Guns lose value
- Thread starter Yeahya
- Start date
Every gun I ever bought was worth at least as much or more dollars than I paid. Dollars come and go, the guns I like have stayed. Haven't lost a wink of sleep over it. By the way, I have a shield I've had for years and gave 400.00 for it. Gave a lil extra to make the metal parts orange , love it!! You guys will probably hate it but that's ok.
Every gun I ever bought was worth at least as much or more dollars than I paid. Dollars come and go, the guns I like have stayed. Haven't lost a wink of sleep over it. By the way, I have a shield I've had for years and gave 400.00 for it. Gave a lil extra to make the metal parts orange , love it!! You guys will probably hate it but that's ok.
Very unique, and looks good! I like the shield and carry it often myself. I just like having the option of selling a gun and getting around 80% of what I paid for it. However, when the company undercuts the price I lose confidence in their ability to stay strong in adverse conditions (as others stated as a possible reason). I also lose confidence in their pricing standards! Then you're left with responses comparing a gun to a steak or a car. However, I don't see a 30,000 dollar cars price being cut in half at the dealership. Nor does a decent car in good shape lose half its value in one year with low miles in excellent condition. Just my opinion!
Sorry, but this isn't $30,000 car. It's a $400 (or maybe $250) gun. If you want to compare it to another consumer product, compare it to something in a more comparable price range. Like a washing machine or a computer. Think you can buy one of those today and sell it for 80% of what you paid tomorrow? Think Maytag or Hewlett Packard are devaluing their products when they have a big sale or offer a 20% rebate on them? Better yet, compare them to a set of tires - that's about the same ballpark price range. Is Firestone devaluing their product when they have a buy 3 get 1 free sale?
Prices on stuff will fluctuate based on how many of an item are available vs. how many people want to buy them. Like I said, supply and demand. When you bought yours they couldn't keep them on the shelf and they had people lined up to buy them at $400 a pop. Today they have 3 months worth of production sitting on the shelf and not enough buyers to sell them all to. So they have to discount them to move them. It is really that simple.
I'd also be about willing to bet that Gluck didn't build up a huge inventory 6 months ago, gambling that demand was going to increase due to political winds. Not to mention that their product wasn't experiencing the kind of sales demand that the Shield was this time last year.
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You are apparently laboring under the false impression that rebates and sales somehow permanently lower prices.
Here is an extensive list of firearms rebates. You are welcome to prove to yourself that rebates and sales only temporarily affect the prices of products.
Random thoughts on this topic
I think Shields are aimed at both first-time buyers and at experienced users who want a good, cheap carry pistol. In both cases, S&W has hopes they will buy more guns - more S&Ws. The first-time buyers generally aren't collectors, and don't even shoot that much: if the gun doesn't get shot much, it isn't going back to the factory for repair/customer service -- which must be very expensive for S&W when it happens.
Experienced gun owners aren't "collecting" plastic guns, but buy and sell them like tools, and generally shoot them a lot. IF (when) a new Shield 2.0 comes out, the experienced shooters (and some of the first-time buyers will become experienced shooters if they maintain interest) may just want that new version, particularly if it has some improved features. Win/Win for S&W.
The price Sig-Sauer is charging the Army for P320's is $208 per gun. That's with three magazines. The cost to make these things must be very low, and for the Army contract, there is no marketing needed! Think about what S&W is doing with the Shield -- the cost of the marketing per unit sold is at an all time low when they drop the price and everyone goes out and buys one or two!
And if people like them, and talk about them, they will sell even more of them later -- they kinda create their own demand, like VW Beetles in the 1960's, or iPhones today. Lots of gun people have more than one gun!
I just bought a Shield (for $240, counting the rebate). I would not have considered it at the old price point.
