Who the heck buys these things?

[bestseller92]

In the latest issue of "Combat Handguns" there is a glowing review of the NightHawk Lady Hawk, a commander sized 1911 9mm pistol.

The review states the pistol is selling like hotcakes. The price?

$2895!

My question is, who is buying this pistol, and others like it? Bill Gates? Saudi princes?

I'm all for everyone buying anything they want, but to me this seems ridiculous. If I want a good 9mm pistol, for $2900 I can get 9 Ruger P95's, 5+ Glock 19s or Springfield XDs, 5 Smith and Wessons or 4 SIG P226s or P228s. Even if you want a Commander sized 1911 9mm, there are far less expensive options.

I guess it's just me, but I don't get paying almost three grand for a pistol. I'd rather get a Glock 19 or SIG P226, buy $1000 worth of ammo to go with it, and stick the rest in the bank.

Thoughts?

 

[Realbigo]

I second that!! I saw the same article, and thought essentially the same thing

 

[Jim Watson]

You just aren't with it. There are several boards where people talk about their second, third, fifth, fifteenth bigbuckgun.

 

[cslinger]

I have a lot of firearms, some reasonably high dollar stuff and shooting is my primary hobby. I have spent big bucks on this hobby.

That being said I also hard time seeing the allure of these $2k-$3K 1911s. I would love to pick up an Ed Brown Kobra but I just can't fathom the price even thought I have many times that in the guns I own.

To each their own and this is by no means a flame towards those who see the allure in these firearms.

 

[Claude Clay]

if i had DDS on my license plate (on my summer porsche of course) id have one. and than another one. and then.......


were i to enduldge myself: RNB65's Renaissance Hi-Power would be ideal. or if he would like to let me hold it for him for safe keeping i promise not to let it date any plastic types.

 

[Walkalong]

I am just proud there are people who can afford many of them. We would not even get to ooh and ahh over those works of art if there were not. No one would make them.

 

[Rinspeed]

Nighthawk builds a nice gun but they are priced way high compared to RRA, Baer or the SA Custom Shop.

 

[weisse52]

I saw the article and found it quite interesting.
Price is a realtive thing. What made me squeal 20 years ago does not make me flinch now.
Maybe I would buy it, maybe not. If someone has the disposible income and it appeals to them then why not.
Not all decisions have to be logical and we do not always have to justify how we spend our money. I have no desire for most of the pistols you mentioned. So even if they cost nothing I still do not want them. I do like the 1911 platform, so that is what I am drawn too. To each his own.

I have never spent that much on any gun, but please don't ask what I spent on my last bicycle or the steel lugged custom frame I am waiting on. (18 month wait)

 

[GTSteve03]

In the grand scheme of guns, a $3k 1911 isn't a big deal. Just take a look at the price on a Holland & Holland or Browning Superposed.

 

[rondog]

If I could afford a big-buck custom 1911, I just might be tempted. But since I can't, I'm not gonna lust for one. Sure pretty to look at though.

And if you want to see big-buck guns, I can show you a place in Denver that caters to the wealthy African safari crowd. The price tags on their guns were so high, I wouldn't even touch any of them. Only place I've ever seen .700 Nitro Express ammo for sale.

 

[GTSteve03]

Only place I've ever seen .700 Nitro Express ammo for sale.

Isn't that stuff like $20 PER BULLET?

 

[Rinspeed]

In the grand scheme of guns, a $3k 1911 isn't a big deal. Just take a look at the price on a Holland & Holland or Browning Superposed.

The only thing is if you look hard enough for $3K you could find a slightly used custom 1911 from one of the top smiths in the country.

 

[rondog]

Isn't that stuff like $20 PER BULLET?

I don't remember exactly, but it was By-God high, I'll tell ya that. I tiptoed right outta that place, they even sold hideously priced special hunting clothes. This weren't no L.L.Bean stuff. The kinda shop that people fly into town just to go visit.

 

[cslinger]

Holy Hell and I sold off a .41 magnum because of ammo cost and availability.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=732664

 

[Claymore1500]

I once worked for the truck sales dept. at a chevy dealer, I was the mechanic and I saw some prices on used trucks that would curl your hair.

How did my boss justify those prices?

he used to say "THERE IS AN ASS FOR EVERY SEAT"

 

[Grey_Mana]

This gun isn't fancy enough to have at the vacation home. Is probably good enough to keep in the helicopter you take from your private airport to the vacation home though.

 

[lee n. field]

Thoughts?

Ja, really. A Glock and ~10000 rounds of ammo.

 

[wally]

Let's see, 10 RIA or one Ed Brown. Quanitity has a quality of its own

When ever a handgun gets about $700-800 I start thinking I need another rifle instead. I've several above this price range, can't really say they are better shooters than many that cost half as much or less.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to splurge from time to time, but honest enough to admit there is more ego stroke to being able to afford it than actual shooting value.

--wally.

