On Monday I was speaking to one of the premier double rifle makers. One item mentioned was that his current backlog is at it's lowest level in more than 10 years, and the prospects for future orders is a big unknown.

Are we talking Purdey, Holland, Westley Richards level ?

Or below that ?

.

He spoke of rifles approaching and exceeding $20,000

This is not surprising is it? Just like houses that cost about the same amount to build today as five years ago, new double rifles are competing with existing products that are being sold to free up cash. Given that new prices by these makers are sticky in the downward direction (or at least more sticky than the prices on secondary market), their backlog shrinks as people buy existing product from former aficionados who come to prefer greenbacks to their prized double.

Maybe the Saudi's et al from that area have stopped ordering !!! LOL

What's probably happening is the same that's found in some other hobby/collector areas.

There was a re-birth in interest and a new "Golden Age" of sorts, then everyone who wanted one, well, they now more or less have bought everything they wanted. And that's that.

So now, the focus changes to using what we've bought. If my theory is right, we should see a boom in reloading components and actual use and in safari business.

Maybe there's some truth in that. That's my guess.

Rule No 1. Guns follow the money.

Old guns
India / Maharaja's
They then left India for Australia, UK and to an extent the US (and probably other places as well).
Then they left Australia and UK for the US.

New guns
India / Maharaja's
US in the 80's, 90's.
Oil Rich states as well.
Then Russia / Eastern Europe had a bite.

I am sure plenty of others as well.