vagunmonkey
Member
Blue 7 1/2 inch barrel, very faint drag mark on cylinder, appears to be unfired, no box...
At $449 is this a must buy or just a fair price?
Thanks.
At $449 is this a must buy or just a fair price?
Thanks.
Ruger Old Army
- Thread starter vagunmonkey
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Erich
Member
Doesn't strike me as an astonishingly good buy.
Remember how many of these things are going to come available in five years when the boomers start slipping away. While I salute your taste in wanting a ROA, if you're young, there's no need to be in a hurry.
Remember how many of these things are going to come available in five years when the boomers start slipping away. While I salute your taste in wanting a ROA, if you're young, there's no need to be in a hurry.
whughett
Member
You, dude are some kind of GOUL.
Erich
Member
I prefer the old spelling, "Ghoul." 
In all seriousness, while the lure of Old West(ish) guns will probably always remain, a walk around Founder's Ranch will show that the people who were kids during the '50s and early '60s are a big part of the whole CAS thing that's such a big consumer of the ROAs out there. When they pass beyond their CAS days, that stuff will be pretty easy to pick up.
When I first moved to NM in the late '80s and worked in a gun store for a couple years between college and law school, a big part of our business was trading in old Winchesters off the various rezes and selling them back East through The Gun List. Everybody was happy - the folks who'd trade great-grandpa's battered (character!) rifle for a sleek new bolt-action, and the stockbrokers who'd grown up listening to The Lone Ranger on the radio who were able to get a great price on a Real West Winchester. Prices were just starting to really take off - nothing like the ridiculous prices you see on Winchesters and SAAs these days. The guy who owned the store told me, "When these guys die off, the market for this stuff is going to go into the basement. If you see anything you want, just file it away in your mind and think about it when all the middle-agers of the time get nostalgic and start looking for AR-15s with triangular forearms." (The round forearms were still newfangled looking at the time.)
We'll see, I guess.
cheers, GenX
In all seriousness, while the lure of Old West(ish) guns will probably always remain, a walk around Founder's Ranch will show that the people who were kids during the '50s and early '60s are a big part of the whole CAS thing that's such a big consumer of the ROAs out there. When they pass beyond their CAS days, that stuff will be pretty easy to pick up.
When I first moved to NM in the late '80s and worked in a gun store for a couple years between college and law school, a big part of our business was trading in old Winchesters off the various rezes and selling them back East through The Gun List. Everybody was happy - the folks who'd trade great-grandpa's battered (character!) rifle for a sleek new bolt-action, and the stockbrokers who'd grown up listening to The Lone Ranger on the radio who were able to get a great price on a Real West Winchester. Prices were just starting to really take off - nothing like the ridiculous prices you see on Winchesters and SAAs these days. The guy who owned the store told me, "When these guys die off, the market for this stuff is going to go into the basement. If you see anything you want, just file it away in your mind and think about it when all the middle-agers of the time get nostalgic and start looking for AR-15s with triangular forearms." (The round forearms were still newfangled looking at the time.)
We'll see, I guess.
cheers, GenX
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Now there's a good idea. Let's all just sit around and wait 5 to 15 years for the supply to increase. Surely there won't be any inflation, or any new buyers enter the market in that time. And while we're waiting we can practice with an air pistol.
Somebody needs a little reality check.
$450 is a good, but not great, price. Assuming condition is very good or better. Appears unfired? How does it function? Have you disassembled it? Appearances are about 20% of the criteria.
Also assuming it's an adjustable sight with aluminum grip frame, which is standard. Fixed sights can add $100 or more to the price. A brass grip frame is, well, very rare.
Somebody needs a little reality check.
$450 is a good, but not great, price. Assuming condition is very good or better. Appears unfired? How does it function? Have you disassembled it? Appearances are about 20% of the criteria.
Also assuming it's an adjustable sight with aluminum grip frame, which is standard. Fixed sights can add $100 or more to the price. A brass grip frame is, well, very rare.
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OP
OP
vagunmonkey
Member
It does have fixed sights and unfortunately no brass...
I did not disassemble the gun other then taking the cylinder out. Timing appears perfect, It locks up very tight with a very slight cylinder gap. Trigger pull is very crisp at about two pounds.
I offered $400 but they wouldn't move on price.
dprice3844444
member
they are getting scarce.iprefer stainless,they are dishwasher safe
Willie Sutton
Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2013
- Messages
- 2,025
That's a fair price, if it's talking to you, listen to it.
