Blaser & Korth firearms

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SHOOT1SAM

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I ask this question out of pure inquisitiveness: What justifies the high cost of these brands?

Anything I see on GB or other auction sites are, without exception, priced sky-high. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t see Korths labeled as something like “the finest revolvers in the world”. I assume they are hand-fitted as in the old days, but what about Blaser rifles? Even parts for them can cost as much as some other brand’s entire rifles. I’m not under the impression that they are collector-grade, non-shooters, just really curious as to what it is about them that they cost so much.

I absolutely do not begrudge anyone buying them, I’d just like to know what it is that gives them the aura they seem to have.
 
They are Teutonically engineered, and thus expensive. ;)
Seriously, it's the attention to detail given to fit, particularly internal parts fit. A Korth comes off their 'regular' assembly line, yet is smoother and better fit than a Python off the line, and only a Python gone over by the Custom Shop or a gunsmith specializing in them can match it.

Blaser shotguns are decent, but not at the state-of-the-art level of the pistols. The rifles are a unique design, and thus along with the same level of care in production as the pistols, have developed an almost cult following of those who appreciate the highest quality in a working firearm.
 
Not at all to downplay their quality (or their reputation at any rate... I can't speak from experience here), but the fact is just about anything made in Germany is going to be expensive. That's partly because of the social compact German manufacturers live within: high costs that fund a rather generous employment package they're required to sustain. Or so that was explained to me, by a German gent, ages ago.
 
yet is smoother and better fit than a Python off the line,
Can't agree with this. I have never fired a Korth but I have held, examined, played with and dry fired many a Korth at Shot Shows through the years. I have fired Pythons. I call em' equal. And I'll take a Smith&Wesson early production Registered Magnum over either one.
 
They are Teutonically engineered, and thus expensive. ;)
Seriously, it's the attention to detail given to fit, particularly internal parts fit. A Korth comes off their 'regular' assembly line, yet is smoother and better fit than a Python off the line, and only a Python gone over by the Custom Shop or a gunsmith specializing in them can match it.

Blaser shotguns are decent, but not at the state-of-the-art level of the pistols. The rifles are a unique design, and thus along with the same level of care in production as the pistols, have developed an almost cult following of those who appreciate the highest quality in a working firearm.
I'll disagree about the shotguns, the F3 is a great gun for the money falling in between the price points of Browning/Berettas and Perazzi/Kreighoffs. I'd take the F3 over a Ceasar Guerini any day. You have barrel interchangeability without the need for expensive custom fitting.
 
Now take the Sauer 404 takedown; VERY nice (with a nice price to boot!)
here is a viseo showing their takedown carrying case....the CASE is ~$600 (Video is 2 minutes ling)

 
Teutonic engineering or government/social compact notwithstanding, they still have to sell enough to sustain the companies. Business 101 states that a product is worth whatever the customer will pay for it...so there must be a reason(s) that customers continue to pay for them.
 
I ask this question out of pure inquisitiveness: What justifies the high cost of these brands?

.

That sufficient numbers of people will buy their products.

I've only ever shot the Blaser F3 Sporting shotgun and I didn't love it for the money, but there is no question that it was finely engineered and beautifully made. But, for that money, I would prefer a Perazzi. I don't have that kind of money, but if I did, I would absolutely buy a K95 Baroness Stutzen in 8x57.
 
I'll disagree about the shotguns, the F3 is a great gun for the money falling in between the price points of Browning/Berettas and Perazzi/Kreighoffs. I'd take the F3 over a Ceasar Guerini any day. You have barrel interchangeability without the need for expensive custom fitting.
I did not know about the barrel interchangability. That definitely changes things. Sure does give it an edge over the Guerini.
 
My FLG (Friendly Local Gunsmith) hunts with an elderly Merkel. His position is that German guns are precisely manufactured while others like British Best are laboriously fitted. All that machinery and well paid machinists runs the price up.
But nowhere near as high as that expensive English labor and the hours involved.
 
