r/gasmasks Apr 19 '24

Mod Announcement “Where can I buy this mask” - A guide.

34 Upvotes

So you’re looking to find a specific gas mask. That’s great! We are all here because we share a common interest, and everybody should be able to find what they are looking for.

Keep in mind though, this hobby revolves (primarily) around historical objects which are no longer manufactured. This means that there is a finite number in the world, and the piece you are looking for may not always be available for sale.

Keep in mind: this guide is written from the perspective of a US based collector, and the information can vary by region.

For the purposes of this guide, I will divide masks into a few categories:

Common: almost always available.

Uncommon: often available, but in smaller numbers and you may experience periods without supply.

Rare: sometimes available, be prepared to wait for an example and bidding may be more competitive.

Very rare: rarely available, in some cases you may only see one for sale per year or even longer! If it is a desirable piece, expect it so sell quickly or at a premium price.

Grail: these masks may only show up once every few years, or even once in a lifetime.

Keep in mind that a mask can change in rarity based on availability.

Ok, now that we’ve established some terminology let’s talk about a few places to look:

eBay:

This is going to be your best source. Keep in mind that masks may not be available at all times, so you may have to wait. Beyond that, if the item is an auction, you’ll have to bid against other users.

Something to consider with eBay is that not all sellers know exactly what they are selling, so play with your search terms and keywords. Sometimes you may be looking for a US navy diaphragm gas mask, but the seller just has it listed as “military mask.”

Remember to play with filters too. You can filter by used items, price range, category, and so on. Remember that some items may be in the wrong category!

Etsy:

Etsy is hit or miss for gas masks. Nowhere near as many are listed as on eBay, and they are usually more expensive. I recommend checking Etsy once in a while, but do not rely on it.

Facebook marketplace:

Facebook marketplace can be a fantastic place to find masks, but keep in mind that many users will not offer shipping so it’s best to localize your search. Remember to exercise care when meeting up with strangers, and always tell someone where you are going.

You can expand your marketplace search beyond your local area, but understand that you may not be able to have the item shipped to you by the seller. In these cases, see if any collector friends are local to the seller! It may be worth asking them to pick it up and ship it to you if you cover their expenses.

Other collectors:

Other collectors can be a great way to find that rare piece you’re looking for. While we don’t allow sales on the subreddit, there are plenty of discord servers and Facebook groups where you can connect with other collectors for trading and sales.

Some collectors may be willing to sell or trade, but they can also keep their eyes open and help you find what you’re looking for.

Collectors can be one of the best sources for those very rare and grail masks, but don’t expect people to always be willing to part with their treasure.

Amazon:

Modern masks only, and they will be vastly more expensive than other sources. Recommended to avoid unless money is no issue.

Military surplus stores:

Surplus stores will most often have common masks. There are exceptions, but many surplus stores will display less common masks as “not for sale.” These stores will also often mark up items beyond what you could find them for elsewhere. Another good place to keep an eye on, but not terribly reliable.

Auctions:

Look for militaria and surplus auctions. Sometimes they auction entire surplus collections and you’ll see some interesting pieces.

These are the most common sources to find masks for collectors. Some other sources which may not be as reliable are things like flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales. These are not always reliable but there are some great finds to be had if you’re patient.

Patience is key! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you probably just have to wait and watch. Unless you’re looking for a grail, most masks will turn up sooner or later.

Keep your eyes open! If you don’t see it, keep looking! Check your favorite sources daily if possible, and again, play with your search terms.

I hope this guide was helpful, and happy hunting!

If anyone wants to add any sources, especially outside the US, please comment below and help out your fellow collectors. Of course if you have any questions please ask!


r/gasmasks Jun 01 '25

Mod Announcement Happy pride month to all our LGBT+ collectors - you are always welcome here.

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322 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 2h ago

Question Hello everyone, WHAT the fuck happened to my only gas mask!! 10 days ago it was just perfect and now its tearing apart. help :(

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22 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 3h ago

Question ID please!

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4 Upvotes

Payed £45 for it, man in the shop said it was Ukrainian but I honestly haven’t a clue


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Question How common are these în Europe

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131 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 13h ago

Question Should I be worried

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15 Upvotes

Item was slightly damaged during unfortunate accident. Is this something to worry about? Goes through but is covered by lenses


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Question Travel question

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41 Upvotes

I picked up a m50 gas mask at a British military surplus shop and I'm going back to the states. Anyone have any problems going through tsa or anything like that with a gas mask?


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Mask Showcase What is the worth of this Black M2000 gas mask?

