doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How's the theory going after several years?

Money is made on guns when one buys them, not when one sells them, regardless of trends. One must control the emotions in order to be successful at this. It's a way of life, refusing to pay market prices, waiting and looking for buys that are way under market. When it is possible to do so, the results can be gratifying. But ........... as the apostle Paul said, "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate".


SRH

Who says the Gospels don't speak to the modern age? Good one Stan.

I think that the price variations in double guns are more minor, and subject to the general feelings about the economy. At least this is how it appears to me, from going to gun shows and auctions.

I think military firearm prices are more subject to generational changes. It seems to me that the WW2 firearms have dropped significantly (M1, M1 carbine, etc.) as now the preference has shifted to the more modern AR types. Those have gone up significantly, although Second Amendment issues probably play a part as well.

Individual double gun collectors are victims of emotion. Dealers in double guns benefit from the emotions of the individual collector. Emotions are much more pronounced when high end double guns are involved. I don't think the market in high end guns is going to collapse any time soon, as long as emotion is involved.

Quote:
"I think military firearm prices are more subject to generational changes. It seems to me that the WW2 firearms have dropped significantly (M1, M1 carbine, etc.) as now the preference has shifted to the more modern AR types. Those have gone up significantly, although Second Amendment issues probably play a part as well.
"
Kindly inform me where I can buy M1 carbines, Colt 45 autos, Lugers, K98 Mausers etc. for prices significantly less then they were a year ago or 10 years ago for that matter?

I collect military firearms on a regular basis and the prices I see for these are way up over what they were a few years ago.

As one example:
Nice MI carbines were in the $500 to $600 range around 5 years ago. The prices have since doubled and I see no end in sight.
Keep in mind that the current "administration" blocked the importation of several hundred thousand of these by the DCM that are just sitting in warehouses in S. Korea and I expect this has had some influence on pricing.
I see no lack of interest in acquiring these by the younger generation at least in my area.
Jim

I decided to add what I believe is another germane point here:

From what I have seen and what I personally know; most people don't have the financial resources to do any serious collecting in the firearms arena until they reach middle age. I keep hearing over and over that you don't see many young buyers at gun shows and I believe this is correct for financial reasons. However; there are lots of young people attending the shows I frequent and I'm convinced they'll eventually become buyer/collectors. I buy every inexpensive 22 rifle I come across and re-sell these inexpensively at gun shows so parents can get their children interested and involved in the shooting sports at a reasonable price.
Without further government oppression I am convinced our hobby is safe and sound well into the future.

Perhaps we need to look at who and why people collect things and how it pertains to doubles as a group. Modern guns are more efficient at killing game so collectors are going away from efficient. For example a 3 1/2" auto loader can kill three birds in a short time frame. Synthetic composite stocks, camo finish, massive payload, interchangeable choke tubes for perfect pattern choice to game, light gathering sights all are more efficient at their task. Doubles are quaint as my mother use to call them, quaint.

I think we collect as a way to relive a time period in the past. Model T prices are down because the number of people who grew up riding in them, as a small boy, are down as well. They are in their 80's and 90's if still alive, so most of them do not even drive much if any anymore. The market is down because the number of buyer is dying out and the connection as well.

WWII stuff, for all but the best stuff, is about to hit the same problem but in 20-30 years. WWII servicemen are all in their 80's and are interested in getting rid of stuff not buying. The next generation is picking up the slack for now but they are in their 50's and 60's so their buying period is coming to an end.

Most people collect stuff from their youth or perhaps from their parents youth. Not much interest in going much further back in time except in some major event time frame. Civil war stuff will always have a following but not so much with WWI. WWII but not Korea or even to a large extent Vietnam.

High grade stuff will always have a market but I see the market for low end stuff being soft in the future. That is why I have real estate and stocks instead of guns as in investment. And even then I buy only what I understand not what the talking heads are talking up. The Best stock tip I ever got was that almost every stock tip you ever get will be wrong. People will talk up what they are dumping to keep the price up not because they are giving you free tips to get rich.

My father used to tell me, "never invest in anything that eats or needs repairing."

M1 Garands and M1 Carbines have gone through the roof as the price of .223 and .308 ammo has both dwindled and skyrocketed in price. Same with the price of AK47's and AK74's, and for the same reasons.