Just when you think you've seen it all

[vintovka]

Something like this pops up. Is there is a point, both beauty and price, that makes it a wall hanger?

https://www.newtownegallery.com/historical-weaponry/45-caliber-flintlock-rifle
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[Dale Allen Raby]

Well, I guess if I owned such a thing, it would be in a temperature controlled environment behind heavy bullet-proof glass and never ever shout or even loaded. This is just one of the many reasons (mostly financial) that I don't buy guns like this. A Pedersoli Kodiak .58 would be considerably less expensive and I am hesitant to spend even the price of that gun... though I would shoot one of those.

 

[vintovka]

Hence the wallhanger question. As even finished kiblers wander into the $2k+ area may make some think twice about actually using them in the field.

 

[billraby]

People spend $70,000 on a pickup truck and turn it into useless pile of junk within 10 years. But a gun that costs a few thousand dollars is "too nice to shoot". Stupidest thing I ever heard.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Yep, I know a fellow who shoots a shotgun that cost around $45,000. Look up Kolar shotguns. The price on something means nothing, unless you don't have the money to buy it. Which is the reason I don't have any expensive guns.

 

[Davey Boy]

People spend $70,000 on a pickup truck and turn it into useless pile of junk within 10 years. But a gun that costs a few thousand dollars is "too nice to shoot". Stupidest thing I ever heard.

I agree and if people would just stop paying ridiculous prices it would be most helpful. A good gun can still be bought on this forum for a fair price. The expensive guns you speak of are best fired with the pinky finger extended.

 

[pacanis]

Nice work on that.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

People spend $70,000 on a pickup truck and turn it into useless pile of junk within 10 years. But a gun that costs a few thousand dollars is "too nice to shoot". Stupidest thing I ever heard

The price of that gun is roughly half of my income for a year. I guess that for some people "a few thousand dollars" isn't all that much. I am not one of those people.

I don't buy $70.000.00 vehicles. Most expensive one I ever bought was $10,000.00, which was a 2009 Lincoln Town Car, which I bought used two years ago and am still driving. Most of the cars I have owned I paid less than $1,000.00 for... and I generally drive 'em for five years or so.

My father, (who apparently shared both your first and last name) was a carpenter and could never have managed "a few thousand dollars" for a gun like that, and if he'd won it in a lottery, you can bet he'd have sold it quick... without ever shooting it. I probably could afford to buy it if I sold some silver or took some money from other investments, but as the value would drop by half the first time I shot it, I will not be buying it until I win a billion dollar lottery.... and then I will shoot it. More likely I'll be buying that Pedersoli Kodiak .58 I currently covet though... preferably used.

So you see, in a nutshell, not all of us Raby family members have a six figure income like you must, so thank God that you apparently have "a few thousand dollars" to spend on something that is really kind of frivolous and maybe consider the possibility that it could all be gone in the blink of an eye.

Sorry for the rant, but old grey beards do that now and again...

 

[vintovka]

People spend $70,000 on a pickup truck and turn it into useless pile of junk within 10 years. But a gun that costs a few thousand dollars is "too nice to shoot". Stupidest thing I ever heard.

It is stupid and somewhat scary. Maybe insuring high priced guns might help??? I watched a very high end rifle fall over at the range onto the concrete floor. Did 2k worth of damage.

 

[Cruzatte]

That's the kind of gun I wish I could build. And I'd shoot it just to watch other people cringe. OK, I'm a contrarian, I know it.

 

[vintovka]

The price of that gun is roughly half of my income for a year.

Wow!! How do you survive????

 

[2 shots]

People spend $70,000 on a pickup truck and turn it into useless pile of junk within 10 years. But a gun that costs a few thousand dollars is "too nice to shoot". Stupidest thing I ever heard.

pick up trucks are everywhere..... guns like this are not.

 

[centershot]

People spend $70,000 on a pickup truck and turn it into useless pile of junk within 10 years. But a gun that costs a few thousand dollars is "too nice to shoot". Stupidest thing I ever heard.

