Seeking advice on that first handgun or next weapon purchase? Ask AW!

[A4sForever]

He was asking $800 for it......
The rifle looks a little more worn than this one but i think it might just need a good cleaning
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=105112659

I saw one today -- an import -- Century Arms @ Georgia, VT for @$925+ some change -- WAY too much for a re-import "shooter" -- nice stock, wrong inspector cartouche, goofy barrel (one I've never seen before -- strange markings -- I'm guessing a ROK rebarrel), everything else a miss-match as far as markings/numbers. The bore was dark, I didn't have the ability to check the muzzle or headspace. It had an aftermarket sling.

$700 or $750 is not "unreasonable" today for a nice shooter -- you might do better, you can do worse. Some links for your inspection, neither one being the final word, just some things to think about:

M1 GARAND serial number / stock cartouch list

Buying a used rifle, by Chuck Hawks

 

[nittany03]

I saw one today -- an import -- Century Arms @ Georgia, VT for @$925+ some change -- WAY too much for a re-import "shooter" -- nice stock, wrong inspector cartouche, goofy barrel (one I've never seen before -- I'm guessing a ROK rebarrel), everything else a miss-match as far as markings/numbers. The bore was dark, I didn't have the ability to check the muzzle or headspace. It had an aftermarket sling.

Is it just me or is there virtually no good feedback anywhere about Century Arms? I got a CAI imported Mosin whose accuracy disappoints (shot out methinks), and I've seen them peddling M1 Carbines in what looks to be similar condition, magazine-less, for $1000 (!). I pointed the price out to the guy at the counter at Big 5 and he said "oh, but we can finance it!" Umm . . . no. Has anyone had a good experience with Century Arms? It'll be the first I've heard.

 

[fox2102]

Is it just me or is there virtually no good feedback anywhere about Century Arms? I got a CAI imported Mosin whose accuracy disappoints (shot out methinks), and I've seen them peddling M1 Carbines in what looks to be similar condition, magazine-less, for $1000 (!). Has anyone had a good experience with Century Arms? It'll be the first I've heard.

Honestly I've never heard of century arms. That might be why. Glad you mentioned something though. I'll keep this in mind if I ever come across a century arms weapon.

 

[Rocketman]

If she's going to be a shooter be sure you check the muzzle for wear. You can invest in a muzzle gage if you like but a bullet check with an unfired round will tell you all you need to know.

That CMP Greek surplus ammo is about as good as surplus ammo ever gets. A couple of years ago I bought enough of it that I won't need to reload 30 cal for a long long time. I just hope my house never catches fire. If it does I'll make the news for sure. :icon_smil

 

[A4sForever]

Is it just me or is there virtually no good feedback anywhere about Century Arms?...

Historically, they've been known for selling crap. There's always the exception, but plan on crap if you go that route.

 

[nittany03]

That CMP Greek surplus ammo is about as good as surplus ammo ever gets. A couple of years ago I bought enough of it that I won't need to reload 30 cal for a long long time. I just hope my house never catches fire. If it does I'll make the news for sure. :icon_smil

Two words: Fireproof safe.

 

[Rocketman]

Two words: Fireproof safe.

You are right of course. I'd need several though. Plus if it was all in safes and the fire got hot enough it might go from snap crackle pop to KBOOM.

 

[Rocketman]

Historically, they've been known for selling crap. There's always the exception, but plan on crap if you go that route.

Yup I think so as well. I might buy an SKS from them but never something like a Garand. That would surely be asking for trouble.

 

[nittany03]

You are right of course. I'd need several though. Plus if it was all in safes and the fire got hot enough it might go from snap crackle pop to KBOOM.

My mom and dad know a guy who collects, and asked him why he didn't have a safe. He said he'd seriously considered it. But everytime he had the money, he realized that a safe meant one less gun he could buy. :icon_tong

 

[deMontjoie]

Crappy Old Guns & Century Arms

"Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances."

That's true of Century Arms, CMP, and lots of other dealers/importers in old military iron.

