Is the market for custom beautiful wood-stocked and blued rifles dying out?

[Trey Veston]

In trying to determine values for some beautiful rifles in my collection, I've been told many times that the market for such rifles is just simply dying out. Putting a beautiful Al Biesen Model 70 on the market in .300 Win Mag guaranteed a bidding war and a surprisingly high price tag.

These days, I am told I'll be lucky to get a couple grand for it simply because the old farts that value such fine firearms are simply dying off.

Everyone wants composite stocks, fluted barrels, 6lb rifles, and the latest and greatest wildcat cartridge that offers another 75 fps at 500 yards.

I know that's what I like in a hunting rifle. But I am also growing fonder of the old-school beautiful custom wood stock, tasteful engraving and metal work, and matte-finish bluing in a traditional caliber. But I'm 54, which is approaching old fart territory.

So, are today's younger shooters going to grow older and start to appreciate the finer custom rifles, or are these rifles simply going to be relegated to museums?

 

[Robert]

With factory wood and blue rifles going for north of $1500 now it's simply an economy where luxury items, like custom firearms, are tough to sell. I absolutely admire the fine craftsmanship that goes into a quality custom rifle. But I can't even afford an off the rack rifle in this economy. I won't go too far off topic, suffice to say, it's tough enough keeping gas in the trucks and food in the fridge. A custom rifle, no matter what it's actually worth it just not going to happen.

And yes, the general desire has shifted from wood and blue to synthetic and stainless. To be honest wood is a terrible medium for a rifle stock. Sure, it can be absolutely beautiful, but it is not great for a rifle. Yes, it's been used since the beginning of firearms, but we have better, more stable, more durable things now. Polymers and fiberglass are much better mediums for a stock and stainless is much more rust resistant. But it absolutely lacks soul...

 

[JDeere]

I love really nice looking stocks and blued actions/barrels. I have more than one from very early on that I used to hunt with. Bedded stocks and accurate as hell. I used to worry about beating the brush and scratching that beautiful wood stock. Yeah I have some marks on them but they are still nice looking. They have been retired to the safe for years in favor of aluminum bedded composite stocked rifles because they are lighter and can take a beating. One thing I don't own is a 6.5 anything that has been marketed very well...

As far as selling, these days is not the time imo. Two years ago I was thinning my herd and doing quite well. That has all changed thanks to the economy. My LGS racks or full of used guns and he even added more racks. It was not that way a couple of years ago. Things aren't selling now but I will bet that will change at some point. When? time will tell...

 

[Chuck R.]

Actually from what I've read "economy wise" now might not be a bad time to sell a wood stocked gun.

It appears that the generation with disposable cash, is retired or pending, so have the money and the interest in that type of rifle. # months ago I sold my FAL and got exactly what I was after, then made a killing on the magazines. You really won't know till you list it.

Personally, give me carbon fiber, stainless or Cerakote (preferably SS that's Cerakoted). Hunting rifles are tools to me, lightweight, repeatable accuracy and weather resistance are just more important now. I do have some wood stocked guns, single shots with exhibition or presentation grade wood that come out when the weather's nice.

 

[Turkeytider]

In trying to determine values for some beautiful rifles in my collection, I've been told many times that the market for such rifles is just simply dying out. Putting a beautiful Al Biesen Model 70 on the market in .300 Win Mag guaranteed a bidding war and a surprisingly high price tag.

These days, I am told I'll be lucky to get a couple grand for it simply because the old farts that value such fine firearms are simply dying off.

Everyone wants composite stocks, fluted barrels, 6lb rifles, and the latest and greatest wildcat cartridge that offers another 75 fps at 500 yards.

I know that's what I like in a hunting rifle. But I am also growing fonder of the old-school beautiful custom wood stock, tasteful engraving and metal work, and matte-finish bluing in a traditional caliber. But I'm 54, which is approaching old fart territory.

So, are today's younger shooters going to grow older and start to appreciate the finer custom rifles, or are these rifles simply going to be relegated to museums?

