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old prices...

shadowhawke
Does anyone know a source (other than collecting old magazines) for retail gun prices from 5, 10 and 15 years ago. Trying to determine investment value of modern firearms based on retail price adjusted for normal, annual cost increase.

Thanks
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • Black_Guns
    Maker's catalogs will show suggested retail prices.

    It is a common fallacy that guns in general are a good investment. By and large they are not. Buy a new gun today and it is a used gun tomorrow, with the same type of depreciation that occurs when you drive that shiny new car off the lot.

    Investment-grade firearms are limited to very specific type/brands, in high original condition. Absolute in-depth knowledge of the item and the market is the only way to avoid costly mistakes, here.

    Of course, with the stock market losing money daily, what the hell!
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  • shadowhawke
    Thanks for the heads-up. I'd agree that guns do not appear to generally be a good investment. What caught my attention was the price 9422 winchesters appear to bring. I remember buying a new Marlin 22 lever action back around 1980. Cost me about a 100 bucks. Same gun today retails for around $450. Seems like a pretty fair return if I had kept that same marlin in mint condition. I was basically examining the value in buying a rifle today, locking it away for 10 years, then seeing what it was worth. With savings accounts at 2% yeilds, the market in the dumpster and CDs no better, a guy is always looking for a way to build a small nestegg down the road. As for buying those few true investment firearms, I'd be way out of my league. Just don't have the experience and knowledge to try. Of course there is another side to it... just how long before the liberals have all but made retail gun sales (and perhaps ownership) illegal? I can imagine a time a few years from now when people are saying, "damn! wish i would have bought a gun when they were legal and $500 instead of five grand on the black market!". Hope it never happens... but let's face it... it could if certain factions in this country get their way.

    Thanks again for writing.
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  • mark christian
    The easiest way to track old retail prices is to find a used book store which has older copies of Shooters Bible, Guns Illustrated, or any of the other publications which most folks toss out on a yearly basis. Firearms can be a good investment IF you are well educated in the subject and have money to invest like you would in the stock market or mutual funds. Most good guns will hold their value, but just as Black Guns said, if you don't keep the gun in NIB condition it becomes a "used car" and of little interest to collectors. This is where the invester must part with the shooter- you can't shoot the guns you are hoping to use to make money on and still get top dollar when you sell. You'll never turn that Beretta Model 92 you use at the range twice each month into a retirement nest egg, but if you were willing to put $5000 per year into collectable firearms you'll turn a good profit when the time comes to cash in years down the road. This means reading the market and buying and selling at the right momment and then rolling the money over into something new.

    Machineguns proved to be the all time cash cow for folks who bought them 15 years ago (mine were all sold a bit too early). Foreign made assault rifles were big money makers for a few years until the clones hit (I cashed out at the right time on those) and M1 Garand values have shot up to nearly outragous levels in the past decade (I love that part) as these WWII weapons suddenly became very popular- thank you "Saving Private Ryan" and the 50th year of the end of WWII for that.

    There never seems to be enough old Colt's or Winchester's to satisfy demand and with new collectors entering that market every day these prices will continue to climb steadily. You can make money on firearms but you'll need planning, skill, and luck. I have a few plans of my own going on with what I see as outstanding buying opportunities in the market, but I am also prepared for the long haul to cash in. The black market/gun ban aspect of your post is better served over on the General Discussion side of this forum.

    Mark T. Christian
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  • shadowhawke
    Excellent thoughts on old gun prices Mr. Christian. I also agree with your comment about the "ban" comments I made. Such comments are better made in the general forum and I'll be more careful in the future. In my own defense, such comments were made in the context of obtaining expert insight into potential future value, but I do agree with you. Thanks for the help. A used book store sounds like just the ticket to find the info I wanted!

    ShadowHawke
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  • plads
    considering the idea that investments should double every 7 years that $100 Marlin in 1980n should now sell for $800. If your firearm is used it would not be a great investment. gotta buy cheap or look for collectibles. I did know a fellow that bought them to hand on to his estate upon death. what's a rifle worth in an estate? not much perhaps or maybe a lot to a collectible buyer. good luck
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  • martzkj@msn.com
    I can remember buying Garands and carbines for $175 and $125 only about 6-7 years ago. I could atleast double if not almost triple what I spent. That said, if your looking for guns to make money on. Look at buying used guns and know what your buying. You won't make a living at it. But you can make good investments. Another thing buy what you like learn them really well. This is where you will find your niche and make your best investments.
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  • queeksdraw
    A short while back I attened a gun auction. At this auction sat a little old lady in her late 80's I guess. This sale was held at a Natonal Guard Armory and lasted 2 days. Well the lady sat there and every time a gun sold she would write the amount down on a sheet of paper.

    Now there is no doubt the gun collection was that of her late husband. It included many things that go with a large accumulation gathered over a lifetime of collecting guns. Bullet Boards,Old leather holsters,many old and out of production boxes of rounds. Old molds,presses and other assorted plunder. The gentelman must have collected for many years because you could see the generations go by as they sold the guns. All were shot, some more than others.

    There was one 1911-A1 that was in an unusual caliber it brought over 4000.00 dollars. And one of two bullet boards brought over 10,000 dollars the other a smaller one brought over 7,000. The whole room stood to applaude when the bidding for the boards was done. There were many 22 colts, woodsman,targetsman,huntsman, and a few Hi-standards. Also there were some old Colt single action armys. And three tables of long guns of all different decriptions. This sale had some of everything.

    Now I am sure that the old man bought these guns at there value when he got them. I am also sure the old lady left the bulding the second day with aprx. 1.5 million dollars I do not belive the old man payed that much for the guns in his day, even taking inflation into account. So is collecting guns a worthwile endeavor? I don't know and maybe the old man didn't either. But I do know he collected his guns and shot them. And when he left this world his wife had enough money to keep her well for the rest of her life. What more could a man want a gun to do.

    You'v gota kill it to grill it
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