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SoS and NGD K98's...

G

Gringo

Member
Just returned from SoS and thought I'd pontificate a bit on the K98 situation to get things started. I'll be up front and say that I collected K98's for a long time, but only went there to really look at P38's and lugers. I did try to look at any decent K98's, but as I can tell refinishes and sanded stocks from several feet away, I didn't even bother picking up a lot of guns.

I know that a number of collectors go there and sell/swap stuff with each other, and that is not part of this discussion. This is just a very short blurb on what I saw laying on the tables at both SoS and the NGD show starting at noon on Thursday.

Absolutely no early guns (except one and I'll save that for last). Probably three or four 1943-1944 Mausers that looked to be correct, but had excessive price tags on them ($2800-3000) for the condition. A monkeyed with (bolt) zf-41 and a cobbled together zf-41. A couple of interwar Gew98's that had been reworked between the wars, then refinished (post-WW2). But nothing that really stood out. Again, I'm sure others got in who had tables or were 'table helpers' on Weds and Thurs and likely saw and bought anything of real interest.

The one K98k I did see that was still there when I left on Sunday, and I really thought was nice and absolutely legit, was an AA marked, very early (S/147/G), that was completely matched (except for the cleaning rod). Probably a 85-90% gun finish wise, very nice walnut stock that was very clearly and correctly marked. I'm sure if the price tag wasn't so high, it would have left the show with someone (maybe even me, even though I don't collect them any more).

Otherwise SoS, if you've never been is worth the experience. Just an amazing amount of stuff all under one roof that is rather daunting when you first start walking through. Had a great time. Even saw and chatted with Bruce, who I hadn't seen since an OGCA show well over 20 years ago in Cleveland.

So lets hear who made out and came home with something decent. I'm sure that someone did (I saw the sniper post in that section today, so at least one decent, legit sniper came home). SoS 22.JPG
 
Thanks Gringo. Commonwealth capture, likely a DAK rifle. The disc and stock look cleaned.
www.k98kforum.com

duv 40 Commonwealth capture

duv 40 capture with Commonwealth markings and Commonwealth Military Provost / Military Police disc. The AA broad arrow could be Alexandria Arsenal depot, in Egypt. None of these rifles show up later than 1941 and all so identified with the AA broad arrow stock marking and a few with capture...
www.k98kforum.com www.k98kforum.com
 
Sounds like for the average wanderer, there was little to see/buy. The early birds, the prearranged sales, and the mega dealers casting a wide net apparently win again. Then there’s the struggle to duel the tag teams that roam tables with phones at the ready to call a buddy.... I’d guess the p.38s were more plentiful, but probably not without some challenges too.
 
There was little to no chance to find any good deals for people entering the show on Friday morning, the same can be applied to a setup at NGD.
NGD show was 1/4 of what it was 10 years ago and 1/2 of what it was 5 years ago.
 
I was pretty happy I bought alot of stuff for resale for my shop, however i came home with a bunch if hard to find collector grade books, REASONABLY PRICED! Probably the rarest Ottoman bayonet for my WW1 collection. WW1 Canadian portative Hotchkiss machine gun box, and of course I wasn't planning on it but a model 96 Japanese LMG walked through the door and I had to buy it given the price. SO all and all was a excellent show!
 
Bob in OHIO said:
Sounds like for the average wanderer, there was little to see/buy. The early birds, the prearranged sales, and the mega dealers casting a wide net apparently win again. Then there’s the struggle to duel the tag teams that roam tables with phones at the ready to call a buddy.... I’d guess the p.38s were more plentiful, but probably not without some challenges too.
Click to expand...

That was my impression. It was well worth the trip just to look though... not many places where one can look upon a G41(M), for example.
I had a great time, and didn't buy a thing.
 
As always had a great time mainly to see everyone, and yes I did buy a few things. And I will say this, probably my best show in over 10 years. I came home with three rifles. The 1901 Erfurt Gewehr off my buddy Mike Foley. Plus the 1910 Amberg Kar98a off another good friend, did our trade deal we planned out last December. And the special one was the Kar98b purchase. And no, this was not planned at all. Yes I was a table helper, and I worked my butt off helping out a few friends get their items set up. But my buddy Richard told me please visit my table today when you get a chance, I have something for you to see. And he pulled out that matching 98b with an original sling, it was a toss up between that and his bcd4 with the mg15 barrel. I took the 98b home it was quite the rifle and I'm very pleased. Bought a few other small things but those were the big ones.
 
I had a great show. Idid have a.pre arranged bolt mismatched ax40 vet bringback that i picked up. I also bought a rc ar43 from aperson walking around and a bcd43 from another.
 
Therein lies the issue...if you are not a table 'helper' or don't have a table yourself, 98% of anything firearm wise is going to be gone. You are gonna see the leftovers. I had a OVMS membership badge, and was only allowed in at noon on Thurs, while the table owners and 'helpers' were able to go in Weds afternoon and all morning on Thursday. If you were just part of the unwashed masses that went in on Friday, well...you get the picture.

So, I guess either become a table helper or get a table. Same situation applied up in Tulsa. I know that next time, if I go to either one, I'll definitely have an early pass as a helper. I know enough table owners to get one. It was just interesting figuring out this dynamic since I haven't been to a show like these in nearly 20 years. All of my buying has been done from a forum or the internet or people I know. Things are gonna change; I get it. I work with my contacts in the P38 community and it all works out in the end. I still have more stuff offered to me than I can buy at any given time, so that's how it be.

Still, all in all an interesting experience. I got to meet a bunch of guys I had only been corresponding with. Kinda like back in the OGCA days where I met folks I still chat with and now have a face to a name. Only difference was, when you went into an OGCA show, there was definitely stuff on the table. If you didn't leave with a really nice K98 or P38 or Luger or two or three, you weren't trying.

So, back to the internet I go.
 
Its a sad reality that a high percentage of the better grade rifles move during setup.
I found that out decades ago when I really figured the system out.
In todays world you need to expand beyond shows and develop a network of contacts, and also
hit the auction sites (albeit getting harder by the day).

It's a different world now with just as many dealers competing against collectors.
In the old days, it was not nearly as cutthroat.

Dan it was good to reconnect after many years!
 
Much of the best stuff and the best deals never make it to a show, awkshun, or open sale. We’ve got a high quality cadre of guys, old school and many young (i.e., 20s-30s), who look out for each other in finding stuff, selling, trading, etc. Relationships are important.
 
When I get a chance will post up a 'g' block byf44 that I got.
This was the only rifle for the collection that I added.
Picked up some contract rifles for friends as well - FN1924 and 2 VZ24s.

B.
 
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