[wombat12]

OK, have a foot of snow on the ground with more on the way. Need some entertainment. Let's hear stories of the one bought unseen or off auction that turned out to be more than expected. I'll start off with two of my "finds":

1974 did shows and flea markets with a buddy. Small biweekly gun show Sundays in an elementary school (obviously a different time!). I have to work this Sunday. Buddy calls me at work. Guy has a pretty nice Polish Radom for $85. Am I interested? Yes, I'll pay you back and pick it up that night. Get there and it's a pre Nazi, Polish Eagle, still full of cosmolene, two matching mags and Polish Cavalry holster! Traded it a few months later for a new Colt Gold Cup .45 and $300 cash (hey, that was a lot more money then!).

Early 1996. Century cleaning out the warehouse. Bought an even dozen "Finnish M91s" for $12.48 each (back in the day when Century's price included shipping). Six of the twelve turn out to be stepped barrel M24s.

 

[rmf762]

While I was working at a gun store a friend of mine owned,he called me from his home and told me a guy called him up from North Dakota,who my friend has bought from before,and wanted to sell this here Finn Mosin to him.I said sure I'll take it,how much,friend said $150+tax and it's yours.Well about a week and a half later,the rifle arrives and I open it up and LO-AND-BEHOLD out comes a M27Rv Carbine.Sure made my year

 

[rmf762]

I guess no one can top wombat12

 

[BeSwift]

Had a table at the Easton, MD gunshow about 4 yrs ago. Got an Finn 1892 dated Chatt M-91 for $115, a Finn M-28 upgraded to 28/30 for $185, and a Swede 94/14 carbine for $300. All absolutely in exc + condition, all from different sellers. I don't think I'll ever be able to top that day for gun collecting. BeSwift

 

[Bluebadger]

not exactly unseen

Rural consignment auction two years ago. Two Mosin rifles

#1 1930 Izzy Dragoon, all matching, orginal stock with CCCP cartouche, about 10 percent blue, but who cares, for $79!

#2 M28 Finn Mosin early production SIG#, with refinished M27 stock, $89.

WooHoo! Restored the M28 to the best of my ability by putting it in a Ski Trooper stock.

NEVER! had a score like that since.

 

[PherBag]

This isn't sight unseen for me, but were good finds recently. Tikka 91/30 for $90 and a Finn capture '38 Tula 91/30 ALL MATCHING for $90.

 

[John Crusher]

Last year I went to a glassware auction that advertised "small lot of rifles". Picked up (2) Argentinian carbines, Spanish Fr-8, Mas 49/56, Winchester 1917,Columbian Mauser, Savage Enfield and a 1940 M28/30 for $85 each. Waited for 7 hours and it WAS worth it !

 

[Blackthorn762]

Really clean Finn M91 1915 Remington and M28...$300 for both OTD

 

[DaWoof]

A couple of years ago I bought a No32 Mk III scope, mount and box from a guy selling it for a gal whose husband had passed away. Paid about the going price for it, but after I received it got an email from the seller asking me if I was interested in a rifle to go with the scope, although it didn't match the scope; for $500. I said yes and the rifle shows up and it's the rifle for the scope and mount; a nice one too....

 

[2dumb2kwit]

I bought a rifle, Friday, and even though I looked at it, I'm very new to all this and had no clue what I was looking at. It looked like an old Mauser had run into the back of an assault rifle.(haha) It was interesting to me and the price seemed cheap enough to pay for a rifle, just because I liked the way it looked.($125)

When I got home with it, I got on the computer and did some reading. Turns out to be a Spanish FR8. I don't know if this is good or bad, but I can't find any importer markings on it.

So how about it guys...did I do OK?

 

[cousinkix1953]

My Mosin 91/30 was just a measley $7.50 at a garage sale almost 40 years ago. Got a blue box of InterArmco reloads with it too. Me and my brother shot up a junked car with that old rifle the next weekend...

