I meet Mark Christian yesterday
I had a lunch time meeting with former GB member Mark Christian in order to discuss the possible purchase of an M1 rifle. For those who don't recall, Mark was a very popular GB member (even more popular after he gave a way an M1 rifle [:p]) who ran afoul of a small group of folks here who decided to make his life miserable and caused him to leave and go elsewhere. This meeting proved to be so entertaining that I invited Mark to my home for dinner and the two of us chatted well into the evening about firearms and travel. I was surprised that Mark had visited Krakow a few times (where my mother was born) and spoke some fair Polish. He'd also been to Croatia (where my dad was born) as well as many other countries which I had also visited. I found Mark to be rather soft spoken but willing, if allowed, to go into the details of a subject he was familiar with to any length the listener desired and I learned PLENTY about the M1 Rifle in just an hour of listening to Mark. I decided to make the purchase, but with the stupid gun laws here in California it will be a ten day wait for my new toy, a nice H&R M1.
Here is information that Mark told me it was okay to pass along to his friends who are here on Gun Broker: He has pretty much retired from being a firearms dealer after taking a position with an international arms brokerage firm a couple of years back. He spends one third of his time here in the States, one third in Eastern Europe and the remaining time in Central America. Man, that sounds like a rough life to me! He purchased a home in Sofia Bulgaria as well as having a place in Panama City which is under construction and he plans to retire and split his time between Panama and Bulgaria around 2010. This is the same time I'll be retired in Italy so I hope to see a lot of him at my home on Lake Como in a few more years. Mark has been selling off a large portion of his firearms collection and much of it has been sold right here on Gun Broker. Not that he needs a plug, but I suppose if you want to buy any of his guns you may want to look around for his listings on the auction site. On the whole this was a very nice meeting and I can see why those who have met the man face to face have left impressed with Mark. For those here who continue to dislike the man you are only punishing the rest of us by keeping him and his knowledge away from our site.
Here is information that Mark told me it was okay to pass along to his friends who are here on Gun Broker: He has pretty much retired from being a firearms dealer after taking a position with an international arms brokerage firm a couple of years back. He spends one third of his time here in the States, one third in Eastern Europe and the remaining time in Central America. Man, that sounds like a rough life to me! He purchased a home in Sofia Bulgaria as well as having a place in Panama City which is under construction and he plans to retire and split his time between Panama and Bulgaria around 2010. This is the same time I'll be retired in Italy so I hope to see a lot of him at my home on Lake Como in a few more years. Mark has been selling off a large portion of his firearms collection and much of it has been sold right here on Gun Broker. Not that he needs a plug, but I suppose if you want to buy any of his guns you may want to look around for his listings on the auction site. On the whole this was a very nice meeting and I can see why those who have met the man face to face have left impressed with Mark. For those here who continue to dislike the man you are only punishing the rest of us by keeping him and his knowledge away from our site.
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Checked my pooplist he ain't on it!!! 0 -
So, will the M-1 be a shooter, or a closet queen? [}:)][;)][:D][:D]
10 days?
No FTF sales for rifles in Cali?0 -
No face to face sales here since about 1990! I don't have a C&R so I have to buy the M1 just like a modern firearm and the 10 day wait applies. This rifle should be a great shooter but the nearest high power range is nearly a two hour drive from my home so the M1 may spend most of it's time in my safe [V]. 0 -
Oh man... Sofia in Bulgaria... that's a pretty nice place too. =o)
Wonderfull in the summer, I know that.. you can lounge by the sea all day.. it's fairly cheap compared to other places, but it has some really nice/high end areas too. =o)
Great to hear he's doing good, eventhough I know where he roams around.0 -
Yup Marks a good guy, and very knowledgeable, a little eccentric, but aren't we all???
If you talk to him again tell him Pa said hello!!!0 -
Panama and Bulgaria? Maybe my ignorance is showing but these don't sound like nice places to visit let alone retire there. What do I not know about Panama and Bulgaria that makes them attractive retirement locations?
I have been to Italy and it was beautiful to visit but I can't think of anyplace other than the U.S. where I would want to live.
Of course, ask me again after the Wicked Witch of the East becomes president. I may be ready to move to any third-world Hell hole by then.0 -
quote:Originally posted by pabooger
Yup Marks a good guy, and very knowledgeable, a little eccentric, but aren't we all???
If you talk to him again tell him Pa said hello!!!