Just my personal opinion but if what I see at the range being shot by the 30 somethings is any indication, the answer to your last question is " No ". The vast majority of what I see at the range are guns that barely look like guns, certainly in the traditional sense, and look like something out of Star Wars. Talked with an RSO at our local state range and he agreed that AR platforms outnumber more " traditional " shaped/stocked rifles by 8 or maybe 10 to 1. Even the hunting rifles that show up for zero checks just prior to deer season are often the lower end Savage Axis and Rugers. My primary range rifle is a Savage Model 12 LRPV in .223. Quite often on busy range days ( when I used to go on busy range days, now I go during the week ) I would have the only traditional bolt gun anywhere in sight!

 

[1948CJ2A]

Over the last ~25 years the trend from the big volume rifle manufacturers has been to produce rifles in larger volumes that cost them less to build (ie: matte finishes, plastic stocks, machine lines and rougher edges in the metal-work, etc.). I bought a Remington 700 BDL @ Oshman's sporting goods in 1996. I still have it. It's the typical polished blued metal and wood stock that you used to see everyday behind the counter. That rifle cost me right around $450 out the door. These days, that gets you into the budget or entry level with some of the manufacturer. I know inflation plays a roll here as well but my guess is the cost to make that same rifle today hasn't gone up to match the ~$1000 MSRP for something like a new Winchester M70 with wood... a little, sure but not double or more.

I also blame the gun writers. They pushed the narrative on synthetic being superior to wood in a number of ways. I'm not saying they're lying but for a hunting rifle... I'll take a classic piece of walnut or maple any day over soulless synthetic. If I were a long range competition shooter or something, I would certainly look into the best application for the best results. I've hunted for 30+ years in heat, cold, rain, snow, ice, etc. and never had a wood-stock cause me an issue with harvesting an animal.

The wood-stocked, high polished blued rifles I see on GB these days usually have multiple bids and will bring more $ than uglier counterparts. That said, I do think once you get into $2k and up... you're narrowing your buying pool from the common working man into a smaller target audience.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

To me, dying out means going away entirely. Rephrasing a little, there is no question that the market for walnut and blued steel is considerably smaller today than in my own youth.

Some of this is due to changing tastes, some because of cost, and then there's also the matter of practicality. An accurate, rugged and relatively inexpensive stainless and synthetic rifle makes a lot of sense for field use.

When I was in my 20s I wanted something like this and it wasn't an option. In the 1980s, the bottom end of the price scale belonged to stained hardwood -- the Weatherby Fibermark was one of the first economy rifle packages with a synthetic stock if I remember right. Stainless steel rifles came along a bit later, and it started out as an extra cost feature.

Several of the prior generation of gunwriters admitted in print that they hunted with really ugly, utilitarian rifles. Finn Aagaard described applying a generous coating of paste wax (floor or car, I forget which) over the metalwork of his rifles before a hunt to protect against harsh climates. Another (maybe Bob Bell?) described is go-to hunter as his Rubberband Gun because his wife thought the synthetic stock and painted metalwork made it look like a toy.

I certainly like fine walnut and blued steel hunting rifles and own several, though no high-dollar custom jobs. Those latter have always belonged to a very limited market, what the Brits call the bespoke trade. Firms like Rigby, Holland & Holland, Purdey and their ilk are still in the custom business, as are fine custom gunsmiths in other parts of Europe and America, serving those who want the best. Here we're talking rifles costing as much as a new car or small house -- or even a large house.

Purdey Gunmaking Series - Stage 1: Barrel Making

Let us take you on the journey of bespoke gunmaking.Hosted by our craftsmen in our London workshop, we show you how a Purdey gun is made and take you through...

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I don't claim to know what motivates this crowd to spend kilobucks on luxury products, so whether they have all moved away from fine guns towards helicopters and Bitcoin is not a subject I can usefully comment on.

 

[AlexanderA]

The market for traditional high-end rifles is small, and getting smaller. That doesn't mean that the small market won't support high prices. I guess it depends on your selling strategy.

An analogy is high end, professional film cameras. Unlike guns, these are functionally obsolete. For a time, these would sell to collectors -- older photographers who were nostalgic for the cameras they couldn't afford in their younger days. But now, as these potential buyers age out, you can't even give film cameras away. (As I can tell you about my large collection of Nikon F2's.)

