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I’ve been told & also read for some time that the gun collector market in general has been soft for years, not like it was in the 90’s & early 2000’s. One collector with a half century of experience told me he doesn’t see it changing & will get even softer.
Do the Millennials, have no interest & we here are a dying breed ?
Has it come to the new generation only wanting a wall hanger because it’s antique and looks cool ?
Hunting isn’t as popular & kids aren’t being raised with those traditions etc anymore with the world of technology & money.
What are your thoughts & comments on this.
AG
Online
The market has definitely, without a doubt, softened. Especially lever action Winchester rifles.
Go to a gun show, and what do you see? Grey haired folks!
Demographics are not in our favor. This was predictable and we all missed the warning signs.
1. Demographically, the primary owner of firearms, the white male, is a lesser proportion of the population.
2. The country is much more urbanized. Guns are not as much associated with hunting or target shooting but rather as a means of self defense or to commit a crime.
3. Because of this, compact black plastic are the go to guns of Millenials.
4. Nostalgia. There is no respect for history anymore. What historical role a firearm played doesn’t matter to younger generations. It is too far removed from them. History is no longer a popular major in college as it leads to low paying jobs so even that aspect is not as prevalent.
5. Progressives/rise of socialism. They are anti firearm and permeate higher education. After being preached an anti gun rhetoric for several years, once you graduate, how can you even respect, let alone want to own, a firearm.
6. Less spending money. Millenials spend a lot to pay off student loans. Less cash available means less demand for non essentials, so there isn’t the money for luxuries such as antique Winchester rifles.
mrcvs said
The market has definitely, without a doubt, softened. Especially lever action Winchester rifles.Go to a gun show, and what do you see? Grey haired folks!
Demographics are not in our favor. This was predictable and we all missed the warning signs.
1. Demographically, the primary owner of firearms, the white male, is a lesser proportion of the population.
2. The country is much more urbanized. Guns are not as much associated with hunting or target shooting but rather as a means of self defense or to commit a crime.
3. Because of this, compact black plastic are the go to guns of Millenials.
4. Nostalgia. There is no respect for history anymore. What historical role a firearm played doesn’t matter to younger generations. It is too far removed from them. History is no longer a popular major in college as it leads to low paying jobs so even that aspect is not as prevalent.
5. Progressives/rise of socialism. They are anti firearm and permeate higher education. After being preached an anti gun rhetoric for several years, once you graduate, how can you even respect, let alone want to own, a firearm.
6. Less spending money. Millenials spend a lot to pay off student loans. Less cash available means less demand for non essentials, so there isn’t the money for luxuries such as antique Winchester rifles.
It’s sad to admit but I would say this is a pretty accurate statement.
If you consider your Winchester’s an investment it’s disturbing, if you collect them because you enjoy owning them it’s not. T/R
mrcvs said
The market has definitely, without a doubt, softened. Especially lever action Winchester rifles.
Relatively, it has, but it’s STILL pretty much a rich man’s game, unless you can make yourself be satisfied with the most common beaters; but even the beater guns that parts dealers like Buckingham used to buy are now sold on-line for prices the parts dealers can’t compete with. No wonder the attention of younger shooters has shifted to black rifles & other new guns.
While the overall number of serious collectors has undoubtedly declined, the number of them with increased wealth at their disposal has undoubtedly increased; in other words, a fewer number of them are able to spend a lot more, otherwise, values would have declined even more.
TR said
If you consider your Winchester’s an investment it’s disturbing, if you collect them because you enjoy owning them it’s not. T/R
Well said TR. It is now the time for true collectors to buy. At the major shows I still think the nicer guns have retained a lot more of their value.
As a product of the higher education system for the better part of a decade, some in the home state of Winchester Firearms, this being some time ago by now, there weren’t many pro 2A educators around. I cannot even imagine what it is like now! But look at some of our Congressman and perhaps some of the younger individuals you might interact with. I believe 51% are socialist. Doesn’t bode well for the future!
Sad thing is, take a kid or a young adult to the range, 99% have fun with a .22 rifle, regardless of political affiliation.
A big part of the problem is lack of familiarity with firearms. Perhaps the mindset is better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.
Chuck said
Well said TR. It is now the time for true collectors to buy. At the major shows I still think the nicer guns have retained a lot more of their value.
