doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com One Pricey CE Grade Fox 20 ga, Over 8K and running

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I'm still not seeing this precipitous drop in demand for doubles which should inevitably be leading to depressed prices. You would think that when the 50 to 80 year old guys of today are dead and gone that they won't be replaced by a fresh crop of older guys who become interested in collecting and shooting old guns.

It isn't just vintage doubles that are slowly increasing in value either. Prices have increased a good deal over the past 20 years on lever actions, single shot rifles, and handguns. I've been reading this doomsday scenario as long as I've been here, and if I could go back in time, I'd buy more of these old relics that no one wants.

As a matter of fact, a few days ago, I bought a nice sxs .450 Express double rifle as a Father's Day present to myself. I'm all but certain I will be able to shoot it and enjoy it, and then make some money on it if I ever sell it.

I agree with Keith that the market is not falling apart on SxS. It has and will be a niche market. Those of us in our 50's to 80's are still collecting and others will follow.

I do believe that prices on field grade guns are not growing, but that represents bargains to be had. Also that some niches like Belgian and French guns are under valued and may likely stay so. Again that offers a good entry value. SxS guns have not been dominant in the market for decades for a number of reasons to include relative cost. They will continue to be a niche market, but as such they will not disappear of totally lose value

Small bores are holding and growing value faster than 12ga, but that should be expected. I doubt I will be buying many heavier guns to hunt with as I grow older.

If people are buying to speculate on future value growth; my advice is to buy good mutual funds. Most of the time guns will not return better than the market, unless you brought it a great low price to begin with (rare to almost never for me).

My fear for our future is that hunter numbers are declining and I always have a little sadness when I see a great old gun in mint condition because while beautiful it represents a potential for great use unrealized, at least yet. The guns I love are made to be used and have their value to me in their proper use.

High condition or rare doubles are still in high demand. 12 ga field guns are just slow to sell. Perhaps the Cowboy shooters are no longer buying them up for their game. Demand for them is certainly very soft. Guns in fair to poor condition are very slow to sell. Shiny ones do sell even when they should not.

Names sell some guns beyond their real market. We've all seen Winchester, Browning, Parker guns in average or refinished condition bring serious money. I watched a Winchester Model 12 trap gun which had been refinished by a third grader but looked shiny, with too much Trueoil slathered on the stock, that was priced and sold like a 99% gun. Glad it's not mine, when the new owne learns what he bought he might regret his great find. Then again he only needs one buyer to take it off his hands so the pristine condition myth might outlive me.