Interesting article on prices of air rifles from '80s and '90s

[Jerry Cornelius]

I’m sorry folks... I don’t mean to offend owners of older, or “classic guns” .... I own two myself .... And I’m not suggesting that the op is trying to mislead anyone...but this sort of hype has been going on forever!!!!

All commercial sellers of older models, The magazines they sponsor through advertising, and many private owners, regularly talk about ordinary, everyday post WWII guns “Holding their prices really well” or “Increasing in value” ... And you’ll very often see those same people putting them up for sale using other usernames, in other forums or sites like Gunstar or MeWe within days, to grab people’s attention before they forget the hype speech they’ve just read....

It’s total rubbish, intended to encourage gullible people to buy old but not really rare, mass produced guns, at silly prices, thinking they’re making a good investment... Or to spend lots of money fixing up an old gun that’s only going to be worth the same as a modern, used Gamo when it’s done...

You’ve only got to look online, at the guns that have been bought for peanuts, stripped, and sold as parts by people who do it for profit, because they know that the guns they strip aren’t worth more than a few quid in decent working condition..

Unless it’s in truly exceptionally unblemished condition, extremely old, or rare as rocking horse poo, it’s just a simple, used, ordinary gun, that will eventually need work.. And the springs, seals etc, may well be stupidly expensive (If you can get them easily that is)

All true. Nothing mass produced that survived in reasonable numbers is really going to appreciate because the market now is so small. If sir does not want to pay £x for a Webley tracker another one will be along soon enough

The VCRA has further held down the price of anything post war by sticking an extra £20-25 plus a trip to your local rfd on the cost of buying anything that has to be shipped from a dealer or auction house.

The upside of modest prices is you can get a well engineered and/or interesting old gun for no more (often less) than the price of some boring modern gun. Ok, if you want to be reliably knocking over squirrels at 30 yd’s you need the modern gun, but for pleasure of ownership and plinking an old gun wins hands down for me

It’s the usual story. Buy something you like for a price you are willing to pay and ignore anything else.

[harvey_s]

All true. Nothing mass produced that survived in reasonable numbers is really going to appreciate because the market now is so small. If sir does not want to pay £x for a Webley tracker another one will be along soon enough

While there are elements I agree with, I don't 100% agree and the aforementioned Webley Tracker is a good example as per the original article.
Fine Deluxe ones are now attracting strong money and while it's true another will be along soon enough its liable to be a plain Jane model and/or well used/abused with missing bits.
Wheras the walnut ones with barrel weight, nameplate and optional open sights is going to cost you a lot more than it did a few years ago.
Yes, you MAY find a bargain, IF someone doesn't know what they are selling - but that's true of everything and less likely with ready access to the Internet and the increase in valuation threads.

... And that's pretty much what the article said, not All rifles and it cited a select few.

[WebleyWombler]

Actually the original article was one of the reasons i cancelled my sub to the magazine. Advice to 'take it into the police station' ? WTF. I didn't get past that bit originally but have read the later version fully. I have a few pieces made past 1960 but as its pre 1939 and pistols that is my main interest so the article hasn't got any real appeal to me.

[Jerry Cornelius]

While there are elements I agree with, I don't 100% agree and the aforementioned Webley Tracker is a good example as per the original article.
Fine Deluxe ones are now attracting strong money and while it's true another will be along soon enough its liable to be a plain Jane model and/or well used/abused with missing bits.
Wheras the walnut ones with barrel weight, nameplate and optional open sights is going to cost you a lot more than it did a few years ago.
Yes, you MAY find a bargain, IF someone doesn't know what they are selling - but that's true of everything and less likely with ready access to the Internet and the increase in valuation threads.

... And that's pretty much what the article said, not All rifles and it cited a select few.

Well, I don’t know the price of a delux tracker new, but if they were to cost you £400 now, that would have been the same as a touch over £130 in 1985. So I think my sense that save for the very old or very rare things just about keep pace with inflation at best is probably about right.