I went in to Big 5, which is a sporting goods store out here in Kali for those of you who arent familiar, to pick up some swim goggles and noticed a really strange collection of rifles mixed in with their stock of shotguns and pellet guns. It turns out that they have a couple of mosin nagants and some m1 carbines. Regardless of the deal and the shape of the gun, I feel wierd about purchasing a rifle at the same place I can get running shoes and a speedo. Am I being paranoid about this?
Would you ever buy a rifle at Big 5?
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I live in the mid-west, no Big 5s around here. There is a local chain that sells the shoes and shorts and other stuff you are talking about, and carries a limited line of long guns also. I bought a new Mossberg 12 ga. there with no problem. They also carry a selection of "military surplus" rifles that I would not touch with a ten-foot trigger finger.
I would guess that the M-1 carbine at a place like that is built around an import receiver that is not original G.I. The local place here in Iowa had some "M-1 Garands" with import receivers. I asked about the reliability of the "Garand" and was told that I would have to sign a waiver saying that the gun was not warranted to be safe to shoot. No thanks.
IMHO, I would never buy an American military type gun that did not have an original G.I. receiver, and I would never buy any used weapon except from a dealer I trusted who told me that the gun was safe to shoot.
I would guess that the M-1 carbine at a place like that is built around an import receiver that is not original G.I. The local place here in Iowa had some "M-1 Garands" with import receivers. I asked about the reliability of the "Garand" and was told that I would have to sign a waiver saying that the gun was not warranted to be safe to shoot. No thanks.
IMHO, I would never buy an American military type gun that did not have an original G.I. receiver, and I would never buy any used weapon except from a dealer I trusted who told me that the gun was safe to shoot.
rugerfreak
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Guess I'd feel wierd-er buying the speedo----LOLOLOLOLOL
Matt Sutton
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I bought a yugo m48 mauser last year around Christmas on sale at Big 5. I also picked up a Beeman R-9 .177 rifle. You pays your money, and you fills out your papers. It's the same deal any where you go bro!
What you should feel funny about is the fact that your Second Ammendment right is being violated as you fill out the forms and undergo the background check.
What you should feel funny about is the fact that your Second Ammendment right is being violated as you fill out the forms and undergo the background check.
I bought four surplus rifles at Big 5 awhile back (Mosin-Nagan 91/30, M44, Mauser M48, and Turkish Mauser). You have to be persistent and/or lucky to get nice ones. I would stop in every week or so and ask if they had anything new in. They would pull them out of storage for me to look at. When I would find a nice one, I would put it on layaway. Once I found the four I wanted (several months), I bought them all at the same time (only one $20 California DROS fee instead of four). It worked out well, and I got their sale prices on all guns so they were very good deals, but it was quite a process. I'm sure the employees groaned when they saw me come in (here's that guy who's going to want to look at every greasy rifle we've got again).
If you happen to find a rifle in good condition on the rack at Big 5, buy it if its on sale, or put it on layaway and wait for a sale to buy (they seem to put them on sale every few weeks). The condition of their rifles varys a lot, and the ones on the rack tend to be among the worst because the good ones sell but the beat ones stay. The store I bought from tended to get two or three "new" surplus rifles every week. The advantage of Big 5 over ordering is that you can examine the rifle you are buying - but still get it for about the distributor price. But it requires patience.
Doug
If you happen to find a rifle in good condition on the rack at Big 5, buy it if its on sale, or put it on layaway and wait for a sale to buy (they seem to put them on sale every few weeks). The condition of their rifles varys a lot, and the ones on the rack tend to be among the worst because the good ones sell but the beat ones stay. The store I bought from tended to get two or three "new" surplus rifles every week. The advantage of Big 5 over ordering is that you can examine the rifle you are buying - but still get it for about the distributor price. But it requires patience.
Doug
A lot of people buy rifles here at Academy or Oshman's, and they have the same setup, basically, as a Big-5.
Heck, a lot of people buy at Wal-Mart. If you can get over buying guns at the same place some families get their tighty-whities, then you can get over that.
And don't advertise the speedo thing. It generates horrifying images.
Heck, a lot of people buy at Wal-Mart. If you can get over buying guns at the same place some families get their tighty-whities, then you can get over that.
And don't advertise the speedo thing. It generates horrifying images.
I bought my Mosin-Nagant M-44 from Dunhams Sports. The North Coast's equivalent to Big 5.
They also had some of the "M-1 Garands", but didn't buy one after a close look...the receiver was "CAI", and it looked REALLY rough.
Dunham's current sales flyer has various Mausers, the Swiss K-31, VZ24 Czech, Yugo M59/66, and the Mosin-Nagant M-44. I don't feel funny at all buying weapons at Dunhams...Just with the tiny caveat of look carefully before plunking down your hard-earned bucks.
They also had some of the "M-1 Garands", but didn't buy one after a close look...the receiver was "CAI", and it looked REALLY rough.
Dunham's current sales flyer has various Mausers, the Swiss K-31, VZ24 Czech, Yugo M59/66, and the Mosin-Nagant M-44. I don't feel funny at all buying weapons at Dunhams...Just with the tiny caveat of look carefully before plunking down your hard-earned bucks.
VictorLouis
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Yes, but only on-sale.
That's the only time I've seen that their prices even approach what I would call reasonable.
That's the only time I've seen that their prices even approach what I would call reasonable.
Right, on sale. Their sale prices are often just terrific - NIB 91/59s for $79, reconditioned 44s for $49, 91/30s for $39. You can do better from a wholesaler if you have a C&R, but at Big 5 you aren't buying a pig in a poke - I know a bunch of crufflers that hit Big 5 regularly.
And always ask to see all the rifles they have in the back - I used to make the rounds to all the Big 5s in my area once a week, on the day they got their respective deliveries.
My wife is happy those days are over.
And always ask to see all the rifles they have in the back - I used to make the rounds to all the Big 5s in my area once a week, on the day they got their respective deliveries.
My wife is happy those days are over.
Poodleshooter
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I'd buy it there, if the price is right. Out here in the free world, many of us are used to buying guns outside of gun shops-they're too expensive there.
Big 5 sells quality rifles, for the most part. I bought a couple Marlin rifles from them, and a few Rugers and one Magtech (shotgun). All have performed well with no problems, and the prices were nice. No complaints. Big 5 sells decent stuff at a decent price.
The only area I've had a problem on is Mossberg shotgun I bought from Big 5. The action was super loose and binded up often. It felt like cheap junk, but that is an issue with Mossberg QC, rather than any fault of Big 5 IMO.
The only area I've had a problem on is Mossberg shotgun I bought from Big 5. The action was super loose and binded up often. It felt like cheap junk, but that is an issue with Mossberg QC, rather than any fault of Big 5 IMO.
9mmepiphany
New member
i don't have a problem where i buy it, as long as it is what i want and it is at a good price. i bought my first 1911 from oshmanns
big 5 is a great source of C&R rifles. i got my swedish mauser, enfield #4, yugo mauser and romo 69 (.22lr). alot of their stock comes from century international arms. i always wait for sales too.
big 5 is a great source of C&R rifles. i got my swedish mauser, enfield #4, yugo mauser and romo 69 (.22lr). alot of their stock comes from century international arms. i always wait for sales too.
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