Sticker Shock!

[Snake45]

I don't think I've been in a gun shop for a good decade. Went to two today looking for a 10/22 magazine. The prices I saw were jaw-dropping.

I didn't check every price in the places, but the ones I did absolutely shocked me. I saw very few handguns, new or used, in either place under $700. A common 03A3 Springfield, $1300. Some foreign-made off-brand .357 DA revolver, $400. Didn't see a Colt revolver, new or used, under $1000. One of the places had several sets of S&W factory K-frame Target stocks--the kind I used to buy at gun shows for $10 to $20--with price tags nearly twice what I paid for one of my whole Model 19s, new in the box, in 1976.

Makes me glad I've been getting into replica airguns (which cost more than I paid in the '70s for several of my REAL guns).

The 10/22 magazine I bought might have been the only bargain I saw all day. Paid about $30, which is about what I used to pay for similar Butler Creek magazines at gun shows 15 years ago.

 

[Mike J]

Sometimes I look around locally but I've been doing my gun shopping online for the last 10 years. A few months ago I got to go see a friend & do some shooting at his place. His neighbor shot with us. He let me shoot his new Python. He said he got a good deal on it. It was only $1600. It was a very nice revolver. I really coudn't tell you how well I grouped with it as we were shooting steel and it was already dinged up pretty good from the rifles (we moved closer to shoot the handguns).

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I hear you Snake. I looked on Gun Broker for the first time in several years to see what some of the Old Rugers are selling for WOW. They are going for at least twice as much as I sold a bunch of mine for. Mine were really nice guns these not so nice.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Kinda like you, Snake, I don't hit the shops a lot - but have more in the past few months for some reason than in the past several years. I understand the sticker shock - it's crazy what prices are these days. I think a lot of us can just remember too far back and the prices we paid then. I know about inflation of prices, wages, etc.. but it still seems like more now.
My main reason for not frequenting the local shops is the relative rarity of them having anything that interests me - I mean, when you've seen one AR and plastic 9mm you've pretty much seen them all. Gunshows are about the same, have to wade through a thousand black guns to find one 3-screw Ruger or pre-lock S&W.
I did come across and buy an early Browning BPS 12 gauge a few weeks ago, identical to one I had years ago that was stolen from me. I always believed I shot that Browning better than any other shotgun I'd ever owned. Then more recently I bought a new 10/22 "Varmint", a heavier barrel model than the sporter but not as heavy as the older .920 diameter barrel they made a few years back. It's a fine shooter too, just needs some trigger work. Lastly, I have been looking at and studying on the new Mk IV .22 autopistol, and brought one of those home. At present I've taken the optics mounting rail and under barrel rail off, and just have it as a lightweight shooter. I like how the grip mimics the feel of my 1911 grips. I think that's probably going to do me for a while. I need to do a lot of shooting with what I've got and not add to the herd any more - but I'm not going to make any rash statements, either...
I've found and purchased some nice pieces on Gunbroker that I would have never found locally or even at gunshows, but since GB has increased their fees and started charging sales tax, that is not as attractive an option as it once was.

 

[black1970]

It’s called Inflation. And I paid 5 cents for Cokes and 10 cents to get in the movies. Not to mention 25 cents a gallon for gas to put in my 62 Impala.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

It’s called Inflation. And I paid 5 cents for Cokes and 10 cents to get in the movies. Not to mention 25 cents a gallon for gas to put in my 62 Impala.

Well my inflation calculator indicates that $400 in 2010 is now $510 in 2022. From what I have seen the $400 gun of 2010 is now selling for $800-1000+-

 

[Mauser9]

I hear ya guys. Sucks don't it. Heard on another forum magazines for a pistol like my S&W CS-9 are going for $70 apiece. I recall a 10/22 mag going for $6-7 years back.

 

[Snake45]

It’s called Inflation. And I paid 5 cents for Cokes and 10 cents to get in the movies. Not to mention 25 cents a gallon for gas to put in my 62 Impala.

Yah, I get that. Model cars I paid $2 for in the late '60s now sell for $30-$35-$40. Little bottles of Testor paint I paid 10 to 15 cents for in my childhood/teen years now cost $2.

 

[dstegjas]

Inflation certainly has something to do with it. I can remember walking through the gun shows and being able to pick up used S&W 629’s between $350 and $400. However that was then and this is now. We will never see those prices again.

keep in mind, as long as people are willing to pay these prices. There is no reason for the manufacturers and dealers to lower them back to reasonable prices. From what I see, people are more then willing to keep paying these prices.

 

[Ray Newman]

I hear a great deal about how inexpensive things were 40 + years ago. But I keep telling myself "remember how much money you weren't making backing then."

 

[eveled]

I remember an old Tom T Hall song from the 70’s. “Id have a new truck if I had $6000 bucks”

Then a Steve Earle song from the 80’s “a twenty thousand dollar pick up truck belongs to me and the bank”.

In the 90’s I bought a $25,000 truck.

Now a truck is $60,000 +

 

[Paul B]

My last truck was $52,000 and change. OUCH!
Paul B.

 

[Snake45]

I hear a great deal about how inexpensive things were 40 + years ago. But I keep telling myself "remember how much money you weren't making backing then."

True. But even at '70s wages, I was able to accumulate a pretty decent gun collection which included several top-line S&Ws (17, 18, 28, and a pair of 19s) and a pair of Colt Pythons.

 

[Hvymax]

Yah, I get that. Model cars I paid $2 for in the late '60s now sell for $30-$35-$40. Little bottles of Testor paint I paid 10 to 15 cents for in my childhood/teen years now cost $2.

Yeah I remember when $5 got a model, some comic books and money for glue and paint.

 

[Mauser9]

Yeah Yeah I know we made less money but prices didn't triple 5 times over way back. Built a few motorcycle models like the Honda Superhawk I paid $1 for. My Daisy 25 pump gun cost my folks $9.95 back around 62. Still works too!!

 

[Snake45]

I paid $65 for a surplus M1 Carbine in 1972. According to the 'net Inflation calculator:

What cost $65 in 1972 would cost $436.23 in 2021.

Can you remember the last time you saw a genuine USGI surplus M1 Carbine for under $500? I'm pretty sure it wasn't even in this century.

 

[Fox Mike]

The local diner is next to the Ford dealership. There was a loaded F-150 that had a sticker price over 1.5x what we paid for our house in '81($49,000.00). The truck was near $80,000.00. If I were to buy a pickup it would be to haul dirt, garbage, lumber and such stuff in, not be a showpiece of modern technology, used to go to the grocery store.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

In 1967 I bought a new Piper Cherokee 140 to put on lease back at flight school. The cost of the 140 was about my yearly salary. When I retired the cost of a similar plane was about 31/2 times my yearly salary and my salary was pretty good. So bottom line items have increased more than just inflation. IMOH

 

[powder smoke]

Yah, I get that. Model cars I paid $2 for in the late '60s now sell for $30-$35-$40. Little bottles of Testor paint I paid 10 to 15 cents for in my childhood/teen years now cost $2.

Ya the good ole days!

 

[caryc]

I was shocked when I got a letter from Social Security saying that starting with my next check in Jan. I would be getting an 8.7% increase in my payment. That's a nice chunk of change and I didn't have to sue anybody to get it.