ebay "bargain" flintlock; ya gotta see this!

[cable]

interesting isn't it? the 'buy-it-now' price must be a joke?
good components including bill large barrel


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=73953&item=7106541250&rd=1

 

[Rebel]

Buy it now price is either a lot of wishful thnking or a misprint

 

[Zonie]

I think the sellers decimal point got moved.
For the amount of work that is completed IMO $700 would be a fair price to ask.
Then, on the other hand, perhaps the seller thinks his carving and inlays (both rather nicely done) are worth the extra $6300? ::

 

[Musketeer]

Buy it now price is either a lot of wishful thnking or a misprint

I'll bet the guy meant to type in $700.00. If not, this guy must be smoking some really good "stuff"! :shocking: :crackup: :crackup: :thumbsup:

 

[jtward01]

I wrote to him and asked. His reply was:

Dear Mr. Ward;
$7000.00 is correct. To give you a short break down of parts & labor cost, the barrel sells for $700.00, if you can find one, Bill died in '86. I charge $500.00 for the hand made ebony & ivory star when building guns to order. All inlays are hand made (filed) several of which are not shown in the photos.
To see more guns of this quality and price range refer to www.trackofthewolf.com
I might also note that the guns shown, for the most part have very few, if any hand made parts.
If I can be of any help, just let me know and thank you for your interest.

 

[Musketeer]

$7000.00 is correct. To give you a short break down of parts & labor cost, the barrel sells for $700.00, if you can find one, Bill died in '86. I charge $500.00 for the hand made ebony & ivory star when building guns to order. All inlays are hand made (filed) several of which are not shown in the photos.
To see more guns of this quality and price range refer to www.trackofthewolf.com
I might also note that the guns shown, for the most part have very few, if any hand made parts.
If I can be of any help, just let me know and thank you for your interest.

WHAT?!?! Okay, let's add this up: Let's say $700 for a TOTW flint longrifle kit (on many models, that would include the minor labor they offer and the shipping), plus $700 for the barrel, plus $500 for the custom star inlay. We're up to $1900. Let's give this guy the benefit of the doubt, plus all those little unexpected costs that arise, and bump it up to $2500. The guy also mentions some custom silver inlay work, so let's give him an additional $1,000 for that (pretty generous IMHO). That brings us to $3500.
$3500 for an UNFINISHED gun! And that's still only half the price the guy is asking! He also says that the lock ins't included! It just doesn't add up,as far as I'm concerned. For $7,000 I could probably find a solid original Bess! He may indeed find somebody willing to pay his asking price. If he does, more power to him! For me, it just doesn't add up.

 

[gordy]

I had also thought this price to be a misprint,but I guess He's serious.Like they say"supply and demand". There may well be someone out there that would think the $7000.00 price is fair.I know I could get a rifle built to My specs.for that kind of money,with several silver inlays and a stock custom fitted to My build.I don't question the price for the Bill Large bbl.but the rest of the parts just don't seem to add up. :imo: eace:

 

[Dave Poss]

That's his Buy-it-now price...I'll be more interested in what his reserve price is. For those not into EBAY, that's the MINIMUM price he will accept! But still...it takes alot of .45 cal. balls to ask 7K even if he knows he won't get it!!! :m2c:

 

[tg]

I wonder if this guy sells the gun to someone if he will buy the guy dinner and provide the lubricant????????

 

[bob1961]

gee 16 bids for a non firing gun....or did he just say that so he can sell it on e-bay...............................bob

 

[waksupi]

Gee, and I could have bought one of Monte Mandarino's from him a couple years ago for a couple grand. Just think of the mark up I could have got for that.

Or do you suppose he builds a better rifle than Monte? Doubt it. If you never have seen his work, find a copy of "Steel Canvas", by R.L. Wilson, and look at the over leafs.

 

No boys it's not a joke and not a misprint. These are the prices paid in the real world of custom guns.

These builders are good and you are going to pay for their time, just like in the old days, when a rifle cost a year's pay. If you do not want to pay, it will just sit in the shop till doomsday. That's their attitude.

You also get the best of everything, no flaws or coverups included. Boo-boo on the stock, burn it! Faulty barrel, cut it in half with the torch! Do not let it out of the shop if it is not perfect!

These people only shoot production guns if you put them against the 25 yard berm.

Chambers Kits start at $800, add 200 hours of skilled labor at $20 hr? A decient auto machanic gets $50. Why should a good gunbuilder get less?

I have one friend that paid his daughter's way through college (all 4 years) with the sale of a Hershal House rifle.

Frank House 'hawks sell for $5,000 and up.

Did you see what the David Wright powder horn went for at the Contemporary Longrifle Auction. 9 horns brought total of $20,000 (?).

Black Powder Barbie was talking about the Last of the Mochgans rifles (the rejects they decided not to use) going for $20,000 each (I believe there were two).

There are other forums where these guns and these prices are standard fare.

Why the suprise? We were looking at English walnut gunstock wood that was this expensive only a few days back!

:m2c:

 

[tg]

There are custom guns well worth seven grand....then there is this one...I see nothing that puts it in that price range except the builders imagination from the pics.There are outstanding guns available that are finished for half the price.

 

[ploeg]

I know of and have met some of the best blackpowder gun builder in the U.S., including Hershal House, who makes many of his own fittings, and he uses real silver, not the fake stuff, and I can get a gun from him with all this and more and ready to shoot for mabe half of what this guy wants. Who gets $700.00 for a barrel. I build my own guns, I've built several, and I,m far from being :what: an expert, but even I can make a very nice germansilver inlay for a dollar and a couple hours work. How much quicker can an expert do it. I've seen it done, complete with ingraving, in 20 minuites.

 

[Dave Poss]

Oh...but you forgot the custom "thousand points of light" star!!! or was it a thousand PIECE star????? :haha: I just hope all you gun builders out there don't start thinking that this should be the going price nowdays!!!!!!! :cry:

 

[waksupi]

I looked at what was being offered. He is no Hershal House. As far as I can see, he is someone who started a project, and got in over his head. I could have bought a gun from Last of the Mohicans, from John Arrasmith for $3000. It was not a good quality gun, by any means. I've sold a lot of movie props over the years from big name movies, and they don't bring that type of money, generally. Maybe John Wayne's Colt? I imagine it would go for considerably more. If this guy would be a known maker, who's rifles would bring this much, why isn't it advertised so, and why did he put it on Ebay? That is probably the lowest price you will get anywhere. Auction Arms, or some other major firearms auction site is where you would try to sell something that was worth this kind of money.
Let's just say, I don't buy it, in more ways than one.

 

[madstone]

Ah believe it says something about those little pieces of green paper we been trading around (American money). Ain't even based on gold nor silver! 7000 times nothing? Naught times naught?
I traded an M1 garand to my last large bbl flintlock! At 5% inflation a 500 dollar rifle in 1975 would be... well, alot!

 

The problem is e-bay. I have bought and sold parts there and lets face it if he is going to get that price for nothing more then parts that

 

[nvbirdman]

I'm one of the ones that bid on that one.
My $25 bid was unsuccessful, but what the heck, doesn't cost me anything to bid. Right?

 

You did!@#$%^&*()_ well at least you didn