North Bender wrote:
Three full time internet sites are selling parts...right now. But I don't know how many springs or extractors or triggers etc they have in stock, or if they expect to be resupplied again after they sell out their inventory. Might be they have 10,000 spare parts kits, or it might be 50. Once those 50 are gone, there may not be another supply of them again from overseas...ever. If no new parts are being made, then eventually suppliers are going to run out, or they will have to get them from people who break their pistols, or decide to part them out, or whatever. That means that the supply of parts becomes finite. And 25 years from now, when I go looking for parts...there may not be any to be had. If no new parts are being made, that means that eventually it will mean higher prices for parts, and probably disasterously high prices. That's a no-brainer in economics.
My kit probably isn't selling for two reasons. For one, it seems to be priced at just about what it's worth to buy it from those online suppliers. I'm a bit too high on my asking price. Secondly, I don't think it was in a spot that people normally look. I put it under accessories, not pistols for sale, even though it has all the parts except the frame.
Truthfully, I'd be just as content to keep my extra spare parts in case I do have a problem. If someone gives me a good price, I'd sell them. If they don't sell, I'll be equally happy to keep them around.
I don't know enough about a Bersa to compare it to a Makarov either. I've seen them for sale and that's about all. I hear they are good guns. With a Bersa it wouldn't be parts availability as a consideration for why I would recommend it to a new gun buyer, but ammo availability. Bersa is a .380 firearm. One of those popular US calibers. I could just have easily picked CZ 83 in .380 or .32ACP as a good budget priced firearm. One revolution in Russia and 9/10th of the inexpensive 9x18 ammo supply goes out the window.
Even if there isn't a revolution, for me, I'm seriously concerned that the source for inexpensive 9x18mm will dry up regardless. Not today, not tomorrow, but in 2 years, or 3 years, or 10. There are dozens of calibers in history that had their day, then dried up and became obsolete. 9x18 strikes me as having that potential. If you're not concerned about it, then it's not an issue for you. But 9x18 is only used in 6 or 7 guns total that are sold in the US, and no new offerings are being produced. All of the 9x18mm handguns sold in the US are surplus guns. Every one of them. There is not a new 9x18 handgun being produced anywhere in the world that is marketed for sale in the United States. No doubt they are good guns...but they are dead guns too. They are a side branch of gun evolution. Interesting. Not without their positive features, but still and all a line of guns that had their day 25 years ago and only got resurrected as cheap foreign surplus for sale in the US after everyone else got tired of them and switched to something else. And I agree that they were a bargain, and still are a bargain for the quality of firearm you are purchasing. But they have downsides to them...and their line is dead. If they can be changed to something else by putting a new .380 barrel on them, then so much the better. That .380 barrel is a new heart bypass operation that lets it keep going a little longer.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not getting rid of my Makarovs. I've got too much invested in them right now. But if the price of a box of 9x18 ammo goes to $100 a box...I'll find something better. And there isn't a better small handgun for accuracy IMO to be found. But....still.....I'd make do with something else if keeping the Makarov becomes more trouble than its worth.
Three full time internet sites are selling parts...right now. But I don't know how many springs or extractors or triggers etc they have in stock, or if they expect to be resupplied again after they sell out their inventory. Might be they have 10,000 spare parts kits, or it might be 50. Once those 50 are gone, there may not be another supply of them again from overseas...ever. If no new parts are being made, then eventually suppliers are going to run out, or they will have to get them from people who break their pistols, or decide to part them out, or whatever. That means that the supply of parts becomes finite. And 25 years from now, when I go looking for parts...there may not be any to be had. If no new parts are being made, that means that eventually it will mean higher prices for parts, and probably disasterously high prices. That's a no-brainer in economics.
My kit probably isn't selling for two reasons. For one, it seems to be priced at just about what it's worth to buy it from those online suppliers. I'm a bit too high on my asking price. Secondly, I don't think it was in a spot that people normally look. I put it under accessories, not pistols for sale, even though it has all the parts except the frame.
Truthfully, I'd be just as content to keep my extra spare parts in case I do have a problem. If someone gives me a good price, I'd sell them. If they don't sell, I'll be equally happy to keep them around.
I don't know enough about a Bersa to compare it to a Makarov either. I've seen them for sale and that's about all. I hear they are good guns. With a Bersa it wouldn't be parts availability as a consideration for why I would recommend it to a new gun buyer, but ammo availability. Bersa is a .380 firearm. One of those popular US calibers. I could just have easily picked CZ 83 in .380 or .32ACP as a good budget priced firearm. One revolution in Russia and 9/10th of the inexpensive 9x18 ammo supply goes out the window.
Even if there isn't a revolution, for me, I'm seriously concerned that the source for inexpensive 9x18mm will dry up regardless. Not today, not tomorrow, but in 2 years, or 3 years, or 10. There are dozens of calibers in history that had their day, then dried up and became obsolete. 9x18 strikes me as having that potential. If you're not concerned about it, then it's not an issue for you. But 9x18 is only used in 6 or 7 guns total that are sold in the US, and no new offerings are being produced. All of the 9x18mm handguns sold in the US are surplus guns. Every one of them. There is not a new 9x18 handgun being produced anywhere in the world that is marketed for sale in the United States. No doubt they are good guns...but they are dead guns too. They are a side branch of gun evolution. Interesting. Not without their positive features, but still and all a line of guns that had their day 25 years ago and only got resurrected as cheap foreign surplus for sale in the US after everyone else got tired of them and switched to something else. And I agree that they were a bargain, and still are a bargain for the quality of firearm you are purchasing. But they have downsides to them...and their line is dead. If they can be changed to something else by putting a new .380 barrel on them, then so much the better. That .380 barrel is a new heart bypass operation that lets it keep going a little longer.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not getting rid of my Makarovs. I've got too much invested in them right now. But if the price of a box of 9x18 ammo goes to $100 a box...I'll find something better. And there isn't a better small handgun for accuracy IMO to be found. But....still.....I'd make do with something else if keeping the Makarov becomes more trouble than its worth.
