Rifle Cost

[Captjoel]

Something else to consider would be the kind of money being used. In 1800 a buyer for a rifle would lay down hard gold coin. Say the piece cost 20 dollars and was extra fancy. Now add 213 years for inflation and a greater premium for the rarity of it's antique status coming through the years in good untouched condition. Take that amount and using actual antique gold coins from the period, you will get pretty close to what this rifle would go for today! :hmm:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I think (iirc) that a rifle in Kaskaskia at George Morgan's store cost £7, but a month's salary was £4 for a "good" hunter, and a fusil was 40 shillings?? So that's a little more than 1.75 x a month's wages.

NOW you'd have to find a modern job that you consider valid for a professional hunter back then... well perhaps a modern, full time meat cutter at a supermarket chain (hunters were hired to bring in meat... modern meat cutters process meat for sale... ok not very close but...)??

OK so say the meat cutter pockets $25k a year..., That's about $2000 a month or so... a rifle back then would cost say the equivalent of... $3500.00 today?

Which, would explain why they bought that on credit, and paid the seller back with meat and hides after many months...

LD

 

[Captjoel]

Funny how inflation has run a muck in just my lifetime! I remember buying a full size candy bar and a coke for 15 cents. Today, the same will cost me 2 dollars and 50 cents. I cannot even imagine what inflation has occurred in 200 years!

 

[Pete G]

A very nice fancy grade Hawken rifle $20.00.
Probably about $2500.00 today. Or you could trade for 2 horses or one squaw. Or was it 2 squaw or one horse? :idunno:

Last time I taded off a squaw it cost a LOT more than $2500.

 

[btech]

I also don't know how those guys built rifles without a Dremel tool.

 

[Rusty_Nail]

A very nice fancy grade Hawken rifle $20.00.
Probably about $2500.00 today. Or you could trade for 2 horses or one squaw. Or was it 2 squaw or one horse? :idunno:

Last time I taded off a squaw it cost a LOT more than $2500.

Traded off heck, I gave her away! That is still costing me! :shake:

 

[kaintuck]

quality is what we all want in these rifles, and, that is a costly thing these days......
BUT....we will never see CHINA inporting them!

 

[galamb]

quality is what we all want in these rifles, and, that is a costly thing these days......
BUT....we will never see CHINA inporting them!

I would never say never.

Many of us never thought that we would see the day when a little "made in Japan" sticker would indicate a "quality product" compared to other offerings in the market place - but that has come to pass...