[kraigwy]

I dont think people are greedy. Its supply and demand. There are fewer surplus rifles now and the demand has sky rocketed.

The biggest cause of the increase in demand is the CMP Shooting Games. Every since 1996 when the Army's DCM was turned over to civilian Management, the program was expanded. The Army was limited to yearly Defense Budgets for their programs, the CMP wasn't (isnt) tied to the federal budget, funded instead by sales of surplus rifles and related equipment.

Instead of just matches using the current service rifles, the CMP went to Garand Matches, Springfields, other Military Rifle Matches, Carbines, etc.

This got more shooters involved and these shooters needed the old surplus rifles to compete.

Most when attending the CMP GSM Games dont just shoot one match, but all or most of them. I take a pickup full my self, shooting the Garand, Springfield, MIlitary (with a M1917 or US Krag), Carbine and Vintage Sniper Matches.

When I figure out scheduling better I'll add in some vintage Pistol Matches also.

I'm just one person. Thats a 5 rifle requirement. Think about the hundreds of shooters and the numbers going up every year.

So the numbers of available rifles is decreasing so prices will go up. They arnt going to go down. I bought my first Garand for $112.70, my last one in Dec for $630 last Dec. The lowest price I see now on the CMP Site is $750.

Wasnt long ago I bought a Mosin for the then common price of $99. Look at them now.

In the late 60s, the Springfield Trapdoors in this area (Eastern Wyoming/Western South Dakota) were a dime a dozen. When I moved back after 22 years in Alaska I had to pay $800 plus for a good quality Mode 1873 Trapdoor, more for the older 50-70 Version.

Moral of the story, dont wait, the prices wont go anywhere but up. But we can pretty much say the same thing about everything else.