John--

You have always been kind enough to answer my questions, so I'll return the courtesy and attempt to answer yours. But, be warned, as far as the value of my response--I'm just a occasional gun purchaser and not an expert.

My potential loss on resale doesn't bother me, though I'd be tempted by a bargain on something sold ANIB (like Hoof's purchase) that somebody else has taken a hit on. There is the perception of a 'golden age of Spanish gunmaking' that ended when the troubles began in 2008, so anybody looking for 'the next great thing' may be looking to Anatolian Turkey rather the Basque region of Spain (and people who buy luxury goods are always looking for the next great thing--it's a status marker). I'm personally a little put off by some the quality issues that I've heard about Spanish guns having in the last four or five years. Stories of retiring craftsmen, uneven production, etc., even if it's just the internet rumor mill, make me nervous. Michael McIntosh did so much to popularize and validate the idea of a Spanish best, and he's dead--there's no bringing him back to life. The value proposition that other posters have mentioned may have gotten out of whack--nobody is repeating McIntosh's mantra of 90% of a London gun for 10% of the price anymore. The numbers don't work. And finally, those beautiful Spanish guns were never really for the 1% (or for the middle class, for that matter). They appealed to high salaried professionals and executives and the business owners who populated the next 9% or so. Like driving German sheet metal or taking the right kind of vacation, they were delightful for their own sake, and offered a kind of status currency. But, make no mistake, those customers are very money conscious. And that crowd is quite dazed and confused, these days.

Anyhow, those are just random thoughts. It's also possible, I suppose, that there is nothing wrong with the guns or the market, and the problem lies in how the guns are being sold--i.e., the distribution channel has failed and a new sales model needs to be developed.

I don't know if all of that is just disorganized drivel, or if some small part of it is useful. Good luck with your chore.

Last edited by apachecadillac; 09/28/14 05:51 PM. Reason: Spelling mostly