What's up with all the "rare" rifles showing up??

[Gsragtop]

It seems that a good number of the current imports (at least from Molot) seem to be DDR, ex sniper, and MOs.. It seems these were "rare" or at least uncommon for years, but now the market is flooded with them. Ok maybe flooded is not the right word, but they sure do seem to be a lot of them, at least more then one would expect.. So what gives?? Why so many all of a sudden??

[millman]

The Molots are coming out of Russia. We are used to seeing the Ukrainian imports. It just might be that all of the rare ones we were seeing, are really common as dirt, and the Ukrainian stuff (the old normal) is the anomaly. Nobody knows for sure. That is certain.

[Dan4good]

hmm?

[etprescottazusa91]

Opening up the warehouses does sometimes have an effect on rarity (and price) sometimes. When I was a teenager in the 80's Swiss rifles especially the K31 were on the scarce side and back then pretty expensive. Many years later during the first part of the last decade $109.00 bucks for one, who would have guessed?

[Titanium Hammer]

The Molots are coming out of Russia. We are used to seeing the Ukrainian imports. It just might be that all of the rare ones we were seeing, are really common as dirt, and the Ukrainian stuff (the old normal) is the anomaly. Nobody knows for sure. That is certain.

+1

[bunkysdad]

Completely agree with Millman. That is one reason I don't knock the Molots. First of all I just don't know but the fact that they come straight from Russia is what peaks my curiosity the most.

[Miller Tyme]

Completely agree with Millman. That is one reason I don't knock the Molots. First of all I just don't know but the fact that they come straight from Russia is what peaks my curiosity the most.

+2 We are finally seeing what is still sitting in Russian Depots and I am of the opinion that it may not last as long as the Ukranian imports so it wouldn't be wise IMHO to wait on purchasing an uncommon one if you get the chance.

[sgtheindl]

http://www.shotgunnews.com/2012/04/26/r ... lion-guns/ We might not see Russian imports for much longer.

[Junk Yard Dog]

If I had a suspicious mind I might be thinking dark thoughts of added stampings put there to increase a rifles sales appeal by unscrupulous sellers.....Wait a minute, I do have a suspicious mind.
Ukraine, Russia, all of these rifles are Soviet, and were produced by neither of the current countries ( in theory) At one time they were both the USSR and these rifles would have been stored in every corner of that vast country, all with a similar mix of markings.

[TopperT]

YUP!

[bocephus]

I too think it's because these Rifles are coming from Russia now.

A quick google make it look like the Molot factory is here, you've got Moscow to the west and Izhevsk to the East so they're right up in the mix of things.

[Junk Yard Dog]

During the Cold War Ukraine, being closer to the west, would have been more in the mix of things, and were much equipment was prepositioned to ward off, or start an invasion from, or against western forces on Europe. I would guess that the current crop out of Russia is coming from similar communist era stashes that were around the country with a mix of police turn in rifles and so on. The only question would be whatever Molot might do to them before shipping them over. We know about the Ukraine hoard, we see the big crates, we know were they came from, we can be confident that the rifles have not been messed with except for the import mark since the Soviets stashed them. We have no such information about the Molots inside Russia, and I wouldn't hold my breath expecting any. The Molots seem to be handled more on a rifle by rifle basis, no 20 rifle crates, it's possible they are sorting them by markings, or even adding a few to make you buy them. It's not as if any of these markings would be hard to fake, American Bubbas can do it also so I would avoid paying a premium price for any MO, DDR, or whatever marking.

[walnut red]

It couldn't be that the Russians would keep the best examples in Mother Russia and sent the second and third tier rifles to the satellite countries. No, that would never happen.

[qz2026]

Gosh, I would hate to find out that Molot was stamping the DDR's and MO's and performing other devious acts themselves. I suppose that theory is as creditable and any other since we flat don't know. Molot could also have skimmed the cream off the top as well. All I know is that they come up with some pretty fantastic stuff. I have one of their M-44's only because of the zigzag stock repair was too cool to pass up.

[bunkysdad]

I won't have to worry about any of that. I never have paid extra to get any stampings. I could care less if the rifle has multiple dates or a 1 in a triangle or a gap under the rear sight or red letters if it costs extra. If it doesn't cost extra then it's game on!:P

[zeebill]

The Molots are coming out of Russia. We are used to seeing the Ukrainian imports. It just might be that all of the rare ones we were seeing, are really common as dirt, and the Ukrainian stuff (the old normal) is the anomaly. Nobody knows for sure. That is certain.

Wow that is sage advice and comment! I agree and have been spouting this for years. This is another good reason I stay almost completely away from refurbs unless I can move them fast and make seed money for other rifles I really want. With a refurb I will be first to admit we at the present time do not really know what the real value of it will be in 20 years as more and more will be brought out of the Com-bloc countries and are maybe assembled by modern entities for profit. You just have to make your decisions and go with what floats your boat I guess?

As far as the 4 million Russia is going to melt down they are for most part more modern rifles and parts so I think we need not worry about Mosins being in there to a great number. Bill

[Darryl]

[sgtheindl]

We're just talking about motorcycles right guys???


Molot Motorcycle.

[Gsragtop]

I don't think they are faking stamps, most look like they have been there a while with many having been reblued after the stamp and then re worn again.. I guess the Russian vs Ukraine hords make some sence as well.

I wonder if they will ever update the rarity scale on that other web page, because I know many people use it as a guide.

[qz2026]

I don't know that I every use the rarity scale anyway. I use the Tom's coolness scale. The problem is the two overlap