Hand_Rifle_Guy
Member
Well, it's ME asking this question after all. Humor me.
Ok, there's been a bunch of different Hand Rifles that have come and go over the years. But none of them seem to do particularlly well, with the exception of the T/C Contender (Which, chambered in .30-30, got me thinking/wishing on the whole concept.) and it's offspring, who's continued success I attribute to their extraordinary variety of caliber choice in spite of what I regard as a prohibitive cost. I'll get them (Contender and Encore) eventually, but I still think they cost too much, and barrels are rarely under $200. Ouch.
XP-100's were discontinued for a time. Silhouetter's brought 'em back.
Pachmayer Dominators are gone.
So is the Clerke X-tender.
And the Springfield Armory S.A.S.S. These were all 1911 adapter kits.
The Lone Eagle is discontinued.
The Ruger Hawkeye was DOA.
Savage Strikers are piddling along. I don't see 'em surviving.
Centerfire Anschutz Exemplars are history. (Dang it, I WANT a .22 Hornet Exemplar!)
Wichita Sillouette pistols are still here, but they have a captive market. They're a small company, too. I think they can survive on a small volume of very good guns, presuming they're still in production. Competitors will pay a premium for the top-end of the market.
Those new Blaser single-shots don't count. They cost, like $2500! (But you can get 'em in .375 H&H. Drool.)
I'm most surprised by the demise of the S.A.S.S.. These were down to $169/unit w/ 1 barrel, with barrels at $99. With calibers like .22 LR, .223, 7mm BR, 7mm-08, the .243, .308, and .358 Winchesters in 15", and .357 and .44 Mags in 10.75", this is the set-up that keeps me somewhat disgusted with the price of T/C's. S.A.S.S.'s are well-known for sub-MOA accuracy, which I can vouch for. And a drop-in kit to turn your sweet-triggered 1911 into a sub-MOA powerhouse for $169, I mean, what's not to like? I'd think everyone with a 1911 would've jumped on this like I did. I was buying other stuff, and therefore missed my chance to get a .44 Mag barrel which disappoints me no end! (Now I can't re-bore it to .444, either.) But their discontinuation caught me by surprise. I thought that these would continue to sell if any Hand Rifle could.
What really drove home the point was the death of the Lone Eagle. I had planned to get one of these, like I plan on getting every kind of Hand Rifle possible. I've heard nothing but good stories about these, and they ran about $300. But they're discontinued, like so many other non-rimfire variants.
It's a fact. Obviously, Hand Rifles do NOT sell well, and the market is severly limited. None of them survive, once the existing demand is filled. I realize that there's exceptioins to this, (Taurus has a whole line of Silhouette revolvers in all sorts of cool calibers, which I NEED but can't buy in my stupid state. Argh!) but this is rather cramping my collecting style, and it is the fault of the world at large for failing to support my ideals of what a handgun should be! How dare they!
I like these things way to much to understand why anyone would pass one up. I am blinded by my enthusiasm, it seems. :banghead:
So explain it to me. WHY DON'T THESE THINGS SELL? HOW COME YOU DON'T WANT ONE?! You're not doing your part to support my habit, here!
Ok, there's been a bunch of different Hand Rifles that have come and go over the years. But none of them seem to do particularlly well, with the exception of the T/C Contender (Which, chambered in .30-30, got me thinking/wishing on the whole concept.) and it's offspring, who's continued success I attribute to their extraordinary variety of caliber choice in spite of what I regard as a prohibitive cost. I'll get them (Contender and Encore) eventually, but I still think they cost too much, and barrels are rarely under $200. Ouch.
XP-100's were discontinued for a time. Silhouetter's brought 'em back.
Pachmayer Dominators are gone.
So is the Clerke X-tender.
And the Springfield Armory S.A.S.S. These were all 1911 adapter kits.
The Lone Eagle is discontinued.
The Ruger Hawkeye was DOA.
Savage Strikers are piddling along. I don't see 'em surviving.
Centerfire Anschutz Exemplars are history. (Dang it, I WANT a .22 Hornet Exemplar!)
Wichita Sillouette pistols are still here, but they have a captive market. They're a small company, too. I think they can survive on a small volume of very good guns, presuming they're still in production. Competitors will pay a premium for the top-end of the market.
Those new Blaser single-shots don't count. They cost, like $2500! (But you can get 'em in .375 H&H. Drool.)
I'm most surprised by the demise of the S.A.S.S.. These were down to $169/unit w/ 1 barrel, with barrels at $99. With calibers like .22 LR, .223, 7mm BR, 7mm-08, the .243, .308, and .358 Winchesters in 15", and .357 and .44 Mags in 10.75", this is the set-up that keeps me somewhat disgusted with the price of T/C's. S.A.S.S.'s are well-known for sub-MOA accuracy, which I can vouch for. And a drop-in kit to turn your sweet-triggered 1911 into a sub-MOA powerhouse for $169, I mean, what's not to like? I'd think everyone with a 1911 would've jumped on this like I did. I was buying other stuff, and therefore missed my chance to get a .44 Mag barrel which disappoints me no end! (Now I can't re-bore it to .444, either.) But their discontinuation caught me by surprise. I thought that these would continue to sell if any Hand Rifle could.
What really drove home the point was the death of the Lone Eagle. I had planned to get one of these, like I plan on getting every kind of Hand Rifle possible. I've heard nothing but good stories about these, and they ran about $300. But they're discontinued, like so many other non-rimfire variants.
It's a fact. Obviously, Hand Rifles do NOT sell well, and the market is severly limited. None of them survive, once the existing demand is filled. I realize that there's exceptioins to this, (Taurus has a whole line of Silhouette revolvers in all sorts of cool calibers, which I NEED but can't buy in my stupid state. Argh!) but this is rather cramping my collecting style, and it is the fault of the world at large for failing to support my ideals of what a handgun should be! How dare they!
I like these things way to much to understand why anyone would pass one up. I am blinded by my enthusiasm, it seems. :banghead:
So explain it to me.
WHY DON'T THESE THINGS SELL? HOW COME YOU DON'T WANT ONE?! You're not doing your part to support my habit, here! 
These guns don't sell well to run of the mill customers, they are special interest only IMHO!
