Any C&R Collectors?

[sundance435]

After years of chasing the latest and greatest in modern firearms, I'm down to Glocks, a few ARs, a 12 gauge pump, and a .357. There really wasn't anything "new" that did anything for me, so I finally bought a Garand a while back after telling myself for years that I was going to get one...one turned into three; then 1903s; now French stuff. For me, it's a lot more fun trying to find certain old military items than buying another Glock or AR and the amount of reading you can on them is endless and fascinating. They're also more fun to shoot. The hardest part now is trying to focus on just a few areas. Still need to find a nice International Garand, a nice M1 carbine, etc. I know I can't get into German stuff yet as I'd be broke in a month from all of the possibilities.

Any other C&R people on here? What are you into? Bonus points for pics of your favorites (either rare or sentimental); stories about how you got this or that are always welcome, too.

[SteyrAUG]

It's where I started. My first gun was a 1917 Erfurt Luger which I got in the 4th grade.

[RazorBurn]

I love old battle rifles and 1911's. Getting my C&R license was the best thing I've ever done for my collecting. I love AR's and AK's too, but there's something about wood and blued or parkerized steel in the form of a Garand, K98k, Enfield, etc... that I really enjoy. Hell, I even like Mosin's too, especially Finnish ones!

I collect but they're not safe queens. I shoot everything I own. I don't get to the range often enough, but there's not a single thing in my safe I will not shoot.

The discounts from Numrich and Brownell's make having a C&R license worth it too!

I have a particular fondness for Garands.

[CGSteve]

What Razor said almost to a T about curios in general. I come to this forum for serious firearms stuff though haha. M4C definitely emphasizes training and practical use with "modern" firearms, so I go to other forums to discuss C&R and "fun" shooting. Although sometimes I go to the range and shoot old guns under pressure to mimic using them under stress. Some are fine, others are horrendous (talking about you Carcanos) and I would not want to be on a two way range with them.

[eightmillimeter]

My first gun was a Yugo Mauser M48 in unissued condition. Garands are just f-ing awesome and patriotic as hell. M1917’s with good condition bores shoot as good or better than some guns made today. You haven’t lived unless you’ve shot a Mauser 98 long rifle in a soft caliber like 7x57 or 7.65, Remington 1903’s built before the A3 was designed are a special kind of incredible, and milsurp bayonets in general are just plain cool.

So yeah, the whole C&R thing is a good rabbit hole to explore.

Oh, and when the CMP runs out of Garands, which they absolutely will within the next decade, the prices will double overnight and triple in 5 years, so if you’re on the fence, now is the time.

[RazorBurn]

Oh, and when the CMP runs out of Garands, which they absolutely will within the next decade, the prices will double overnight and triple in 5 years, so if you’re on the fence, now is the time.

I wholeheartedly agree with this!

[Campbell]

No pics, but I could definitely burn Mosins for firewood and make it through one long cold winter... I just love that ugly Russian stuff.

[PatEgan]

Another C&R collector here. It's my not-so-serious escape, and has always been immensely rewarding, if not an additional drain on gun funds! All of my stuff is WWI/II, but I focus on WWII German-captured rifles and carbines of other nations, i.e., the stuff that Germany captured and then put to use after they conquered a country. There are tons of variants and you can find some sleepers out there that are brain-meltingly awesome.

[PatEgan]

Almost forgot:
Here's one you probably haven't seen before. This is a Polish wz.91/98/26 (Google that...) Mosin-Nagant built on a captured Russian Imperial receiver from 1895. These were short rifles chambered in 7.92X57mm (8mm Mauser) and were extensively worked over by the Poles. This one was built in Lwow, and is 100% matching. This fell into German hands at some point after September 1939 and they blued the bolt in their characteristic manner. It has been 'duffel cut,' indicating capture by a GI before it was sent home to the US. These are wicked rare, especially in all-matching condition, and the ones that show German use are even harder to find.

Pat

[RazorBurn]

The center piece of my collection is an all matching down to the wood GI bring back AX 41 K98k Mauser. I traded a new in the box Colt 1911 Commander for it several years ago. I did add the front sight hood to it and the sling is a repro.






I traded a Colt Officers ACP 1911 for this DCM Winchester M1 Carbine with paper work a few years ago. Couldn't pass it up either.