Price of Colt Detective special 38
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J-Bar
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Mark_Mark
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Sorry… At lease $250 for a new gun in 1980
J-Bar
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From my 1980 Gun Digest:
Looks like MSRP was over $200. I doubt even a good used one was $60.
Mark_Mark
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I had a feeling guns were very expensive back in the days. I believe my dad bought a used 1981 Buck Regal in 1984 for $5,400. he could not get a loan, so he paid weekly at the dealer. Anyways, his pay was $3.40/hour
So a $225 Colt DS would have cost a weeks work.
fast forward today, that about $2000 equivalent
J-Bar
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My curiosity is aroused. Why are you asking?
Jimmy Carter was POTUS and the economy was miserable. Look up "stagflation"...high mortgage interest and inflation gave us the "misery index" (unemployment rate + inflation rate) and Mr. Carter is still worse than any other President. I had trouble feeding my wife and kids in 1980, much less buying guns.
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Dave Markowitz
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Huh? If you run $225 in 1980 dollars through an inflation calculator it works out to about $984 in 2023 dollars.
Mark_Mark
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well, I’m not good with math
That's why I did not use the term "inflation," but rather "compounding." Your $984 is very close to the compounding at 3.5%.
Quick check of online prices seem to float between $600 and a litle over $1000.
However, the inflation calculators include the yearly price appreciation ("inflation") of a collection of goods, and the particular"goods" in question may not, individually, be represented by what the general "inflation calculator" indicates.
For what it's worth, your number ($984) represents exactly 3.491% compounding over that 43 years 01 Jan 1980 to 31 Dec 2023.
In addition it is often alleged that the actual inflation rate is <ahem> "deflated" from reality by the government agency doing the figgering.
Terry, 230RN
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v8stang289
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As a wise man once told me, "Figures don't lie, but Liars do figure"
"Statistics don't lie. Statisticians do." --Richard P. Runyon, PhD
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jar
Contributing Member
IIRC I paid just under $200.00 for my DS in 1983. But that included a Hunter holster and a box of ammo.
Neat advertising sheet there. Seemore and Willy.
Reminds me of the Roger Rabbit scene with them playing pattycake.
Just for fun, at the risk of deletion::
Reminds me of the Roger Rabbit scene with them playing pattycake.
Just for fun, at the risk of deletion::
OP
OP
gifbohane
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JBAR
A few weeks ago, I sold my Colt. The guy asked me how much I paid for it and I did not remember. So, I got curious and decided to see if you guys could help me. Once again you all came through and I thank you.
Unfortunately, the sale left me with a considerable number of finished cases, a set of dies and much premium Hornady ammo.
A few weeks ago, I sold my Colt. The guy asked me how much I paid for it and I did not remember. So, I got curious and decided to see if you guys could help me. Once again you all came through and I thank you.
Unfortunately, the sale left me with a considerable number of finished cases, a set of dies and much premium Hornady ammo.
jar
Contributing Member
And they see what you want seen.Neat advertising sheet there. Seemore and Willy.
Reminds me of the Roger Rabbit scene with them playing pattycake.
Just for fun, at the risk of deletion::
When did you buy it and what did the guy pay for it recently?
I can give it a shot with reverse amortization and maybe that will give you an idea. I was surprised at the low "$984" number above and the $600-$1000 spread in today's market. I guess revolvers aren't appreciating as fast with the popularity of DAO autos.
It should be easy to get rid of the loading components, but I'm talking from the days before America went boogeyshit suit-happy.
Terry, 230RN
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I just checked prices on the Colt cobra, the closest revolver Colt makes compared to the DS. Price is running around 900 bucks. Pretty close to your inflation numbers. Just as an aside. I paid just under 800 for this one last November from a retired Detroit PD Sargent.
Mark_Mark
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I recently paid $600 for a mint 36-no dash, no box. One of prized revolver
BWS
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X2.... bought an,as new DS around '85 for $350. It was maybe a cpl years old? Instead of working the price,got them to throw in a nice used holster. Realizing they had zero $ in the holster and had margins on the DS.... they took the deal.