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quote:Originally posted by kristov
No face to face sales here since about 1990! I don't have a C&R so I have to buy the M1 just like a modern firearm and the 10 day wait applies.
Even with C&R, unless you get COE, which is about $125 annually, you still have to wait 10 days on ANY firearms and do the DROS and pay $25 to the state. That's is if you purchase through a dealer. Any long gun over 50 years old I believe doesn't require any paper work when it's a private party sale.0 -
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
Panama and Bulgaria? Maybe my ignorance is showing but these don't sound like nice places to visit let alone retire there. What do I not know about Panama and Bulgaria that makes them attractive retirement locations?
I have been to Italy and it was beautiful to visit but I can't think of anyplace other than the U.S. where I would want to live.
Of course, ask me again after the Wicked Witch of the East becomes president. I may be ready to move to any third-world Hell hole by then.
No maybe about it.
Clouder..0 -
Mark was one of the good guy's here on GB when their was a lot of good people here. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by thesneakyrussian
quote:Originally posted by kristov
No face to face sales here since about 1990! I don't have a C&R so I have to buy the M1 just like a modern firearm and the 10 day wait applies.
Even with C&R, unless you get COE, which is about $125 annually, you still have to wait 10 days on ANY firearms and do the DROS and pay $25 to the state. That's is if you purchase through a dealer. Any long gun over 50 years old I believe doesn't require any paper work when it's a private party sale.
That sounds pretty much like the way it was explained to me by Mark and I just went along with him and did as he instructed, why not? We talked quite a bit about GB members past and present and the ONLY people he talked about over here were the ones who he called his friends, which has included those who have posted on this thread so far. He said nothing negative about anyone, nor did he bash Gun Broker and I guess this is because he told me he's been using the GB auctions to sell his guns. He spoke very highly about Saxon Pig, whom he refered to as Dr. Pig, and I saw no reason to bring up the rather disparaging comments Mr. Pig had made about him of late.0 -
Where are his garands?[:)][:)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by pabooger
Yup Marks a good guy, and very knowledgeable, a little eccentric, but aren't we all???
I had a minor exchange with him on the forum here that caused me to describe him not as "eccentric," but as having an "immature" streak.
The way he went back through the forums and deleted his previous posts (which caused the threads to all to be bumped to the top of the forum) when he left demonstrated this immaturity. It was a shame that he pulled his posts since many of them had excellent information.
No question about his tremendous knowledge on many subjects. I was disappointed that he couldn't just "agree to disagree" (or ignore) those he had differences of opinion with. Instead he took the "childish" response of "never-ever talking to any us here again." His choice though. (I disagree with kritov's comment that "...a small group of folks here....decided to make his life miserable and caused him to leave and go elsewhere." I don't recall any attempts to "make his life miserable" -- there were disagreements, but that is normal on forums like this. He decided he didn't like the argument and left.)
Glad to hear he's doing well. I'd love to see him start contributing to the forums again. Maybe after he retires, he'll get bored and join in the discussions here again.0 -
Do they have internet in them 3rd world coountries..[:0][:0][:o)][:o)] 0 -
kristov, Glad you got to meet Mark, he's a great guy and a good friend. Just make sure he gets the bar tab when he's drinking Sam Adams![:D] 0 -
Kristov,
Next time you speak to Mark, please tell him the MAJORITY of us wish he would come back and we think the world of him both as a person and as a gun (especially M1) expert.
I personally wish him well, but I do wish he would grace us with his presence again. If nothing else, just to stop in and say hello.
God bless Mark and his family.0 -
quote:Originally posted by select-fire
Do they have internet in them 3rd world coountries..[:0][:0][:o)][:o)]
Yup, thanks to Algore.0 -
next time anyone sees him ask him if he found an ak-47 that's c&r eligible, or class three for me{inside joke}
i liked mark allot, i think the people who had issues with him where out of pure jealously, and ego, i admired him and his way of life, he wasn't born with the knowledge he possesses, he learned it, and earned it, and achieved his lifestyle, and was probably the single best asset the forum ever had0 -
My son and I met Mark about 5 years ago at the Shot Show in Vegas. Next time you see him please say we both said hello. 0 -
quote:there were disagreements, but that is normal on forums like this. He decided he didn't like the argument and left.)
Glad to hear he's doing well. I'd love to see him start contributing to the forums again. Maybe after he retires, he'll get bored and join in the discussions here again.