I used to hold an FFL and I've bought good stuff from them (CETME, Mosin-Nagants, Mauser 98s re-chambered by the Israelis to .308) and some absolute junk (FN49 that wouldn't extract with anything short of a steel cleaning-rod being hammered down the barrel, Springfield with a barrel clocked 30-degrees CCW from plumb).

Ya gotta realize that you're often buying rifles that are significantly older than you are, and you're often paying relatively cheap prices. The worst thing about a lot of their stuff is the labor in cleaning them of that nasty cosmoline.

Century has treated me OK when I griped their products. They accepted the return of the FN49 and shipped me a new one (I paid shipping). I ate the cost of re-barreling the Springfield -- it was still a good deal since I knew a gunsmith.

Regarding CMP: Love 'em! I'm in a Gun-Club that sponsors a Boy Scout Troop. That gets us an extra 10% off the already reasonable CMP prices. I've bought two Garands from them. One is OK, but the other shoots very nearly Nat'l Match -- amazing for a stock rifle. Their currently available Garands are at: http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/m1garand.htm I would not go below service grade if I were you.
Join a CMP-affiliated club if you can find one in your area. Their club-locator site for Calif is: http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/clubSearchSubmit.cgi?clubMembership=OPEN&state=CA

The very bestest thing about ordering stuff from the CMP is -- they ship it straight to your house. The USPS is supposed to only leave the stuff with an adult, but I still recall the day when I got two rifles delivered from CMP (a Garand and an H&R M12 target 22) in GREAT HUGE WHACKING BOXES. When they got home from school, my 13-year old son and his buddy excitedly called me at work with the message "Dad, dad! The mail-man brought us guns! The mail-man brought us guns!" WAY COOL!

 

[nittany03]

Agreed. I know some people will buy CMP rack grades for the express purpose of bedding/rebarreling/Gucci-ing them up independently. Shame they're beginning to run out of everything but Garands. I wish I'dve been pulling in the LT pay 4 years ago when they still had Enfields and Springfields. The only disappointing part is that my Service Grade Garand came with a new birch stock (nice) on which they had slobbed a bunch of dark stain (not nice), presumably for the walnut "look." Even after stripping and bleaching, it still had a blotchy look to it. Birch is soft and a bitch to stain well even for a good woodworker. New wood inbound from Fulton Armory.

But it keeps everything in the black on an NRA standard 100yd smallbore rifle target. And it's fun to shoot. That's all I ask.

 

[deMontjoie]

Nittany03 --

Bureaucracy is a challenge to be conquered with a righteous attitude, a tolerance for stupidity, and a bulldozer when necessary.

Dang right!

And maybe with an M-1 Garand if things get really bad. Just kidding -- although it's a pleasantly tempting fantasy.

Have ya thought about the carbines that CMP has? Not target rifles by any means, but fun littly guns. And with used old beater carbines going for ~1K at gun shows, the CMP prices of $479+ are attractive.

 

[Rocketman]

http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/clubSearchSubmit.cgi?clubMembership=OPEN&state=CA[/url]

It's been 3-4 years but during my last CMP buying spree you could just join the Garand Collectors Association via the web/phone and that counted as a CMP affiliated club membership. They would even fax or otherwise notify CMP of your membership, plus you got a slick news letter.

 

[Picaroon]

Handgun Recommendations

I've been doing some shooting at a local club lately. I don't own a gun because 1) I'm not old enough and 2) I can't legally keep one where I live.

Anyway, I can rent whatever gun I want and shoot for the price of ammo. I've been shooting a .40 Springfield XD, which I really liked except that it kept jamming, and also shot a .38 S&W revolver that was really nice. I prefer the semi-auto handguns though.

Any tips/advice/favorite handguns that I should try? Any must shoot guns? They've got a lot of guns there for rent so whatever you suggest they'll probably have. I'm new to handguns (shot a fair amount of long guns in my life but not handguns) so I'm just looking for what you guys suggest. Down the road I'll probably buy one eventually so I'd like to get a feel for some good ones.

 

[picklesuit]

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15705&isFirearm=Y

S&W .357 Magnum Revolvers are my favorite...always have been, always will be. Gotta have one.