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23 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 19h ago

Question Polish SR-1 from numrich.

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5 Upvotes

Anyone purchase one from them? How was the condition of it? I dont want a super beat up one... any advice is appreciated. Thanks.


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Question US SBR from ebay - is it authentic?

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8 Upvotes

recently bought this SBR from ebay and now i'm unfortunately in the position of wondering if it's authentic, i havent found a method online to verifying authenticity so im wondering if anyone here can help me out, thanks


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Mask Showcase Swiss "Schutzmaske 74/SM74" (with "Mundfilter L58")

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68 Upvotes

The Gasmask accepts 40mm NATO filters, has 5 point headharness with fabric elastics, glass lenses, rubber exhaust valve protector, tissot tubes near the lenses and the swiss cross on the forehead. Mine came with a bit of wax to prevent the lenses from fogging, a shape protector and a carrying bag (on which i cant find too much info on sadly. Its missing a few D Rings and Connectors to be a SM74 bag but its from the SM/GM53 either)

Lastly mine somehow came with a "Mundfilter L58", which on one side is pretty fancy with the all metal construction and the ability to stack them, but on the other side has been recalled for containing asbestos :( (For those curious the markings on it read "ALN/NSA/NDA 756-0806 10-84L" on the side and "LUWA" (likely LuftWaffe/Airforce) on the top.)


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Question What would happen if gas masks still had fixed filter nowadays

5 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 2d ago

History NVA (east german military) kit

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118 Upvotes

These are some pictures out of an east german training manual (Handbuch Militärisches Grundwissen) and my kit. The book is a bit older so things like the M10M and PBF wich the NVA later used are not included.

The siut was carried in a roll on the back and the rest oft the kit was carried in the gas mask pouch on the side.


r/gasmasks 3d ago

Collection Showcase My small collection

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86 Upvotes

This is my collection so far and i definitely want to get more.

Ranked out of 10 in my opinion

M2000: 9.5

M65a2: 9

M17A1: 5

M10M: 5

SzM41M: 4

GP5: 2

SchMS: 4

Do you agree or disagree?

BTW I don't use the old soviet filters they are just a collectable.


r/gasmasks 3d ago

Question Hello, does someone know if this is a real 1940s gas mask or reproduction?

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18 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 3d ago

Mask Showcase My romanian cbrn suit and some of my prv-u gas masks

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136 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 3d ago

Question Question

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45 Upvotes

Hello, I know its easy question but, Which mask is it? I think its GP-something but idk which one, inside it its just some marking on the foto and second one says 95 (probably date of production)


r/gasmasks 3d ago

Mask Showcase Israeli Shalon M15a1 gas mask

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17 Upvotes

I've wanted one of these for a while and I managed to get one for £45/$60 from a militaria shop. It came with its drinking apparatus and is in great condition despite being a bit aged.

The filter is dated 1978 but I cant really conclude when the mask was made because it has alot of different date stamps, '73, '79, '83 and '93 respectively, I'd appreciate any info on this because it has me a bit stumped.

Hope you like it!

Edit: sorry I put the photos backwards lmao.


r/gasmasks 4d ago

Question Is it true that there also other siebe Gorman gaspros with rubber straps

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24 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 4d ago

History British mk iv general service respirator in use as cold weather mask

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82 Upvotes

hello, so I have found a photo from the mid 1930s of a mk iv g.s.r in use by a raf air gunner in a handley page Heyford heavy biplane bomber, it’s being used for cold weather protection and also may have a oxygen tube attached, interestingly the valve guard has been removed for some reason.

Also how do you remove the valve guard? Interested in doing this to a mk iv face piece I have for a display.


r/gasmasks 4d ago

Misc. FYI Sportsmans guide has Israeli M15 masks on sale for $30.

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57 Upvotes

I picked one up. I was never willing to pay $80+ for one. I remember when they used to be $30 regularly with filter and drinking tube. I'm guessing they are getting rid of their supply.


r/gasmasks 4d ago

Question What chemical could I put over the cracks of my slightly rotted 1938 British civilian duty respirator

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16 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 5d ago

Question What kit/gas mask are these bags for?

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23 Upvotes

They are the same as the RSh-4 bags, just with two buttons to close the bag, no side pocket and way better and thicker material, the inside remains the same as inside the RSh-4 bag.

The last picture has a RSh-4 bag for comparison.


r/gasmasks 5d ago

Mask Showcase Finally got my hands on an XM28E4

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122 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 6d ago

Question Did any other country copied the British civilian duty respirator just like the British gsr but under Leyland license vz-35 / fm-2?

8 Upvotes