Are guns creeping up in price?

[george burns]

Anyone notice over the past 3-6 months that guns have been steadily climbing in price? It seems like all of the brands are doing these small increases that aren't in themselves that much, but if you look back 6 months to a year, most everything has gone up substantially.
One exception that come to mind is Colt. but other than that Rugar, Springfield, Sig, H&K even Glock, seem to have risen.
Obviously everything goes up, but for a while we were flat to down on guns, about a year ago, but now it seems like ammo is down and guns are up?

 

[45223]

Doesn't seem too much different than how things were years ago.

It's called inflation. There's also possible some supply and demand going on too. If you hadn't noticed AR prices have dropped because of a surge in supply.

Glock prices seem to be the same as they were a year or two ago. Actually right after the Obama gun ban threat scare I think Glocks and especially those hi cap mags were going for well over 60 dollars. Not they're about 45 at my local gun shop.

 

[Redcoat3340]

Are you referring to new or used guns? I think the asking prices on places like Armslist (at least in WA state) and Gunbroker are getting close to silly. Although with some careful shopping bargains can still be found (a near-new M&P 9mm range set went for $400 the other day; CDI on Gunbroker is selling Hi Powers, Taurus and Beretta at what I think are fair and reasonable prices.

If you are speaking of new guns, I really can't comment on that. The only new guns I've purchased were bought many years ago....I'm strictly a bargain hunter within a few categories: S&W 9mm; and pistols....plus a few "historic" guns I just like, such as Beretta 1951, Walther P38/P1, and a Browning 1922.

 

[Old Fuff]

I was just looking at the results of a recent auction with a mix of antique, classic, and current guns.

They took in over four-and-a-half million dollars! in a day's time.

That's not creeping, it's flat our running, and for the record the Old Fuff got left in the dust.

 

[joem1945]

As the dollar is devalued the price paid rises. The fed runs it's printing presses 24/7 to print money and the buying power of the dollar plummets.

 

[lysanderxiii]

They are, and they have since 1968....

 

[USAF_Vet]

Is the run of the mill AR over $1200 again? Or are they still right around $650?

 

[lemaymiami]

Joem is right on the money (and yes it's worth less and less as we work our way through the final two years of our current administration...). We (our country) has been deliberately de-valuing our currency since 2008 and I see no end in sight. All of the paper profits in stocks and other investments when viewed through the lens that I'm using aren't so hot either.

Are there specific categories of firearms that fetch more than they have historically? Yes, all you have to do is look at modern semi-auto rifles (AR a great example) and how their prices are a lot more sensitive to political climate than other categories of weapons. On the other hand specific manufacturing events also have a great deal to do with prices. The current lack of new Marlin lever action rifles (in 357 for instance) have directly caused the price of older models to shoot up. Yes, in that instance current production was no where near the quality of previous years, so they finally shut down the line and haven't yet returned to market with quality goods. When they do the price of older Marlins will fade a bit (I hope...).

 

[oneounceload]

Gee, let's see - Obamacare taxes, increases in state and local taxes, increases in utilities, payroll taxes, etc..................you were expecting things to NOT go up in price?

 

[jmr40]

Relative to inflation guns are cheaper, and better quality than at any time in history. We all have to work far less time to earn the money to pay for the same quality than our fathers and grandfathers did. The difference is in how we CHOOSE to spend our money.

A gun that cost $135 fifty years ago should sell for a little over $1000 in today's money. I can promise you that a $500-$600 gun today is at least as good as a $135 gun in 1965. In fact there are a lot of sub $400 guns today that are much better than a $135 gun from the 1960's. We can't expect to make 2015 wages and still pay 1965 prices.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

 

[george burns]

I never said that, lately they have jumped up in price, just look at the Kimber line, those guns are up from 1050 to 1350-1550 in a year for CDP's, Crimson Carry, Super Carry, etc and similar models, Of course everything goes up, just not this much this fast.
I can take them brand by brand but those who shop good quality "especially steel guns" know what I am saying, ounce.
Ammo has become available so guns are becoming more expensive, "Free markets do this", but either the Govt is taxing the crap out of the gun company's, or they are taking advantage of the situation now that guns are easier to acquire due to laws being eased, thanks to guys like us.

 

[sappyg]

Meh... In general yes. Prices are creeping up along with inflation.

Gun specific pricing seems to be based on supply and demand. Desirable guns like the m1 carbine or colt Python continue to bring higher prices. ARs are a mixed bag but a good working example can be had for CHEAP.

 

[Thermactor]

Ammo has gone up, way up .

Guns are cheap as ever.

 

[Redcoat3340]

Supply and demand aren't the only factors driving up prices...greed and ignorance are also pushing them up.

