Archive for the 'Events' Category

Just a big Thankyou to Shaun Hopwood who is the driving force behind the organisation of the Trade Fair at The Pheonix Meeting.

Sword & Musket was outside in our own tent again, and that’s nothing to do with complaints from my fellow traders about my rich vegetarian dietary intake. One likes it outside, in the fresh air, and there was plenty of that around – passing through the tent at around 35 mph. Luckily I had taken with me some extra tent pegs and was able to keep the tent at least on terra-ferma.  A year or so ago when I took my own “Party-Style” tent I remember nocanantly hanging on the the tent for dear life as I tried to look as unconcerned as possible while discussing the varrious ins and out of the .30-06 Springfield and, wondering at what point, 13.1/2 stone of English/German was going into national air space whilst attached to a flimsy white tent.

Altough I went up there not expect much I was pleasantly surprised and altogether, takings are about the same as last year. Quality sells.

Basecamp

And thats the point really, it is what has been lurking at the back of our skulls for a long time. This stuff does not go down in value, its not like buying a new car, and watching the value decrease just for taking it of the dealers hands and tidying up his forecourt. These items are mostly investments. Ok, so you buy from a dealer and he gets his cut, so that might result in you having to produce a little more of the redies than you had originally planned, but, if you have bought well, concentrated on quality and put some research into your area of interst the item in question is going to increase in value.

Not that I deal in many deacts, but I found myself having to adjust my back up knowledge today when I found out that the humble Bren gun has doubled in price in the past four years. At one point they swamped the market but now that is not the case, rareity pushes value.  Now put the same scinario against one of the many military bolt actions from the last war and multiply by a much higher factor and you start to get the picture.

This was all bourne out by the high level of interest in the rifles on the stand over the weekend. The Springfields that I stock may have been the top end of the Military Rifle collector/shooters budget for a long time, but even they now are getting caught up with by some of the other marques.

Although fun, cheap, slightly battered bolt actions will always eventually sell, there is always going to be a place for the quality pieces at the top end of the scale. I’m not a financial advisor but Classic quality goods always hold their value, and the fewer of them around the steeper the scale of monatary increase.

If you couple that comfortable feeling of rock steady investment, with the fun had trying to master the art of shooting one of these venerable weapons, (and you find out it isn’t as easy as the filmakers would have us beleive) then it makes for a pretty interesting past time.

Looks like I had better stop waffling and find some more goodies to bring into the country………

See you at Birmingham on June 12th

Comments Off on The Pheonix 2011

Just let the faithfull know I will be at the Bisley Antiques Fair with a nice selection of goodies for all levels of collectors and enthusiasts.
They usually put me right in the middle of the main hall at the far end of the main “island” of stalls.
Any requests to see anything especially at the show this sunday will need to be in by Friday night.

Comments Off on Bisley Antiques Fair 27th March 2011

Its that time of year again folks, one is presently involved in importing the latest batch of goodies from the United States.

A brief idea of what will soon be available (not spoken for so far)  follows;

One Remington 1903 A3 Bolt action US service rifle in its original caliber of 30-06.

One Springfield 1903 Bolt action Service rifle in 30-06.

One Springfield 1903 MkI Bolt action service rifle in 30-06.

One Remington 1903-A4 Sniper Rifle with M82 Scope in 30-06.

Carl Gustaf 1896 full length Sweedish bolt action Service Rifle in 6.5 x 55.

One Enfield No5 Mk1 Jungle Carbine in 303.

One Mosin-Nagant bolt action Sevice Rifle in 7.62 Russian.

One Springfield 1888 Trapdoor Rifle with rod bayonet in 45-70.

One Winchester 1873 Lever action Rifle in .32WCF

One Winchester 1886 Lever action rifle in 40-82. (obsolete caliber)

One Winchester 1894 Lever action rifle in 32-40. (obsolete caliber)

One Marlin 1893 Lever action Rifle in 32-40 (obsolete caliber)

One Winchester 1886 Lever action rifle in 38-56 (obsolete caliber)

They still have to be proofed but will then be available. Full descriptions and prices along with photos will appear once they have arrived. If anyone is interested in any of these, don’t be shy!  They don’t usually hang around for long.

Serial numbers available on request.

Also some fine Antiques on their way;

A good Pair of French Percussion Officers Pistols. Marked “Manufrf Rle de Chatellerault/Couturier”. approx .69 cal.

A Cased Pair of Percussion English Holster Pistols by Collins. .50 cal percussion. With accessories – extremely fine.

An excellent Pair of cased Engraved Edinburgh marked Manstopper Percussion Pistols by Harkom. .58 cal. These are more like Show-stoppers than Man-stoppers.

Smith & Wesson Model number 2 revolver in .32 cal. Condition, Fine to excellent.

Comments Off on 2010 Shipment from the USA – Incomming….!

Look out for Pete Moore’s interesting article on the .30-06 A4 Sniper Rifle in Shooting Sports  magazine for November 2010.

In the article he puts the Classic Sniper Rifle through its paces and comes up with some interesting conclusions, least of all, its still up to the job. It is a good four page read with plenty of illustrations using two of our stock guns which are put through their paces.

