Has the general market tanked for guns? Even more collectable stuff seems to be not selling on gunbroker for prices that seem to be fair.

In this inflationary market, the "wants" are the first thing to suffer.  People spend their money on "needs".

So time to start buying again?

Was it ever time to stop?

Makes sense I guess. I was always told guns are good investments( or at least hedges), guess that isn't the case.

All markets are still correcting from the inflation aka greed we had to deal with aince COVID-19. Patience is always key.

What goes up always comes down.

Not in my area. Guns are at an all time high. Ammunition prices at auctions are insane.

This.
Twenty five years ago I was watching shotgun shells get bid up and the one guy in front of me leaned over to the other guy to say, "Haven't any of these assholes been to Walmart."  
I figured it was just a fluke but I consistently see people pay more than shelf price for ammo where they don't know where it's been or how long it's been there.  A lot of times it's not in factory packaging.  They don't know WTF they're buying.  

One of the major purveyors of this madness is a consignment auction 45 minutes outside Mnpls/St. Paul.  While talking to the owner lately he suggested gun where bringing good money just because it's an election year.  I think we're too far out from election day for that to be having much of an effect.  But it's tough to argue with his results.  He's in the sweet spot geographically.  He's rural enough to see demand for sportsman's guns but urban enough to see a demand for self defense guns while pulling in the big metro money.  

It astonishes me that a flaming blue state like this still lets their Game Wardens sell confiscated guns back to the public.  This auctioneer has been getting the bid the last several years to be the middle man.  Some of the prices people pay for beat to shit guns with chineasium scopes will make your head spin as you try to find a Walmart.

Ebbs and flows with the economy, employment rate, inflation, politics, trends and likelihood of certain laws.

Right now, economy + inflation = "meh", so that's a hit on the value when selling.  People are after cash now and willing to divest themselves of things they don't perceive a need to have.  We're leading up to an election where gun banning isn't foremost on the campaign trail, so there isn't a worry that people better get something before they can't.  

Bottom line - at least what I'm seeing - is that right now, you have a lot of sellers posting things for the higher prices they paid, combined with a lot of people looking to sell guns/items they don't want to increase their cash.  They can afford to wait out a buyer at a higher price, because employment isn't a concern.  If you're a cash buyer, you can dictate the market right now.  Good time to be buying, not a great time to be selling.  As we get closer to the election, that's probably going to skew even more.

It's been a buyer's marketbin most cases for the last year. For every stubborn old fart there's 3 people willing to deal. One of the few positive things at present. The housing market could learn a few things but not when there's 50 million illegals and sand pedos that need housing

Depends on what we are discussing. Run of the mill stuff is a buyer’s market.

Transferable machineguns are way up and continuing to climb at an accelerated rate. Highly collectible items are up too and selling. Look at the recent tan HK MR223A3 11” SBRs from Arms Unlimited that sold out in about 24 hrs for $15k.

Silencers are selling quickly at MSRP because of the very fast eForm4 approvals.

Re: the comment that collectible things aren’t selling on Gunbroker at reasonable listing prices, that’s a typical phenomenon on Gunbroker. I’ve watched it occur that way for about 10 years now.  The only way to sell a fixed price item on GB is to list it below market. GB is best used as an auction site, not a fixed listing site. The penny start no reserve auction is the best way to sell for the most money. It entices the gamblers and a bidding war will typically ensue, resulting in higher closing sale price.


There are some straight up bargains to be had right now and if one has the means and want, it’s a great time to buy HK SP5, SP5K, SP5K-PDW, Colt 6920 OEM 1 and 2, Colt M5, Colt M7.

Still good investment, just don't overpay. Know the value of guns, what a good deal is and what is overpriced.

Any collectible has ups and downs.  

Run of the mill firearms just barely keep up with inflation.  But, at least they're not a depreciating asset.  Some collectible firearms outpace inflation well enough to be considered an investment.  But, for example, nice Browning Auto 5s have been about $1,000 for 20 years now.  

Buy guns because you like them.  Buy mutual funds for an investment.

I think the next collector market that's going to see a decline is the '55-'57 Chevys.  The guys that grew up with them are dying off, and most younger car collectors aren't interested.  This could just as easily be Colt SAA or Winchester  lever guns in a decade.

A major caveat to all of this is that ATF has demonstrated that if you are buying firearms for investment (and you make a profit off selling/trading them even if that's not your motivation), they intend to prosecute you for it.  

Generally speaking, things that are politically polarizing that can be made illegal to divest oneself of with the stroke of a pen should not be seen as an 'investment'.

If the 1986 FOPA had a clause in it to prevent transfer of MG's, they'd be essentially worthless, monetarily.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

The opening to 'A Tale of Two Cities', Charles Dickens, 1859.