Ya see Som'thin Nu Every Day

[Zonie]

I just stood there lookin at it. I couldn't believe what my senses were saying. My mind was tryin to put some logic to it but nothin came.
Maybe I am makin too big of a deal over nothing. You be the judge.

I was at the local gun show looking for nothing special but always interested in Black Powder stuff.

There were several Thompson hunters and Hawkins, several in lines, some Lymans and several Spanish CVAs. Most prices were fair going from $130 to $270 but the one I didn't understand was a .50 Spanish CVA 2 piece stock Kentucky precussion. The kind with a piece of brass between the stock halves. The tag said $220. Now, some may think this is a fair price but I think it is a little high even for a good one.

I looked in the muzzle and noted it was white and crusty in the bore! Puzzled, I put my finger in and rubbed the crusty stuff, then took a sniff of my finger. Would you believe this thing hadn't even been cleaned? Yet here it sit at a fairly large gun show with a $220 price tag on it!

In another post I gave some general guide lines of what to look for when buying a used muzzle-loader. I forgot to say "if the previous owner was too dam lazy to even clean it, don't even bother to pick it up."

Oh well, Ya larn som'thin nu every day!

"hold 'er lite n she'll shoot tite"

 

[musketman]

$220.00

I seen these sell for around $125.00 new...

Someone was hoping to snag a greenhorn...

 

I sold one 2 years ago with the 2 piece stock, brass in between, CVA perc, for $100 CANADIAN !!!
That would be about $76US today but only $66US then. Felt kinda guilty asking that much.

Cody

 

[Zonie]

quote: Someone was hoping to snag a greenhorn... I'm a hope'n he don't succeed. We don't need som'one gettin a bad taste in thar mouths 'bout our sport 'cus some moron screwed up.

In my post above I wer tryin to be nice 'bout that brand o' gun 'n its quality cuz I'v seen som guns I woundn't use fer hold'n a buffs tail o'r a far fer cookin turn out to be som'uns faviorate thin. Not only that, but I'v seen um take "ol' thumbuster" n' shoot rings 'round my fancy guns groups. It's all in a-getin to know her 'n what she likes.

Now that I'v cooled a spell let me jus say to the greenhorns to black powder shooten: CLEAN 'yr gun as soon as ya can after shootin. That stuf in the bore can eat yar nice barrel faster than a horned toad can eat ants. Especially if'n its damp out.
Wipe 'er out good 'n oil 'er up ter keep the rust away 'n she'll last longer than you will.

 

[TwoShadows]

How true 'Zonie.....I was trading a spanish original musket one time to a double 10 guage original from Belgium with a fellow who became a lifelong friend . Mr Paul Blakeman(now deceased). When I asked him what he thought there would be between the 2 weapons (thinking I would be paying boot) he said "maybe $25" sounded good to me, but before I could get my money out he handed ME $25. I have never forgotten him...won't ever either. We traded several times after that, and he restored a family original for me and sent it back as one of the last things he did. When I sent the payment for the work done I was informed by his widow that he was gone on....I sure miss the fine gentleman that he was. Same is true of a lot of the old time crowd, but they say that as long as a man's name is remembered....u know the rest. Recon it takes all kinds don't it?

 

[Haggis]

"Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur."
(Whatever is said in Latin, sounds profound."

In some places a fellow can buy a '70's or '80's reproduction flinters or persussions for whatever is bid. They're kinda like 'coon hounds; worth whatever you can get out of them.

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by Haggis:
"Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur."
(Whatever is said in Latin, sounds profound."How about "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"...
(when all else fails, play dead)

Taken from: The Red Green Show, on PBS...

 

[TwoShadows]

'Zonie, I believe you for sure. I suppose circumstances sometimes lead us in strange places.

I found a John D Anderson striker on a blanket a couple years ago. Now I sell them for John, and therefore I am pretty sure of the value. They ARE possibly the best striker on the market and I have sold hundreds of them at the regular price(and still do). Anyhow, The fellow with the blanket out asked me $130 dollars for it! I whistled and must have lost my breath for a minute...because he proceeded to explain that only 10 were ever made....that it was an original...and no one knows where all the others are. When I pulled mine out of my pocket, as did my pal beside me , and said "well, I know where 2 of them are" he sorta got a atrange look on his face....I told him the maker was alive and well and living in Tenessee and was still making strikers...and would he like to contract for a good supply. He swallowed kinda hard and said that one was enough for now. I can't help wondering if he got suckered by the same story he told me or was just trolling for suckers himself. As we talked another fellow walked by and asked the price of it....the owner never batted an eye and ask the new guy $150....I guess Caveat Emptor(as Haggis would say) is quite appropriate !

 

[Zonie]

Twoshadows: Ye see? A li'l learnin goes a long way.
Har that guy thought his striker was only worth $130 until ye came along and edicated him! Th'n he knew it twer worth $20 more!!
I'm a thinen thar are some natural thieves out thar an' some have ta work at it.

Thars also some really nice folk who is honist as tha day is long. Em's the folk I's got some respect for.