I am curious if there are people here who have purposely timed their custom gun purchases throughout their life based on the economy.

It's based on your own economy besides you do not know your life span.

If I had custom gun money in a recession I would buy a rental property.

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It's based on your own economy besides you do not know your life span.

{Quote}If I had custom gun money in a recession I would buy a rental property}Quote

Not what I asked.

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Originally posted by lindy2:

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It's based on your own economy besides you do not know your life span.

{Quote}If I had custom gun money in a recession I would buy a rental property}Quote

Not what I asked.

Maybe not, but it was a great reply.

Base it on YOUR economy! Really a dumb question,Lindy

I agree with Duane. When you want it and can afford it...

Clarence

Not what I asked, and ad hominem as well.

I asked a simple question based on the fact that people buy houses, cars, appliances, real estate, businesses, rolex watches, expensive art, and all sorts of other things based on the upswings and downswings in the overall economy. They plan for these purchases, knowing that in downturns in the economy things cost considerably less. The same goes for stocks, and other investments.

The questions remains, are there people here who have actually planned for expensive gun purchases based on the economy?

It depends on your intent- if you are purchasing it as an investment for resale, the custom fit aspect won't matter since you are actually designing it to fit some buyer a few years down the road that you don't know. So you would be better off to purchase a firearm by a well known maker during an economic downturn when the seller would be willing to sell at a lower price to liquidate his investment. My personal strategy is to purchase an investment when I had the money to do so, making the selection of purchase based on what appears to be the best value at the time, which may be a function of an economy downturn, or it may be just expectations of future appreciation. If I were to buy a custom made firearm and my purpose was strictly investment, then I would have to guess about the future purchaser of it. Since I do not know this person I do not know any fit specifications for the stock, which is a primary portion of the price. So purchasing it would be to be able to use it, in which case the sooner I get it, the more use I get out of it, so I would purchase it when funds are available without consideration of market timing. It generally doesn't work with Wall Street and no reason to expect it to work with firearms.

I met an active duty soldier here in Germany the other day that said he had a 375 that Duane had made. He claimed he ordered it from Duane directly. Paid for it with deployment money.

Has no kids, but is married. Not sure if he is enlisted or an officer. I don't really know him.

Told me that hunting was too expensive in Europe, but I am guessing the rifle he bought from Duane was $10,000-20,000.

Yes hunting is expensive, in Germany the cost of getting set up is quite high. Safes, licenses, and a lease. Gets to be about $3000 to get your foot in the door to shoot pigs and roe deer. If you add the training, license, insurance and the cost of a lease.

I personally have zero interest in a $20,000 rifle, and very little interest in rifles above about $6500 scoped. That would be something like a Sako TRG-42 with a Schmidt Bender on it. I sold one before I left for Germany, and while I once owned a Blaser double rifle I am just not that interested in a rifle like that.

A friend of mine has a Heym 375 he wants $6000 for. It is a Heym-Mauser actioned rifle, I think they are called express. He bought it from a widow, for about $1000. He forgot he told me that story, but wants $6000 as a "mates rate". He only bought it to sell.

Economy and my decisions to buy rifles are kind of like my friend with money in his eyeballs. If I can get a deal, I'd buy. To order a $20,000 rifle from a custom maker, is never going to happen.

Then you have things like the lottery and people say I'd order 20 guns from Wane if I won the lottery.

I don't think I would, I don't have the patience to wait for something like that. And I want my lottery winnings to last more than a year or two.

Everyone is different.

The best time to buy a custom rifle is when the owner NEEDS to sell it.

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Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
Base it on YOUR economy! Really a dumb question,Lindy

ANYTHING for attention!

Yup, check his other posts!

I don't know why people are having such a hard time with this question.

The initial answer is either yes or no. If its no then there is no need to answer. If its yes then I think it would be interesting to hear your philosophy on it.

For example, I have an acquaintance who has some very nice rifles, some made by well known names. He didn't purchase any of then new. Rather, he knew he wanted expensive custom rifles, and planned for them by studying the market. He sold other assets during the strong economic periods, and held that cash until a serious downturn in the economy, when he found that prices for previously owned custom rifles had seriously tanked. That is when he utilized the cash and bought what he has now.

It seems to me that there is some inflationary creep going on now that is causing the federal reserve to raise interest rates. That by itself isn't all bad, but if it keeps up eventually we will have another downturn in the economic cycle where a lot of bargains in fin art and fine things and possibly custom guns will ensue.

So the question remains, are there people here who actually plan for and make their custom rifle purchases based on the economy as a whole.

If it’s a yes or no question, my answer is no.

That would be, "no, I don't" I presume.

Any damn fool know that there are two commodities that are recession proof..Guns and Liquor!

I have acquaintances with very beautiful guns who would disagree with the gun part. Liquor I don't know too much about.