I suspect the same thing will happen with traditional sporting guns. You will have residual utility, though.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

An analogy is high end, professional film cameras. Unlike guns, these are functionally obsolete. For a time, these would sell to collectors -- older photographers who were nostalgic for the cameras they couldn't afford in their younger days. But now, as these potential buyers age out, you can't even give film cameras away. (As I can tell you about my large collection of Nikon F2's.)

I think another good analogy is the mechanical luxury watch. My friend's multi-thousand dollar Rolex doesn't tell time any better than my preferred $20 digital, probably not as well even.



Of course, the younger generation prefers telling time with phones rather than watches!

 

[jmr40]

There isn't much demand for new rifles so configured. But there are enough people out there who will buy an older rifle that is well made with nice wood and blued finish.

 

[someguy2800]

I don't think its dying out, but its definitely shrinking and has been for a long time. I don't know about the used collector grade type of rifles, but for new rifles most people are just not willing to pay the ever increasing price differential since utilitarian rifles keep getting better and cheaper and anything that requires hand labor to make is getting more and more expensive. I have enough stuff with pretty wood and bluing that its become a bit of a chore to keep them all cleaned and oiled. If I'm shopping for something to actually use then I do appreciate polymer and cerakote. That's something I never would have said 10 years ago.

Plus a big part of it is the quality of what you get when you buy the deluxe walnut stock model is not as good as it used to be in my opinion. When I ordered my first rifle for myself which was a Tikka T3, I had the choice of polymer or wood and I really wanted wood until I looked at the display models. Straight grain wood with no figure of any kind and a sprayed on finish. No thanks, I'll keep my $50 and have the polymer please. Even the deluxe wood models are not up to the standard of wood that was used on the basic wood stock models 40 years ago. If I am going to have blued steel and wood then I want figured walnut with an oil finish. To get that today though we are not talking about a $50 price difference. Its several hundred dollars of price difference and few people are seeing the value.

Also a big part of it is that if you are a maker of high end hunting rifles, your biggest competitor is the used market which is just a product of the fact that that type of rifle has not really changed in 100 years, so the market is pretty saturated with nice older rifles with old world craftsmanship.

 

[silicosys4]

The custom high end hunting rifle market is shrinking, maybe not drying up but definitely shrinking. Who wants to risk damaging a multi thousand dollar one of a kind hunting rifle when a sub thousand dollar rifle will do just as well or better?
They have little utility on the range,
The pool of people who are looking for these kind of rifles and also have that kind of disposable income are becoming increasingly rare

Your best bet is to consign with an auction/consignor who specializes in selling high end firearms and so has that kind of clientele list waiting and ready.

 

[mongoslow]

at 52 I'm firmly in the stainless and synthetic crowd, I use and abuse all my guns and just can't see paying the money for the pretty wood and deep bluing on a gun that I'm going to carry around sweating on it getting it rained on and banging it around while moving through rough terrain....I do appreciate the beauty of a classic gun but I don't want one to take care of

 

[ms6852]

Is the market for custom beautiful wood-stocked and blued rifles dying out?​

In my opinion NO. Those that can afford it and have very distinct tastes will gravitate towards that type of rifle. I find the stocks made with maple to be very tempting and hard for me to resist.

 

[CapnMac]

We--in the gun community--have become both more frugal and more practical with our dollars.

Synthetic stocks and non-rusting metals help remove one more thing to consider while coping with all the other issues as we head out into the fields.

A hunting lease is no longer a double sawbuck or tow and a handshake. There's feeders, stands, cameras, and the like as well. Glass for the rifles has not gotten less expensive either.

So, a person might be more inclined to head out to the lease even in pouring rain and falling snow--and a more weather resistant firearm makes sense in that light.

Further, our society, such as it is, has moved our firearms from places of admiration, to the dark recesses of our safes. Out of sight can well be out of mind.

There will likely remain a fond place for blued steel and fine hardwood furniture. The high-end shotgun crowd has kept to that course.

 

[Hookeye]

Like pretty enough rifles I guess.
Ruger #1s for fair weather varminting or deer hunting.
Bad weather I take a synth stocked bolt rig.
If I had a stainless #1 w synth stock I'd hunt it no matter what the weather LOL

BTW, pick up a 50th anniv .308 Ruger #1 this weekend. Might shoot a deer with it in a month.

Weather permitting LOL

 

[Hookeye]

My dads #1, from a couple hundred groundhog kills..........