What justifies the high cost of these brands?
The willingness to pay for something very nice and that is marketed as top of the line by people who have a lot more money than I do.

As you can see in the few number of answers, value is assigned by the purchaser, and the manufactures will simply find the price point that yields the greatest profit.
 
Not at all to downplay their quality (or their reputation at any rate... I can't speak from experience here), but the fact is just about anything made in Germany is going to be expensive. That's partly because of the social compact German manufacturers live within: high costs that fund a rather generous employment package they're required to sustain. Or so that was explained to me, by a German gent, ages ago.

Howdy Col. Harrumph,

your information giver was partially correct....but the most costly factor is that many German companies only have workers that have an formal education in their profession, e.g. gunsmith, mechanic, fine mechanics and such like. (Just to name a few examples fitting for the gun industry).
The German apprentice system is a dual system, in which a part of the apprenticeship, which in total lasts usually three and a half years, is spent in special schools that teach very solid knowledge and skill to the apprentices for their profession. This combines with company-intern apprentice-centers (at least in bigger companies), in which the young gals and guys are taught more specific knowledge and skills for the application of gunsmithing/ mechanics work etc. to the needs and ends of the company.
So basically you spend a long time actively and guided gathering profound knowledge and skills in your field of profession. Thus you in average are way above an only "trained on the job" person that is given a specific job because an industry pigeon cant do the job.

This usually results in better maufacturing quality but produces higher labor costs.

Hope this information is helpful.

Greetings from across the pond!
Carsten
 
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There is also branding and cachet. Why do people pay exorbitant amounts of money for German cars, i.e., Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, etc. when we know most Japanese brands are actually better cars? Not as luxurious perhaps, but I can tell you from experience Japanese cars will spend almost no time in the shop over their lifetime except for wear items while German cars will have many (expensive) issues over the same mileage and time.

Porsche had an problem with a part called the intermediate shaft bearing, quite common. When it went it took the whole engine with it, $18K for a rebuilt engine. If you replaced the part before it went, it was still $5K. People knew it, continued to buy them. "Did I mention I own a Porsche" seemed to be enough to guarantee sales.
 
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So basically you spend a long time actively and guided gathering profound knowledge and skills in your field of profession. Thus you in average are way above an only "trained on the job" person that is given a specific job because an industry pigeon cant do the job.
Thanks Carsten! I was aware of the apprentice system in Germany, and there have been sporadic suggestions to adopt something like that in the USA. Certainly, university is not for everyone. I'd comment more but I'm already off-topic.
 
I've only looked at Korth guns at SHOT a couple of times.

I've never shot one.

That said, the fit and finish on the Korth revolvers that I examined was remarkably gorgeous. No idea if that has something to do with their processes, or if it was a psychological thing from knowing the price, but in person, Korths are very pretty.
 
I was on a deer lease several years ago and another hunter there had a Blaser. I didn't shoot it but looked it over for some time. It was beautifully made and smooth as a baby's butt though I doubt any more accurate than my Browning. I get it though. The same thing with $6K custom hunting rifles that are basically well built Remchesters that aren't for a specific niche, such as sheep hunting.

What I really question is why people pay thousands for a 1911. Yes, I well understand market forces but $3K and up for a carry pistol is odd to me. And then there are Patek Phillip watches. So it goes
 
Wasn't there a guy on here that was an expert on Korths and other high-end pistols? Haven't seen him in a while. I recall he was rather sensitive regarding matters involving collecting firearms.
 
I was on a deer lease several years ago and another hunter there had a Blaser. I didn't shoot it but looked it over for some time. It was beautifully made and smooth as a baby's butt though I doubt any more accurate than my Browning. I get it though. The same thing with $6K custom hunting rifles that are basically well built Remchesters that aren't for a specific niche, such as sheep hunting.