It went farther than just a GB argument. I believe I know Mark well enough to say he won't ever post here again because of it.0 -
Mark had good solid information and I miss that. I am glad he is doing well. What handle does he sell under on the auction side? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by TRAP55
It went farther than just a GB argument. I believe I know Mark well enough to say he won't ever post here again because of it.
Maybe I missed something that happened -- so much got deleted by both Mark and the moderators and I always have long absences from the forum and never read every thread.
Do you have a two-paragraph version of what happened that caused him to decide to leave?0 -
Glad to hear Mark is doing well. I hope he enjoys retirement when he gets there. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by BHAVIN
What handle does he sell under on the auction side?
You might try.......mark christian.....[;)]0 -
quote:Originally posted by competentone
quote:Originally posted by TRAP55
It went farther than just a GB argument. I believe I know Mark well enough to say he won't ever post here again because of it.
Maybe I missed something that happened -- so much got deleted by both Mark and the moderators and I always have long absences from the forum and never read every thread.
Do you have a two-paragraph version of what happened that caused him to decide to leave?
nasty emails, threats, blackhorn0 -
quote:Originally posted by competentone
quote:Originally posted by TRAP55
It went farther than just a GB argument. I believe I know Mark well enough to say he won't ever post here again because of it.
Maybe I missed something that happened -- so much got deleted by both Mark and the moderators and I always have long absences from the forum and never read every thread.
Do you have a two-paragraph version of what happened that caused him to decide to leave?
There were certain individuals who disliked Mark so much, that they posted his personal address and phone number here on the forum. It was at that time, that Mark decided he did not need the grief and torment involved with this forum.
I count Mark as a personal friend (we get together at the Big Reno show as often as our schedules permit), and he has a standing invitation to use my table at the Reno show whenever he would like.0 -
I miss him.
Doug0 -
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Man, that Whiteclouder just cracks me up! How about the rest of you? Are you as overwhelmed with his towering wit as I am?
Jeez, what a brainy guy he is! I feel so lucky to just be around such a clever guy. Really, I don't know how he does it. The utter magnitude of his intelligence... and the way he is so giving to share it with us... even when we don't ask him to do it.
What a pleasure it is to read his words of pure wisdom! What a benefit it is to have on the forum. What would we do without him?
Everybody should join me in giving him a standing ovation for his intellectual and griping contributions.
Seriously Whiteclouder, I used to respect you and enjoy your posts. But now you sound bitter and sarcastic. You seem to just lurk looking for an opportunity to insult and belittle. I asked a serious question and your response was a personal dig... and a pretty lame one, at that. You can't even muster an intelligent insult, any more.
Now, do you want to explain to me why Panama and Bulgaria are attractive retirement locations or is dimwitted sarcasm all you have to offer?0 -
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Man, that Whiteclouder just cracks me up! How about the rest of you? Are you as overwhelmed with his towering wit as I am?
Jeez, what a brainy guy he is! I feel so lucky to just be around such a clever guy. Really, I don't know how he does it. The utter magnitude of his intelligence... and the way he is so giving to share it with us... even when we don't ask him to do it.
What a pleasure it is to read his words of pure wisdom! What a benefit it is to have on the forum. What would we do without him?
Everybody should join me in giving him a standing ovation for his intellectual and griping contributions.
Seriously Whiteclouder, I used to respect you and enjoy your posts. But now you sound bitter and sarcastic. You seem to just lurk looking for an opportunity to insult and belittle. I asked a serious question and your response was a personal dig... and a pretty lame one, at that. You can't even muster an intelligent insult, any more.
Now, do you want to explain to me why Panama and Bulgaria are attractive retirement locations or is dimwitted sarcasm all you have to offer?
Are you going to poof yourself since Nunn asked us all to be "nice" to each other?0 -
I have never been to Bulgaria (although I did visit Romania) so I have no clue as to why Mark wants to spend his time there other than the fact he likes the place and had told us about Bulgaria many times. Then again I have no clue as to why someone would chose to live in Arkansas! I do know quite a bit about Panama because a few of my wife's colleges have chosen Panama (and Costa Rica) as their retirement destination. Panama has a cost of living running about 60% of living in Miami, which has a climate much like Panama City. Panama is outside of the hurricane belt, has top quality medical care (a concern for retirees) decent roads, good water and English is widely spoken and understood. The BIG plus is that Panama uses the US Dollar as it's defacto currency so you lose nothing on exchange, and since the Dollar is in the toilet overseas this is very important. Hell, even a guy with a post graduate degree in a near useless subject could do fairly well retiired in Panama [;)] 0
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