Jardine, Valtro, Prices, & Rumors

[CGofMP]

Greetings Folks,

I just wanted to post a quick note and put some rumors to bed here. It came to my attention that some folks were suggesting that Jardine was taking orders for Valtro pistols and not giving firm prices. Instead it has been said that he was suggesting that there was a potential variance depending on (insert various reasons here).

As most of you know, I built both the Jardine website and the Valtro website, so this concerned me to some degree as I am selective in my clients.

I do NOT purport to speak for John here and to get a final (read legal) answer speak to him directly [(510) 489-8477] *BUT* what John told me and affirmed in a followup phonecall was that the prices for the VALTRO pistols are fixed AT THE TIME OF THE ORDER. Currently that price is $1599.00. Delivery times do vary.

John assured me that on vanilla Valtro pistols that the price would be set totally at the time of the order.

I let him know about the rumors on the board and am unsure what the story is with that, but I wonder if maybe the odd price quotes had to do with special modifications and specialcustom work which would in my personal opinion not be known with perfect exactness until such time as the work was completed - especially for more essoteric one-of-a-kind modifications.

So bottom line is that John Jardine told me directly that the price for a regular Valtro is set at the time of the order and will not change in the time that it takes to produce the gun and be delivered.

I hope this helps to calm those of you with orders in the pipeline vor a standard Valtro who thought you might be paying a higher price or those of you concerned about the price going up after ordering.

Take care, and again I am passing on what I was told, please DO solicit John directly for an absolute affirmation of anything stated above.

Charles

PS: It is hoped that sometime this month we will be meeting with jardine again and going over some photographs submitted by a user of this forum. Should John approve of them they will be added to the Valtro website

You know who you are and thanks in advance!

 

[Kestrel]

Charles,

Thanks for the info, but it is NOT rumor. That is defintely the way John has done. Maybe he has changed his practice, but there are too many posts to the contrary and I have been told the same thing by him, personally. As for sticking to a price, that $1600 figure is higher than I was quoted when I placed an order last year. I haven't received it, yet, but was told I would pay more (but he couldn't tell me what "more" would be). Why would my price not be "fixed"?

I'm not bothering to call him, because I don't care enough about it to bother, now. I don't think I'll be taking delivery of the one I ordered.

Why can someone like Wilson Combat or Novaks or Ed Brown or Garthewaite or Heinie or any other reputable gunsmith figure out what their prices will be, whether it takes 2 months or 7 years and Jardine has not? His defenders say "well, he doesn't know what he will be paying for the Italian guns when he gets them". What kind of model is that? Springfied Armory's Custom shop will build you an outstanding custom 1911 (also from a frame and slide that comes from another country). It can take a year on some models, but you are quoted a fixed price.

Maybe he's changed his MO, but it is not a rumor.

Steve

 

[Preacherman]

Don't forget to allow for the depreciation of the dollar on international currency markets. IIRC, the dollar is about 20% lower right now than it was a year ago. That means that to import a given item, the dollar price is now 20% higher. Since Valtro's are made in Italy, and (presumably) priced in Euros or Lire, there would inevitably be a knock-on effect on the dollar price.

 

[JohnBT]

Here's an example. I ran across this pricing Anschutz rifles. John

www.championshooters.com/Anschutz-r.htm

6-5-03
Due to drastic changes in the exchange rate between the Euro and the Dollar we are pricing guns as they come in. We price the guns with a minimum markup above what our actually cost is (this has never changed), however since the currency exchange rates are uncertain and changing it is possible to have the same gun at different prices b/c they came on different shipments with different exchange rates. If there is a gun that has different prices the cheaper one will be sold on a first come first serve basis. Also Anschutz is running at capacity right now, not all of these guns are available. We cannot determine the price of rifles that are on back order with the manufacturer until they arrive. We are still committed to providing the best possible price and that will not change. When the economy stabilizes again we will start posting prices as we have done in the past.

 

[Steve Smith]

FWIW, I ordered a pistol last week and I received a firm price.

 

[larryw]

So internet lore and the "ready, shoot, aim" mentality spun what Jardine may or may not have done in the past out of all proportion. This puts an absolute end to that tale.

$1599? He still priced the gun too low.

 

[Sean Smith]

So internet lore and the "ready, shoot, aim" mentality spun what Jardine may or may not have done in the past out of all proportion.

Looks like we have a winner.

 

[sambru]

John Jardine/ Valtro

I have to put my two cents in. John Jardine is one of the best pistolsmiths I have know, as well as an honest gentelman to do business with. Believe me the wait for his product is worth it, a Valtro will shoot circles around any SA I know I had both and the SA had cost me a lot more and it had moore goodie on it. So again be patient, and if a Valtro ends up costing a bit more you will not regret it.

Sam

...remember "there are those that lead and those that follow".......

 

[Trebor]

Clint at Fulton Armory also prices based on price on delivery, not price on order. I don't know if he accepts full pre-paid orders, but I suspect that he doesn't. So, the practice is not unheard of.