[ohiobuckeye]

Do you believe it? $76.99 for a Colt New Service lanyard loop that just closed on flea-bay? I've bought several of the same at various shows, and never paid over 10-12 bucks. Purchased several, from a gentleman who always seems to have a supply, at the last Louisville show for 7.50 each. Originals too, not the reproductions being sold by GPC/Numrich for $18.00. Some time ago, I noticed these, and most other Colt parts getting higher on flea-bay and started buying anything reasonable I thought I might ever use, including a dozen or so each of the Colt and S&W lanyard rings. I still see them at the shows, and saw several at last weekends OGCA show, so they ain't that hard to find.
Parts prices are very rapidly getting more ridiculous. I thought the S&W $1000.00 screwdriver was over the top, but at least, the prewar screwdrivers are a extremely rare item. At this rate, it will soon be more profitable to disassemble my collection and sell the parts...

Heres the flea-bay info if you wish to take a peek.


Colt New Service 1917 Lanyard Loop Gun Parts
Item number: 7169277598
Winning bid: US $76.99
Ended: Jul-18-05 19:40:28 PDT

 

[lonewolf]

The New Service swivel is up there in the category of the "what appears to look like Roper S&W grips",including a major chip missing,what look like non S&W medallions and not specified by seller if for a K or N frame; nearly $250!! Yeah,I know they are scarce and in great demand!

I think "the answers" lie somewhere between the first 2 posts; there are buyers with a helluva lot of disposable income(or maybe they just go without some essentials and/or max out the plastic?) They get caught up in the thrill of bidding,and "to beat the other guy!" But its their $$,and if you need a part bad enough(plus your too rich/lazy to look elsewhere) for an older gun,do it!

But I do think this is having a negative effect on raising prices away from the websites. When there was basically only "Blue Books" etc. sellers and dealers would nearly always ask for 98% conidtion prices for a 50% gun,IMO and experiences. Like love,ownership of item can blind the owner to its actual condition.

Have run into several dealers,who are asking ridiculous prices for parts and reloading components,becayse they saw "how high they can get on eBay"! Then put it on!,but many don't,as they fear just 1 low bid. Another "dealer"(?) had a bunch of Colt D.A. parts that I know(and he grudingly admitted) went through a garage fire. Wanted $20 for a E frame mainspring! When I "challenged" his wicked high price,his remark was,"I will put it on eBay,they won't know its been burned,and I will sell it with "no refunds".

The last statement is the other problem with buying parts on the internet auctions: Read the fine print and ask questions and for dimensions!

Bud

 

[WS23]

I agree with your observations on this Mr. Buckeye. But I happen to believe the buyers are to blame for driving the prices up. Sure, the sellers want the most possible money for their stuff, but if no one is willing to pay the high prices then their items will languish. Whatever item someone is looking for, can be found on the auction sites. If not this week, then the week after or the week after that. It is a matter of patience.

Unfortunately there are so many uninformed buyers that just "gotta have it" right now and will pay the ridiculous prices. If they just wait and bide their time they can have what they want for a whole lot less. But impatience buyers drive up the price. This is the same lunacy that had people paying $250K for a Dodge Viper when they 1st came out. They just had to have it right then and there. I'd say they got what they deserved. Now for those with the deep pockets, perhaps overspending is not an issue. But my personal opinion for overspending is that deep pockets is the exception and ignorance is the rule.

Unfortunately the same lunacy has permeated many hobbies, my muscle car hobby being another. How ridiculous is it for some one to spend over $500 for and Air Filter just because it has round holes instead of square holes!

And to confirm your belief that " it will soon be more profitable to disassemble my collection and sell the parts." all you have to do is go to e-bay and do a search on Winchester 1894. You will see several guys (professional sellers)that routinely part out these old lever guns just to reap the maximum dollar. What a crime!

 

[ohiobuckeye]

The internet prices are definitely having an effect on show prices, and that's good, or bad, depending on which side of the table you're standing. Even worse, much of the goodies are disappearing from the show tables, and migrating to flea-bay, because of the higher prices there. Boxes, parts, papers, etc., are beginning to be few, and far between at the shows, and I consider that a huge negative impact.
The internet has introduced a large number of buyers who would not ordinarily have access to these items, and some of them have very deep pockets. I'm well aware of the testosterone surges that push up auction prices, but 1000.00 screwdrivers, 79.00 lanyard rings, 700.00 set of not all that nice "cokes", 5100.00 cardboard box....that's quite a hormone surge. Fortunately, these kind of prices are out in left field, and don't set the actual market, but they will have some upward influence.
Anyway, as others have already indicated, it's here to stay and will become worse. There's only a fixed amount of the old out of production stuff available, and the number of potential customers has increased exponentially because of the internet. As much as I would still like to live in the 60's of gun collecting, supply and demand will rule....

[This message has been edited by ohiobuckeye (edited 07-20-2005).]

 

[dant]

All it takes is "two people" who want the same thing................
Yes, Many of the gun show 'dealers' are pulling out, no travel, no expenses, no fighting bad weather, getting up early in the morning and sitting around all day having people 'bitch' about whatever it is they feel like "bitchin" about, so they now sit home and do it all on the internet, don't have to leave the house or even get dressed up in the morning. What a "sad, sorry person, they must be"

See you at the 'next' gun show!

and yes, the last time I bought a lanyard was not even $10 and it had the cross pin too.

------------------
Dan

 

[PZ93C]

Ah Flea-bay. Sold a set of plain OP wood grips on there for 100.00, once. Started the auction at 4.99, just so I made a profit.

Bought 'em off of there for a buck.

Once in a while, you get a winner.

Brian

 

[dfariswheel]

Self imposed lunacy at auctions is nothing new.

I saw how auction fever could lead even otherwise sensible people to do crazy things, when I saw people spending more for USED Sears tools at local auctions than they could buy the exact same tools new at the local store.

Another part of it is, if you NEED a part to restore a valuable collectible, and just can't find it anywhere else, some people have no problem sending what we think is way too much.

After a while, you just learn to ignore this insanity. People do strange things, why get worked up about it.

The only problem I have with it is, the word is out about the prices you can get on line for things, and everything starts getting sold on line instead of where prices are held to more normal levels.

Used to, if you wanted to buy a specific model of gun, you haunted The Shotgun News hoping one would show up sooner or later.

Then The Gun List came along and we could simply turn to a specific gun's section and choose from a number of them.
This pretty well ended The Shotgun News's supremacy.

Now, the on line auction has started ending The Gun List's day.

You can't blame the seller, he wants the most he can get for his stuff.

You really can't blame the buyers either, since if you want something you have to play the game.

Welcome to the 21st Century.

 

[robba]

I agree with what you are all saying. BUT--are we all annoyed that because of the internet the value of our gun collections have soared into the clouds? There is a up and down side to just about everything in this world. However should I ever need the money and have to sell a gun, which is doubtful, I don't miss having to take it to a gun or pawn shop, and get a take it or leave it offer of $100.00 for a gun that will bring $500.00 or $700.00 on the net.