doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com English Gun Prices?

Good English guns and rifles are still hard to pry away from their owners. There are a few bargains out there but not many more than a few years back.

I've noticed maybe a bit more availability of English Bests in what I'll call the "tier-2 makers" over the past two years. Do you find bargain Purdey, H&H, Woodward and Boss? No. No, you don't!

Do you find tier-2 bargains? Yes. In my own situation, I've got young kids in the house and bills stacked up so I've cut loose with many guns. I have a Lang & Hussey and a Lang for sale right now in fact. I only mention that to illustrate the real bargain hunting going on these days.

Tier-3 London makers are where the real sweet deals can be had. A perfect example of this, I have a London Best E.M. Reilly 12 bore with nice 70% coverage bouquet engraving, well sleeved barrels, in proof, perfect bores, etc, etc. This gun might bring the $3800 I'm asking for it.

On the other hand, the tier-2 maker J. Lang I have in restored condition (incidentally, likely made by Reilly!) has only 40%-50% engraving coverage and it has decent damascus barrels. That gun will be in the $7500 range in its fitted oak and leather case.

So where are the bargains? For me, a guy of fairly humble means, I have to say that the London best by a tier-3 maker for half the price of the other gun he made but put a tier-2 maker's name on it, is the real bargain. It has a heck of a lot more class and soul than the equivelant off the shelf SKB or Beretta at that price point...and it appreciates in value. (or at least doesn't depreciate)

This is a great time to buy a nice shooting vintage English best sidelock from a less renowned maker but probably not a very good time to buy a Tier-1 maker's gun. (prices aren't coming down on those) To buy a tier-2 gun at this time is fine, but the value proposition is on the tier-3 guns as they shoot beautifully and can be had for 50% less than what they cost 2 years ago.

Boxlocks are as they were.

Best guns in top condition sell if priced correctly and have increased steadily over the last decade.

There is money around for the good stuff, no question.

Where a person buys a gun at full retail from a dealer and then tries to sell it for the same or a profit a couple of years later, that gun will sit on the shelf. Why pay retail from someone who provides no dealer backup at the same money?

I bought a Purdey for �18,000 in 2005 and sold it immediately for �20,000. I was just asked to buy it back. I will sell it for �22,000 and return �20,000 to the vendor. He has shot that gun for six years with an annual rental of �0.

Premium guns are selling steadily at relatively constant prices. There isn't a run on them. Likewise, there aren't that many for sale. Don't forget that dimensions are important so replacement barrels two inches shorter than the originals are not an enhancement for many... I would concur that Tier 2 makers guns can be a bargain but it depends as that class isn't all on the same page when it comes to gun quality.