I don’t remember.
Where have all the OC gone? (Original Contributors)
- Thread starter RavenOps
- Start date
I don’t remember.
Myself, I’ve moved away from guns due to political risk here in Canada. They can’t go back to USA like they used to do I culled the herd. I collect other German stuff now, some of it is of interest here, but time is limited in life so I don’t post as much stuff. I think that’s a common theme.
Zeppelin5000
Senior Member
I've been a member here since 2017. I'd post all sorts of things over the years, not just 98k's. All kinds of guns, militaria, etc. that I recently acquired. Either showing them off or asking questions. This is where I learned about the 98k. I'm certainly not "all knowledgeable now, but I got the basics down (and the books) and don't have many 98k questions to ask at this point. Or I just use the search function. Over the past 6 years, I've slowed down a lot on collecting due to money being tight. Less items, less posts I suppose. I think a lot of members here are in that same boat, times are tough.
The few recent items I've obtained, I guess I don't think they're worth making a post about. I really do like this forum otherwise though and I'm sticking around! When I unexpectedly come into millions of dollars, I'll be making a lot more posts, so stay tuned lol.
The few recent items I've obtained, I guess I don't think they're worth making a post about. I really do like this forum otherwise though and I'm sticking around! When I unexpectedly come into millions of dollars, I'll be making a lot more posts, so stay tuned lol.
I’m so busy with work I don’t have time to even straighten up my man cave, I just visit to make sure the porn bots haven’t taken over and post memes I think are funny. But people should be happy I’m not out there sucking up all the oxygen buying the good guns that come up, saving some for yall. But I guess I can crank it back up if that’s what you want.
Aaron
Senior Member
Two main things I think.
1. There is a finite number of K98's and with their popularity and price at an all time high, new acquisitions for most of us are few and far between.
2. No one besides the average joe will admit it but the middle class is suffering terribly and we are in dire financial straits, people can't afford new toys when they can barely afford the cost of living.
Myself for example, I make good money, am single, and have the time and resources to build a huge collection theoretically, but the former two points have squashed any hopes of that. This is why I transitioned to field gear. Why spend 3k on a run of the mill byf44 when for the same price I could buy 30 unique canteens and messkits? Even so, soon I will be priced out of that too. Field gear used to be the garbage collectors looked down on, but now it is skyrocketing, being the last bastion of affordable militaria has made it a target for flippers and dealers. We collectors really are our own worst enemy.
PrayingMantis
Senior Member
I could not disagree with this more, and am very glad most of the contributors here don't seem to feel that way.
First off, there are constantly new things to learn about these weapons, and sometimes--often really--people will overlook something in photographs. I myself am very guilty of this, photo spreads for every weapon i photographed before 2016 lack a lot of specific images of things i plain didn't realize were important. Not to mention better cameras, better lighting, and practice make for better photos that can provide more information to researchers.
Second, people get excited, and should take the time to disassemble and photograph a new acquisition, even if it's from a collector here. That sort of enthusiasm keeps the hobby alive, plus lets the owner get experience in taking photographs. And on the flipside of that, someone new to the forum who hasn't dove into the depths of old posts may be excited to see something.
Third, there are dry spells, sometimes long dry spells, especially in the imperial section, and digging out an example you have had for a while, taking photos, and posting them is a good way to get people coming back who will eventually buy their own weapons and post photos. Without any recent posts new people stumbling onto the forum may think its dead and go somewhere gross like Reddit.
Bottom line here, If no one posted the forums would die, and what you call redundancy i would call a deeper dive that creates greater understanding.
Winchester Cowboy
Senior Member
Who here remembers
“The Night of the Long Salamis” when a lot of us were getting banned on GB and the old G/K Forum that Ranvette and Chickvette hosted? Lol
We were dropping like flies daily!
It might have been the best thing that happened.
Thankfully this great forum was the result.
“The Night of the Long Salamis” when a lot of us were getting banned on GB and the old G/K Forum that Ranvette and Chickvette hosted? Lol
We were dropping like flies daily!
