[Ol' Relic]

An ex-dragoon is by nature a heavily refurbished rifle (and usually one that has seen a lot of being ridden hard and put away wet), so most of that stuff is just part of it.

Same with "MOs". They're buffed to kingdom come and usually worn out besides.

But for sure, it continues to get harder to find collectible milsurps. Plus, there's the unfortunate reality that nowadays it' hard to find "deals". Even when the seller doesn't know what they have, you'll still end up paying at least what it's worth because it's become the norm to market every garden variety refurb at some exorbitant price.

 

[Ol' Relic]

And people tell me I think too much.

 

[Ol' Relic]

Bubba retired because he can no longer afford to buy anything to sporter.

Most people sporterizing guns are doing so because they could get a Lee Enfield or a 91/30 and make a "super sniper rifle in muh garage for half the price of a rem 700!" But that's no longer the case.

High prices make such sporterizing a stupid choice, especially when people have finally started treating milsurps as history with value and not just "oh they made millions of them and will never be worth nuthin!"

And yes my quotations make these people sound stupid because they were stupid.. how many people for years did we beg "please don't Sporter that 91/30" "pls don't Sporter that RC k98k"(my auto correct keeps capitalizing Sporter for some reason)
We got told to shut up.. told "millions were made and it's their gun". Hopefully now they feel foolish.

If you think Bubba has retired, you should see some of the posts on the Mosin Nagant Facebook group. BTW, a lot of the members doubtlessly think I'm a real A-hole (or "Fudd" or "Boomer" or some of those other terms that mouth breathers like to sling around), but I still haven't been kicked out.

 

[Ol' Relic]

People are not having children because they have no hope for the future and due to the cost.

College is not required to succeed and has gotten infinitely more expensive for the newer generations than in the past. For kids who have no idea what they want to do but have been told for years "go to college or you'll be a failure" and with loans being thrown at them with "no cost right now" it's usually a black hole for people to jump into.

Exactly.

I'm now retired, but I didn't go to college, and when I was working, I was blue collar. One time, a woman I worked with mentioned that she had a master's in political science. I said "with that degree, why are you working here?" She replied "do you know what I can do with that degree? Teach. Do you know what I'd earn teaching? That's why I'm here. "