I think now is a buying opportunity for the nicer guns. My two cents.
A lot of collectors still want what they paid for these high value guns 15-20yrs ago & I don’t blame them but, current market values don’t dictate paying a price for something that hasn’t or will never again retain its value. I get caught up in it sometimes myself & it’s a piece I really want and pay full value, but I almost always like to acquire something with a little meat left on the bone in the event I have to sell.
Jmo
AG
AG said
I almost always like to acquire something with a little meat left on the bone in the event I have to sell.
Please send me the names of the dealers you know who are willing to do that–I’ve never met one!
The older generation grew up on constant westerns where a Winchester (along with a Colt) was an essential tool of the hero. The appetite for westerns pretty much died out by the 80’s. Anyone under 50 was raised with cop dramas and Star Wars (no Winchesters in sight). There are simply smaller numbers of people who identify with, and hence less demand for an average Winchester. So once you eliminate the 1%ers only interested in financial returns, the numbers of collectors continues to fall. The age between 40 and 65 is generally when disposable income is greatest and hence when most collections are assembled. Demographically, that collecting group is now shrinking. Same number of products with fewer buyers = lower prices. The same is true of most collectible antique furniture, toys, dolls etc. The extremely rare nearly always appreciates or at least holds its own, everything else depreciates. Simply supply and demand…
TR said
If you consider your Winchester’s an investment it’s disturbing, if you collect them because you enjoy owning them it’s not. T/R
There’s a lot of disturbed collectors then. I collect for both reasons. Jmo.
AG
I should mention another problem with younger generations vs us is that younger generations want everything new, even if it is on credit. I was raised making do with what you have and recycled and second hand things were the norm. Also, there’s a measure of thrift involved with this.
If it’s shiny & new black plastic, a Millennial might consider shooting it. Why bother with that factory original Model 1886 in .50 Express with fancy 3x walnut, checkering, a pistol grip, takedown, 1/2 octagon barrel in 95% condition and letters as such?
mrcvs said
Why bother with that factory original Model 1886 in .50 Express with fancy 3x walnut, checkering, a pistol grip, takedown, 1/2 octagon barrel in 95% condition and letters as such?
Esp. when the same money would probably buy a good late-model used 4X4 truck, or a new Harley!
All of the above comments are correct.
When I was young, saving up and paying cash for nice walnut and blued steel got me something that I could be proud of.
High capacity semi-auto firepower did not interest me – stainless steel and synthetics did not interest me either.
Manufacturers competing by cheapening product quality in the interest of sales volume also does not interest me.
Hopefully someday, the younger shooters will realize what they have missed out on and return to Old School Quality.
If you own stock in a coal mine, that’s an investment, if the stock price goes down it’s a poor investment. If you own old Winchesters it’s a fun hobby, if the value of your guns go down it’s still a fun hobby. This investment idea was cooked up by big gun dealers and auction houses to draw big money men into the gun collecting hobby. The term “investment quality” comes to mind. This is my personal opinion, I can be wrong but it’s still my opinion. T/R
TR said
If you own stock in a coal mine, that’s an investment, if the stock price goes down it’s a poor investment. If you own old Winchesters it’s a fun hobby, if the value of your guns go down it’s still a fun hobby. This investment idea was cooked up by big gun dealers and auction houses to draw big money men into the gun collecting hobby. The term “investment quality” comes to mind. This is my personal opinion, I can be wrong but it’s still my opinion. T/R
Fair enough.
AG
If a decent run of the mill Winchester lever action rifle was $100 or so, and one dripping with features and condition was still under a grand, it would be a hobby. Once you start dropping thousands on one, it can be nothing but an investment, be it a good one, or a bad one. Unless you are mega rich. Then dropping thousands on something, or far more, is still just a hobby.
People spend thousands on fancy boats, camping trailers, RV’s, fancy pickups, snowmobiles, airplanes, horses, and they call it a hobby. If you keep them long enough they are a bad investment but a lot of fun. The guns are expensive to buy but unlike the above items cheap to keep. Maybe the expense is the hit on the sale and maybe it’s worth the possible financial loss. T/R
November 7, 2015
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My investments are mostly elsewhere but it would be nice if my Winchester habit was at least somewhat self-supporting. I’ve made money on a few but I’m afraid any successful attempt at thinning the herd at this time will be painful.
Mike
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