Decisions, Decisions...

Reader Richard e-mailed me a while back asking some questions about the Curio & Relics License (Class 03 FFL). I'd mentioned having my C&R license once or twice, and he was curious about the process and whether I thought it was worth it. For the record, the answer is an unqualified "Yes" - I've saved more than triple the cost of the license ($30 for three years!) from MidwayUSA alone!

So, seemingly out of the blue, I get the following e-mail:

Jay;
It came- My C&R licence arrived in the mail today- wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
What to buy first??!!!
Richard

Heh. Heheheheheheheheheheh... Another gun nut forever consigned to Ramen Noodles and the quest for the perfect Mosin Nagant 91/30... I dashed off the following quick reply, wanted to get a few ideas out lest I forget to respond to the e-mail (which I sometimes do, a thousand pardons, mea maxima culpa...):

Congrats Richard!

As to what to buy first, I'd recommend starting with any and all C&R eligible semi-autos:

SKS rifles
CZ-82
CZ-52
CZ-70 (some places don't consider them C&R. others do)
Browning Hi-Powers (although most places want more than is prudent owing to historical significance. This goes for Colt 1911s too).

For other firearms, I'd go with classic rifles first:

Mauser K98
Schmidt Rubin K31
Springfield 1903
Any of the Enfields

Hey, with your permission I'd like to turn this into a blog post. I have a feeling my cruffler readers might have some suggestions too!

Best regards,

Jay G.
MArooned

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Now that I've had some time to reflect (and peruse my copies of the latest fliers...), I'd like to expand my list if I may. I'll split it into rifles and handguns, with further divisions as warranted.

Rifles:

SKS rifle - ideally two or even three. I can see a time in the not-so-distant future where we'll look back on $250 Yugo SKSs as the "good ol' days" much like we currently look back on $300 AK clones and $600 ARs...

Mauser K98 - the bolt action rifle that spawned a million sporters... They're not making any more of these, and for $200 - $300 it's the most accurate rifle you can get for triple the money. Milsurp 8mm ammo is still dirt cheap (Under $300 for 1K rounds). If you need to stick to a budget, a Czech VZ-24, Yugo M24/47, or a Turk Mauser can fill the bill.

Then there's the entire Mosin-Nagant family, all in 7.62X54mmR caliber:

Model 91/30
Model 91/59
Model M44 carbine
Model 38 carbine

Or the many permutations of the Lee-Enfield British boltie:

Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk I
Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk II
Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III
Rifle No. 4 Mk I
Rifle No. 4 Mk 2

And for the price-conscious, one of the Ishapore .308 models gets you a bare bones bolt-action .308 Win rifle...

Pricey choices are Winchester 1897 (12 gauge), Finnish Model 1939 (7.62X54mmR), M1 Carbine (although these are almost universally cheaper through CMP), or an MN 91/30 sniper repro.

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Pistols:

Colt 1911 (WWI/WWII vintage)
Browning Hi-Power
Any Colt Pocket model or 1903/1908
Baby Browning
Walther P38
Walter PP
Colt Official Police/Police Positive
CZ-82
CZ-52
Tokarev TT

Pricier choices are Broomhandle Mausers, Lugers, break-top Smith & Wessons, or Army model S&Ws (M&P, the original) or Colts (US Model 1917).

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So there's my list of possibilities for the new cruffler. What else should Richard be looking to buy with his shiny new C&R license?

That is all.