More Vintage Gun Advertisements...

[SteyrAUG]

Ok, I did a recent topic on old issues of SOF and many seemed to enjoy the trip down firearm memory lane. So I figured I'd do some more. These are ALL from 1986 issues of SOF and are "premay", that is prior to the domestic machine gun ban found in FOPA 86.

We'll start with the standard. Note that the A2 still isn't quite yet the A2 we all think of (no magazine fence, no A2 sights, no shell deflector).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000104.jpg

Onto the exotics (paging Al Pacino).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000105.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000106.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000107.jpg

And of course the one that I think got everyone. What 12 year old in America didn't want to grow up to be this guy?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000108.jpg

So what did they cost?

Well that FNC would set ya back $729 for a fixed stock (which would be about $1440.00 today) and the para stock went for $760 (which would be about $1500.00 today), quite the deal given current prices.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000109.jpg

So how about a cheap AK? The Polytech AKS 223 was available and would run you about $475 for a fixed stock (which would be about $935.00 today) or a folder for $495 (which would be about $975.00 today). Don't forget the 91 round drum for $149 (which would be about $295.00 today).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000110.jpg

But let's not forget we don't have a machine gun ban yet. At least not for domestics. So if you happen to be a SOT you can import a Portuguese (FMP) G3 select fire rifle (dealer sample only due to 68 GCA) for only $695 (which would be about $1,370.00 today), quite the deal.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000111.jpg

So what about domestics for everyone else right? Well a Colt M-16A2 is only $800 ($1,575 today), M-16A2 Carbines and Commandos are only $790 ($1,550.00 today) and a HBar w/M60 bipod version is only $1,000 (around $1975.00 today).

I think most of us would take those deals. Just one catch, if your FFL sells you one, he'll never get another from Colt as they intended them to be LE ONLY. Seems Colt passed their own domestic machine gun ban even before Congress did.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000112.jpg

[TOrrock]

God damn I miss those days.

Thanks dude, now I feel really, really, really old.


:suicide:

[kwelz]

That top add makes me want to build a classic A1 or A2 with no frills.

[SteyrAUG]

God damn I miss those days.

Thanks dude, now I feel really, really, really old.


:suicide:

I was there too man.

I only wish I could have known to convince my father to become a FFL/SOT so I could have jumped on some of those FMP G3s.

[subzero]

Thanks for these types of posts.

[SteyrAUG]

Thanks for these types of posts.

Thanks for letting me know they are appreciated.

[SeriousStudent]

And of course the one that I think got everyone. What 12 year old in America didn't want to grow up to be this guy?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/SteyrAUG/GunAds000108.jpg



Twelve year old?

I remember standing in a store, looking at an HK91, an HK93 and an HK94, being over the age of 21, and with the cash to buy all three burning a hole in my pocket.

And I did not. Truly one of the great "face-palm" moments of my life. They were all three new in the box, of course.

The thought of what all three of those would be worth today almost makes me physically ill. :(

I do enjoy these posts, and they make me more determined than ever to never sell another firearm I own. And to buy the ones I want, dammit.

[Honu]

up miss the days of having my HK 91 setups and then going down picking up a case of berdan primed 308 junk for something under $100 ? forgot I think it was like $80 for 840 round or something then heading out to the gravel pits and hoping someone just dumped a car or some washing machines or fridges to go have fun with :)
fresh cars that were dumped were the best dumped cause they were beaters that gave out :) not stolen or anything

[SoDak]

Another guy who really likes seeing these old ads(they're actually older than me). It makes me wish I would have been around and had the cash when guns like the HK rifles and the FNC were available. I like ARs, but I'd like to have examples of other mil. type rifles.

[kaiservontexas]

The Colt and HK ads are my favorites. I remember sitting in the barbershop as a little kid, younger then 12, wishing I was those guys.

[QuietShootr]

God damn I miss those days.

Thanks dude, now I feel really, really, really old.


:suicide:

+1 on all counts.

I had a poster of the HK ad in my bedroom which I wrote away to HK for in 6th grade. I actually got a nice personal letter back from John Bessemer, manager of commercial sales, with the poster.

No softpedal PC marketing bullshit back then. We knew what those guns were for, and why we wanted them, and so did the manufacturers.

I miss those days badly. Despite the fact in many ways we have it better today (CCW almost everywhere, back then it was prohibited almost everywhere) I still miss the feeling that within our groups of like-minded people we didn't have to spin doctor everything for the masses.

[Rmplstlskn]

Makes one want to pull out all those old SOF mags and "Assault Weapon" mags (I only have few collector ones now days...)

Rmpl

[Heavy Metal]

I remember that top ad from 1985 just before I bought my first gun, a Colt A2.

[LHS]

+1 on all counts.

I had a poster of the HK ad in my bedroom which I wrote away to HK for in 6th grade. I actually got a nice personal letter back from John Bessemer, manager of commercial sales, with the poster.


I had an HK poster showing the SAS raid on the Iranian Embassy in London when I was a kid. I think it's still hanging up in my old room in my parents' house, more than a decade after I left home. They made advertisements right back then (backwards ammo in the mag and everything!)

[SteyrAUG]

I had an HK poster showing the SAS raid on the Iranian Embassy in London when I was a kid. I think it's still hanging up in my old room in my parents' house, more than a decade after I left home. They made advertisements right back then (backwards ammo in the mag and everything!)


HK and Colt paved the way when it came to gun advertisements.

Everyone else, even Steyr, offered little more the a specification sheet when it came to promotion.

The SAS raid was one of my favorite promotions from HK.

[Dunderway]

Post as many of these as you are willing to. I could look at old ads all day. I've got some good stuff in storage that I'll try to dig out and scan when I have a chance. My Grandfather gave me a couple of old pre-NFA catalogs where you could still order a Thompson straight to your doorstep.

[John_Wayne777]

Alas...I remember when the SP-89 was advertised as a sporting pistol. The add even showed the hand firing it wearing a nice leather glove.