Whats with the prices

[wvbuckbuster]

Got a friend started back into muzzleloading and he ask me what was with the high prices of used traditional styled muzzleloaders. He needs to watch his pennys and is having trouble finding a good used gun at a reasonable price. He said when the rush took off for the other kind you couldn't give a sidelock away in our area. Now it seems they are going for more than the real worth. Is it because of the economy,scare buying or a slow return toward sidelocks? What are your thoughts?

 

[cowpoke1955]

Some states are changing their muzzle loading regs. Some are starting to allow only traditional muzzle loaders and not those other things. What we really need are some more TV shows like Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett to get the ball rolling again. Do you think Fess Parker is up to the task? Us baby boomers are getting up there in age and we need another generation to carry the torch :v

 

[kbeck]

I went for a drive last saturday around lower Michigan and visited some small country gun shops.
The economy there is very bad. Shop owner said many guys are selling their guns (to him)to pay for rent & food. They had numerous used sidelocks for sale priced from $65 to $150. CVAs on the lower side and T/Cs a little higher. I bought a mint GPR .54 a few months ago for $320

 

[Swampman]

I never pay more than $200.00. I just bought 2 T/C hawkens one in flint with a round ball barrel. I paid $250.00 for the pair. Ebay may be boosting the prices some because the parts bring much more than a complete gun.

 

[bucktales]

One can still find bargains in Traditional guns if you are willing to look and shop around.
The last 4 months, it seems, prices have been going up across the board in all aspects of shooting sports due to the "political climate".

I was in Cabelas in East Hartford last weekend with a friend looking for a holster. He had to take a number and had to wait to be helped. The man behind the counter said it has been non-stop ,every day, all day for 4 months. People buying everything firearm related, including BP guns.

 

[StevePrice2]

Being a longtime shooter but shortimer in ML'ing, I've noticed the same things out here in Utah.

Shop around and you get a bargain once in a while. Several hawken style rifles have sold latley in the classifieds at very reasonable prices compared to new. What surprises me is the retail prices of the imports and factory guns for what you get. :cursing: I have a Cabela's 5 minutes away in Lehi, UT and you can forget about going on a Saturday. BIG TIME crowded - guns and ammo flying out the doors.I buy centerfire ammo online and many sources are now scarce and spendy.

The pawn shops near my office have lots of inlines and one store had five or six bobcats and other sidelocks of the low cost variety at 89 bucks each. My new 23 year old early model Ardesa made hawken/mtn rifle was bought new by the fellow I picked it up from for just over $200.00. I feel good about the purchase.

Steve

 

[Ridge]

Huh...I'd have thought that with the rush to buy evil black rifles and pistols that the damand for muzzleloaders would have came down.

Guess not eh?

 

[Dave K]

So much depends on location. The traditional styled factory guns, sell for less in my area than other areas I watch. So many have went to the other type of muzzleloader. Actually, it was not that long ago,these guys would give me there BP, just to get rid of it since they were using the pelletized stuff. Almost all of these guys only shoot to make sure they can still hit the paper plate before deer season and they have no interest in shooting anyother time of the year.

 

[shmrck1]

Dan,
What I do is attend gun shows in my
area.However,if it is a 3day show I will
not attend until the last day and late.
If I see something I am interested in
I will make an offer usually well below
asking price. Don't work every time,but then....
One other thing....Don't be impatient or
impulsive. There are good buys out there,you
just have to look for them. Just an opinion.
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[roundball]

I've recently sold four T/C Hawkens in the classifieds and they all sold in 24 to 48 hours except for one, which sold 8 minutes after I posted it.

Then just last night I was contacted by someone asking if I had any more Hawken Flintlocks for sale...I did some soul searching and decided that I might as well sell the .54cal as I had not used it for a few years since I got .58 and .62cal rifles.

Got back to him and said I could sell it for $500, would send pics if he was interested...he replied back he'd take it sight unseen just based on the other sales and photos I had put up recently.

Maybe the economy hasn't hit the muzzleloading community yet... :hmm:

 

[hornetk4]

The last TC in 50 cal that was for sale in my area went for 169.00 I'm kickin myself for not grabbin it, it was like new.Last week I saw one for 250 I think it was a 54 cal. I did manage to grab a euroarms 44 cal kentuckian for 125.00 , it was in very good shape also. Most folks are still stuck on smokeless guns that they rarely shoot cause of the price of ammo.I'm keepin my eyes peeled for bp guns , ya can't have to many

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Guys I have told my friend to keep looking and don't give up. Guess we don't live where the good buys are right now. Most of the men I work with have switched over and sold off their sidelocks but where did they go? I know some bow hunters who went to compounds and then started back with a recurve to get more sport out of their hunting. Maybe some of that is going on with muzzleloading. :hmm:

 

[ronrryan]

Roundball, I think the rapidity of your sales is due to your long association with T/C firearms and improving their quality, etc, as known on this site. I don't think it would necessarily apply to all sellers, Good smoke, Ron in FL

 

[PaulN/KS]

I agree, roundball only sells quality goods... :hatsoff:
I just bought a nice 45 Leman style rifle from the good folks at The Gun Works. They have good used guns both factory and custom listed. Nice folks to buy from, honest and fair. :thumbsup: