Posted on 10/13/2016 4:19:09 PM PDT by vannrox
I can still remember that aroma too.
I think it was a combination of cosmoline, canvas and leather.
Addictive,,,
Yeah,I’m jonesin’
If you are passing through, take the time to visit (allow an hour or two):
BOBS ARMY NAVY STORE MOJAVE CA
Close to Edwards AFB, I suspect they have stuff from there.
Part museum, some real military, some new made clothing.
My family used to vacation on Cape Cod in the late 60’s early 70’s. There was an Army Navy surplus on main street P-town (before it became a ungodly cesspool of queers) I used to hit as a kid. It was heavy on the navy side with brass diving helmets, ship’s compasses, and other marine surplus.
Gasmasks, cartridge pouches, bayonets, etc. came home with me every summer.
I was too young to buy guns but recall seeing a 12 ga. street sweeper displayed on the wall.
I miss the smell.
Thanks for posting this at it triggered TONS of pleasant memories.
I was in the 1951 Navy and lived in NYC. Even back then I was into early firearms, Civil War in particular, and the next time I was on leave, decided to check out Bannermans.
As I walked in, this old wizened guy at a table looked up and said “Sailor! There’s a horse by that name running in the Third at Monmouth” and scribbled something on his notepad. The guy said his name was Butch Woerfel, had been a sparring partner with Jack Dempsey, and showed me a yellowed clipping to prove it.
There was another guy named Jimmy Hogan, who had one arm and with whom I later on did a lot of trading - I would take rusty old muskets (dime a dozen) and polish them up, then trade them in for parts, etc. Standouts were mint M1858 Enfield bayonets at $2.00 each and 1,000 round cases of smokeless 45-70 Gatling gun ammo at $50 per case (Benicia arsenal 1903). Water damaged ones were $30. They had a Gatling gun in the window for $150, with another $150 for either a carriage or naval mount. I was sorely tempted, but lived with my folks then in a small apartment, so it was a no go.
As poster norton mentioned, the smell was intoxicating - leather, oil, metal - and all of it OLD. And, the place REEKED of history. One of the Bannerman sons (brother?) was still alive then, and his office contained a desk and a sofa from the cruiser Olympia, of the SpanAm War. The second floor was off limits as it was condemned by the city. God, we all had visions of cased mint muskets hiding up there.
There was a wall of drawers labeled with all kinds of eye-watering titles, like “Colt Revolving Rifle parts”, but alas, it had more “modern” stuff - like minty 45-70 takedown tools.
In later years, a buddy of mine and his friends were invited for a tour of the castle. His report brought tears to our eyes - rooms heaped with Union uniforms that had gotten soaked from a leak in the ceiling and were just now one huge mass of rotting cloth. The caretaker said they couldn’t wander about the grounds as it was too dangerous - Bannerman had bought some SpanAm War artillery shells that had been in a train wreck - then later found out they were an experimental shell that was armed by the shock of the discharge - and the train wreck provided that shock, hence they were cheap (!!!).
The guy also said that the castle was crumbling away because of the poor concrete used, even though they used 45-70 rifle barrels as rebar. Seems the old man had bought some barrels of cement that was seized by customs. Someone was trying to smuggle arms to Nicaragua and hid them in the barrels, and used the cheapest cement he could find.
One of his better deals was the Navy auction purchase of a large tangled ball of one-inch wire that came from the wreck of the USS Maine. No one else wanted it and he got it for a song - the rest thought he was crazy. He was - like a fox.
He cut the cable into 6-inch lengths, wrapped a small band around it with an inscription, mounted it on a small slab of steel from one of the monitors, and sold them as souvenirs at $1.00 each - the inscription said “Cable from the USS Maine”. Made a bundle. I remember he had a similar slab of monitor steel with a piece of grape shot welded on it for use as a paperweight - only $3.00. Have been looking for either of those ever since.
I TOLD you it triggered TONS of memories! :-)
I know...100% wool. Heavy as all get-out.
