Deutsche Optik, interesting military surplus collection at fair prices

I love me some European army surplus, but the days of finding loads of inexpensive Baltic pants for a tenner is pretty far gone. Too many people like it and the supplies are dwindling. However, Deutsche Optik manages to have a very nice selection of vintage surplus, both clothing and gadgetry, and their prices aren't that bad.

Unless you buy the "Carl Zeiss-Jena Rangefinder Observation Binocular EM-61-P", which is now on sale for just $500. And heck, that might even be a good price. I'm not exactly versed in the ways of WWII-era optics.

There's also poison flasks, bronze busts of a young, possible deformed Yuri Gagarin, and Swiss Army Carrier Pigeon Message Belly-Packs.

Army Surplus catalog [DeutscheOptik.com] (Thanks, Ricardo, you marvelous bastard!)

[#1 posted by diluded000 , October 17, 2008 9:54 AM]

Surplus Shed is waaay better (and cheaper too):

http://www.surplusshed.com/

[#2 posted by Anonymous , October 17, 2008 10:27 AM]

Here's another great source for some surplus, and they have all kinds of other great stuff too!
a Makers paradise if ever I saw one.

http://www.sciplus.com/

[#3 posted by dculberson , October 17, 2008 10:32 AM]

That rangefinder is amazing. It would be an incredible piece to have in my hypothetical warehouse loft.

[#4 posted by cha0tic , October 17, 2008 5:57 PM]

Bastard. I was bemoaning the lack of proper Surplus stores the othr day, except for Anchor in Nottingham. Nothing beats that Oily, Mildewed canvas smell and boxes of WTF is this? Whole afternoon of browsing.

Thanks for the internet version(s) (because of reader links.) Only thing missing is the smell.

[#5 posted by ackpht , October 19, 2008 11:48 PM]

Deutsche Optik changed owners a few years ago and is now a lot less focused on mil-surplus European optics than they used to be. But they're the first place to look for top-drawer stuff like the above.

Surplus Shed has good prices but most of their stuff is components (like lenses and filters) rather than complete units. They do have aerial cameras once in a while.

For everyday surplus like fatigues and sleeping bags, my favorite is Cheaper Than Dirt (similar to Sportman's Guide but better prices)- but they're not much for mil-surplus optics.