The real trend I see is more and more specialist guns, with specific desirable features - rather than one or two lines of pistols all the same. I think CNC machining, plastic frames, and modern production techniques diminished some of the economies of scale that used to make high production numbers of a given model very desirable. Maybe modern gun people like change, new ideas, and specific capabilities (think sleek single-stacks, RMR-ready full size pistols, colors, flat triggers, fiber optic sights, 9mm 1911's, new takes on the old snubby revolver such as the K6 and the Cobra, suppressors, etc.). There are definitely "fashions" in guns, too: .40 S&W and AR's are out for the moment; revolvers and single-stacks are back in; and the P320 and Shields are on fire.
I think Shields are aimed at both first-time buyers and at experienced users who want a good, cheap carry pistol. In both cases, S&W has hopes they will buy more guns - more S&Ws. The first-time buyers generally aren't collectors, and don't even shoot that much: if the gun doesn't get shot much, it isn't going back to the factory for repair/customer service -- which must be very expensive for S&W when it happens.
Experienced gun owners aren't "collecting" plastic guns, but buy and sell them like tools, and generally shoot them a lot. IF (when) a new Shield 2.0 comes out, the experienced shooters (and some of the first-time buyers will become experienced shooters if they maintain interest) may just want that new version, particularly if it has some improved features. Win/Win for S&W.
The price Sig-Sauer is charging the Army for P320's is $208 per gun. That's with three magazines. The cost to make these things must be very low, and for the Army contract, there is no marketing needed! Think about what S&W is doing with the Shield -- the cost of the marketing per unit sold is at an all time low when they drop the price and everyone goes out and buys one or two!
And if people like them, and talk about them, they will sell even more of them later -- they kinda create their own demand, like VW Beetles in the 1960's, or iPhones today. Lots of gun people have more than one gun!
I just bought a Shield (for $240, counting the rebate). I would not have considered it at the old price point.
The real trend I see is more and more specialist guns, with specific desirable features - rather than one or two lines of pistols all the same. I think CNC machining, plastic frames, and modern production techniques diminished some of the economies of scale that used to make high production numbers of a given model very desirable. Maybe modern gun people like change, new ideas, and specific capabilities (think sleek single-stacks, RMR-ready full size pistols, colors, flat triggers, fiber optic sights, 9mm 1911's, new takes on the old snubby revolver such as the K6 and the Cobra, suppressors, etc.). There are definitely "fashions" in guns, too: .40 S&W and AR's are out for the moment; revolvers and single-stacks are back in; and the P320 and Shields are on fire.
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I saw this coming when Glock came out. Also the rediculous
price on AR type rifles. ( not counting the scare prices) These
guns are designed for anti personnel use. They are made on Hi
Tech equippment of Hi Tech materials. Each one is exactly the
same as the next. They have no class or character, they are
implements made to discharge a cartridge. I don't take much
smarts to figure that out. If you are buying as a investment you
would be better off investing in Beanie Babies. I'm not running
them down as functional weapons, it's just the truth. It's not
funny but like a previous poster said, I wouldn't be surprise to
see them bubble packed with a DVD instructions.
price on AR type rifles. ( not counting the scare prices) These
guns are designed for anti personnel use. They are made on Hi
Tech equippment of Hi Tech materials. Each one is exactly the
same as the next. They have no class or character, they are
implements made to discharge a cartridge. I don't take much
smarts to figure that out. If you are buying as a investment you
would be better off investing in Beanie Babies. I'm not running
them down as functional weapons, it's just the truth. It's not
funny but like a previous poster said, I wouldn't be surprise to
see them bubble packed with a DVD instructions.
gman51
Member
If you want to feel good about what you paid for a gun then go to the Gander and gander at their gun prices. You will feel you got a deal on yours.
cadmike
Member
So you went out and bought a $400 shield. You bought a bottom of the market pistol at a bottom of the market price. I'm not saying the shield isn't a good gun I'm just saying it's cheap. Now S&W "devalues their product" by offering a $75 rebate and you're crying over the lost value and your lost "confidence in S&W pricing standards". We're talking about $75 here, about 18% off the original $399 price tag.
