A question for you to ponder...

[Firestorm]

we intend to hold a Collectors & Classic Meeting at our indoor range early next year (1st Feb).
Ian

I'm hoping to get there Ian, so I'm looking for something like a mkIII BSA as my mate used to take me ratting with it in the 70's (no , I wasn't the "jack Russell"...)

Exactly.
One of my rifles, a tatty but working 1913 BSA has the initials of a previous owner scratched into the stock. On seeing this one of our club members kindly offered to remove it. Why? The gun was far from pristine but still very usable and the person who did this (sacrilege) may have had to live through two world wars. In my mind it adds to the character of the rifle. Another bit of its mystique and history.

ATB
Ian

My old early 70's El Gamo had RUSS hand drilled in the front end of the stock, on the day I got it..
It's had 4" cut off the stock for my lad when he started to shoot, now I've stuck it back on and stained and varnished it. I'm in the process of respraying all the action and barrel satin black, going to get a new spring and guides off "Bonnie & Clyde" and it's still worth less than £30......

But I wouldn't sell it for anything in the world, my Dad bought me it for my 16th. memories, you can't buy 'em.

Russ

[slug-gun]

To go back to Lakey's original question, 'Why aren't guns worth more', the answer lies with simple economics - supply and demand.
To use Lakeys example of the Webley Mk.3, there were nearly 82,000 of these made, and a good majority are still around in one condition or another! Therefore even mint ones are not too difficult to locate.
The exceptions come when you try and buy rarity and mint at the same time, then the 'supply' side of the equation comes strongly into play, and the price rises many fold.
However I must agree that even with mint stuff, they are often still not worth what they 'should be', given their quality and age etc, especially compared to what other collectables achieve in terms of price.
Anyone looked at the price of say M/B 1960's Scalextric? Try £1000 for a car which originally cost about 4 quid! Supply and demand, more people like Scalextric than do old airguns.
If a BSA Military Pattern was a pre war Hornby train for exampe it would probably realise £25K instead of 2K.
It is the same with BSA's - 160,000 odd from 1905-39 will satisfy a lot of collectors, especially if they are not bothered about original bluing or etching, and the price reflects this!

[Lakey]

I agree with slug-gun that economics has a part to play, and that the reality is, with many 1000's made, combined with such a good suvival rate that prices are kept lower than they should be.

They were built to last, which doesnt help either. However for me, the very fact that they were built so well adds to their appeal,as they embody a timeless quality that just is not available today.

Also it may be an old fashioned notion, but to me an airgun has to have a spring and piston in it...... If not then it aint an airgun !! Pure and simple.


To me all these old classics are priceless !!!

ATB

Lakey

[Muskett]

82,000 Webley MKIII, wow, I thought it was big but not that many but I'm not surprised. They shoot well enough with open sights but put a scope on and expect tiny groups and you will be disappointed.
In fact does anyone have an Airsporter, Webley MKIII, Original 50, BSA Mercury that can keyhole group, pellet on pellet at say 35 meters ??? The FWB Sport can just do it to 30m or so, a HW 77 to 35m and a modern PCP to 40/45. We are talking one small ragged hole with no fliers pellet after pellet in perfect conditions.

I know its not the point of owning older guns but this is just to emphasize that things have progressed and all too often German, Jap or American, well on the mass market stuff.

[silva]

I think Webley MK3's and the more common Bsa's are an unfortunate example of prices staying the same, due to more coming on the market as the original owners and their children are now becoming elderly. Non shooters don't really seem to keep guns kicking around anymore.
If anything their value in real terms has dropped over the last ten to fifteen years. A really good MK3 was about £120 then and perhaps only £150.00 now.

However the rarities - Military patterns, Imp Mod d.25 cals, Improved Britannias, Haenel mod 33 Juniors, early Webleys, Abas's etc have all increased in value as a result of inflated internet prices and collector demand.
That one refinished Bsa Military Pattern that sold for £1500 about three years ago was reported in the shooting press, then set the price for all the rest. They were £850 before that !

Just look at the price of pellet tins and airgun literature, an early "Black Boy" pellet tin recently sold for £130.00.

Hopefully prices will stay the same or fall in the next few years. The good thing about vintage air rifles is that they are still affordable and long may they remain so.

I'd love to collect old rook rifles, 25 years ago they were virtually valueless unless from a best London maker, 6 years go they were £350.00, now you are looking at £700 upwards for anything half decent !

By the way, has anybody got a credit crunch £1000.00 Bsa Military pattern for sale ?

Cheers