With time to kill, and a desire to get a cheap .25 auto to play with (need to experiment with Duracoat on something expendable), I've been watching the gun auctions as of late. I've noticed something interesting. Functional little .25 Ravens and their ilk tend to be fetching around a C-Note at auction, despite that I can remember Ravens selling NIB for 50 bucks when I was in college. Figure in shipping and FFL transfer fees, and that means that folks are paying about 150 dollars, sometimes more for these guns.

Davis Derringers, old Tanfoglios... All are fetching at least a hundred bucks, and some are going for more like 130ish.

Thus I'm wondering, who's buying these things and why? Even old RG revolvers are reaching the hundred dollar mark and some old top breaks are hitting 150.

Perhaps there is an underserved niche for bottom of the barrel cheap guns that are smaller than the Highpoints (Which also seem, oddly, to hold their value used).

With time to kill, and a desire to get a cheap .25 auto to play with (need to experiment with Duracoat on something expendable), I've been watching the gun auctions as of late. I've noticed something interesting. Functional little .25 Ravens and their ilk tend to be fetching around a C-Note at auction, despite that I can remember Ravens selling NIB for 50 bucks when I was in college. Figure in shipping and FFL transfer fees, and that means that folks are paying about 150 dollars, sometimes more for these guns.

Davis Derringers, old Tanfoglios... All are fetching at least a hundred bucks, and some are going for more like 130ish.

Thus I'm wondering, who's buying these things and why? Even old RG revolvers are reaching the hundred dollar mark and some old top breaks are hitting 150.

Perhaps there is an underserved niche for bottom of the barrel cheap guns that are smaller than the Highpoints (Which also seem, oddly, to hold their value used).

I think its the effect of our new president. The current trend seems to be, if you don't have a gun, go buy one...If you have a gun , you better go get some more...

Pushing the prices of all our guns up.

A freind of mine told me his gunstore buddy said "with the economy the way it is, I don't know if people can afford all these guns or not, but I'm sellin em like crazy"

I think there was a provision in the latest stimulus bill to increase the payments in the local gun buybacks to $250.

Some of the local shops are getting boxes of them and still selling for real prices of around $50 or so. Everyone is buying them in hopes of a buy back program so we can make some profit to apply toward getting reloading components .

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" I said, good DAY! "

Any place near either Fredericksburg or down near Hampton Roads? (Need to visit the latter in a few weeks.)

I need a one, or a medium size box load might work, to tinker/play with.

...them C-notes is getting smaller too in buying other stuff....

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

The best short term return on investment is an inexpensive gun. I once bought a Davis chrome plated .32 Derringer for $42 at a local gun shop and sold it a few years later to a guy for $85. Wish I would have bought a few thousand.

I think the real question may be: Just how long ago were you in college?

No, Town Police in Chesterfield had a bunch of them a few weeks ago. I think only a Raven or two and a Lorcin are left. Probably will be gone after the show this w.e. They have some great deals on 4046s right now though.

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" I said, good DAY! "

I remember buying a Raven 25 auto brand new for under $50 in the early 1990s. It was reliable but the safety was really loose and was not at all trustworthy. I think the bullets also keyholed, and I dought if I could recommend a Raven at ANY price.

I was at a local outdoors stuff place today, the Kittery Trading Post. Their shooting sports department is huge and usually has all display cases chock-a-block with new and used handguns, rifle and shotgun racks full of new & used pieces, and so on.

Man, the cupboard is down to about two-thirds bare. According to one of the salespeople, "Ever since the election we can't keep new guns in stock and used guns are flying out the door," after the FBI check, of course.

I'm hoping there are a lot of new NRA/GOA/etc members coming out of all this, as well.

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Bob

25 ACP and 32 ACP ammo is outrageously expensive these days. Some brands are going for $17-20 for a box of 50. Makes me glad I sold the few 25s (Titan and Beretta 21) and 32s (Sig P230, Manhurin PP, Beretta Tomcat, and Beretta 70) I had.

I just bought an Astra Cub for $120. I paid $50 for the first one years ago. I have fired about 50 rounds through it without any kind of failure. It always goes "BANG". Now, .22 short isn't necessarily potent, but I still don't want to be shot with one.

yashua

i recently gave my son my jennings 25....rascal sold it to a buddy for $150.00....dang...he's smarter than i am!

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Poor people have the right to defend themselves too.

I sold a rough looking Titan at the last show for $150. I didn't even get throught the first aisle with it!