Third Party Press

Where have all the OC gone? (Original Contributors)

LOL.. I was thinking the same thing...G/K meant the old (really old...) "Gun and Knife" forums which were my first exposure to gun forums and websites (I'm more of a car guy). As primarily a US collector who also has always had German WW2 guns...I started with Gun and Knife, Culver's (CSP, Jouster), then Tuco's Trader/Gunboards, M14 Forum, FALfiles, "G/K" forum, Milsurps, the CMP page, and finally here....Now I spend most of my internet gun time on CMP or here....but really more here due to the great information and more importantly common sense moderation.

The knowledge and ability to respectfully challenge that knowledge regardless of post count or "name," is what makes this place so enjoyable for me
 
Oh I remember waiting for my copy of the KCN in the mail with more than a few of the articles by Bruce! And thinking at the time about how I’d never know as much as the “old guard”. I guess we’ve had a “changing of the guard”. I’m here pretty regularly and have made a bit more of an effort to chime in as it seems selfish not to share the knowledge I’ve gained thru so many others here. But the dialogue has shifted a bit as others have noted and there is less posting/sharing pieces and more “vetting” and calling out turds and bad behavior which has its value too obviously. But I’ve also been thinking I should make a bigger effort to share - I know I’ve got stuff I’ve never posted. That’s on me.
 
I came here after being banned from gunboards after calling out their tyranical moderators out on their bullshit. This forum is still the best place for German small arms. I took a 5ish year break from collecting, but over the last year or two my interest recently peaked again. I started a side hussle on ebay selling parts to make some passive income. Thats been keeping me busy.

Collecting nice rifles has got alot harder for me. As a blue collared working man in the trades this inflation is making it extremely hard to drop $1-$3k on a rifle. Not to mention the places you could find good deals on rifles have been exposed and its simply a matter of which boomer trust fund baby with deeper pockets youre bidding against. Plus these auction houses are smoking crack with their 23-28% buyers premiums, 3% CC fees, $100+ to ship, etc.

I am also a resident of california unfortunately and its getting to be a complete pain in the a$$ to get rifles shipped here. My C&R license is basically worthless now here. The state now makes us ship ALL rifles to a dealer where we have to pay a $80 transfer fee plus sales tax! Out of state dealers have to be approved by the california DOJ to ship. Most auction houses or individuals wont sell to me anymore. Before with my C&R and COE I could have rifles shipped directly to my front door…

I still manage to pick up a few nice rifles here and there & Id love to share them with the forum but I simply do not have time to take, edit and post pictures of them lately.

I still haunt around & occasionally give my $0.02 when it isnt needed.
 
Last edited:
THunter said:
I came here after being banned from gunboards after calling out their tyranical moderators out on their bullshit. This forum is still the best place for German small arms. I took a 5ish year break from collecting, but over the last year or two my interest recently peaked again. I started a side hussle on ebay selling parts to make some passive income. Thats been keeping me busy.

Collecting nice rifles has got alot harder for me. As a blue collared working man in the trades this inflation is making it extremely hard to drop $1-$3k on a rifle. Not to mention the places you could find good deals on rifles have been exposed and its simply a matter of which boomer trust fund baby with deeper pockets youre bidding against. Plus these auction houses are smoking crack with their 23-28% buyers premiums, 3% CC fees, $100+ to ship, etc.

I am also a resident of california unfortunately and its getting to be a complete pain in the a$$ to get rifles shipped here. My C&R license is basically worthless now here. The state now makes us ship ALL rifles to a dealer where we have to pay a $80 transfer fee plus sales tax! Out of state dealers have to be approved by the california DOJ to ship. Most auction houses or individuals wont sell to me anymore. Before with my C&R and COE I could have rifles shipped directly to my front door…

I still manage to pick up a few nice rifles here and there & Id love to share them with the forum but I simply do not have time to take, edit and post pictures of them lately.

I still haunt around & occasionally give my $0.02 when it isnt needed.
Click to expand...

Move out of commiefornia as soon as you can. Let it fall apart and burn, just hope Newsom burns with it.
 
RavenOps said:
Have things become stagnant or just dull?
Click to expand...
Well, I sure hope not. I’m just getting started! I’m a young guy, and when I was 8 years old I discovered the K98K rifle. From that day forward I knew I wanted to collect them, they are my favorite firearm of all time and always will be. The unfortunate part about collecting these rifles, which many people referenced, is that they’re so darn expensive. I make a decent living, but my adult life is pretty hectic right now. I’m saving for a house, getting married in a few months, and trying to make sure we are set up well in the future. It kinda breaks my heart that I got into this hobby in this era, because I know I’ll never (unless I hit the lotto) have a collection of 5,10,15,20+ K98s given their price. However, I still get to come here and enjoy what you long time members have in your safes. So, please, keep posting pictures, new things you’ve learned, and general discussions. I know I’m not alone and want to appreciate and learn about these guns and their history any time I can. This forum has brought me my 2 K98 rifles. One from the forum trader and then Bruce recently helped me track down a gorgeous S/42 rifle with a super walnut stock (I’ll post some pictures next week when I get the chance to take it apart). Keep this place alive!
 
