by B.B. Pelletier
Today, we’ll look at the modern guns that can be owned for very little money. You do this by selling one before buying the next. If you pick the right gun, you’ll end up spending just $30-50 to own the gun for as long as it’s yours. This only works with certain select models, so I will also discuss what happens with the others.
First, the sound buys
Yesterday, we looked at airguns that appreciate in value. Today, we’re looking at airguns that don’t lose much of their value, but may only appreciate as the cost of a similar new airgun increases. Let’s start with the TX200 Mk III. I paid $440 for mine several years ago, and the new price today is $548. That makes mine worth about $475 if I were to sell it. I won’t, though, so in another 10 years my $440 investment might grow to $600. That’s not really growth when you consider inflation, but at least I’m not losing too much money over the time I owned the gun. Just about any spring rifle from Air Arms will do well, though the TX200 will always lead the pack.
Another sound buy would be a quality PCP model positioned at the lowest rung of pricing for that particular brand. For Logun, that would be a Solo, but not an S-16s. For Daystate, it would be a Harrier X but not a Mk3. For Falcon, the FN-19 would be a good bet, while the Prairie Falcon would not. Don’t get me wrong – all these high-end guns are fine airguns, but what I am talking about is the ability to hold their prices. The costly guns have a poor history of doing it, while the inexpensive models seem to do much better.
Another sound buy is any 10-meter airgun that has lost all of it’s initial attractivness to the shooting crowd. The FWB 300 is a classic example. Once they retailed for $1,200. After many years off the new gun market, used guns could barely top $450. That was the right time to buy. Today, a good used 300 brings $550-600, and they’re now on the increase. The Anschutz 250 is in the same boat, along with the Diana 75 and the Diana 100. The El Gamo 126, however, is more suspect and less likely to command a good price.
Another sound investment, as long as the price is right, is any vintage air rifle that is perceived as a classic. A Blue Streak or Silver Streak with the rocker or thumb safety will hold a price of $100, while a new gun will drop below $100 after purchase. An FWB 124 will continue to be worth at least $350 for the deluxe and $300 for the Sport model in excellent condition.
Riskier investments
Any gun that is in good supply will not hold its value like a similar gun in short supply. Hence, the HW77 doesn’t hold up like the TX200. The Beeman R1 doesn’t hold up like the Air Arms Pro Sport.
Older airguns that have had their technology seriously upgraded are likely to not hold much value. The AirForce Talon A-series guns made before the power adjustment wheels are an example. In fact, you can often get these for a real deal because their owners don’t like them anymore. Then, send the gun to AirForce, and they’ll upgrade it to a B model for $100. Sometimes that’s a very good investment, depending on what you have to pay for the original gun.
Condition is important
Location is key to real estate value; condition is key with used airguns. These are not collectible airguns, but any used gun in the best condition will sell first. Refinishing usually destroys any hope of maintaining close to original value. So do extensive modifications. Unless the person who did the modifications was Ivan Hancock, leave the mods off. The exception is when mods add actual value, such as upgrading a 12-gram CO2 rifle to bulk-fill.
There are some quick looks at airgun values and how you can use them. By buying the right guns, one at a time, you can keep your money rolling along. It’s almost like renting the guns.
i read a while back that you said that the 760 pumpmaster comemoritive would be a good gun to buy for a higher resale valuein a few years. how much do you think the value will increace over 10 years? 20 years?
Field Targetier
BB-
You and Dennis are pretty good. Now all I have to do is convince my wife it is ok to get a $670 PCP and a all the peripherals ‘cuz I’m not really buying the gun – I’m just renting it! Great post!
Field Targetier,
I expect the 760 commemorative to start rising in price now. Crosman is sold out, but I suppose some smaller dealers may have a few unsold guns remaining. In 10 years look for 25 percent increase. In 20 years look for the gun to double.
B.B.
Do you think a Theoben Eliminator is a good investment?
in the case of the haenel, you said the anshutz sold for more than the unbranded gun. does this hold true for the cz200t, or does the acessory rail keep its value higher than the airarm’s version?
this is interesting; just like the stock markets. if that’s the case, would it be a good idea to buy out a company’s stock and leave it to gain value?
ok after many days of concideration im liking the hw30 even more. just curious what kind of groups could i get at 50 yard with a scope. also what scope/mounts/scopestop will work on this gun? i was thinking like a leapers 3-9 by 50. i dont know if that is too big for the rifle.
Field Targetier
Theoben,
Any Theoben gas spring rifle will hold its value like a TX200. You won’t make money, but you won’t lose much, either.
B.B.
dm20,
I don’t know how to answer you. The S200 is a PCP, which drives the interest higher for more airgunners.
B.B.
Field Targetier,
Indoors you could probably expect to get groups around the one-inch size at 50 yards with perfect shooting technique. The Leapers scope would be fine on the rifle, but about as large as you would want to go, given the small size of the gun. Thankfully, you get Weihrauch’s proven scope stop arrangement, so no worries there.
B.B.
sorry but what is Weihrauch’s proven scope stop arrangement? will i still need a scope stop? also is there any advantage to a 1 piece mount over a 2 piece mount?
Field Targetier
sorry if that was unclear; from ian pellants site http://home.hiwaay.net/~ispellan/Airguns.html i read there are three versions, one from daisy, one from airarms, and one from CZ themselves. aparently the airarms gun is a 12 ftlb gun with no acessory rail. the daisy and CZ versions have one located on the forearm. i was just curious as to whether the rail would add value, or if being branded under airarms would add value.
Field Targetier,
Weihrauch pioneered the scope stop holes in the receiver. They have three holes for a vertical scope stop pin.
You need rings that have a vertical scope stop pin. One-piece rings are a little faster to mount, but they have a fixed ring separation, so the scope has to be mounted wherever the stop pin dictates. Two piece rings are far more flexible as to the types of scopes they accept.
B.B.
dm20,
It’s apples and oranges. The CZ and the gun Daisy never brought out are both 10-meter guns that run on CO2. The Air Arms gun is a high-powered PCP. Pellant say it’s 12 foot-pounds, but the U.S. version is stronger.
The brand names mean nothing in this case. The fact that there is a PCP is desireable, but none of the guns will do more than almost hold value.
B.B.
Is PCP good for short hunts for varments where you don’t need to carry along a scuba tank.
I’m deciding between the RWS 54 and 52 for hunting varments and wanted to clarify some information B.B. said on an old blog. I’ve only hunted with a shotgun so this is my first air rifle
He said that the RWS 54 reduces recoil but increases jolt and vibration. I assume this is in comparison to the 48/52 and they have less jolt and vibration then the recoiless 54.
Is above true? If so, is it better to have less recoil or less jolt and vibration? In otherwords, is the 54 better than the 52 for hunting? Again, I’m a shot gun hunter so I have no experience with the effects of with shooting an air rifle.
BTW, the scope mounting issues do concern me.
I already answered this on the other post.
B.B.