Guys   I just returned from a gun show in Louisville and the interest in single shots was almost non-existent.  It looks like the younger generation just has an interest in semi-automatic black firearms.  Don't care about the craftmanship that went into making these wonderful guns.  As a result the selling price of even Pope's have fallen dramatically.  What say ye about the future of these great guns ?

If you talk o any of the fellas who've dealt in high end single shots today, they'll all tell you the prices are down 20-30% over what they were 10 years ago. I don't believe it's got much to do with a lack of interest though. I think it's more about the economy.
In past history, whenever the economy booms, collectible firearms (or any collectibles) always drop off in value. It's a case of those with money to spend having it tied up in the market where it's doing quite well. When the market falters those same people pull their funds out and invest them elsewhere. That usually means collectible guns, cars, antiques, etc., all go way up in value.
In past years I felt I'd never be able to own some of those  single shot rifles built by the great custom makers. The prices were just too exorbitant to fit into my collecting budget. But in the last few years I've found quite a few at prices I'd never dreamed would be so affordable and added them to my collection.
Right now is the time to buy, if you've dreamed of owning a Pope, Schoyen, Niedner, Zischang, or others. I don't think they'll drop in price going forward, and whatever you buy will go up later. But even if it doesn't go up before we pass them on, they're at a price that we can finally afford, so buy them if you've always dreamed of owning one!
Those black rifles are all the rage for so many young people today because they too have suffered from a glut of them on the market. The days of them being over $1,000 are long gone! Name brand black rifles like the AR15 clones are under $400, so that's why all those young guys are going nuts for them.
So if investment is your reason for buying, then buy one of those too! I bought one 2 years ago NIB for under $400, and still haven't fired it. If the market goes crazy again I'll sell my NIB AR15 and put the money towards another single shot rifle!

A friend of mine who had been buying Single Shots for many years before I was even able to participate in owning and shooting SS rifles, advised me many times to "look for High Grade in very good to excellent condition" He said they would always be in demand. When I would purchase a good condition standard rifle he would say. "That Rifle will shoot better than you are capable of shooting and you will have a lot of fun with it" But when you go to sell or trade you will only realize what you paid for it. He was right, I bought and sold many of those with no significant gain. But many of the High Grade I have accumulated have increased in value, some as much as 10 times what I paid for them and I have been shooting them for years. So for the moment I am OK with this poor market. The long range plan for me is to leave them to my Son and Daughter with direction on how and what to sell them for. They are not shooting enthusiast's. But will be able to use the Money for their children's education or start in life. After all we are just the Custodians of them. Our task is to keep them for future enthusiasts to enjoy. Just my thoughts on this issue.
Regards, FITZ.OLD TUCK

Redsetter wrote on Oct 30^th, 2018 at 10:12am:


Envy doesn't look good on you, or anyone else.

rgchristensen wrote on Oct 30^th, 2018 at 1:29pm:


I think this is especially true as we get older Chris! We don't have enough time left to buy them and stash them away until prices return to higher values.

This thread reminds me a bit of the old farmer that won $4 million dollars on the lottery.  The media went to interview him about it and asked: "What will you do with this huge windfall?  Build a fancy new house?  Travel the world?  Buy several exotic cars?"

The farmer replied: "No ... I think that I'll just keep on farming until it's all gone ..."

When I have bought guns I've never worried much about what they are worth today or tomorrow, or what they will be worth down the road if I ever decide to sell or trade them.  I buy guns, especially single shot rifles, because they appeal to me and I thoroughly enjoy owning and shooting them.  After I'm gone it won't matter to me if my heirs make a profit or loss on any of my assets (my guns included) but I will have had the privilege of having owned and enjoyed some wonderful rifles while I was still around and able to do so.  Their value to me is far more than monetary ...

It's interesting this topic has come up, as I've been giving it a lot of thought and research. I have a Pope barreled Ballard that I got some years ago from a private seller locally. Sadly, I missed the wave of enthusiasm for single shot collecting and am now trying to sell in a virtually flat market. And that's a flat market generally. Antique furniture, art, and other collectables are stagnant due to these large factors: Folks who care about these things are dying off, and if they haven't, they're downsizing, increasing the market size through divestiture. Young millennials who don't care or know much about history, seek technology and gaming. They buy things that are marketed as green, like bamboo flooring and such. Hunting and shooting are generally in disfavor. Remember that the liberal educational establishment has had their formative years to instill the let's propaganda into our young. It's interesting that the executives of all the tech companies send their kids to schools that do learning via books, paper and pencil. As opposed to public school that uses all the computers, Ipads, and tech those company's said our kids need to become geniuses.
Of course, even with the stock market being in the midst of a downturn, people who have sold off their art, antiques, etc, will still put money into the bond and stock market, just cause it's safer, easier, and a better return.
Just recently I took my Ballard to have it appraised at a local firearms auction house and had a very good discussion regarding all the points I raised and the two reps basically agreed, saying, in part, that most young people are interested in WW2 era and later. Old revolvers? Ho hum, big yawn. Anything from prior to WW2 is selling for practically half of what it once was. Why the big interest in WW2? Private Ryan, Fury, and Call of Duty. Yup, that last one's a video game. So, yeah, economics, social mores, and a diminishing market are gradually shrinking the value on average firearms. Napolean's jewel encrusted shotgun and firearms like that will always be in demand. The Ballard you thought so special? Not so much chum. So too your M1 Garand etc. 
It's not all doom and gloom though, it's a good time to buy and enjoy those things you want, as an example my Pope/Ballard rifle!

Prices at Rock Island and other major auctions are still up there.

You can complain about what a hassle an auction is, but the buyers are paying decent prices and the vig.

Aaron