best buy ever. I also bought an M1-C sniper Garand from Scott Duff years ago. I figured if I was going to ever trust one, it should be from the guy who knows a lot about them. That one is a safe queen. Garand shooting is a lot of fun and always brings a lot of comments at the range. I also have a couple of Mausers and Arisaka's, all matching parts. I like the history of them.

Mark

**Scout** · 05-09-2012, 04:46 PM

Indeed. Garands are very nice to shoot. A great rifle for its time. Patton was not wrong in his description of it.

**command450** · 05-11-2012, 06:29 PM

unfortunately when it comes to WWII small arms of all types, there are snakes out there that are so good at,even the most educated may not notice them. its been going on since the 60's. as some know, the big boys sell refinished/fabricated stuff all the time,as original.