S.M.L.E Sniper at Birmingham Arms Fair

[bigduke6]

There are obviously customers feeding these prices.

What I don't understand is who they are. I move in the world of classics that still go bang and have no contact with deact collectors with big bucks to spend. I''l reiterate who are they?

I dont know who they are, but I enjoyed my deacts when I had them, but mine were mainly SMG,s, LMG,s and the odd vickers, the prices back then were very reasonable, deact rifles never interested me as these could be purchased with a FAC, and for £5000 (if I had that to spend) I,d be taking a trip to the midlands and haggle over a live L42 with all its bits.

Prices are daft nowdays and it seemed to stem from the old spec semi auto,s and the SMG,s becoming more soughtafter and along with the price,s of these it esculated onto the LMG,s and bolt action rifles also.

I cringe at times when I see some of the rifles that have been deactivated and I regular turn down jobs requiring deactivation and conversion work due to the rifles being a good honest Milsurp and have saved a few from death row in the last few years, but at the end of the day I,d rather see deacts in someones collection rather than at the bottom of the smelting pot.

Going back to the price, there is talk of deactivating all deacts to the 95, spec and If the approval goes ahead, then I feel sorry for the guys who have a lot of money invested in them.

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[peregrinvs]

Prices are daft nowdays

It's supply and demand in operation. Outside of Soviet / Eastern Bloc stuff, there's little available in wholesale quantities anymore. As an example, Bren guns were relatively cheap 5-10 years ago as a large quantity had been imported from Greece. They're now all gone and Bren prices are climbing steadily. The 'good old days' of various desirable WWI / WWII British, German and US guns being plentiful and relatively cheap are long gone and probably won't return

As for requiring pre-95's to be redone, it was an idea posited in a Home Office committee report last year, but as far as I'm aware it hasn't gone further. As there's no register of who owns what, the scope for creating a black market is obvious.

[Beerhunter]

I dont know who they are, but I enjoyed my deacts when I had them, but mine were mainly SMG,s, LMG,s and the odd vickers, the prices back then were very reasonable, deact rifles never interested me as these could be purchased with a FAC,

Same here. I have precisely two deacts: a Bren and a Lanchester. All my other stuff, other than a few Section 58s, goes bang. I own the Bren because it is the only way that I can keep a an example of something that was such an iconic part of my early life. (And, oddly, I already had a tripod.)

I bought the Lanchester (donkeys year back) on a whim and, having seen the prices that people are asking for them these days, I wonder how much longer I shall be keeping it.

[PrinzEugen]

I dont know who they are, but I enjoyed my deacts when I had them, but mine were mainly SMG,s, LMG,s and the odd vickers, the prices back then were very reasonable, deact rifles never interested me as these could be purchased with a FAC, and for £5000 (if I had that to spend) I,d be taking a trip to the midlands and haggle over a live L42 with all its bits

I often go to the International - not normally a great deal of interest to the discerning shooter - the odd sight/scope - not normally many 'live ones' although the last time I went (the last time but one I think) there was a nice looking L42 with bits - no doubt the one you mention bigduke!
Never seen a smle sniper there tho - even a blocked up one, so it would have been interesting to see, esp the scope.
Re deacts - I'd love a bren, but with regards to buying them, it does seem a bit pointless as I usually feel - what would I do with it? In my job/social circle/general environment (this isn't unusual at all in the UK) anyone owning a gun is regarded as being unhinged/strange/potentially about to go 'postal' (as the septics have it) so sticking even a deac on the wall probably isn't a good idea... Sad but true.

[bigduke6]

Re deacts - I'd love a bren, but with regards to buying them, it does seem a bit pointless as I usually feel - what would I do with it? In my job/social circle/general environment (this isn't unusual at all in the UK) anyone owning a gun is regarded as being unhinged/strange/potentially about to go 'postal' (as the septics have it) so sticking even a deac on the wall probably isn't a good idea... Sad but true.

When I had mine I was single, living the goodlife, with a gun room well stocked, a large garage complete with pit, 5 motorbikes and a well stocked fridge with a fine selection of beer..............

[Beerhunter]

Re deacts - I'd love a bren, but with regards to buying them, it does seem a bit pointless as I usually feel - what would I do with it?

I do understand. Due to amount of room it takes up (in its box), my Bren may well have gone years ago but I found a use for it, "dressing" the HBSA tent at NRA Open Days and similar events.