Willie
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Willie
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J-Bar
Member
In my opinion, $449 for any decent FIXED SIGHT ROA is a very attractive price, and it would be an OK price for an adjustable sight gun.
Cowboy Action shooters prefer fixed sight ROAs for Frontiersman category, so fixed sight guns usually command a higher price than adjustable sighted ones. If you want an ROA you are definitely not being cheated at this price.
Cowboy Action shooters prefer fixed sight ROAs for Frontiersman category, so fixed sight guns usually command a higher price than adjustable sighted ones. If you want an ROA you are definitely not being cheated at this price.
Malachi Leviticus Blue
Member
I agree with Willie.
It is fair, not a steal, but definitely fair, and fixed sight examples don't come available every day. If you want a fixed sight ROA you may as well grab it. I doubt it would last on Gunbroker at that price for 24 hrs
Remember it's only pictures of dead presidents on crumpled up paper.
It is fair, not a steal, but definitely fair, and fixed sight examples don't come available every day. If you want a fixed sight ROA you may as well grab it. I doubt it would last on Gunbroker at that price for 24 hrs
Remember it's only pictures of dead presidents on crumpled up paper.
BullRunBear
Member
From what I've seen, that is a decent price, especially for a fixed sight model. If I needed a 4th ROA, I would be interested myself. And you don't have to wait for an estate sale.
Jeff
Jeff
Patocazador
Member
If I waited for the "boomers" to get too old to shoot, unfortunately, I would be there with them. My kids are well-off, they don't need my ROA money. I prefer to spend it myself.
Besides, they would just waste the money on i-Phones and such foolishness.
Besides, they would just waste the money on i-Phones and such foolishness.
HUnter58
Member
Seen a nice stainless vintage 1976 in the local pawn shop this past weekend. They were asking $469.00. If anyone is interested, drop me a line and I'll send you a phone number for them. My guess it will move quick.
MCgunner
Member
I'm putting in my will that my ROA is to be buried with me. One less for the young punks.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Agree it's a good, not terrific, price.
DrDucati900
Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2014
- Messages
- 6
A little off exact topic but this trend runs in the whole consumer market. The motorcycle you have to have at 45 is the one you couldn't afford but were in love with at 15. The shotgun or rifle you want now that you are all grown up is the one you remember fondly as a kid. Ten years ago you never saw a Winchester model 12 in the used rack for under $500 and then it didn't last but a day or two. A model 70 was never under $600. Now you can find them routinely in the 350-400 range. I held on to my High Standard target guns too long. Nobody shoots it anymore and they are not in demand unless in perfect condition for collectors
The "greatest generation' is disappearing and drillings are getting to be routine in the market place. I almost never saw one 15 years ago and then they started at $2500. They came back from Europe in duffle bags and now they are coming out of closets where they have been for 60 years. They are a low commodity in Europe now and have a very limited market even here.
The store owner was right. All markets have cycles and the black guns will be here for the foreseeable future. Some of them will be the "collectables" of the 2050's. The SAA will continue for awhile but there is a reason Colt dropped it when they did. It was not selling. Likewise the Python
Years ago a dealer told me "The definition of a classic motorcycle is one that wouldn't run fast enough to get out of the garage or so good they all wore out". Same thing applies to guns too.
The "greatest generation' is disappearing and drillings are getting to be routine in the market place. I almost never saw one 15 years ago and then they started at $2500. They came back from Europe in duffle bags and now they are coming out of closets where they have been for 60 years. They are a low commodity in Europe now and have a very limited market even here.
The store owner was right. All markets have cycles and the black guns will be here for the foreseeable future. Some of them will be the "collectables" of the 2050's. The SAA will continue for awhile but there is a reason Colt dropped it when they did. It was not selling. Likewise the Python
Years ago a dealer told me "The definition of a classic motorcycle is one that wouldn't run fast enough to get out of the garage or so good they all wore out". Same thing applies to guns too.
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ridgerunner1965
Member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2010
- Messages
- 768
just a note, rugers life time gaurentee on the old armys still holds up. buuuuut they are lacking in parts to fix them. if they cant fix your gun that you will send them, they will offer you a choice of any new cartidge pistol they make in exchange or send your broken old army back to you.one or the other.
this is what they did for me when i sent them mine.
this is what they did for me when i sent them mine.
whughett
Member
Just found that out for my self. The exchange requires more mony than I wanted to part with. ROA back on its way to me. Don't know why they had me send it back in the first place if they don't have parts.
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