doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Collector Market?

It is both regional and cyclic. We have been hearing and reading for years that the 16 gauge is dead, yet it is still here. As younger shooters discover and obtain them, it sees a resurgence in interest. Right now, it seems like the 28 gauge is the "It girl" of the moment.

While it has been overshadowed by the O/U, and younger shooters (for now) appear to prefer auto-loading shotguns, interest and demand for quality SxS guns will always be there. JMO.

Maybe Billy Joel sang it best - "Everybody's talkin 'bout the new sound funny, but it's still rock and roll to me."

Went on a dove hunt in south Texas a few years back. Total about 35 folks. I was the only one with a sbs.

Game warden checked me and said he does see any sbs shooters and did not need to see if my gun had a 3 shot plug

John boyd

i don't know where you guys are at, but it's a tall order to sell field grade (common years ago) sxs's.
Local gun stores want no part of them.
How often does a gun peddler immediately come off his price by 25% just to see if he can get a nibble?

Here we go again!

The fact is, if you take any decent quality vintage or later model field grade double, and list it with either no reserve or a reasonable and realistic reserve on one of the larger internet auction sites, it will sell. Quickly. Not only will it sell, but there will be multiple bids, and it will in most cases realize a fair market price that is higher than the same gun in equal condition would have sold for 20 years ago. Adjust for inflation, and your return might not be much more impressive than a passbook savings account. But you can't shoot or hunt with a savings passbook. Sell it now during a lower demand summer period, and the sales price will likely be less than if sold just before hunting season. That should be obvious.

Walk the same gun around any decent gun show, especially in the fall, and I am certain that you will be approached by interested buyers... even if it is one of those supposedly unwanted 12 gauge guns. Try getting $650.00 for a well worn Nitro Special, Stevens 311, or Fox Model B, and you will likely bring it home.

So if you try to sell that lowly field grade gun for an unrealistic price that is full blown retail or more... and if you think you should get a 98% condition price for a 70% condition gun, then you are not likely to find a buyer. And you can console yourself by spouting nonsense about nobody wanting them anymore.

The same thing is true if you are selling a shotgun, or a Morgan silver dollar, or a truck, or muscle car, or your metal lathe. The prices of many once popular collectibles has crashed. You should be very happy if you bought field grade doubles instead of Hummel figurines or Beanie babies. The oft repeated crash in double shotgun prices has not happened. But just keep on voting for anti-gun Democrats and your doom-and-gloom prediction might come true.

Younger shooters may be intimidated by double triggers, which means they'll shy away from older sxs in particular. But decent modern sxs, especially with a single trigger, seem to sell pretty well. SKB's imported by Ithaca; Browning BSS; Charles Dalys made by Miroku; etc. Those are probably good "starter" guns for guys looking to dip their toes in the sxs water. If it works out for them, then they may move more upscale and take on the double trigger.

I agree with keith.

Ooh, I feel so dirty and I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

It would be a crying shame if you aspirated and choked on it.

an online sales site like gunsinternational provides sellers with a simple and safe method of determining the value of their collector firearms...

for less than $20, anyone can list a firearm for sale on gi...figure the value of your gun, add a percentage for negotiation and then list it with a detailed description and up to 15 digital images...

if buyers do not respond in a couple of weeks or so, with offers, then you have learned your gun is priced too high...so drop the price and keep advertising...if you do not sell it within 90 days, when your listing expires, you now know there is no market for your gun...it can work for you that simply...it has for me...

i have utilzed gi sales listing service since 2008, where i have sold more than a hundred guns...

pm me if you would like further info...

I once had a game warden check me on a dove shoot. I happen to have been using a 687 SP II Sporting 20 ga. that afternoon. He made small talk for a couple minutes then said "I better go, you're alright, ain'tcha?". I asked back "Whatcha' mean?" He said "Your gun's plugged, ain't it?" I grinned and said "Yeah." He glanced down at it and grinned sheepishly.

Similar story.

I had gathered up my little fleet of decoys and placed my shotgun in the slip for the hike back to the truck when two Conservation Police Officers came walking up. I knew one of them as I had encountered him before on one or two occasions. They checked my license and stamps, and a couple of my shells. I asked if I needed to take my gun out of the slip? The one officer asked "Is that your Parker?" I told him it was. He then replied "Nope, your all set."