What has happen to gun collecting?

gjamison

gjamison

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I'm 39 and only been collecting for about 15 years. When I got started it was fun, gun shows, auctions and even buying large collection. This has all come to an end. People have over valued everything doesn't matter what it is.

When will this stop? Our is this what we all have to look forward to. Thinking strongly of finding a new hobby. This has become a game for the rich, somewhere to put there money. There are many fine s&w's that i would like to buy but i'm not paying these blotted prices.

OGCA march show is in about 3 weeks. Trying to be positive but who knows what will happen. At least the beer will be cold.
 
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I've seen prices lower than they were some years ago in some cases, the same in others. Sometimes it helps to be have different tastes in terms of what you like to find. Me? I've found that I like it when I can find a Carcano that was made into a sporter or an interesting preGCA 68 Saturday Night Special.

Twenty more years and people will be collecting early generation Glocks because "they don't make them like that anymore".

Private sale prices on some revolver models are relatively low locally. People sell them to buy Glocks and there aren't a lot of buyers that snap them up owing to a general cash shortage.
 
gjamison said:
I'm 39 and only been collecting for about 15 years. When I got started it was fun, gun shows, auctions and even buying large collection. This has all come to an end. People have over valued everything doesn't matter what it is.

When will this stop? Our is this what we all have to look forward to. Thinking strongly of finding a new hobby. This has become a game for the rich, somewhere to put there money. There are many fine s&w's that i would like to buy but i'm not paying these blotted prices.

OGCA march show is in about 3 weeks. Trying to be positive but who knows what will happen. At least the beer will be cold.
Click to expand...

I predict it will end on November 7th of this year.
 
I think a lot of it has to do with the internet and gun forums :rolleyes:

I'm serious - more people aware and chasing a finite number of older pieces. On the positive side, you can sell your pieces at the same outrageous prices :D
 
George - you use an interesting term "over valued" when it comes to collector guns. I have seen a recent phenomenum where I can no longer buy S&Ws at auctions at the prices I paid just last year. Time after time, I will go to my limit, which used to buy the gun and am outbid by a large margin.

Could this mean that demand is rising and collector gun values are on the increase? Are we seeing an improving market? Value is what people will pay for something and I thought lots of guns went too high at auctions, but maybe it is a sign of the times. I might have to start raising my bids if I want to add to my collection.

I know that you will always have the sellers on gun websites that price everything sky high, but they do not sell their stuff. Same with high priced sellers at gun shows, but watch to see if those over valued guns actually sell and you might see that some of these higher priced guns are actually selling.

In the early 60's, you could buy an American for $40 - $50. I started collecting Americans and Russians in the early 80's and could buy a good working condition speciman for $400 - $600. By the 90's, they were priced beyond what I would pay. You may not be able to find these for under $2000 today. Moral to the story is to buy wisely and quickly before the prices go higher!
 
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When people ask $500 bucks for a S&W M19 then they're over valuing things. I paid less then that for a 686+ a few years ago. I'd love to pick up a good K-Frame but I'd not pay over $300 for any of em' and I'd not go over $350-$375 for an L-Frame. I can get a CPO Sig 2340 for $325 and have 12 rounds of 40cal with Sig quality so why pay much more for a 6 shot revolver.:confused:
 
I think a lot of it has to do with the internet and gun forums

I'm serious - more people aware and chasing a finite number of older pieces. On the positive side, you can sell your pieces at the same outrageous prices
Click to expand...

Diito on that! We have created our own monster.

Plus I think more are into "collecting" for a quick profit. Also, have you seen the price of new S&W's! I'll take old over new any day, even if price is equal.

John
 
When it comes to collecting guns, we should all ask ourselves why do we do so and to what end? For me it's simple. I have a very small collection (12) of handguns, all S&W revolvers ranging from J to N frames, all of which I shoot regularly. Unless it were an investment, or a family heirloom, I wouldn't own a gun I didn't shoot at least occasionally. But I don't get so involved in any hobby that it takes me away from other things I enjoy doing. Shooting and reloading is a part of my life, not the sum. In other words I don't obsess about any one thing. Variety is the spice of life.
 
TNFrank said:
I'd love to pick up a good K-Frame but I'd not pay over $300 for any of em' and I'd not go over $350-$375 for an L-Frame. I can get a CPO Sig 2340 for $325 and have 12 rounds of 40cal with Sig quality so why pay much more for a 6 shot revolver.:confused:
Click to expand...


Different strokes Frank. Personally,IF I had to KEEP it,I wouldn't pay over $50 for ANY Sig other than a 210.
f.t.
 
I talked to a seller at the last Fond du Lac gun show that had some nice old S&W revolvers for sale. His complaint was no one is looking at revolvers anymore. I really wanted to tell him that if he lowered his prices people may start looking more. He had a really nice Mdl 14 dated 1950 that he was asking $675 for. Another dealer has a 586 4" that he was asking $650 for. He has had this gun at all the FDL and Oshkosh shows for 2 years now and wont lower his price. On the other hand Cabela's in Richfield offered me $250 for a like new 6" mod 19-3 TTT in the original box. I wanted to do a trade for an Anschutz rifle they had. The only good deal I got in the last couple of years was pre 14 for $375 and one day at a local dealer a guy came in wanting to sell a 14 and a 15 for $300 each. The owner handed the guns to me while I was filling out paper work on a gun I just did a transfer on. I took both of them. I did pay way to much for a mint 4" model 48 only because it was the first one I found in two years of looking. Lots of 6 and 8 3/8 inchers but no 4"
I have all of the S&W models that I want so I guess that is a good thing. I am still looking to get a Ruger 3 screw flat top 44mag in 6 1/2 inch. Best I can find is going for $950 on GB

Ted
 
TNFrank said:
When people ask $500 bucks for a S&W M19 then they're over valuing things. I paid less then that for a 686+ a few years ago. I'd love to pick up a good K-Frame but I'd not pay over $300 for any of em' and I'd not go over $350-$375 for an L-Frame. I can get a CPO Sig 2340 for $325 and have 12 rounds of 40cal with Sig quality so why pay much more for a 6 shot revolver.:confused:
Click to expand...

How are they overvaluing "things" if that is the going rate? How does what you paid for a 686+ a few years ago, have anything to do with what another model is worth today? How does the number of rds that a SIG semi-auto holds have a bearing on what a S&W revolver is worth?

Go ahead and get the guns you want, which obviously doesn't include a S&W K or L frame magnum revolver because they don't hold 12 rds.
 
I walk and set up for many shows during the winter.
Spend alot of time on the net.
$300 S&W and Colt handguns are few and far between.
I agree many dealers are out of whack on gun show prices.
What has become difficult is after you sell a nice Smith is finding
a decent replacment.
Heck, have the fun is the "hunt".
 
The prices are only out of touch with reality if the guns don't sell. If the gun sells, it was valued correctly.
If it gets too rich for my blood, indeed it is time for me to find another pursuit.

Don't hate the player - hate the game!
 
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My dad often used to say "Everything costs mo." It was true then, it is true now, and with the economy headed the way it is, you haven't seen nothin' yet. I've maintained for a long time that your only hedges against inflation are collectible guns and gold or silver. And ammunition may yet prove to be the best kind of currency. If you don't believe that, check the current prices and availability against the same stuff ten years ago.

John
 
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