Some are just sheep and have to follow the trends, some need to have the current fad. The movies brought around a resurgence in people wanting things... I wonder what the prices will be like in another 40 years?
Prices will always be lowest when they hit the market in bulk and are easy to get. When that supply dries up and people know how many are in the market place, prices go up as they are no longer "Easy" to get. This is life when collecting anything. I had to laugh when he compared an M48 to a K98k. Yes, I think RCs are over priced. I also know that the person paying that for a RC is not going to be interested in a Yugo M48... maybe a scrubbed Yugo K98k which are still pretty cheap but not an M48. Part of what makes collecting interesting is the history behind something, especially with militaria, so to act like that shouldn't or won't influence the price is absurd. That is why M48s are cheap, that and how easy it is to get nice ones. The harder it is to get clean, good guns the more easily the entire market for the gun gets driven higher, imo.
He also is WAY off on the SKS as he has no clue what is driving that market - California, NY, and other ban states where you can't have AKs or ARs easily are buying them up. Almost every hit I've had on an SKS I have for sale is from someone in one of those states. Plus with the ban on Chinese imports a lot of the cheapest supply dropped off, keeping in mind there never all that many Russians out there relative to Yugos and Chinese anyway. They were practically dumping guns into the market place and no one wanted them. The $400-450 guns of today he mentions are all Yugos, many in very good to unshot condition; the $600 guns are insanity peddled by big box stores and not moving unless marked down to a "sale" price that is in line with what the rest of the market. Chinese guns, both the beaters from Albania and commercially imported guns from 20 years ago, are easily purchasable for $400 unless it's something unusual or exceptionally nice. The more expensive guns are unique stuff like Romanians, Albanians, and matching Russians. Again, Russians have gone higher as supply is permanently cut off due to a ban, and their relative scarcity compared to Yugoslavia and China.
The issue with Mosins yes was a rush on them because they were cheap, but also because that rush started right when supply stopped due to the conflict in Ukraine where they were coming from along with the ammo, though I do agree a Yugo Mauser was a better deal and as Mosins sit right now they are over priced. But supply disappearing when demand went through the roof is a perfect storm for massive inflation. However, telling people to stop buying because you think the price is too high and because you want it to be less isn't going to help much, it just comes off as sour grapes. That's like me complaining Leica fanatics are idiots for paying what they do for Leitz stuff, and I want them to stop so the market can come down and I can afford an M3 outfit. On the other end if people want to pay $100 for a something like a K1000 or AE1 who am I to argue, more Konicas, Yashicas, and Fujicas for me. And when I complain people are paying too much for something it pretty much is sour grapes on my part because I can't buy it But then I'm not demanding the market place change to suit me either.
Video reeks of "boo hoo, the market is inflating." Well yeah, supply is dried up, the market went insane for 4 years. For everything. Labor, transportation, and handling costs on all items in the US has also generally gone up. Percentage wise I feel a lot of what went up was pretty even across the board, though there are always exceptions like Mosins. What really irked me was I got this feeling at the end that part of the issue the creator of the video has is that that more people are into the hobby now, because go figure more demand on greatly decreased supply will drive prices.
Edit: To add... I'm cheap. I try to spend like 15% of what I think something is worth unless I really want it. But that's just safe buying for any kind of collectible. But still, if something is too expensive for me I'll just move on to find something else. There are tons of things that are interesting and great values in C&R guns right now, not just surplus. Just can't necessarily want what everyone else does. But again, same argument for collecting cameras... if you want to collect Leicas, rare Nikon, etc, bring the money or look elsewhere; I took the latter option.
Another you tuber that ought to collect stamps instead. We have a saying in the south: "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch".
Nice condition weapons that aren't being made anymore will always bring top dollar. Mediocre weapons mediocre prices and poor condition weapons cheap prices.
I notice everything he has is medicare at best and looks like they need TLC.
---------- Post added at 01:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 PM ----------
I kind of agree with him but the K98's disappeared and the demand is there for the Garand and M1 carbine. The SKS is a pretty nice rifle that I considered underpriced when I bought mine. The 91/30? Now that is a bit of a mystery but I joined a nagant page where they talk about paying out $300 without thinking about it and I'm still thinking $69 and I have five of them. Maybeeeeeeeeee, time to sell a couple of them.
I can think of a couple he didn't mention, the SVT40 and the Nagant Revolver. A guy on a forum the other day said he got a Nagant Revolver for $300 and I thought, WOW. But everyone else was saying it was a deal. Only saw two at York gun show on Saturday. One an original non refurb was $525 and sold. The other was a refurb for $400. SVT40's are $1200 in the states and like $400 in Canada.
I can think of a couple he didn't mention, the SVT40 and the Nagant Revolver. A guy on a forum the other day said he got a Nagant Revolver for $300 and I thought, WOW. But everyone else was saying it was a deal. Only saw two at York gun show on Saturday. One an original non refurb was $525 and sold. The other was a refurb for $400. SVT40's are $1200 in the states and like $400 in Canada.
I picked up a Yugo M57 Tokarev and a Nagant revolver the week of the Newtown shooting. $220 and $120, respectfully... and that was which the $10 hand select fee for the Nagant. Also picked up a spam can of ammo for each. If Nagants consistently break $500, I'll sell it and the ammo. It's a neat gun, but for that much, I'll kick it out of the safe in a heartbeat.
PM
But then I'm not demanding the market place change to suit me either.
I don't see the problem.
Originally Posted by Aragorn243