Orig swoop checkered buttstock was cracked at tang, so replaced w same color, slightly dinged, OK figure stock.
From the old red pad days. So rifle looks decent (buttstock doesn't have the swoop type pattern though).

Here a zero figured #1 I hunted with 2 yrs.

 

[adcoch1]

Dying no, but shrinking yes. I will admit to being a wood stock lover, but synthetic stocks just work better in the conditions that I hunt, so the nice stuff is for nice weather days. But as much as I love a Ruger American or a savage or Mossberg in synthetic stocks, it will never move me the way some nice wood grain and deep blueing does... Glad I can have both.

 

[Hookeye]

I don't beat up my stuff.
My 760 in .35 rem has a zillion little dents in the wood, so whats adding a few more?
Heck the receiver is almost white (prev owner).
It shoots great and I don't worry about it.
Kinda nice to run a beater, or at least have one for when the weather is gonna suck.

 

[Hookeye]

BTW, if I treestand hunt the anniv model, will haul it up in a decent soft case.

 

[Frulk]

In my youth I bought guns specifically to hunt large game (deer/black bear) with. Stainless and synthetic were just becoming a thing and I was all in.

Older now and only grouse hunt. Made the full swing back to wood and blued steel after 3-4 decades. Now buy a gun because I like it, not because I plan to hunt with it. Only exception to that are handguns for CCW.

I think younger generations are leaning towards what they see popular in the movies/media. Guys like me grew up on levers and what our fathers, uncles and grandparents carried into deer camp. There’s some nostalgia that plays into what certain generations gravitate towards.

I do know at the local range in the last 2-3 years I’ve seen a few guys looking to be in their 30s (or younger) with 45-70s. Wonder if that’s because of the Jurassic Park/Wind Rivers Movies exposing them to those calibers.

 

[someguy2800]

I do know at the local range in the last 2-3 years I’ve seen a few guys looking to be in their 30s (or younger) with 45-70s. Wonder if that’s because of the Jurassic Park/Wind Rivers Movies exposing them to those calibers.

Whenever I have my 45-70 or 444 out the young people like myself are into it and the old guys shake their heads and walk away because its not a 270. A friend of my father in law asked me what my rifle was chambered in one year and acted as if I had an elephant rifle.

 

[.308 Norma]

These days, I am told I'll be lucky to get a couple grand for it simply because the old farts that value such fine firearms are simply dying off.

So, are today's younger shooters going to grow older and start to appreciate the finer custom rifles, or are these rifles simply going to be relegated to museums?

Polymers and fiberglass are much better mediums for a stock and stainless is much more rust resistant. But it absolutely lacks soul..

I'm just not all that sure it's an "age" thing. I'm 75, and as I've probably said about a hundred times, my custom-built retirement rifle (my .308 Norma Magnum) is matte stainless with a granite-grey synthetic stock because I ordered it that way.

at 52 I'm firmly in the stainless and synthetic crowd, I use and abuse all my guns and just can't see paying the money for the pretty wood and deep bluing on a gun that I'm going to carry around sweating on it getting it rained on and banging it around while moving through rough terrain....I do appreciate the beauty of a classic gun but I don't want one to take care of

I'm in the same "crowd" as mongoslow when it comes stainless and synthetic vs. blued steel and wood rifles. Although, I don't feel that I "abuse" my rifles - I just "use" them. And while I understand what Robert said about synthetics and stainless rifles lacking "soul," as far as I'm concerned, a rifle's "soul" is in its use, not in how good it looks sitting in a gun case.

 

[AlexanderA]

I think another good analogy is the mechanical luxury watch. My friend's multi-thousand dollar Rolex doesn't tell time any better than my preferred $20 digital, probably not as well even.

I inherited my father's self-winding Omega. It works for a year, at most, before needing an expensive overhaul. I've stopped shelling out more money every year. It now sits in a drawer. In the meantime my Casio has been working for more than 30 years and still tells perfect time.

But high-end watches still hold their value because they are seen as jewelry and not as practical timepieces. Obsolescence can be overcome by a change in function.

Maybe custom guns will be seen as something to brag about, and not to use. So, will they be more like expensive watches, or more like (formerly) expensive cameras?

 

[JDGray]

I love beautiful hardwood, blued rifles!