For the Old Timers -- Old Gun Ads

[6ShotsOr5?]

I didn’t start shooting often until about 10 years ago because everyone else in my family always wanted to go fishing when I was a kid, but I’m really enjoying this thread guys, please keep the stories coming.

 

[47WillysGuy]

Sports Afield 1963; Take a test, answers are on bottom of page. Hope this works. LOL

 

[luckeeshot]

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.

back before Chuck Cursio and tire kingdom lol

 

[ebb]

Back when Chuck was owner or it looked as if he was the owner TK was a decent place. Not any more.

 

[Ken]

I wonder if our grand kids or maybe great grands will look at todays ads and long for the good old days?

 

[wiuprof]

I bought a Ruger Mk-1 Standard model in the summer of 1965 for less than $75. I was only 19, so had my brother buy it for me. This is the more expensive target model with adjustable sights. The ad is from 1959 issue of Guns & Ammo..

 

[wiuprof]

This Marlin 22 magnum is only $5 more with the scope! Such a deal. The 22 magnum rimfire had to be quite the round in 1959. Guns magazine, 1959.

 

[xring]

I remember stopping many times at Jerry Croziers Gun Shop in Homer , N.Y. in the "good ol days " . Jerry weighed over 300 pounds and often wore Bib Overalls . When you came in , he would greet you with something like " How ya all doin ... watcha lookin fer " in a kind of fake southern drawl . He had about 250 Guns on display , but he kept the really good stuff in a big Safe in the back room . I got to know him pretty well over the years and was pretty surprised when he told me that he had a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University . He really enjoyed putting on the good ol country boy act . One day he showed me a Win. 52 Sporter that had the Stock cut down for a kid . It was $250 and I passed it up figuring I would never come across a 52 Sporter Stock . Bad decision ! A few years later , I did find one at a Gun Show . I miss those days as those people and Gun Shops are pretty scarce these days .

 

[wiuprof]

This is a two page spread in the Sept. 1959 issue of Guns magazine. It is from Hunter's Lodge, aka "Ye Old Hunter". These are some remarkable prices!!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I remember stopping many times at Jerry Croziers Gun Shop in Homer , N.Y. in the "good ol days " . Jerry weighed over 300 pounds and often wore Bib Overalls . When you came in , he would greet you with something like " How ya all doin ... watcha lookin fer " in a kind of fake southern drawl . He had about 250 Guns on display , but he kept the really good stuff in a big Safe in the back room . I got to know him pretty well over the years and was pretty surprised when he told me that he had a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University . He really enjoyed putting on the good ol country boy act . One day he showed me a Win. 52 Sporter that had the Stock cut down for a kid . It was $250 and I passed it up figuring I would never come across a 52 Sporter Stock . Bad decision ! A few years later , I did find one at a Gun Show . I miss those days as those people and Gun Shops are pretty scarce these days .

Hey man im in arkansas and have a degree from cornell!

 

[Treerat-sniper]

I have a copy of this one in my office:

 

[hpshooter]

It is from Hunter's Lodge, aka "Ye Old Hunter".

In the late 50's thru the early 60's my family would make a trek from Charleston WV to Long Beach Island NJ to spend a week at my mothers Uncles house on the shore. My dad would plan the route so we would stop at "Ye Old Hunter" either on the way up or back.
I was 13 and dad and I would go in and mom and the younger brothers would wait in the car. Was the most marvelous place in the world to me especially the crates and shipping barrels full of firearms at prices a 13 year old could conceivable buy with grass cutting money. The only purchase I made was some ammunition for my Martini Cadet which I bought from Kliens in Illinois for $9.95, still have it!

 

[Hino895]

Used to stop in ye ole hunters in old town Alexanderia occasionally.
Found a steyr model M half stock in 22/250 double set trigger Leupold 2.5x8 in conetrol rings for if I remember correctly 550.00.
Great rifle swapped it for a custom Sako 243 for my wife.
Said she didn’t like it and wanted my Marlin lever in 30/30.
25 years sitting in the gun room, finally gave it to my nephew.
Should have kept the steyr.

 

[dolek]

I bought one of these old 22s and while researching it I found this cool old ad from 1953 .

 

[bluealtered]

I had that .35 Marlin, it was a heck of a bear gun, or any critter gun for that matter. I saw one on a website the other day and should have bought it but didn't.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I remember looking at these adds as a kid. I was born in 1956 but through the 60's and 70's spent a lot of time in the Shotgun News and other shooting rags. When I look at what many of these surplus weapons are going for today. Hind sight, I wish I had purchased them.

But when You think about it. My parents paid something like $11K for their first home. A 3 bedroom, two bath with a two car garage and a large back yard in San Fernando, CA. Think how much there payments were. Not much more than the cost of these rifles below. Kind of puts things into perspective.

 

[biggun2869]

When I 1st bought this house from my uncle Ben There was a Montgomery Ward HARDBACK! catalog in the basement. I spent a lot of time looking and drooling at that thing. For instance it had model '70s in there for if I remember right 79.50. Then the ex threw it away along with a lot of other good stuff. Now she is gone and I miss the stuff a lot more than her

 

[Downhill]

These ads reminded me of being a kid in the 70's. Texas had the Blue Laws in effect, sporting goods stores would rope off and turn the lights down in the gun sections. I would sneak under the ropes and head to the gun counter. It was the only time I could get behind the counter to get a close up look at all the rifles. Never got caught. I remember it as being awesome.

 

[BenPerfected]

These ads reminded me of being a kid in the 70's. Texas had the Blue Laws in effect, sporting goods stores would rope off and turn the lights down in the gun sections. I would sneak under the ropes and head to the gun counter. It was the only time I could get behind the counter to get a close up look at all the rifles. Never got caught. I remember it as being awesome.

How old do you have to be to understand the ad’s to enjoy this thread?
Ben

 

[SPQR70AD]

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

yea but you leave out the fact that pay has not kept up with inflation and price hikes since the 70's