Having been doing gunshows and buyin/trading and selling for many years, it just burns my ass when I see outright fraud
At the show this weekend, a dealer has a pre-64 super grade sitting on his table, Wow!!!! got my attention real fast. The stock was fair by my standards but it was the very early model with the oval small cheekpiece, vintage 38 through 54,IIRC. Then, I notice, no front sight gold bead, so then I look at the caliber and start laughing so hard I have to grab the table to keep from falling down. Then I open the floorplate, No mag box, Huh!!!!!
So, I then place the gun back on the table and look at the dealer and this dumb SOB says, nice gun huh!!!! Oh, the price is 1950.00 firm!!!!
I then wait until there are no customers at his table and ask if he bought this gun as is or if he put it together. He gets pissed right now and asks just what I mean by that.
Being ever so calm, I tell him that his Fxxxxxx Super Grade is a "fake" He then proceeds to tell me he had several Winchester collectors look at it and that it was 100% orignal, that it was a custom order. I then asked if the barrel had SO stamped on the underside, he had no idea.
I then showed him when his gun was made,1963 and asked if he knew when winchester quit making the super grade.
I really wanted to take him outside and just plain beat his ass till his mommy wouldn't recognize him. Rant over

Did you happen to ask if any of his several consultants happened to be R. L. Wilson?

At a gun show long ago I saw a guy selling a Winchester Model 70 purported to be "Pre-War Super Grade".

In 458 Win Mag

He wanted big bucks for it too. When I asked him if it was pre-Vietnam he looked at me like I was a simpleton and said "no, before World War II". With as straight a face as I could possibly muster I said "gee, I thought the .458 didn't come out until well into the 1950's. A little while later I saw that the rifle was no longer on the guys table. Maybe he checked a few facts or maybe somebody long on money and short on knowledge came along.

One sees and hears this kind of crap all the time at gun shows. Many times the seller actually believes his own bullshit. But because he's sitting behind the table, he's the expert, and folks walking around are all just dummies.

Last time it happened to me a fairly well known gunsmith in Central Texas had a custom Mauser sporter made with an FN Deluxe barreled action with a big price on his table. He proceeded to tell me most assuredly how it was specially made in the 1920s in Germany, etc, etc. Mostly I just walk off at this point but this time I pointed out the Belgium proofs, date on the barrel, caliber 244 Rem, etc. He got steamed, folded his arms and refused to talk about it anymore.

So I always carry a shovel and wear hip boots at gun shows.

I can one up every one of those stories. I was at the Spokane show quite a few years ago and spied a mauser action on a table. I picked it up and it wasn't anything special but it had been polished, cleaned up etc. I asked what he wanted for it and he said he hadn't decided yet and knew it had was very collectible, etc,blah blah. I asked why and he said look at the number on the right side of the front ring and there was numero uno, 1 stamped on the right side although not very well being a bit off skew to the centerline. I wrinkled a brow and looked him in the eye and he said that was the first Mauser 98 that was built. I just gasped and laughed. Ask him if he sincerely believed that and walked off. It was there all day and I doubt he fooled anyone, except himself.

I guess I just can't help myself today. The 12 step program for gun show idiots hit my 12th button. I would not have been anywhere silent with my voice to disaprove of this guys dishonesty. These are the type of person that have ruined the integrity of sellera at the shows. Small gun club shows have been run out the business due to prices to rent buildings and advertize and the promoters just smile all the way to the bank. Sinful greed and dishonesty should be a required posted sign on their chest. I am aware is it always buyer beware but some guys just burn my 12 step program to hell!

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
I can one up every one of those stories. I was at the Spokane show quite a few years ago and spied a mauser action on a table. I picked it up and it wasn't anything special but it had been polished, cleaned up etc. I asked what he wanted for it and he said he hadn't decided yet and knew it had was very collectible, etc,blah blah. I asked why and he said look at the number on the right side of the front ring and there was numero uno, 1 stamped on the right side although not very well being a bit off skew to the centerline. I wrinkled a brow and looked him in the eye and he said that was the first Mauser 98 that was built. I just gasped and laughed. Ask him if he sincerely believed that and walked off. It was there all day and I doubt he fooled anyone, except himself.

Hell, this guy sounds like a prime candidate for a moderators job on AR!

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Customstox:
I can one up every one of those stories. I was at the Spokane show quite a few years ago and spied a mauser action on a table. I picked it up and it wasn't anything special but it had been polished, cleaned up etc. I asked what he wanted for it and he said he hadn't decided yet and knew it had was very collectible, etc,blah blah. I asked why and he said look at the number on the right side of the front ring and there was numero uno, 1 stamped on the right side although not very well being a bit off skew to the centerline. I wrinkled a brow and looked him in the eye and he said that was the first Mauser 98 that was built. I just gasped and laughed. Ask him if he sincerely believed that and walked off. It was there all day and I doubt he fooled anyone, except himself.


Hell, this guy sounds like a prime candidate for a moderators job on AR!

Oh shit that was funny

Jim , is that you in your avatar kicking that gun show seller with the super grade in the head?

I think I remember him saying something about being a moderator or something like that before he hit the deck.