 

[kenb]

I bought a rifle, Friday, and even though I looked at it, I'm very new to all this and had no clue what I was looking at. It looked like an old Mauser had run into the back of an assault rifle.(haha) It was interesting to me and the price seemed cheap enough to pay for a rifle, just because I liked the way it looked.($125)

When I got home with it, I got on the computer and did some reading. Turns out to be a Spanish FR8. I don't know if this is good or bad, but I can't find any importer markings on it.

So how about it guys...did I do OK?

If it's not messed with you should go directly to jail.

 

[ARG]

There was a guy on GunsAmerica selling an "1898 Mauser" with a glossy stock for cheap. I called him and he said everything matches. Then he asked if I would be interested in a "two-for-one deal". Said he had another old Mauser he could let me have for a good price. I paid $475.00 shipped for both Mausers. I basically paid $450.00 for the "1898" Mauser and the other Mauser was free.

I open the box and out comes...............an UN-FIRED BCD-4 K98, and a stunning G33/40, all matching with original sling! Damn near fell over. Seriously, sex is good, but this was better

The BCD-4 has some sloppy varnish that I easily removed. The rifle is NEW, as in just manufactured. There's not even any oil or grease in the bolt. Both were not import marked. Obviously vet bring-backs.

I figure both rifles are easily worth $3,000-$4,000 for the pair.

Not bad for "sight unseen". Here is the original post with pics.....http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=9390

Regards, ARG

 

[wombat12]

Last year I went to a glassware auction that advertised "small lot of rifles". Picked up (2) Argentinian carbines, Spanish Fr-8, Mas 49/56, Winchester 1917,Columbian Mauser, Savage Enfield and a 1940 M28/30 for $85 each. Waited for 7 hours and it WAS worth it !

Crusher done good! Figure those 7 hours paid you roughly $250 per.

 

[Vaarok]

JpattersonNH mentioned a local gunshop had three Mosins.
Guy wanted $115 for one and $85 apiece for the other two.

Got a nasty Izhevsk 1915 Bulgarian M-91 training rifle for my $115, and these for $85 apiece:

Also sqweetabix found me my Winchester 1895. He said it was nifty, the price was more than fair even if it wasn't, and I bought it. It is indeed nifty.

 

[ARG]

Now that's a good buy! An M27 and a M28/30.

Regards, ARG

 

[gun_nut_73]

Discovering that my Finnish M28-76 was built on an 1894 Izhevsk receiver, making the rifle an antique.

 

[USMCsean]

I have one the other way around. I bought a rifle from an auction in Nevade about a 9 months ago and was pumped up as it was an 8X50 Steyr M95. I could tell from the pics that it seemed to looked pretty good. When my FFL gave me a call, he said it was the rattiest piece of crap he's ever seen. And that if I had another that was drug behind a truck on a rocky road, it would look better than that one. I was a little miffed, and I thought to myself "surely it can't be that bad." When I got it, the seller sent it in a "genuine" half pant leg gun case and it had about 7 cracks in the stock and hand guard. If I am ever to fire the gun, I'd be willing to bet it would shatter itself apart.

So basically, I have a barreld 8x50 action.

 

[PAshutr3]

Nothing as amazing as some posted above. But I was thrilled with my 39 Tula Ex-PEM I bought sight unseen in the box for $79.95. This was my first Soviet WWII rifle and took me a couple of days on the net to figure out what I had. How do you think I found this site!

I also picked up a SKS-M at an estate sale for 110.00 a couple of years ago. Not sight unseen but a hell of a deal. The gun was virtually new and was only missing the stock bolt. I think the guy took it out thinking he had to remove it to take the gun apart. I think the replacement bolt was a couple of bucks from Numrich. Folks were bidding rusty single shot .22s above $150.00. I guess no one wanted a junky chinese rifle!

 

[Buckshooter]

My son bought a couple of guns from a buddy of his where he works. He called and asked if I would like alike-new bolt action military rifle since he doesn't care much for them. He came over the next day and handed me a pristine Model 28/30. The previous owner had bought it years ago. It had a small Century stamp under the barrel. Downside was he drilled four holes in the receiver and put an off side scope mount on it. He used it for competition shooting in some club he was in. Can't complain for free and the rest of the rifle ia as like new. Wish I knew somebody who could plug the holes and refinish to like new.