It might have been the best thing that happened.
Thankfully this great forum was the result.
Ha ha, yeah, I remember. When it tuned into a bookie racket that was the best. lol.
grimlin13
Senior Member
With political and social changes, comes collector changes the world over. All areas of Militaria collecting are affected. We used to have members from Australia that would post K98 s. New gun laws took care of that and now all (most of the enforcers don`t know the difference between WWI and WWII) German militaria is basically outlawed there. Gun laws have changed in Canada, as is what is collected. CanadianAR can attest to that.
The USA is not immune to any of this. If I owned a lot of firearms, I am not too sure how willing I would be to post any my collection. Maybe I am paranoid, but you never know when there may come a knocking at your door.
The USA is not immune to any of this. If I owned a lot of firearms, I am not too sure how willing I would be to post any my collection. Maybe I am paranoid, but you never know when there may come a knocking at your door.
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iron bender
750 Press Operator
I gave them a $200 donation the day before I got booted. Not sure what I said that was disagreeable, but F..K whoever those corvette loving d bags were
Pete R.
Well-known member
Only been a member since late 2022, one thing I have noticed in that short time is that the senior members often let the new guys, who have learned a thing or two answer/reply to some of the most commonly asked questions. If the new guy is correct, a thumps up will do, however if the new guy is missing something they chime in to right the ship. It’s kind of a way to let the new guys think things out, learn and share where they are at in the hobby. Could be wrong just my thoughts….. love this forum!
Bailing on the old GK, then origination of the Gunboreds dedicated K98k forum, and here we are over a decade later. I’ve got no “social media” presence except here and after the pic sticky reference library and many posts I feel like I’ve covered it all. Running a business and getting a teenager through school and life. We’re all still here and answer questions, but the young guys are stepping up, as it should be. We’re the best on the internets I think.
I hope that you, Mike, Bruce BiO, and other 'plank owners' of the forum did not take offense to the original post.
After spending a lot of time reading through very early posts, many of which are pic stickied, it appeared some folks have moved on. However, it now seems those same folks may be here, just not adding commentary. Which is fine too.
I spent many years on WAF as a frequent contributor (frank2far) until I sold virtually my entire collection of uniforms, headgear, and equipment and began focusing on military arms.
pzjgr
EOD - bombs and bullets
Another guy who has been around since the start, in fact, if you go all the way back to Page 71 in the G/K43 section, I made the very first post there on March 1, 2010...that and $5.00 will get me a coffee at Starbucks!
I have some nice 98k's, but generally don't hold a candle to the regulars, and honestly the pricing is so crazy I don't pick them up very often anymore...I do stumble onto other cool guns on occasion I post up.
My main area of interest I tend to post on is ordnance...
Its weird to think I have known several guys here for well over 20 years through the internet, and have been lucky enough to meet many of them in person several times. The best way to do that is the SOS of course, only been once so far, but it was really awesome. If you haven't been you need to try and make it, its a blast.
A few guys on board here I would see when I lived up in Buffalo, now I see a few guys once on a while down here in TX! I am thankful and lucky to know all of them.
I have some nice 98k's, but generally don't hold a candle to the regulars, and honestly the pricing is so crazy I don't pick them up very often anymore...I do stumble onto other cool guns on occasion I post up.
My main area of interest I tend to post on is ordnance...
Its weird to think I have known several guys here for well over 20 years through the internet, and have been lucky enough to meet many of them in person several times. The best way to do that is the SOS of course, only been once so far, but it was really awesome. If you haven't been you need to try and make it, its a blast.
A few guys on board here I would see when I lived up in Buffalo, now I see a few guys once on a while down here in TX! I am thankful and lucky to know all of them.