In my case the answer is no I do not base my ordering a new custom rifle nor buying a used one bases on the economy. It is solely based on my desire to own a particular rifle and my ability to pay for it. As such I have purchased them In recessions as well as when the economy was doing good. Others that I know with custom rifles feel the same way.

As I see it, a poor economy contributes more to someone selling a rifle because they fell on hard times and need the money.

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Originally posted by lindy2:
I am curious if there are people here who have purposely timed their custom gun purchases throughout their life based on the economy.

No. I've made purchases timed to the economy over the years, but the last thing I would think about purchasing (for some possible discount) during a downturn is a custom rifle.

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As I see it, a poor economy contributes more to someone selling a rifle because they fell on hard times and need the money.

Yes! And at a lower price I would think.

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Originally posted by Go Dawgs:
The best time to buy a custom rifle is when the owner NEEDS to sell it.

Let me get this right..You'd buy a pair of second shoes that didn't fit because the price was good?

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Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):

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Originally posted by Go Dawgs:
The best time to buy a custom rifle is when the owner NEEDS to sell it.

Let me get this right..You'd buy a pair of second shoes that didn't fit because the price was good?

It depends on the color.

Maybe if I knew that a certain custom gunmaker was going to retire soon, and thus their guns may go up in value thereafter

I'm retiring and do I have some specials for you!

Since I'm retired when the economy or market is down I don't buy any toys.

The best time to buy a custom rifle is after its been shot once or twice and its a used gun..

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The best time to buy a custom rifle is after its been shot once or twice and its a used gun..

I would continue that sentence with

. . . in the middle of a deep recession with money obtained from selling assets during the height of the last economic bubble.

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Let me get this right..You'd buy a pair of second shoes that didn't fit because the price was good?

YES, if I knew the economy was going to come back around and I could get 3-4 times what I paid for them later. Just like cars and stock and real estate.

To answer Kevin's original question, I personally don't buy custom guns based on the economy, BUT I sure as hell don't sell any when the economy is bad.

If you've got enough discretionary money to sit on it through multiple business cycles you don't need to worry about the cost of a custom rifle.

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Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
If you've got enough discretionary money to sit on it through multiple business cycles you don't need to worry about the cost of a custom rifle.

Chuckle, chuckle, So true. Some people have their dream guns on a forum and not in their possession.

"To answer Kevin's original question, I personally don't buy custom guns based on the economy, BUT I sure as hell don't sell any when the economy is bad."

At least a few people have read the question, understood it, and answered it.

Post removed.

Like about anything else, buy cheap wait and sell high..Ive done that multiply times with double rifles..Im presently a little shy of doubles today, in a changing Africa..

The best time to sell rifles is Feb, March and April, why I have no idea, maybe the return of tax money but Im sure it goes deeper than that, but that's been a truism for my 70 plus years of buying and selling guns. The worst time to sell is Nov. and Dec. that has puzzled me as well,as you would think Christmas gifts guns,but not the case, guess everyone is out hunting.

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Originally posted by Atkinson:
The best time to sell rifles is Feb, March and April... The worst time to sell is Nov. and Dec.

That's a very interesting observation!

I'd suppose that those with the where-with-all to buy a truly fine custom rifle would probably not feel desperation to sell said rifle during a down-market!

I know, I know, you didn't ask that! Sheesh

Zeke

"Best time to buy a custom rifle"
For some it's all about price. For others it's More about the rifle.
Either party can luck into a great custom for cents on the dollar, in which case the purchase
Happens quickly if not immediate.
For those where funds are not an issue and never have been, it's all about the rifle. These folks are the economy, up or down there's still plenty to go around for all that's needed or desired.

I had a client send a phone pic. Of a custom at Cabelas. His question was should he buy it, from the
Photo it looked pretty nice. The rifle was based on a VZ - 33 action , price was $1,500.
In my mind just the action was worth 15. My client bought the rifle and brought it here.
He said pull the barreled action out and let's see if there is any provenance.
Inscribed in the barrel channel was Monty Kennedy's name spelled MK Kennedy 4-1952.
In that particular instance it was a good time to buy that rifle. To him it's a cherished piece of
Rifle making history and it's not about the money.

Great story Stuart!

And really nice new website! Those case colored safeties look very nice.

http://www.satterleearmsrifles.com/about

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Originally posted by RyanB:
If I had custom gun money in a recession I would buy a rental property.

Be careful what you wish for. My 8 years of rental property experience put me in the same category as a boat owner.
"The 2 happiest days of a boat owners life are the day they bought the boat and the day they SOLD the boat."

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Originally posted by lindy2:
I am curious if there are people here who have purposely timed their custom gun purchases throughout their life based on the economy.

No, buy the rifle when one has the money to purchase it. You did not specify whether the rifle was new or used because some good deals can be found on used rifles when an economic downturn hits.