I would love to buy an Air Arms Pro Elite........A good one would cost more than a new TX i would imagine.....
Yes
No
Yes I'm a collector
Does nostalgia affect the prices people are prepared to pay for old guns. Over the last 12 month or so there seems to be a lot of old guns fetching in my opinion, far too much money, being priced very close to brand new guns of similar quality. They may have been good in their day, but I would suggest not a patch on the good quality modern stuff. As an example, if you were to come across a mint boxed example of a BSA Airsporter S would you buy it over a brand new Air Arms Prosport for the same price, Or maybe a Feinwerkbau Sport mk11 over a Weihrauch HW80. I certainly wouldn't, but it seems there are a good few who would. I do appreciate a collector may be prepared to pay a premium, but those who intend to shoot the gun on a regular basis
John
Last edited by JLB; 01-09-2014 at 05:06 PM.
Law of any kind only affects those willing to abide by it.
I would love to buy an Air Arms Pro Elite........A good one would cost more than a new TX i would imagine.....
A very good point JLB. I'm sure you are right; with older guns the nostalgia element is a major driver of prices - also, as many are no longer made, there is the anticipation of an appreciating asset ....
Last edited by Cicero; 01-09-2014 at 06:37 PM.
Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.
The thing is with the older guns is, they were made to a price just like today. But, the quality of workmanship was umpteen times better than the majority of shoddily built, similar priced 'new' rifles of today. IMO of course.
Most companies are living off the reputation of the quality of rifles they used to produce.
I think that older airgunners hanker after the rifles of their youth or rifles that they wanted but could never afford them in the day . But now the kids have grown up and the house is paid for we tend to have spare cash and will pay more for guns of our youth in good nick when they come along I'm just waiting for a very nice unmolested 35 Vixen to come along . Anyone got one by the way
A few nice rifles
Not just old guns.
Second hand versions of currently produced guns are often well overpriced IMO.
Knocking 50 or 60 quid off a 250-300 quid gun because it's in excellent condition is no justification.
You're buying a gun that has been used by somebody else and therefore taking a risk. How do you know it hasn't been dry fired or altered in some way? The risk may be worth it if the price is right, but not for £60.
I would never buy a second hand gun from a shop. I know they often have to keep the gun for a long time and need to compensate for this, but for the all too often minor savings you make as a buyer, I'd prefer to buy new for peace of mind.
Guns that are advertised privately are also often overpriced. A dealer will give you about 60% of purchase price for a gun in excellent condition. If selling privately, you should ask no more than 65-70% as far as I'm concerned. I never asked more than that for guns I sold, and most of them had had little use, and were in as new condition.
I'm sure there are very good bargains to be had, but I would only buy second hand if I knew the seller and knew he took care of his guns.
Arthur
I wish I was in the land of cotton.
Surely the same can be said about "Classic" anything. Cars and bikes for example. Ride an old Z1 and tell me it's worth the same as more modern capable machinery.
Joy of ownership I would say.........They aren't making any more!
I voted no, I am a collector, love the older stuff but no I would not pay the has new prices myself. Has a younger airgunner money was tight and a lot of the stuff I liked then was totally out of my reach, now well i am not rich but I do have a nice collection.
Can anyone give me a sensible valuation on a mint Air Arms Pro Elite?
Not that i could find one........
My first air rifle was a early 77 bought secondhand in approx 1991 if I could find a nice example at a sensible price I would buy it purely for the nostalgic value........yes I'm getting old
LOOKING FOR A BSA ULTRA IN .177 and .25
Weihrauch are good examples of older rifles people will pay good money for despite prices being near to newer models.
Example
A 1988 HW80 £289 compared to a new one for £315, does this reflect on what people think of new guns compared to the older versions!! I know that if I was given the choice id take a good quality older gun than a newer model that's personal preference on the look of the bluing and stock.
Weihrauch HW97 .177, Weihrauch HW80 .22, Weihrauch HW77 .22
I can not agree with that considering in the past guns like the Webley Vulcan BSA airsporter ect were just crap and the build quality was nowhere near the modern equivalants of the Pro Sports ect,if the quality of workmanship consists of roll pins and bits of rolled steel buy an old gun lol.
My point was, some guns of old (which can cost somwhere near the price of a new modern version) are much better, in my opinion, than the modern counterparts. For example the Vulcan ks is on par, if not better than the budget hatsan / Webley offerings around today. The pro-sport obviously trumps the airsporter, although I've not seen many airsporters fetch £400 so that point is null.
pics and then we can see, a taaty one was offerd to me recently for £220, it was in .22 and nedded a complete re blue which would have set me back circa£100, then a full service another £80 , so to my mind it was worth £120 max to me. It wasnt what the vendor wanted to here but his view of the condition of the rifle was 360 % differnet to mine