Take, for instance, this WA Armslist ad. LGS asking $475 plus $45 in sales tax for a $300 Beretta 92s and hoping he can find a sucker who buys his ad copy.

http://www.armslist.com/posts/4201242/washington-handguns-for-sale--beretta-model-92s-9mm-

Southern Ohio Guns (and others) have been advertising them for a while at $300 (or a bit more for extra nice ones). Even adding in shipping of $25, FFL fee of $25 and $25 in WA state "use" tax, he's asking people to pay $520 for a gun they can get for $375. That seems a bit over the top (dare I call it greedy).

And yes, let the buyer beware; it's basic capitalism; no one HAS to buy it; do your homework, etc....but when regular folks look and try to price a gun for a private sale, they see all these stupid inflated prices, price theirs likewise...and up go gun prices some more.

 

[barnbwt]

Eh, I'm paying less for Tokarev than pre-Banic ('11). I think the real reason ammo/gun prices are moving is simply that we're all talking about prez elections again (I'm almost to the point of supporting 8-year terms simply to give us a break; if O could get a second term comfortably, anyone with a pulse will so what's the point of the four-year Kabuki dance?)

Iron prices are low; let's work on getting mild steel-core ammo pulled off the "NO" list.

TCB

 

[CZ9shooter]

I would say yes, but so is everything. Have you bought a set tires or been to the grociery store lately? Gas is the only thing I have noticed NOT going up lately. But it was out of contol for a few years. Maybe now it is back to what I might call "normal". Or about double what it was 10 or 12 years ago.

 

[olafhardtB]

I can buy more guns and ammo easier than I ever did before, both used an new.

 

[Aragon]

Anyone notice over the past 3-6 months that guns have been steadily climbing in price? It seems like all of the brands are doing these small increases that aren't in themselves that much, but if you look back 6 months to a year, most everything has gone up substantially.
One exception that come to mind is Colt. but other than that Rugar, Springfield, Sig, H&K even Glock, seem to have risen.
Obviously everything goes up, but for a while we were flat to down on guns, about a year ago, but now it seems like ammo is down and guns are up?

Quite the opposite... Gun prices seem to have dropped over that period. Demand is down.

 

[CajunBass]

The only thing I even look at are Smith & Wesson revolvers. All used, mostly old. I promise you they have done nothing but go up ever since I started looking and I don't expect them to. If you see something today you want, you better buy it, becuase it probably won't be there tomorrow.

The "new gun" side of the case is just something to walk by on the way out the door. I have no more idea what a Glock (or a NIB S&W) sells for new, then I do how to fly to the moon. I'll have to take your word they've gone up.

 

[guyfromohio]

I can still find new 642s for $369, new Gen 3 Glocks for $499 and new Gen 4 for $539. I use those three to take the pulse of gun prices and LGS mark-up. So, no I'm not seeing it in general. Now I am seeing guns such as the CZ increase as demand and popularity increases.

 

[sarge83]

I have noticed at my local gun/pawn establishment that prices are creeping up. Beater revolvers that 3 yrs. ago would have gone for $100-$150 range are now creeping up to the $300 range. FEG P63's they sold all day long for $100-$165 for years are now priced $250.

My purchases have trailed off in the last couple of years. I am just not willing to pay higher prices and my collection is pretty much where I want it to be. Unless it is something I don't have I look and then I negotiate, but I'm just not paying an extra $100 because they want more profit, it can sit in their case and so far that is what is happening as their new guns seem to move as they are competing with another gun shop with their prices on them, but their used ones are sitting because they are over priced.

 

[mgmorden]

Are you referring to new or used guns? I think the asking prices on places like Armslist (at least in WA state) and Gunbroker are getting close to silly.

I'll agree. It seems like most people trying to sell a used gun might as well be charging the new price plus a $50 "break in fee".

For the most part though it doesn't seem like prices - for new guns at least - have been going up much - at least to me. As a matter of fact as someone whose primary interest is duty-stized 9mm's, there are more (good) sub-$300 options than ever, and H&K just recently released a gun at ~$600 which until now was unheard of for them.

 

[Plan2Live]

My employer absorbed a substantial increase in health care premiums without passing that on to the employees this year. I doubt we are unique. That cost increase eventually gets passed on to someone.

With that said, from a historic perspective, I think today's guns are value priced. I bought a S&W 459 in 1986 for about $450. A Shield runs about $450-$460 today, that's sounds like a bargain to me considering inflation.

 

[JSH1]

As the dollar is devalued the price paid rises. The fed runs it's printing presses 24/7 to print money and the buying power of the dollar plummets.

The US dollar has been strengthening against pretty much every major whole currency. Right now it takes 1.09 dollars to buy a Euro. When I visited Europe in 2010 it was 1.39, in 2012 it was 1.31. The story is the same with the Pound, Yen, etc.

Companies that export goods are worried that the strong dollar will hurt their sales and make their products less competitive. On the other hand it is a great time to travel or purchase imported goods.

I haven't been paying that much attention about the trend over the last couple of months but guns are much cheaper now than when I bought my first gun back in 1991.

Here is the 5 year chart for the Dollar vs Euro:
http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=USD&to=EUR&view=5Y

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Creeping Up In Price?

It's whatever the market will bear.

Woody