For the Old Timers -- Old Gun Ads

[Pawnee Bill]

Some of you may remember seeing these ads. This is from Aug '58. So many guns and little to no money!

 

[TAJ45]

Boy, ain't that the truth! No money, no money, no money. I was an 8th grader in '58. Two yrs away from carrying newspapers, morning and afternoon and Sundays. Averaged 2$ a day - also collected every Sat morning, 9 - 12:30. Sheesh.

 

[xring]

The first Centerfire I bought as a kid was a 91 Nagant ! I think I paid $9.95 Shipped . Military Ammo was iffy even if you could find it . I think the Ammo came in a weird looking paper box of maybe 15 or 20 Rounds . I was out one day and came across a Skunk on a snow covered flat field . The skunk took off and I took off running after him .....don't remember why ..... but it probably was because I wanted a better shot . I got pretty close . The Skunk stopped and I pulled the Trigger . Click ! We both took off in opposite directions . Lesson learned . The Nagant went down the road .

 

[hogpatrol]

I remember them. Those were the days. No background checks, shipped to your door.

 

[bluealtered]

The very first place i'm going when my grandson gets Mr. Peabody's time machine fixed is there with a wheel barrel full of $100's!

 

[Hino895]

Born in 1960 so I found a complete 1960 year of America rifleman on eBay.
It’s almost as much fun to look through as a old herters catalogue.

 

[Old Navy]

Born in 1960 so I found a complete 1960 year of America rifleman on eBay.
It’s almost as much fun to look through as a old herters catalogue.

As I remember the Rifleman from back then had an add on the back cover page similar to the one above. How about a photo if it does.

 

[Hino895]

How bout a few.

 

[Hino895]

One more

 

[ebb]

I remember in the early 70s Woolworths in the west palm beach mall had several paper drums filled with rifles. Two of the drums had different bolt action rifles. They would get something different in every few months and it got mixed in with unsold stock from before, Mausers, SMLEs, Carcinos. The third drum had these big fat looking heavy rifles (Garands). The bolt actions all varied in price, but the big fat ones were $159. I remember that some of the bolt actions were cheap, must have been the Carcainos. I wish I had bought a couple of the Garands. Hasn't been that many years ago that a friend and I bought 5 Turks for $59 each. You all brought this on yourselves ya couldn't go to the range and have fun you had to take a newbee with ya.

 

[Cecil S.]

I like the old Remington posters. If I remember correctly my first guns came from Sears an Roebuck. Or was it Montgomery Wards........Uuuugggghhhhh

 

[Hino895]

I remember going to western auto and gazing at the guns on the rack.
They wouldn’t let me handle them just look.
I’d buy a couple dime packs of bbs and go on safari.

 

[Knotwild]

"$100 in 1965 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $821.20 in 2020."
I looked it up.

 

[Bill K]

Was that not the truth, about no money, or very little, even if I had a steady job, had just gotten married and owned a Rem 722 in 30-06, Savage 340 in 222 R. a single shot H&R 12 gauge and one old single shot 22lr. But the wife and I had lots of fun and outings.

 

[dolek]

I remember in the early 70s Woolworths in the west palm beach mall had several paper drums filled with rifles. Two of the drums had different bolt action rifles. They would get something different in every few months and it got mixed in with unsold stock from before, Mausers, SMLEs, Carcinos. The third drum had these big fat looking heavy rifles (Garands). The bolt actions all varied in price, but the big fat ones were $159. I remember that some of the bolt actions were cheap, must have been the Carcainos. I wish I had bought a couple of the Garands. Hasn't been that many years ago that a friend and I bought 5 Turks for $59 each. You all brought this on yourselves ya couldn't go to the range and have fun you had to take a newbee with ya.

That brings back some fond memories . Funny,my boys were too young to remember Garand...They called my Garand "Big Heavy" .

 

[ebb]

I didn't know what one was at the time, had zero interest. But one of those Mausers, a different story.

 

[wiuprof]

This ad is from a 1958 edition of Guns magazine. Where is my time machine?

 

[ARW]

Yes and the sad part is we will probably never come close to getting them back again.
I'm just thankful I was able to be a part of it, wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[K22]

I got my first pistol with graduation money when I graduated from college in 1970, a Smith and Wesson, Model 17, 6" barrel, 22 long rifle. It was $87.00, a lot in those days but this was the top of the line revolver. It's one of the finest firearms I've ever own and I'm still shooting it. This was the golden age of revolvers - S&W and Colt dominating the high end market. I always favored the S&W for it's shorter single action cocking stroke - a real advantage in time and rapid fire competition. However the Colt Officer's Model Match was another excellent revolver. Both had outstanding triggers and very accurate.

I hunted small game with my Model 17, did a lot of plinking at soda cans, and eventually started shooting competition (NRA Bulls Eye) at a local gun club. It took some practice to get proficient in the rapid fire event, i.e. 5 shots in 10 seconds at 25 yards) but I mastered it. I eventually qualified as Distinguished Expert (285 out of a possible 300 points).

I eventually added a Model 14, 38 Special, to shoot the center fire stage. This was another outstanding quality pistol that would keep them in the "X" ring at 50 yards with hollow base wadcutters. Foolishly I traded it many years later when I stopped competing - regret selling it to this day.

 

[wiuprof]

This Hi-Standard ad is from that same 1958 issue of Guns Magazine that I referenced earlier.