Toppers and such

[Ranger99]

I guess the long time working man's choice
of H&R/NEF's single break guns have become
a novelty purchase for the more affluent
gun buyer/owner.
I had figured even though the Rem pinheads
had ran the brand into the ground, there were
a gazillion and a half of the shotguns and
rifles in circulation to keep users like myself
in business for some time, and for some time
after I checked out.
Looked at a couple the last few days selling
for around 200 and up.
Many for 300 and up
Rifles way more into the ridiculous zone.
I'll just have to pass and buy an import if
I get to needing something else

[neckisred]

People ask the same prices here (Ohio) and I don't see anyone paying those prices.

[Ranger99]

I was thinking about that as I
was running a patch through the
bore of the oldest Topper I have.
Occasionally I will inspect and
wipe down what few pewpews
I've kept just as a maintenance
thing. This one is a 79 vintage I
bought used years ago for $50.00
out the door. I've used the hooey
out of it myself, and it's still tight
as a bank vault door.
There's a few that occasionally send
me this or that email, and like
everybody else I get advertisements
out the wazzoo every day.
One was here across town for an
H&R single break open shotgun
of unknown vintage similar to what
I have and use.
Low price of $200.00 firm
IMO that's just silly.
H&R/NEFs were supposed to be
budget working guns, not showpieces
or collector's treasures.
I can only assume that lots of
folks with extra funds to blow buy
them for the novelty or for sentimentality
of their youth or some something.
Kinda like all the people that buy
$1000.00 + Marlins and Winchesters
that retailed for $159.95, and they
buy them and put 20 rounds through
them, and sit in front of the television
with it in their lap and watch lonesome
dove.     

[jedman]

 It’s mostly inflation.  But I agree the asking price has gotten out of hand in the past 5 years or so.
 jedman

[Lloyd Smale]

you want to see something really ridiculous its the price of lever actions. 94s and 336's used to be entry level deer rifles.  NOT ANY MORE

[Ranger99]

Yeah
No kidding. You don't see any of the
old levers for less than a grand around
here. Most people that I know of that
are buying them are the same people
that mildly ridiculed me decades ago
for using my old Marlin to kill whitetail
deer with.  One of the more memorable
was years ago when I went with my hunting
and fishing buddy and his oldest son
for the son's first hunt. It was when we
used to get to cull hunt a lot of places.
I shot my 5 deer limit Saturday and Sunday
and they shot 3, all with one shot each
with my cheap ( at the time) reloaded
ammunition. No magnums or premium
bullets needed.

A couple I've personally known for years
bought levers and haven't put a round
through them yet, just bought them because
everybody else was buying and they didn't
want to get left out.
Oh well.  . .  People can do whatever they want
with their own money

[Lloyd Smale]

agrred, sometimes its good to be old and not really need a new gun because ill be dammed if im paying a grand or more for a lever gun. ive seen those ruger marlins for up near 2k. comical thing is people think there better because ruger is making them. ive had more quality control problems with my rugers than every other brand combined. granted through the years ive owned more rugers than probably any brand but ive seen some really blatant quality control issues and in the case of 77s some real turds at the range. i laugh at those who think ruger is a premium brand. tell me you dont agree and id bet im looking at someone thats sits on the couch admiring them. not someone who actually shoots the crap out of a gun. if john linebaugh was still alive id tell you to talk to him about the junk new guns from ruger people sent him for conversions.

[Ranger99]

The few Rugers I've had were good
guns, but they were all purchased
decades ago. Mark II target bull
barrel 22 , 10/22 , Super Blackhawk.
No experience with the bolt rifles
at all. Can't shoot bolt actions.
Lots of criticism on different forums
I've visited. 
Same for the new Ruglins/Marlers
they've been selling. I've heard of
more than a few buyers that have
brand new rifles that are razor sharp
on the inside and shells hanging
from the magazine tube, and the
poor guy sticks his finger in to
try and clear the jam, and gets is
cut all to bloody pieces.
About a third of the buyers post
that they're extremely satisfied with
their new $1500.00 + lever.
Well they should be able to.
For that much it should be flawless
and operate flawlessly and butter
smooth.
A few years back I was with a friend
when he bought one of the Henry
22 levers to replace the Marlin he'd
let his son have. He looked for a
replacement Marlin for about a year
and a half, but none to be found.
Used to be able to find em everywhere.
We weren't there but about 15 minutes
and I was looking at slings, and he
came down the aisle with the box
under his arm and asked if I was
ready. When we got back I had asked
how come he decided and bought
something that quick. He took it
out and handed it to me and said
to work it and it was like the guts
inside were all teflon coated.
I'd never worked a lever gun so
smooth.
I guess the formerly expensive
Henry company is now the new
"working man's" lever gun company
because I can't see me paying
close to 2 grand for something that
used to retail for $159.95
My momma bought the old 30/30
for my daddy and paid $60.00 new
when she was a Sears employee
before I was born. Used to have the
receipt somewhere at one time

[Ranger99]

JFG I thought I'd look around to see
if there were any affordable H&R/NEF
shotguns around. ( yeah, I know.
Wrong time of the year to be looking)
Didn't matter. No nothing of those
to be had. Saw a not so good looking
Handi rifle for $450.00
No thanks

[ironglow]

  Levers have taken a surprising jump in price....

   So far as the H&R/NEF guns..  They are not being made anymore, so the old "antique" drama comes into play..

  Remember trhat old cast iron corn sheller or coffee grinder that used to sit out in grandspa's barn?  It sat there for decades, unused..unwanted..

  So folks started junking them, figuring they would never be worth anything.  SDo when enougnwere sold for scrap or buried in a farm trash pile
     somewhere..they have become rare...and so, desireable,and worth $$$.

  Same goes for Confederate money, old maple taps or the hood ornaments that all cars once sported.. How about a hood ornament for a 1932 Packard?

     

[Ranger99]

Lever guns have been way too high
for a few years now.
There was a show a while back that
a character had a 1895 45/70 Marlin
short barrel that from what I understand
set off a good bit of the fad panic and
and had people paying whatever the
asking price was,not to mention the
Remington dingalings running the
company into the ground.
I mention the show because a friend
that bought one because of the show
told me that. I haven't seen it myself
but apparently the character is a
literal magician with his lever.
Anyway, most all levers have been
going for a thousand up for a while.
I can only guess that the buyers sit
with them in their lap while watching
whatever show because the last time
I actually went to a range I was the
only one shooting a lever gun, and
I haven't seen one in the hunting field
for a lot of years. Mostly a hunting
companion of mine along with my own.
JMO-  I never could see buying a gun
or knife for fondle value alone.
Some of my guns went down the road
because I couldn't remember the last
time they'd been used, but that's
just me