Could some double rifles, like a Holland & Holland or Purdey for example, be used as investments in a similar manner that art and collectibles are?

Mamy are held as investments, and without exception they shoot better than a painting or a piece of toast with Jesus on it.

Like gold and silver, or fancy cars; they are great investments when the economy is rolling along. When times are bad, like the next several years are likely going to be; they can be problematical to dispose of. Remember gold this time last year? Over $1000 an ounce. Today it is closing in the $700+ range. All those dealers forget (when you buy) that there is a 10% or more premium when you sell.

1. Buy it because it is something you like.
2. Buy it because it is of sound quality.
3. Buy it because it is convertible if you buy it with future sale in mind.

F'r Instance, there are some double rifles for sale here today, some that are bargains. It's tough to pony up over $10,000 for a rifle.

I'm buying a couple rifles, the price is good and I will likely have them until I die.

JMHO

Rich
Buff Killer

Thanks guys for the info. I can't afford even a modest double, but I was curious about the subject.

Over the years I have owned a number of Doubles,none however, what I would call 'investment grade' rifles. All I have sold and each time I have lost NO money at all. Rarely did I MAKE much either but in NO case did I lose money. So for all practical purposes I owned and used the rifle for free which I find is probably as good as it gets.

I agree with what everyone above says.

I disagree on the statement that you can't afford a modest double. Find you a small bore double or express rifle in 8x57R or 7X57R.
I did a google search for 7X57R and found a couple of Brnos for $900.

Start looking and saving. It could take some time, but some kind of double rifle is within your means.

Sell my doubles? I hope not. These get passed on! I hope for many generations to come.

As usual, Rusty and I are in agreement. You just have to want one...

Rich
Buff Killer

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
Over the years I have owned a number of Doubles,none however, what I would call 'investment grade' rifles. All I have sold and each time I have lost NO money at all. Rarely did I MAKE much either but in NO case did I lose money. So for all practical purposes I owned and used the rifle for free which I find is probably as good as it gets.

I have traded and sold guns since I was 17 years old. I agree with both Zim and ID sharpshoter. Buy what you like and use it. I have made large sums of money from guns and also lost my ass. So I guess it's no different than the stock market, except doubles and fine guns are a hell of alot more fun to own.

Ed

OK,I will "pop" in here...I have a great investment double at a great lowered price on classifieds now..a mere $7500 for a 500NE!"Buy Low-Sell High"!

There have been several threads dealing with doubles as investments. Some thoughts:
1. You have to know what you are doing.
2. The cost of entry is quite high, especially with Holland and Hollands.
3. You have to be prepared to hold in a down market.
4. There is a limited market for double rifles, and high grade doubles in particular.
and finally a question: Would you be afraid to shoot it or hunt with it, in case it affected it's value?
Peter.

When you buy a nice English double from Champlins, George says he will give you "your money plus" for it down the road. Don't know if this is a good retirement plan, but if a guy can afford it, now would be the time to buy one. It should do better than the S&P 500, over the past 10 years.
ND

I'd submit that if we are just taking a poke here, a 15 year hold period

would need to be what you can sustain. Will it always take that long to

sell high enough to have beaten the inflation rate? NO. But again, I feel

that the 15 year number is the safe way to think about this topic. If you

bought a 200K Purdey or other serious name fine rifle in August last year,

you ain't selling it today for 210 or 220 unless one of about 300 persons

on Earth is dying to have it. I'd say it's a buy and hold game to think of

D/R's as investments, no different than the way Warren Buffet advises

people who are considering a stock purchase.

Considering the results of all my other investments recently I have to say that I wished I had bought all double rifles instead.

Absolutely not. For something to qualify as an investment you have to be willing to have a "liquidity event". If you do that with your double, you spend years wishing you hadn't.

When stocks dropped 60% double rifles remained flat.

When microsoft went up 10,000%, double rifles quadrupled in value.

Sure, 'cos the people who had stock in Microsoft sold it and bought doubles!
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Sevens:
Could some double rifles, like a Holland & Holland or Purdey for example, be used as investments in a similar manner that art and collectibles are?

YES, and they are MUCH cheaper than an ex-wife

quote:

Originally posted by DuggaBoye:
YES, and they are MUCH cheaper than an ex-wife

Yeah, much cheaper and easier than finding a woman you'll hate in 5-6 years and buying her a house!