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The fine double gun market is dying at a fairly rapid rate. Other than those few collectors who have the disposable or existing money to buy pieces which are nearer objets d'art than for shooting irons, the market for really high-dollar doubles is petering out. CSMC's A10 is deader than last year's bird nests, not that it was a really high dollar gun, just grossly overpriced, and discontinued the RBL series way later than it should have. I doubt they make over 5 or 6 Fox sxs's a year. Everything they are focusing on now is black guns under the Standard Mfg. label.

You still have the target gun market of Perazzi, Krieghoff, and Kolar where significant dollars are being spent, but for 99% of the world's double shooters, of which the sxs is probably near .5 %, the Beretta and Browning O/U's have it covered, with the other smaller players like Rizzini, CG, Blaser, etc. scrambling for crumbs.

Boxall & Edmiston, or any other Purdey/H&H wannabe, never had, or will have, a chance in this market going forward.
JR

I heard today that there's just one man there sorting out the paperwork and when he's done he'll turn out the light and lock the door behind him.
It's a shame but may be a sign of the times.

I think that this CNC quality work has a lot to do with it.
O.M

Of course it does.

No one looks inside of a shotgun.

I spoke with Edward King of ASI, and he described what I would term �experiential marketing�, as having become a big piece of shotgun sales.

That is, they coordinate a trip for you, a visit to the factory, where in you were measured, fit, pick out your wood, and then the machines make your bespoke shotgun for you. Customized, and delivered to you a short time later.
A fantasy vacation blended with the purchase of a new shotgun.

John Roberts is correct in that it is a dying market. I have seen many great changes in the make up of the buyers. My customer base is either in the mid fifties or, in the 60s years of age. I rarely seen buyers in the 40s. Now for the new buyers who are entering the gun field a great guns is priced at $2,000. Like a Beretta 686 or a an automatic. The newer generation seems to have less interest in fine or quality guns. Many of my customers are now in their 70s. Now, they tell me they are gun up or just can not do the trampping around like they could in their 50-60s.

The trend is to the black guns and defensive type handguns. I went to Barnes & Noble the other day and they have probably 30 different magazines on ARs, handguns, etc. Three magazine they would apply to us.

If fact I just got an email from Caesar Guerini hand they are not exhibiting at the shot show as it now tends toward the defensive type guns.

Many of my dealer friends say the best years were behind us, I believe that could be true.


John Boyd

John, I'm 31 and an avid classic double guy. But I'm probably the exception- the other guy I mostly shoot doubles with is 44. But what has surprised me is that hammer guns seem to be almost the same price as SLE's now! I'm searching for a hammer Purdey pigeon gun, and while browsing I saw a Pursey SLE game gun for $15,000- Purdey hammer game guns in the $9500-$13000 area! Is the hammer gun market going up or are SLE's getting cheaper?

True pigeon guns are not on every street corner. That's part of it. True external hammer pigeon guns are even rarer. As you know, claycrusher1900, I've been looking for one too, and have about reached the point that I am going to move on. If one exactly like I want becomes available I'll mortgage the back forty and buy it. If not, I won't pass up other desirable guns waiting for the perfect Reilly or Cashmore.

John, you absolutely hit the bullseye with your assessment of the doublegun market today. I will say this for CSMC. At least they are willing to cater to the market for black guns, but at the same time continue to be able to build bespoke Foxes, 21s, Christian Hunters, etc. Maybe that is a new business model.

SRH

A couple years ago, when Obama was in office and new Liberal Left Democrat gun restrictions were a serious threat, so-called black guns and assault style rifles were in greater demand, and therefore quite a bit more expensive than they are right now. Manufacturers ramped up production, and demand has dropped somewhat since Donald Trump became President. The Law of Supply and Demand has followed suit. Guns that cost $1000.00 or more are selling for $400.00 less today.

Once again, we are hearing that the demand for our side by side double barrel shotguns is falling like the proverbial rock. Supposedly, the only guys who are still buying them all have one foot in the grave. So please tell me this... if you can get your hands on some 10 or 15 or 20 year old GunLists or Shotgun News, why is the price on double shotguns generally lower than the current prices, even allowing for inflation???

Now, I realize that not everything has risen by the same amount. Parkers and Fox guns were already inflated and overheated 15 or 20 years ago. I avoided getting caught up in that mania, and concentrated mostly on Syracuse Lefevers, which were undervalued until recently. I did OK, but would have been better off investing in AR-15's or AK-47's. The same could be said about Muscle Cars and many other collectibles. An influx of British doubles has depressed prices on those guns somewhat. But in general, if the dire predictions we read here once again were true, shouldn't prices be much less than they were a decade ago? They're not... not even for most lowly 12 ga. field grade guns. I just wish there was some way to go back more than 90 days to look at completed sales on Gunbroker to put this myth to bed once and for all.

I am in Claycrusher's boat at 37. Upgrading as prices drop. I have been watching SLE's abroad and finally purchased one this year. Impossible to pass up when they are so cheap.

[quote=keith]Once again, we are hearing that the demand for our side by side double barrel shotguns is falling like the proverbial rock./quote]

The market for the really high dollar stuff, Keith. I'm talking $20-$30K and way up. There are enough enthusiasts like us here that will keep the $3-$5K market moving along for the next decade or so, but it's all trending downward in interest if not in price. These really big dealers who are trafficking in $25-$50K and way up from there, doubles are selling most of their products to the same multi-millionaires who will not have successors. It will reach critical mass at some point relatively soon and they are going to have inventory that they will have no customers to sell to. The past means nothing, we are rounding a bend in the river yet unseen. Jmo...
JR