Been here since day one. Posted some but mostly a reader and knowledge sponge. I’ve also noticed a lot of the OG members are not here anymore. The passion is still there but health issues and the prices to play aren’t there for me. I’ve met several of the members at SOS but haven’t been since 2016.
 
Tater792 said:
Been here since day one. Posted some but mostly a reader and knowledge sponge. I’ve also noticed a lot of the OG members are not here anymore. The passion is still there but health issues and the prices to play aren’t there for me. I’ve met several of the members at SOS but haven’t been since 2016.
Click to expand...

I hate to say it but the price alone is why I converted the collection over to Japanese. Just as interesting to me, but so much more for so much less. I’m 30, got plenty of life ahead of me (knock on wood), and I have all the books minus Kreigsmodell (sorry Mike) so I will have opportunities for more 98k’s down the line
 
Mariner said:
Well, I sure hope not. I’m just getting started! I’m a young guy, and when I was 8 years old I discovered the K98K rifle. From that day forward I knew I wanted to collect them, they are my favorite firearm of all time and always will be. The unfortunate part about collecting these rifles, which many people referenced, is that they’re so darn expensive. I make a decent living, but my adult life is pretty hectic right now. I’m saving for a house, getting married in a few months, and trying to make sure we are set up well in the future. It kinda breaks my heart that I got into this hobby in this era, because I know I’ll never (unless I hit the lotto) have a collection of 5,10,15,20+ K98s given their price. However, I still get to come here and enjoy what you long time members have in your safes. So, please, keep posting pictures, new things you’ve learned, and general discussions. I know I’m not alone and want to appreciate and learn about these guns and their history any time I can. This forum has brought me my 2 K98 rifles. One from the forum trader and then Bruce recently helped me track down a gorgeous S/42 rifle with a super walnut stock (I’ll post some pictures next week when I get the chance to take it apart). Keep this place alive!
Click to expand...
I'm pretty much in the same boat as you sans getting married but I see prices being the large barrier for entry for new collectors in the future. When a good matching rifle easily sells for more than $2k, you've already set a high threshold for the general public when your average person isn't going to spend more than $1000 on a gun of any kind. And I fear that the threshold will only continue to get higher with the way things seem to be going. There will be a few younger, newer guys that join up and continue the hobby and this forum is the perfect place for learning, discussion, and discovery. But the price of entry will keep more people out and while I'm not fortunate enough to have the money for one, I suspect it's the same for machine guns where the price of entry leaves little room for people to enter that crowd. Can't wait to see the S/42, though. I've been hunting after one myself for a bit now.
 
For me, yes 98s have become a bit stagnant & dull plus availability is pretty low.

My personal solution was to change platforms… so much more to learn, much more nuance, fewer made, more difficult to master then 98s, no buffoonery/ fakes, and still available. The new platform has totally invigorated my activity & enthusiasm.

The reality is all of these guns we collect likely will continue to increase in value. Buy good stuff and you’ll be rewarded. Doesn’t matter what the platform(s) is/are… buy what you like, 98s or otherwise.
 
I still love k98s and the people here, but collecting is just about impossible more me now. Most of my collection went to fund my hunting property. Trying to find something local is not easy, even the little shite hole auctions by me are online and items maxed out before the day of the auction. The prices for items now are insane, I have wanted an M38 helmet for years, but at current prices that won’t happen. Throw in my other hobbies, guitars , photography, hunting/fishing and just life, not to mention what that senile pedo has done to the economy I just don’t have anything to spare. I do enjoy seeing what others are finding and posting some memes, but I have nothing new to post.
 
DaveDavis said:
With inflation running wild, unless you have deep pockets, then food for family beats collecting every time.....
Click to expand...
See the old-timers (second generation) are still around, DD & BiO have been around for decades (active on all the old forums), DD actually first generation, KCN veteran and a guy who knows the damage unnecessary wars create... because he has seen it firsthand.

Hang in there Dave!
 
I am late to this party,member since 2011.being 72 i am winding down,i love this forum and read it every day when i am by my computer.My K98k collection is down to about 20 rifles,mostly all matching ,i have even sold some rifles that are on the Picture Reference.I have stopped buying??My father was in the 8th army North Africa WW2 and said why do you collect these things,i had 3 lugers surrended by 11 am one day.\
Regards Alister
 
Last edited:
Loewe said:
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...
Click to expand...

You’ve always been there from the beginning and an integral component of the brain and “soul” of this hobby, from the KCN days, BI (Before Internet) which joined us from across the country. Where we are now is the confluence of “founders” who share the same values and sentiments (information and integrity over money and “authority”). Speaking of money, I do wish I had $20 for every humpjob and fraud that you conclusively set out for viewing and then buried with hard evidence. I know that as a result of your contributions we’ll all be handing this thing off as the healthiest firearm collecting hobby that I know of. I can also say that we’ve got the best cadre of young guys (20-40 somethings) stepping up as well. (y)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Military Rifle Journal
Back
Top