Ha! Get a grip people.
Ha! Get a grip people.
Gun is going for around 230 now. Check your math
I would make quite a few dollars on my polymer handguns if I sold them. Problem is too many people. It at market value and don't wait for a good deal to pop up.
$236 OTD for a shield 45? I could easily make $100+ today selling it locally.
$290 for a Glock 17 with 100 rounds of ammo and a pile of mags? I could easily make $200+ today selling it locally.
$365 OTD for a dpms oracle? I could easily make $100 selling it today locally
I've seen many more deals similar to these that I should have purchased and then flipped later, but eventually the money tree runs low
gman51
Member
Referring to the above there are a lot of people that don't know what a gun is selling retail for.
I have seen Heritage revolvers for sale by owners that their price is often at least $50 to $100 over retail gun store every day prices.
Like they say buyer beware!
I have seen Heritage revolvers for sale by owners that their price is often at least $50 to $100 over retail gun store every day prices.
Like they say buyer beware!
Arik
Member
The shelf of Model 15s at my LGS each one exactly the same as the next, look the same, made the same. They are implements made to discharge a cartridge. It was the same thing when they had a shelf full of 6906. Each exactly the same as the next. Each made to discharge a cartridge. Each one designed for anti personnel use. It's the only reason a cop would carry one.
A row of Glocks and a row of 1911s, Sigs, S&W whatever are no different.
Guns are just things, tools, objects. It's people who personify them, give them human trates, call them "she" and give them girl names. Like giving cute feelings to stuffed animals
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So then are you saying that 30 years from now, a 2017 shield will sell for 2x-5x what it sold for new? Just like the 15's and 6906's are doing today?
too bad gander is closing..
know how i know you don't know much about cars? check out any current s-class merc or 7 series bmw that is 12-36 months past the year model and compare the MSRP to the current dealer prices. anywhere from 40-60% cut depending on location, options, mileage and condition.
if you are truly looking at a S&W shield as an "investment vehicle" not only is it a depreciating asset but it is a fixed cost. so not only did you buy something designed to loose it's value but it doesn't even net you any cash flow. great investments not only appreciate but provides dividends and/or reoccuring income.
so there are 3 choices left: a) sell at market value, with a poor rate of return, b) hold for long (but use it, leveraging the opportunity cost of you holding on to it but enjoying it) - in the hopes you minimize your poor rate of return or c) don't even use it or shoot it - leave it as a paperweight in your safe - which effectively turns your "fixed cost" into a "sunk cost".
for another S&W forum member in need, im available to help you go through choice A so that you have more capital to invest in your favorite glock stocks
Who cares? I bought mine to shoot and enjoy......As is they are worth nothing since I don't plan to sell any......If you buy guns for just investment purposes......You are in the wrong field.
I'm over it now! Thanks for the help fellas. I'll stay away from S&W if I want any purchase to keep a moderate resale value!
Are there any company's other than Glock that hold steady on their polymer gun prices?
You do understand that Glock holds steady on their commercial pricing in order to get $600 from your pocket so that they can sell the same guns to LE for $200, resulting in a high percentage of LE market share that drives the commercial sales,.......right?
I've never paid more than $300 for a used Glock. I don't know where your premise comes from.
And I never suggested that poly framed pistols were xxx,.....only that they were all $200 pistols with various levels of MSRP. I probably own fifty of them but bought them all at deep discount. Some call that shopping.
greeenteeee
Member
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Does LE really get it for $200? Where can used Glocks be found for $300?? I'd have a few by now... I am finding them used (barely in their defense) for $500.
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In MA, for political, not financial reasons, used Glocks start at about $500.00 and go up. Gen 4 versions, if you can find them, start at about $700.00.
Not worth it to me, but there are people who pay those prices.
Not worth it to me, but there are people who pay those prices.