Not at all and you were one of the good guys at WAF. I've not been there in many years. Was banned in 2005 for calling BS on a humped up "camo" helmet (among many) being shilled, pumped, and sold. A few of us built up the GK forum, which I then left (first to bail as "supermoderator") due to censorship, exploitation of member information, and of course, the attempted commercialization of the site for gambling, by exploiting our intellectual property. I was invited by Tuco to start the K98k Forum at Gunboreds. That then became untenable as a serious research venue for The Books, by Bruce, Mike, with the other contributors here. That's where this place started. All of the original guys are still here, we just have posted quite a bit in the past. I'm here multiple times a day. The quality is still here, the information and research are here, but much can be found on old posts. It's been covered. This site doesn't rely upon advertising, banners, clickbait, etc. We don't really care about post counts, clickbait chicanery and antics, or censorship, etc. We don't have to try and have nothing to shill for, which is what makes us the best, IMHO
jbmauser
Senior Member Eh
Hard to believe I’ve been a member here for 12yrs now! Time flies!
I still visit the forum every day but don’t post much anymore. I had a major change in my life that impacted my finances and time so I haven’t been buying or researching as much as I used to but I still am very interested in the hobby and like seeing what others post.
I still visit the forum every day but don’t post much anymore. I had a major change in my life that impacted my finances and time so I haven’t been buying or researching as much as I used to but I still am very interested in the hobby and like seeing what others post.
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Hey Hambone I remember you from Gunboards K98k Forum. You looked at my duv 42 about 20 years ago that I posted. It's all original but had some "enhanced" markings on the stock by the previous owner.Not at all and you were one of the good guys at WAF. I've not been there in many years. Was banned in 2005 for calling BS on a humped up "camo" helmet (among many) being shilled, pumped, and sold. A few of us built up the GK forum, which I then left (first to bail as "supermoderator") due to censorship, exploitation of member information, and of course, the attempted commercialization of the site for gambling, by exploiting our intellectual property. I was invited by Tuco to start the K98k Forum at Gunboreds. That then became untenable as a serious research venue for The Books, by Bruce, Mike, with the other contributors here. That's where this place started. All of the original guys are still here, we just have posted quite a bit in the past. I'm here multiple times a day. The quality is still here, the information and research are here, but much can be found on old posts. It's been covered. This site doesn't rely upon advertising, banners, clickbait, etc. We don't really care about post counts, clickbait chicanery and antics, or censorship, etc. We don't have to try and have nothing to shill for, which is what makes us the best, IMHO
mauser99
Senior Member
Most of the originals a wash over from the G/k forum after it imploded have been at it a long time.. To stay focused on one such weapon isnt easy with all the other candy in the candy store. I myself have gone in many different directions and at one point didn't own a single k98k which was hard for me to accept. That being the first rifle I ever bought not really not knowing much about it . Dot44 5 digit no letter suffix. I have no clue where it is today but, still remember buying it. Then about a month later bought a byf43 and I was off and running.. Just picked up a killer byf44L block I will post just to prove I can... lol
Wolfsburg
Senior Member
I've meandered around during the G/K forum days, then the 98k Forum on Gunboards and settled here 12-14 yrs ago. I've always considered myself a "collector-adjacent" or maybe more of an accumulator. My stuff isn't nearly as nice or high-end as the serious collectors' and some of the minutiae of collecting I've never delved too deeply into. I have no problem with bolt mismatches or rifles that are otherwise less than perfect just as long as they're interesting or at least honest! As mentioned above, so much of this stuff has climbed to the point of no longer being worth it to me! I just don't pick them up nearly as often anymore and it seems like hidden gems fly under the radar less than they used to.
I remember Hambone when G/K meant Gun & Knife forum and Craig & Bruce wrote articles for the KCN, - some have been around when the internet was dial up (and when I was a new guy...)
Totalitarian moderators have been a plague to forums since the beginning and this forum thrives with old-timers because moderators use moderation tools with "moderation" - really it rarely is needed for normal operations, Mike and Craig handle 90% of the problems before they are seen (infiltrating bots, spammers etc... hell I rarely see troubles as few get past them)
*** Gunboards was once only Mosin & Mauser's and it was a much better "collector" site then, today its commercial...
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