Agreed! If I had just spent that kind of money for a rifle, I am darn sure gonna' gp out and shoot it!

 

[Greyrider]

Love that gun wish it was in 54 cal. It would be coming home with me in about 10 years. Maybe a little longer

 

[Capt. Kirk]

I drool over rifles like that, but if I had $8500 to spare I'd probably spend $2k on a rifle and the rest to a good charity. There's homelessness, kids with cancer, and a dozen other causes more important than fancy toys.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

You can get a straight grain stock, premium barrel, lock and triggers and put together a subperb hunting gun. Something that will also hold its own at targets, etc. I once saw a gun made by my parent's neighbor. The silver alone cost the guy close to $400 in the 1970's. The barrel top flat was inlaid with brass and silver. The trigger guard, butt plate and other furniture was mostly solid silver. Everything was ornately engraved. The guy spent 11 years building it. He paid Chuck Dixon and two other guys for one on one lessons, attending an engraving school, and turned out an incredible show piece. I heard that some appraiser put the value at some 6 figure amount. He left it hanging on the wall in his den. A few years later, a distant relative broke into the house and stole it. I don't know if it ever showed up again. Anything that valuable is worth bull dozing your house to get to it.

 

[SOLANCO]

For me, a rifle can get to the point of having too much bling. And that thing has more bling than a ghetto pimp mobile.

 

[SOLANCO]

You can get a straight grain stock, premium barrel, lock and triggers and put together a subperb hunting gun. Something that will also hold its own at targets, etc. I once saw a gun made by my parent's neighbor. The silver alone cost the guy close to $400 in the 1970's. The barrel top flat was inlaid with brass and silver. The trigger guard, butt plate and other furniture was mostly solid silver. Everything was ornately engraved. The guy spent 11 years building it. He paid Chuck Dixon and two other guys for one on one lessons, attending an engraving school, and turned out an incredible show piece. I heard that some appraiser put the value at some 6 figure amount. He left it hanging on the wall in his den. A few years later, a distant relative broke into the house and stole it. I don't know if it ever showed up again. Anything that valuable is worth bull dozing your house to get to it.

Once knew a guy with a Mercedes Benz gull wing coupe. He built a separate, climate controlled, lighted garage with a glass wall for it. He'd sit in his living room and look out the window at the car in its palace garage. Don't know that he ever drove it. That story reminded me of him.

 

[springfield art]

Wow!! How do you survive????

He survives by not buying over-priced guns!

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Wow!! How do you survive????

Well... that's the trick isn't it?

At that income level, I no longer pay any income tax, which helps quite a bit. I have a co-tenant that also has an untaxable income who helps out with expenses. I have no debt to speak of. I don't buy new cars and never finance the ones I do buy, so there are no car payments to make. I have no credit cards. We don't go to restaurants much any longer. I can vegetables and don't usually buy expensive cuts of meat... stuff cooked in the crock pot makes for cheap meals.

I probably qualify for food stamps, though I haven't really needed them. We do make use of energy assistance in years that we qualify. This year we may or may not qualify.

I enlisted into the US Army in 1975 and now have VA Medical coverage... so no Obamacare expenses.

I don't smoke, drink or use other recreational drugs.

I don't take vacations in Hawai'i or other exotic locales. When we want to get away from it all, we might drive to Wrightstown, Brillion, Oshkosh, Appleton or more likely Green Bay. Sometimes we splurge and go to Lena and/or Abrams... maybe Oconto Falls. We are always back before the end of the day though.

In short, I pinch pennies until they are as thin as a dime and then get a quarter's worth out of them.

I donate more than most people do to church... which is kind of another investment that pays non-taxable dividends.

Sooo.... God provides, I manage what He provides and we survive comfortably... at least for the moment. Things could change in a heartbeat and quite likely they will in the next few years, but I'm not gonna worry about things I have no control over. The state of the economy, whether or not there will be a nuclear war and other such things are quite above my pay grade and that's fine with me.