 

[AnaxImperator]

I run into the same thing with our high-end custom mountainbikes. When my Wife & I bought our "dream" bikes after I reenlisted, we spent just over $10k on them. People often don't understand why we would sink that much coin on two mountainbikes when it's possible to buy two MTBs from Walmart for $500 max.

I guess the same goes for high-end handguns. If someone has the money, and that monsterous price-tag truly equates to quality, then why not? I would if I could. And the cool thing about quality firearms is that they really are investments.... After all, the only things anymore that appreciate in value are guns & gold. Not that I'd ever consider selling a $3k 1911.

And if you want to see big-buck guns, I can show you a place in Denver that caters to the wealthy African safari crowd. The price tags on their guns were so high, I wouldn't even touch any of them.

While visiting Rothenburg o.d. Tauber in Germany, my Wife & I wandered into a hunting/camping store (Rothenburger Waffeneck). They had firearms for sale; a rack of old milsurps in the back, a couple of plain over-under & side-by's, but their main business was engraving shotguns, safari-guns, and handguns. Here's a Luger he had for-sale. I can't remember how much it was going for exactly, but it was well over €5,000 IIRC.



As I was eyeballing the shotguns behind the counter, the owner asked me if I wanted to see their "better" examples. He took us into the back, pulled out an over-under combination gun and handed it to me.

That rifle was absolutely beautiful; it was completely covered in hand-worked scrolling & engraving, and inlaid with what appeared to be sterling silver. It was the first time I had ever seen a combination gun up close, and was a 12ga. over a .30-06 IIRC. As I was admiring the minute detail of the scrollwork, my Wife grabbed the price-tag hanging off the end of the barrel. She whispered to me; "Sweetie, I think you'd better put that down, NOW."; I looked at her, and she had turned kinda pale.

I looked at the tag, and the rifle in my hands was €33,000 ($48,646)! The store-owner was telling me that his rifles were meant to be used, not hung over a fireplace, and he was proud that his guns have been used in Africa. As I handed it back over very gingerly, I asked him what it was inlaid with. He answered "Platinum", as if it was the most common & natural thing in the world.

Evidently, most of his customers are Americans, and they regularly send him back pictures of their animals taken with those rifles. Now, I'd have no compunctions shooting a $3,000 Nighthawk 1911, but a $50k rifle??? Not a chance.

 

[P5 Guy]

This is my logic

Is a $2900 pistol twice as good as a $1450 one?
If it is then I'll look into saving for the higher priced pistol.
But, I use my tools and I'd really hate to think what the evidence locker looks like. If I had to use one of my tools to defend myself I'm sure it will be spending time in that locker. Good shoot or not.

 

[Jim Watson]

Man, that is one ugly Luger. I think it is one of the guns that engraving cannot improve, the lines of the machinery say all that is necessary. On the other hand, I could go with a well engraved 1911.

 

[DZL HOG]

$3K is alot for a pistol, for me and you(and several others on here).
It took me several weeks to persuade myself to pay $700 for my carry gun. And thats somewhat cheap compared to other guns. On another forum I frequent some guys are paying $5k+ for a custom built sniper rifle.

Thats a pile a money for me. But for some ppl that own a multi-million dollar company, they could care less about a few grand. I know a man who is really into safari hunting and stuff like that. A couple years ago he built a trophy "room" on the side of his house. By "room" I mean a 40x40(bigger than my house) addition with a bar, cathedral ceiling in the center, and probly a pile of lighting. This was built just b/c there was no more room in the rest of his house b/c of all his other trophies to hang his elephant head, as well as his rhino head and other trophies. He spends 10s of thousands of dollars to go on these hunts, and Im sure he doesnt carry a $400 .243 when he goes.
People who know they are setting pretty for life, as well as their unborn grandkids life, will buy a $3K pistol with no more regard than filling the gas tank on their truck, suv, harley, boat, vette or there other vette.

 

[AnaxImperator]

Man, that is one ugly Luger. I think it is one of the guns that engraving cannot improve, the lines of the machinery say all that is necessary.

I agree, but I do admire the skill & time put into the engraving.

Wanna see something uglier???
This borders on travesty....

 

[Phydeaux642]

Heck, three grand isn't anything. I was in Bass Pro's Fine Gun Room the other day talking to one of the guys about high-end firearms. He was telling me about a customer that was looking at a couple of shotguns that had sequential serial numbers. The guy said that he really only wanted one of them, so, they started the transaction. As the transaction progressed the buyer interrupted and said, "You know what, I may decide to go hunting this weekend and I will probably take a friend with me, so, I will take both of those shotguns. Pricetag: $64,000 for the pair.

please don't ask what I spent on my last bicycle or the steel lugged custom frame I am waiting on.

weisse52, is it a Rivendell frame? Waterford perhaps?

 

[markk]

If I could afford a NightHawk Lady Hawk for $2895, I'd buy a Wilson Combat CQB...