The Craziness of Prices - Really?

[j8064]

The panic buying has been spread like peanut butter across everything from EBR's to reloading components. We all get that. When I spotted this No.4 MK2 Enfield auction I had to giggle. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=324571382

I bought the same mummy wrapped Enfield 20 years ago for $129 and I thought that was high then. If I'd had some foresight (and the $'s at the time) I should have bought all they had. Don't get me wrong, these unissued Enfields are terrific rifles, but selling in the price range of "harder to get" low end AR's? Really?

A little irony is us Hooligans had the old $129 No.4 out rocking yesterday. It's still as much fun and accurate as it's always been. But a $1500+ rifle it isn't.

Let me add this footnote. On a Hooligan trip to a G/S last fall, I helped wagtail pick out and seal a deal on a very nice No.4 for ~ $250. Methinks he knows well he got a good deal.

Will the craziness ever end? Who knows...

 

[Jimbob2.0]

I wouldnt giggle to much, I have seen them go for close to that even before the craziness if they were in the mummy wrap. I bid a consecutive set up to $1800 myself a year ago. Pretty scary given the fact that the vast majority of these were rearsenaled after the war and only 2nd unissued. THough obviously those with 46 and later dates may actually tuly be unissued. Awesome guns, wish I had bought a dozen in the mummy wrap, but I was cheap at the time and bought mosins and MAS's.

Guns still seem to be a heck of an investment, factoring in inflation for a mummy wrap gun bought in 1996, you are looking at a sale price of what should be about $185. Where these go routinely for $500+

As for prices, I have seen a distinct decline in C&R prices lately as people focus on EBRs and have seen a lot of classified listings and trade-ins as people try to dump stuff to raise EBR funds.

 

[j8064]

I get what you're saying, but the one up for auction was already unwrapped. Looks just like the one I had in front of me when I took all the paper off.

Hindsight makes us all very wise.

 

[dancnr]

Thats crazy, Im pretty sure a couple still wrapped No 4s went through liberty tree collectors a couple months ago for 850 a pop.

 

[Jimbob2.0]

I get what you're saying, but the one up for auction was already unwrapped. Looks just like the one I had in front of me when I took all the paper off.

Hindsight makes us all very wise.

Ya I must admit I can't believe someone bid. That said I sort of regret bidding on consecutive electro pencil post wars as noted above and in hindsight am glad I got outbid.

Gunbroker price escalation for cr stuff amazes me. A couple dealers start upping prices, the don't sell for months but sooner or later all new listings settle around those amounts. If I had my tinfoil hat I'd say its collusion.

 

[clsc]

Yea I wish I had the foresight to buy one now, who knows what they will be worth in 20-30 years. It must be all of those 20 year old kids that played the 1st Call of Duty and Battlefield 1942. Liberty Tree Collectors you say; I highly recommend them. Just glad I saw that one back in November at like 4 in the morning before anyone else did. : )
http://i.imgur.com/6HhZDEl.jpg

 

[toncapone1]

I am trying to see the possibly positive side of the pricing jump in that maybe a number of people who were once "Anti Gun" have been converted to "Pro Gun" just at the thought that certain items may be banned. Even though it sucks to be an active buyer right now, I am hearing more and more people are making their first firearm purchase based on the fact that they believe a ban will occur, so I can only hope this will help the 2A cause as these people will probably voice and vote differently now that they personally understand what is really at stake. Nice rifle BTW.

 

[clsc]

Thanks man, that's my meager start to anything that can resemble a collection of rare firearms. I've seen several people I would have never expected to change their minds about them do so. I just turned 21; threw that pic up on facebook after I got the No.4. At the same time some of my more liberal friends had been posting anti-gun stuff; of course we got into a multi-page debate. They changed their minds though and saw that most of us are just collectors and shooters that want our kids to be able to do the same; we're not all shirtless rednecks or psychopath killers .

