Once more unto the breach…

To anyone reading this post,
Welcome to “Around the Ammo Can”. This blog is dedicated to providing a space for respectful discussion of the shooting sports, in particular the realm of surplus firearms and goods. The aim, is to create intelligent and entertaining posts and in turn allow any readers to voice their opinions or ask/answer questions. Who knows though, from time to time we may step away from surplus arms and delve deeper into the history behind the military conflicts that created the need for them. One area I never intend to delve into on this page is politics. Everyone has their own opinions when it comes to legislation and politicians, it just becomes too messy and too heated to discuss on a public medium.
Now, for a little background on myself in regards to this hobby. The first gun I ever fired was a Remington 597 chambered in 22LR. It was a good introduction to guns: low recoil, pretty quiet, rather durable, magazine fed and most importantly…cheap. When I was in college my roommate, and good friend, convinced me that I should go shooting with him (something I had not done in a good 5-6 years). We went out to shoot and I was quickly introduced to a Mosin Nagant. From there it was all history, a couple of years and several guns later, I was fully enthralled in Curio and Relic firearms. Today I am the proud owner of several C&R firearms, with a desire for more, as well as several contemporary firearms.
So, why do this? Why buy old, “used” guns? The answer is not simple. 1) History. Every true C&R firearm you can purchase has history. Even if the gun was not used, the model was involved in a war. Arms like the Mosin Nagant, the Mauser, the Enfield, the AK-47, all of these have been involved in more than one military conflict. These weapons were depended on by their users to protect their lives, and the freedom of their countries. 2) Price. The cost of these firearms are usually significantly cheaper than modern counterparts of similar quality, and the ammo (whether bought in surplus or new loads) are typically cheaper than more modern cartridges. 3)Fun. C&R firearms are just fun to shoot. You can go to the range and shoot for longer, the cost of the rounds plays a factor. Each gun has a unique feel, recoil and rapport to it.
This about wraps up my post for the time being, having started to run out of words to fill it. The next post will loosely center around the question, Why buy surplus? I know I touched on it just now, but the next post will be more in depth and look at C&R firearms for beginners and for hunters as well.