Our local AN store was pretty good about 15 years ago. then it just turned to crap. They imported US issue “like” junk. Every once in a while you’d get the “do not boil” boot liners or Mickey Mouse boots but all the clothing and supplies were imported Chinese crap.
I miss BLACKIE’S ARMY SURPLUS in Siloam Springs! Spent many a pay check there. He used to be on Tulsa Street, then moved out to the Bypass, then sometime in the mid 1970s closed.
Used to be some good Army Surplus stores in Springdale back in the 1950s and 1960s, along with some in New Mexico that also kept me broke.
There was several REAL GOOD ones in downtown Marysville, California back in 1967-69. It had all the goodies plus gold dredging equipment. Bought my first handguns there before the 1968 Gun Control Law went into effect. Wish I still had them. Waiting period of three days back then.
Then there was also, back in 1968, the old CAPITOL HAT AND SPORTING GOODS store in down town Little Rock that kept me poor, along with Pfifer’s Sporting Goods on Main.
One store I liked was Bob Beaver’s Hardware in Gentry, Arkansas. He had lots of old Marlin lever action rifles in .33 Winchester people had traded in. No one wanted them as the ammo was obsolete. One day around 1970 I walked into the store and ALL OF THEM WERE GONE! Some guy walked in and bought every one of them. (Bob was not well known to keep government records back then).
There was another good one in 1970 Tulsa near where I lived on West 18th st. He had lots of battlefield pickup SKS rifles that had been traded in, Ammo for them was non existent at that time.
And who can forget GARDENSWARTZ in Durango CO and Ross’s Sporting goods in Farmington NM! and those in Carlsbad and Roswell NM!
Ah the good old days!
Went to Army Surplus stores occasionally for many years. My last visit to one was about fifteen years ago to buy a machete. That store about twenty miles from my home remained open at least until about five years ago. Rode by a couple of weeks ago and it was closed.
“These days, I couldn’t care less if something is military issue or not, and if I were young enough to need more outdoor gear, I wouldn’t fool with military issue/mil-spec/mil-type”
Mostly enlisted men know that “Milspec” also means “Lowest bidder”.
So when you, yourself are out camping or hanging with some friends by the fire, the consumer grade stuff is designed perfectly for that. If you’re sitting in a hollowed out, sh!t filled log for 3 days to spot some a-hole with a beard and then report it back so your 3 days in hell can be ignored or your reports lost then you can pretty much be aligned with issued gear.
MOLLE equipment is the biggest scam in this. These vests and “systems” are utter junk, UNLESS you have a supply line behind you where you can replace it every 2 weeks.
That’s why I work on every topic from two angles: Mil-spec and American Rifleman. The Rifleman doesn’t have a supply line behind him, and should prefer the Garand over the Armalite. The AR platform is designed for guys in the field with armorers back at base, waiting for their complaints repairs and refittings.
This one has old, real stuff:
502 N Bullard St,
Silver City, New Mexico, 88061
Bring a flashlight.
That’s a Canon in the lead photo!!!
I am a surplus Junkie,
It’s harder to get a “fix” but when I find an old butt pack and Suspenders I’m good for a Month!
You would be amazed what old canvas goes for on eBay,,,,
75 bucks for marked WWII pistol belts.
Yes, I have a Bannermans catalogue,,
Reprint of course.
***I ordered a canteen cover from a “reputable” vendor who claimed it to be military issue,***
I went to a gun show several years go to look up a cheekpad for an M1-D Garand. II saw a lot of them! The seller assured me they were GENUINE military issue! “It even has the maker’s name on it!” MRT.
Anyone who knows military issue knows MRT means Mildew Resistance Treated. I did not buy from him.
Just Dang!
I think Nancy Pelosi said “We’re going to have to take things away from you for your own good.”
******************************
Rotten Hillary herself said that.
Bobs’ in Mojave,,
Got it!
bump
Remember 1970 when the Navy Pea coat became a hot stylish item for teens? The joke was the bus driver would have them stand in the back of the school bus to get off, and the coats were so long he did not have to sweep!
Yup...they went right down to the ankle.
That was a nice thing to do. I hope the lady finally got it, but you may never know.
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