Is ther a good reason why Galil's are so expensive.

[Amish]

Compared to Valmet's and Daewoo's, Galil's are twice the price. Why is that? Also, why are Steyr USR's so expensive when after all they are a postban rifle that is now restricticed?

 

[son of a gun]

I think it's all supply and demand, there just weren't enough imported before the ban, so people who lust for them are willing to pay.

 

[Jeff White]

sonof a gun is right on. It's just econ 101. Galils were expensive before the ban, so that contributed to the relatively few that were imported.

Jeff

 

[Amish]

And I thought they were somehow special. If rarity is all it has going for it, i'll pass. I rather have an AUG at that price.

 

[Jeff White]

With a Galil you are getting the top of the line AK system. They are heavy and well built. If you are looking at one in 5.56mm it probably has a 1/12 twist barrel and that will restrict you to the lighter weight bullets.

They have some neat features but are way too heavy for the cartidge they shoot.

YMMV

Jeff

 

[hksw]

Unless you're shooting the 7.62.


In the Galil's case, I think it is the simple matter of supply as others have mentioned, IMO.

 

[Tamara]

Scarcity = value, different = cool.

Once upon a time, Galils were cheap and Yugo-made AK's were expensive. I remember folks who paid upwards of eight bills for Makarovs and CZ-75's, too...

 

[DrDremel]

IT is the same reason that HKs, AUGs, Sig 550s and others are so expensve. IT is not that they are better, just not as availible. If you want an AR15, companies simply make more. With these rifles there are simply more collectors than there are rifles. Therefore the person that offers the most gets the gun. Then the collector that bought the gun always wants to sell it for more than he has in it. If the market were open, the Galil and HK would be cheap as there were tons of HKs made and the Galil is a discontinued rifle that does not take common mags. For a collector, the Galil and Valmet are the peak of the AK design and quality.

 

[WonderNine]

Tamara, did you mean Yugo SKS's? I know they used to be pricey before they imported that many. I've never heard of a Yugo AK.

 

[El Tejon]

Wonder, I'm showing my age (all this was orchard), but in the early '80s when the dollar was kicking the bejeebus out of the Dutchiemark couple of importers spilt a 6 and got a few in. Hungarian AhhKaws (with that neato blondie wood) were hot then too and we used to call nickels bees. I took the ferry to Shelbyville which in those days was called . . . .

Amish, young man, remember this about guns and you will make a mint--it's all about the unobtanium, not utility!

 

[Jack19]

Galils were always expensive. I remember seeing one at a gun show in Detroit in the early-mid 80s for $1200.

 

[son of a gun]

Galils were always expensive. I remember seeing one at a gun show in Detroit in the early-mid 80s for $1200.

That's because all those people in West Bloomfield want them.

 

[Tamara]

WonderNine,

"Cheap" and "expensive" are, of course, relative terms. In the days before Norinco, the only source for AK's and SKS's was Mitchell Arms, which imported Yugo-made guns. AK's sold for about five bills, and so did SKS's; Galils could be found for not too much over six with some judicious shopping around, as they were slow movers.

"Gimme five bees for a quarter!" we usedta say...

 

[Jeff White]

Tamara said;

In the days before Norinco, the only source for AK's and SKS's was Mitchell Arms, which imported Yugo-made guns. AK's sold for about five bills, and so did SKS's

I'm going to show my age by saying I remember when the only AK was the Egyptian Maadi and they cost between $600-800 around here and the only source of 7.62x39 was Norma and it wasn't cheap.

Galils could be found for not too much over six with some judicious shopping around, as they were slow movers.

It's always amazed me how regional gun prices used to be. I think maybe the internet has changed that somewhat, but I don't think I ever tracked a Galil down around here for under $700. At a time when you could buy ARs for $400 and surplus USGI mags were a buck apiece it was a lot of money.

Jeff