I have noticed that in the recent pass the interest in older guns and side by sides is rather lacking. The newer, younger crowd is mainly interested in handguns and assault rifles. So this is what the stores are mainly selling. The day before yesterday I went to four gun stores where I am and I did not see one side by side. The stores that used to sell side by sides that I used to frequent are switching their inventory for the newer crowd.
This is why companies like Winchester and Remington are no longer making primers for shotgun Reloaders. Because the interest is on handguns and rifles so that is where they are selling their reloading equipment.
Stores are getting away from Trading used guns also. So it's going to be hard to find someone who tries to sell a side-by-side to a gun store.
You can get on the internet and buy them from places like Guns International or Gunbroker.com or some other website but they are going to be priced out the ying yang. That model 21 that is rusted all to pieces that Jaqua's has for sale right now is a prime example. Who in the world would be crazy enough to pay $3,250 for that gun that I pointed out in another thread? I'm waiting to see how long it takes for that gun to sell. Their other model 21s have been sitting there for sale for months and months. I check them just about every day.
So for me, the Side by Side Market has been a big disappointment unless you are looking for a CZ coach hammer gun. So I guess we'll just have to see.
Regarding SxS being in gun stores, that may be partly a regional thing and partly the market. I've seen SxS the last time I went in a gun store, but most were either low end junk or the various Turkish built guns under CZ or other names.
A really good SxS is rarely inexpensive and while this may be considered blasphemy, I find the vintage American SXS to be priced higher than a comparable British or European gun.
I have 7 British made SxS, 1 French (Darne clone) and 1 Belgian (Fabrique Nationale) and my CZ. The CZ is the only one I've bought at a gun store. Aside from the Darne clone, which I think I bought on Gunbroker, the rest were bought either from Amoskeag or Poulin auction houses.
