Dave,

I think most hunters are not buying guns for the investment, but occasionally we get lucky.

I do think that if you buy a well made gun (new) there is an above chance you will lose money on it.

When buying a well taken care of "used gun" I have always been able to get my money back or somtimes make money.

In the days of electronic machinery and cheap labor (outside the US) gun companies are taking advantage of the customers. I could be mistaken, but most of the "top notch" engraving is done via CADD programs and CNC trimmers.

Even most of the wood is carved with a computer, and only the final fit is done by hand.

It is no surprise to me that companies that still hand carve stocks and engrave charge a healthy price.

Sometimes even little-dollar guns are worth the money. As a chump-change economy-of-scale example, I bought a pristine little Beretta BL-4 20 gauge several years from a local shop. Now the lower-grade BL series Berettas are nice guns, but they aren't exactly collector-hot like, say, a comparable-vintage superposed 20. I have been surprised, however, to see my little BL-4's value steadily increase over the past few years. It's not ever going to fund my child's college education or be my IRA, but it's nice to know I won't be losing any money on it. Sometimes we get lucky...

Fine guns are always worth the price IMO. Its OK if a person prefers the more economical models, but it gets to the point where a sportsman wants the artistry to take the “edge” off a sporting arm. My guns have increased in artistry as my economic conditions have improved in age.

This “tactical” stuff is functional, but it’s not very classy. I fear the interest in tactical represents more shooting [tactical style] and less hunting.

There’s a good reason why Winchester 21’s aren’t made nowadays. Winchester 21’s I’ve seen in some upland bird models are passable, not great, and just passable. Some of the other configurations with beavertail fore ends, vent ribs, and other desired sxs features described by Jack O’Connor are high-tag monstrosities lacking balance and swing like telephone poles. …The last kind of bird gun I’d take for grouse or quail. Workmanship I’ve seen on Model 21’s leaves me scratching my head. I’m not a fan of Parkers, either. The Parkers I’ve seen have more spit than polish, and they are stocked weird. In fact, most these old doubles [Bakers, LC Smith, Parkers, Etc] seem to have been stock for the head held high. I find upon quick mounting these guns I’m staring at the tang. The old, high grade Ithaca’s and Fox’s I always thought where better made and more functional guns although writers always seem to pass them by.

Can’t wait for the Love to follow this rant of my dangerous opinions. :-)

To Michael: Winchester never gave anyone a 21, at least after it became a custom-shop model. Mark has put the case eloquently, and I can only add this:
The 21 is a very strong gun with an excellent single trigger, but it is not in a league with a Purdey, or Piotti, or any of the other fine British, Belgian, or Italian guns. I think that among American guns the Fox is better, but even that is not in the top rank.
I've owned three Model 21s, and they were nice enough, but I would have traded all three for a Piotti.

No rant here, Mark. You're right. Fine guns ARE always worth the price and I always thought the Model 21 was pretty damn ugly and ponderous myself. Not like I could afford one, but if I could afford one I wouldn't buy one. Or maybe I would buy one just to say I had one. Yeah, that's what I'd do...

And I do have to respectfully disagree with Tim H. If I had a $150,000 gun in my cabinet it would get used and used often because the very fact that I had a $150,000 gun meant I could afford to not care if it got scratched...

Are the values you are quoting for the gun prices "back in the day" in today's dollars? If not, once you take into account inflation, many of those examples you quote don't look so good.

Weapons and art go together. The purely functional device is an artform in itself. Decorated weapons have been with us before we painted cave walls. A beautiful weapon is a joy forever. To put a price on beauty, diminishes the soul.

Forgive me Dave: I'm only posting this here because I can't find an e-mail address for you in F&S or its webpage:

Have you ever considered compiling some of your columns and/or blogs into a book? It might well become a "Shooter's Bible.”

I avidly read your column first thing when I receive my F&S. In fact, I’ll always be grateful to you for advice garnered from your column, which is why I thought the book might be a great idea.

When I was about to buy my first deer rifle in 1998, (not having fired a center-fire rifle since basic training in 1972,) I was originally intent upon getting the biggest cannon, with the flattest trajectory I could find. I was even naïve enough to be considering and pricing the .300-378 caliber.

Fortunately, I recalled some of your advice in F&S wherein you made sensible arguments about availability and cost of ammo, flinching in response to a rifle’s “kick,” and the fact that a more sensible caliber weapon doesn’t kill a deer any less thoroughly than a larger, impractical weapon, (and the deer seem to be ambivalent, as well!).

I finally bought a BAR in .308, and have never regretted the decision.

Best Wishes

To Lasteralofshaw: Thank you for the kind words. For now, no book. Coming up with fresh lies for the magazine and the blog takes up all my time. But if there is a book, I have a title for it:
I Didn't Shoot the Zonkey."

I bought a Kimber M1911- fully blue in 1994 for $500. That same gun today (brand new) would fetch closer to $1,000. Sometimes it is about doing your homework when it comes to spotting quality and getting lucky that others see the same in a particular manufacturer's products and hence, buy them. Kimber enjoys a VERY strong market today. I have no doubt that the '94 model will fetch over $2,500. Why? Because soon after I bought it, I had it engraved (100% coverage) by a reputable artist.

Quality first, finery second, the future value will come with time.

-Troy S.

To Tom:
...another, perhaps practical, aspect of the Sako 85 is the availability of 338 Federal chambering. Ballistic specs for that round look very promising and that should add additional value to the rifle.

26 years to triple your money? That's three percent annual return. I think I'll keep buying to shoot them, thanks.