What I really question is why people pay thousands for a 1911. Yes, I well understand market forces but $3K and up for a carry pistol is odd to me. And then there are Patek Phillip watches. So it goes
For some it is the snob appeal (especially. with high end watches); for others, it is simply pride of ownership in acquiring what they believe to be the best of the best of a particular item; nothing wrong with that. Shooting competition shotgun tournaments, I run into folks who have a LOT of money - these guys shoot $20K shotguns, drive the course in their 25K Polaris 4 seaters (with heat and A/C) which they pull with their $75K pickup........Good for them! If I had that kind of disposable income, I might also indulge in a few of those luxuries. I certainly am not jealous, envious, or going to rant in a reverse snobbery sort of way towards them as everyone of them I have met have been very polite, kind and gentlemanly in their attitudes and actions. I shot one tournament with a gent who has one of the most gorgeously engrave K-80 I have ever seen. That thing has more gold on it than I do in my crowns in my mouth! He had a bad day that day, shooting poorly, but he smiled and shrugged it off, was encouraging to those who were shooting well. I know that gun was over 50K, more ;likely closer to 75K as it was a one of a kind engraving/gold inlay design - good for him!
I would rather have a few things of top tier quality, no matter the subject - that a house full of crappy things......JMO, YMMV
 
It's status a status thing. You can pay someone to bake you a $10,000 cake that tastes very similar to a $10 Wal-Mart cake. Same thing.
You may find a $400 rifle that shoots almost as well or just as well as the blaser rifle but you don't get the extra features and the ultra smooth operation - things that aren't required but a luxury.
Funny thing is that same guy who absolutely needs to have the high end rifle very likely can't shoot it to its full potential anyway - the precision is wasted on them. As for the korth, it's a handgun - there is no doubt a guy with an old S&W or ruger that's shot countless rounds through it could shoot their "cheap" gun better than 99% of the guys who had to have the top end revolver . just the way it is and people who try to buy accuracy don't often recognize the fact that they must do their part or all the fitting in the world is for nothing.
I would never look down on someone for wanting what they perceive as the best. It's their money and can buy whatever they please but to think that anyone needs something so precise to make a tight group is where I draw the line, it's not reality. For the top shooters in the world, maybe -but that's not who's buying that stuff - they have custom guns.
I respect German engineering but absolutely do not prefer it. Simplicity is beautiful , over complicated mechanical items that the same end result can be reached with 1/10 the parts or 1/10 the fitting are for folks who have more time for fiddling with their doo dads than I would care to think about. As an example - German cars are the scourge of the earth and a testament to over engineering that not only achieve absolutely nothing that any other can do for less money with more reliably and less complication and they fail substantially sooner and more frequently than their less expensive and less complicated counterparts .
No korths or blasers for me, no desire and coincidentally no money so that works out alright.
 
As an example - German cars are the scourge of the earth and a testament to over engineering that not only achieve absolutely nothing that any other can do for less money with more reliably and less complication and they fail substantially sooner and more frequently than their less expensive and less complicated counterparts .

Guess you never owned an English car like a MG, Jag or Triumph. I owned and older MB diesel - great car that ran like a top, even with 500K miles on it.

I'll take a Blaser over a Ruger, whether shotgun or rifle, any day of the week for better manufacturing, better quality, and better reliability........and I'll take a Sauer 404 over the Blaser......
 
Guess you never owned an English car like a MG, Jag or Triumph. I owned and older MB diesel - great car that ran like a top, even with 500K miles on it.

I'll take a Blaser over a Ruger, whether shotgun or rifle, any day of the week for better manufacturing, better quality, and better reliability........and I'll take a Sauer 404 over the Blaser......

Never owned a British car, but I've worked on my share (worked for a Rolls-Royce restorer & dealer for a while)- and the shop next to mine is a vintage mini specialty shop, - horrific IMO.
I'd take a blaser over a ruger 100% of the time too, no doubt about it - unless it's coming out of my wallet. I didn't mean that a common man's rifle/shotgun/revolver is better in any way than the high end guns, just that the guy pulling the trigger matters more than the smoothness of the action in the vast majority of cases.thats all.
I can appreciate beautiful things , but I appreciate value far more , diminishing returns and all that.
 
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