RedAllison

lol DM now tell "the rest of the story". As much as you pay for "Greene paint", "Milwaukee chrome" and "flashy monte carlo stocks with chrome bluing and rosewood tips" you have money in the bank!!!

My stepfather trades machinery on his farm equipment annually and its ALL "Greene". I bought/sold/traded 10 Harleys in 5 years and the only thing I was out was a lil sales tax, a lil on accessories and whatever insurance cost me (finally settled on my 01 Screamin Eagle Road Glide, shes been in the garage since 11/00 ). What else with wheels can you say that about? And while I dont plan on getting rid of any guns, if I was in a pinch the FIRST guns to go would be my Weatherby's and Smith & Wesson's as they both are "money in the bank".

In a pinch the three mentioned pieces are ALWAYS at the top of the list with respect too resale value. So again I ask, "Are they truly overpriced"?


RA

stubblejumper

No mass produced firearm including weatherby is a great investment.Firearms depreciate much faster than most other products,especially those chambered in cartridges that are known to have short barrel lives like the weatherby magnums or the ultramags.Here in Canada an accumark sells new for around $1800 but a used one a few years old usually sells for around $1200 if it is in mint shape and less if it has marks on it or throat erosion.That amounts to a loss of $600 or more.A remington 700 that sells for $1000 new will still bring around $600 as a used rifle a few years old for a loss of $400.While both depreciated considerably the remington is still the better investment.Then again you can buy a savage kit gun with scope for around $600 new and several years later it will still sell for $300 for a loss of $300 which makes it a better investment yet.

Californiadoctor

Stublejumper, I think you are right. Buying a mass produced firearm as an ivestment makes about as much sense as buying a mas produced automobile as an investment. Unless you are willing to wait about 100 years they will never sell for as much as you paid for them. let alone more. I think you buy a rifle for the satisfaction that you get out of personal use of it and that makes value for money an important part of the purchase decision.

BTW, what is the expected barrel life of a Weatherby Vanguard in .300 Weatherby Magnum using standard factory ammunition?

Californiadoctor

RedAllison

stubs you did NOT hear me say the word, "investment". When I am talking of investments I am talking of POSITIVE returns. If not then it was NO kind of investment, it was something you spent your money on. I NEVER confuse investing with SPENDING money on toys/recreation.

Carry 2 equally conditioned rifles to any gun show, one a Mark V Custom Deluxe (in Wby Mag calibers of course) and the other a standard 700 BDL in any standard caliber. Which one gets the most action and is picked up quickest? EVERY swingin bone in the joint will have a gun very similar too the Rem you have layin there which at that point it becomes a buyers market. But not everyone will have a Weatherby Mk V sittin out because they think, "Well maybe no-one will want to spend 4 digits on a rifle?" Thats called a sellers market. Just try it!

But one thing is for sure, ALL of em are fun!
RA

ps
Doc if you NEVER let the barrel get hot (the true secret to getting the maximum life out of ANY barrel/caliber) and keep the gun properly cleaned, you can expect a minimum life of 2000-2500 rnds with 3000 being possible. At current rates for Weatherby factory foder that is nearly $10k worth of ammo and YEARS of shooting for most big game rifles. I will NEVER let the term "barrel life" steer me from buying a gun that I really like or peaks my curiosity.

stubblejumper

If the price was the same the weatherby would sell first but since the 700 will cost half as much it will sell much quicker.I bought my two mark V's at greatly reduced prices because they both had sat on the shelf for over two years because nobody wanted to pay the price.I then had a much more difficult time getting a decent price for them than I have ever had when selling any other gun.

handloader1

stubblejumper:

I have 3 friends who also own Weatherby Mark V's (qt. 7 rifles), and they all shoot under 1.0" groups. One of the rifles is a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe .416 Wby. Mag., and it shoots one ragged hole at 100 yds. using 400 gr. Woodleigh bullets. I think you just have bad luck with Weatherby Mark V's. Good luck.

stubblejumper

If the average mark V is really that accurate,then why isn't the weatherby accuracy guarantee better than 1-1/2".After all tikka rifles costing half as much must shoot 1" groups before they can leave the factory.

handloader1

stubblejumper:

Don't get mad it's not my fault you have no luck with Weatherby Mark V's. Good luck.

stubblejumper

I didn't get mad,I just had some rifles built that deliver the accuracy that I want for my money.I couldn't be happier with my current rifles.

handloader1

stubblejumper:

I am very happy with my Weatherbys, but I will never stop striving for that one hole group. Good luck.