Thanks Pete good article.

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I will be bringing along a good selection of the usual goodies, but this time there will be reductions. So grab you wallets and see you there for bargains you can not afford to miss.

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By Sword & Musket will be attending this Excellent Show in the last weekend of May.

Usually situated outside in our own tent we will be displaying  the top Classic Collectible Rifles from our current Stock.

Mainly trading in High Quality Military Rifles from the two World Wars and before. All highly shootable and in good collectors condition with originality as one of our main points followed closely behind by excellent bores with plenty of life left in them.

The Bisley Pheonix is always an excellent, well attended and interesting show.  

We hope to see you there.  We will be set up from Friday morning right through to Sunday afternoon where you can examine all the items you want and hopefully go home with all the goodies you want.

Comments Off on Pheonix 2010 Meeting. 28th 29th & 30th May.

Looking forward to the Pheonix see you there 28th & 30th May 2010 at Bisley

Really worth a visit if you have’nt been before.

I will be bringing along the largest selection of Firearms in the form of Classic Rifles I and my van can manage!

Also there will be a good selection of Obsolete Calibers to drool over – bring your own bib!

Revolvers and Swords – lots of nice shiney things – come on you guys and galls, give in for once to the inner gun collector, its’ not want you want its’ what you need that keeps you happy! Don’t forget your licenses.

IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR PLEASE TELEPHONE ME AND I WILL ARRANGE THAT IT IS DEFINATELY THERE FOR YOU TO EXAMINE AT CLOSE QUARTERS.

See you there!

Comments Off on Look out theres a Pheonix about!

It won’t be long and I will be offering 3 K98 scoped rifles for sale so watch this space carefully….

Information so far……

Mauser Model K98 Rifle with Custom Turret Scope Assembly. This rifle is serial number 25921. In standard 8mm (7.92). It has the laminated stock with a 24″ round blued barrel. Standard fitting Rear military sight graduated to 2000 meters. Hooded front sight. “H” -shaped nose-cap, steel butt-plate, bolt dis-assembly ring in stock. Waffenamps and eagle firing proofs on barrel and receiver. Cleaning rod. “40Do59” on top of the barrel, “MOD 98” on receiver and “WaA655” on barrel, butt-plate, rear sight and trigger guard.

The scope is a Commercial Zeiss type, marked on top with “Carl Zeiss, Jena, Zielvier” and numbered “38757” with good clear optics. Using the high turret mount system.  Price £2085.00

WW2 Gustloff-Werke “bcd” Code 98K Mauser with Scope 8mm (7.92) caliber. S/n XX3824.  Laminated Stock, 24″ round barrel. Receiver marked “bcd” over 41. Converted for double claw set up. Scope marked “NO6362” and “C.Reichert Wien” and has commercial quick release mounts. Numbers match except safety and has marked leather sling.  80% of finish remaining on rifle. Stock excellent. A good shootable example of a usable K98 Sniper.   Price £1985.00

Mauser K98 Model Service Rifle with Scope. S/n 35910g Standard 7.92mm caliber. 24″ round barrel. Blued Steel butt-plate with dis-assembly ring in stock. Blued action and barrel, standard ram sights graduated to 2000m. Eagle firing proofs on the barrel and receiver. The “Eagle/153” on the barrel and “MOD.98” on the side wall. Double mounts and a commercial Zeiss scope. The scope is marked “Carl /Zeiss/Jena/Zielvier/nr45895” and “ERNST STEIGLER BERLIN” On the stock it is marked with the “Eagle/swastica” over “H”. All visable numbers match, most markings highlighted in white. Scope optics are very good. Price £2150  

U.S. WW2 Remington 1903A4 Sniper rifle.  s/n 4997333. .30-06 cal. Walnut stock, parkerised finish. Manufactured by the Remington Arms co’. Receiver marked “U.S.REMINGTON MODEL 03A3” on the left and the serial number on the right. The barrel is marked “R.A./Ordenance Bomb/1-44”. Stamped parts, proofed stock with “RRA-C”. Original US M84 scope with clear sharp optics. 95-97% of the G.I. parkerized finish is still intact. Stock is fine. Mechanically good.  £4125.00

Comments Off on 3 K98 Mauser Snipers & an Remington 03A4 Arrived !

Well Folks I am proud to present Four of the Best Krags I have Ever Laid Eyes ON!

These have been in the pipe-line for a while now but it was worth the wait. Each rifle is excellent order and the Carbine just leaves you driblling. I will get round to writing up a full report on each one of them – I have only done one of them at the moment (see FAC Rifles page) but, they are all in similarly excellent condition.

Dont miss your chance to get hold of a fantastic piece of military hardwear before they are swallowed up by collectors and dont see the light of day for some time.

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Well Folks thats the next event. Come and see us at the HBSA Tent overthe weekend of the 11th & 12th July. I’ll be there with a full selection of interesting and unusual firearms and collectibles for you to look at. If you see anything you would specifically like to see at the meeting please let me know and I will make sure its there for you.

Otherwise, lets all have a great time at the Imperial.

See you there….

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