Anyway I "only" paid $900 for that one and I plan on giving it to my son one day. I'm just glad all of those guys unwrapped theirs; mine will be worth a lot when I'm 50. I haven't seen another one for sale in a while, if you do buy it or message me.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Thanks man, that's my meager start to anything that can resemble a collection of rare firearms. I've seen several people I would have never expected to change their minds about them do so. I just turned 21; threw that pic up on facebook after I got the No.4. At the same time some of my more liberal friends had been posting anti-gun stuff; of course we got into a multi-page debate. They changed their minds though and saw that most of us are just collectors and shooters that want our kids to be able to do the same; we're not all shirtless rednecks or psychopath killers .

Anyway I "only" paid $900 for that one and I plan on giving it to my son one day. I'm just glad all of those guys unwrapped theirs; mine will be worth a lot when I'm 50. I haven't seen another one for sale in a while, if you do buy it or message me.

...some of us may just be shirtless rednecks... Hopefully you're right on the psychopath killer thing though.

 

[psoyring]

As for prices, I have seen a distinct decline in C&R prices lately as people focus on EBRs and have seen a lot of classified listings and trade-ins as people try to dump stuff to raise EBR funds.[/QUOTE]

+1 on this, am also noticing that in my little corner of the Mosin world the shiny refurbs are flying off the shelves at record prices while the true battle veterans and even the M39s and Finnish variants are dropping. The focus lately is on home defense, thus the surge in the semi-autos such as the SKS.

 

[toncapone1]

When funds allow I am looking to add a "classic" to my humble collection. Would love an M1 Garand or carbine, I hear they are damn fine rifles. The wood finish on yours is gorgeous, it looks brand spankin' new! Did you have to clean it up to get it that pretty?

 

[clsc]

It was probably a pain in the ass to get all that cosmoline out of the wood when he unwrapped it.

 

[Chaunsey]

I had some recently offer me $600 for my 43 faz no4 mk1 i paid $125 for in 2005 I know most of you would have probably jumped on it, but for what these cost these days I know if I sold it id want to replace it right away, and that would cost most of that $600 anyway and that was my first enfield rather just keep it , was very tempted though.

Sent from my galaxy s3 using tapatalk 2

 

[clsc]

It only takes 1

That 1st Enfield will get you hooked quick; need to hurry up and get some new wood/everything else that is missing for my SMLE.

 

[Dave91]

I was in a local gun shop yesterday and they had PMC .223 for a dollar a shot.

 

[Maverick0313]

I was in a local gun shop yesterday and they had PMC .223 for a dollar a shot.

Insane captures it.

 

[Augie]

I'll take 1500.00 for mine Mine is brand spanking new and right in the middle of the Irish contract.

 

[mawkie]

Last one of these I saw at a live auction was last December where it hammered for $575. Decidedly below market value.
It's a bit crazy out there. Agree w. psoyring that many C&Rs that had been steadily rising in market valuation have now stalled or dropped a bit. Other C&Rs that have always been popular collectibles (Lugers, Colt autos, K43s, Johnsons, etc) in rare variations or excellent condition are fetching even more. I believe some folk are parking ever weakening dollars into collectibles in an attempt to beat inflation. I know that's happening in the world of gems and jewelry.

 

[Sirex]

That Enfield is gorgeous. I just wish the Ishapore Enfields looked that nice, since that's tyhe caliber Enfield I was looking for.

 

[Lou45]

We starting selling the "new in the wrap" Fazakerly No4Mk2's in October '93 (immediately after they were imported) at $199.95. There were a total of ~20,000 of these guns of which ~17,000 were imported fall of '93 new in wrap. Most, if not all the remaining ~3,000 were imported about one or two years later with about half of them having been unwrapped and showing some light use on the outside but little to no use on the inside. A few years later I purchased a copy of "The Blue Max" (movie). Reading the credits showed that the movie, or at least a fair part of it, was filmed in Northern Ireland around 1966 (where these guns came from). In the beginning of the movie and in further ground battle scenes, it shows the German troops using these guns, some of which having bayonets affixed (No 9 Bowie type that came with these rifles in the wrap too). I'd venture to say the imported guns that weren't in the wrap showing light external use were used in that movie, though without certainty. How's that for a little history on these guns.