Low Prices on ARs

[DoggyDaddy]

Friends have said to me - How much would you have if you invested in some market? I don't know, but I never would have guessed that the SAR-1 that I paid $269 out the door would be approaching $1000, or the $300 MAK-90 would have an asking price nearing $1500. Or the SPAS-12 that I paid under $1000, or the Russian TIGR for $1000. Look at original Colt Python prices.

But unfortunately unless the stuff hits the spinning device, I doubt that any AR will double or even quadruple as some of my prizes have.

I bought my IBM M1 carbine after they had already started going up in price and I though $800 was crazy expensive for it at the time, but I knew they wouldn't be getting any cheaper. Can't touch one for under 12-1500 today. Don't remember exactly what I paid for my FN49, but I know they've almost doubled since then. Same with most of my milsurps. I know my $99 Mosin has more then doubled (and that was a fluke - they had gone up already, but AIM Surplus had some come in at the cheaper price so I snagged one after having already sold some that I got for even less).

 

[brentlacy]

I'm not into throwing your rifle into water, mud, and sand. Just shoot them 5k lube as needed no cleaning type of test. See how far they run.

No kidding.

 

[nipprdog]

There is this one. Odd that the bottom tier PSA was the first one to make it all the way through the torture test.

Last year I decided to put together a budget AR for a range gun. Bought a PSA Magpul lower in the fall for $140. Was hoping to find a budget 14.7"/pinned upper, but no luck. Ended up buying this upper;

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...m-lok-upper-without-bcg-or-ch-5165448513.html

already had a BCG and CH. took it to the range and it was woefully over gassed like the one in the video. only put 90 rounds through it, but when I took it apart at home, the BCG was the dirtiest I've ever seen, and I've been shooting ARs for 25 years.
So I swapped the gas block out for an adjustable one. Was able to turn the gas down, and now it runs much cleaner, and still reliable.

 

[firefighterjohn]

Friends have said to me - How much would you have if you invested in some market? I don't know, but I never would have guessed that the SAR-1 that I paid $269 out the door would be approaching $1000, or the $300 MAK-90 would have an asking price nearing $1500. Or the SPAS-12 that I paid under $1000, or the Russian TIGR for $1000. Look at original Colt Python prices.

But unfortunately unless the stuff hits the spinning device, I doubt that any AR will double or even quadruple as some of my prizes have.

Wow, that's sure amazing how much those have gone up in value. Although I agree for the most part on lower-end AR brands, I've watched the Gunbroker prices on BCM RECCE-16 rifles shoot thru the roof...and they SELL for those prices too!

 

[rhslover]

AR's are so common I'd think they wouldn't be a good target for investment. You'd be lucky to break even. If you want to invest, put it in an index fund. If you want to fi your safe with AR's, go for it.

 

[Expat]

I stopped at the big Mishwaka store and apparently Colt ARs have doubled or tripled in price...

 

[brentlacy]

Way different than ARs, but wish that when I was young and dumb and 21, I would have dropped a couple thousand on Mausers and SKSs at southern Ohio gun, when VG condition ones were $69 each before volume discount. At that age, I spent way more that that on stupid stuff....
Would have had roughy tenfold return in 20 years, which isn't terrible... :-)

 

[brentlacy]

Last year I decided to put together a budget AR for a range gun. Bought a PSA Magpul lower in the fall for $140. Was hoping to find a budget 14.7"/pinned upper, but no luck. Ended up buying this upper;

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...m-lok-upper-without-bcg-or-ch-5165448513.html

already had a BCG and CH. took it to the range and it was woefully over gassed like the one in the video. only put 90 rounds through it, but when I took it apart at home, the BCG was the dirtiest I've ever seen, and I've been shooting ARs for 25 years.
So I swapped the gas block out for an adjustable one. Was able to turn the gas down, and now it runs much cleaner, and still reliable.

Interesting. I have a PSA, I am pretty sure I don't know how to tell if it's gassy. Mine seems to eat everything I give it with no issue, and I run a lot of steel case, so it's obviously pretty dirty when I'm done. What would I need to be looking for?

 

[BE Mike]

Don't know if I totally agree on this. Maybe it's true for AR's and cheaper items, but I've done pretty well with several lines in my collection: Marlin and Browning lever actions, CZ bolt rifles and rimfires, some of my handguns, etc...

Of course, it's a crap shoot, but I got to enjoy them at the same time they were accumulating value. Can't do that with the 401k.

.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course, but the OP was not asking about buying guns to enjoy and later hoping that they would beat inflation. He was asking about buying cheap guns with the express intent of making a profit down the road that would exceed other types of investments.

 

[Airtevron1]

For the vast majority of us, a "high quality" AR is not needed. After our range day the gun comes home and gets a complete spa treatment. For me it's cheap cheap cheap. I still shoot a home build from a poly 80% lower. Works fins, lasts a long time...

 

[churchmouse]

%

Friends have said to me - How much would you have if you invested in some market? I don't know, but I never would have guessed that the SAR-1 that I paid $269 out the door would be approaching $1000, or the $300 MAK-90 would have an asking price nearing $1500. Or the SPAS-12 that I paid under $1000, or the Russian TIGR for $1000. Look at original Colt Python prices.

But unfortunately unless the stuff hits the spinning device, I doubt that any AR will double or even quadruple as some of my prizes have

There is nothing magic in a base model AR. Nothing.

 

[cbhausen]

Friends have said to me - How much would you have if you invested in some market? I don't know, but I never would have guessed that the SAR-1 that I paid $269 out the door would be approaching $1000, or the $300 MAK-90 would have an asking price nearing $1500. Or the SPAS-12 that I paid under $1000, or the Russian TIGR for $1000. Look at original Colt Python prices.

But unfortunately unless the stuff hits the spinning device, I doubt that any AR will double or even quadruple as some of my prizes have.

I bought and sold a Colt Combat Cobra (serial number 0822/1000) for $600 in the late ‘80s. I think that gun is worth nearly $10k now…

 

[nipprdog]

Interesting. I have a PSA, I am pretty sure I don't know how to tell if it's gassy. Mine seems to eat everything I give it with no issue, and I run a lot of steel case, so it's obviously pretty dirty when I'm done. What would I need to be looking for?

go back to the posted video at the 1:00 mark where he talks about the gas coming out the sides and in his face. plus his brass is ejecting forward. there are those that speculate that PSA purposely over gasses so that they will run cheap steel case ammo that is sometimes underpowered. take that fwiw. I'm by no means an expert. mine was actually ejecting the brass in the preferred area, but the amount of gas that was being dumped onto the bcg was excessive, to say the least.

 

[Ark]

Unless you're hoping to capitalize on a panic, it's hard to see ARs as any kind of serious investment. There's just so dang many being churned out right now. Though, in my opinion the IWI AR is currently underpriced for the feature set and quality and will likely go up if they're successful on the US market...

It would take a massive upset to permanently affect the AR market. PSA and Bear Creek and the like are just chugging them out by the container load. There are more ARs than ammo to shoot in them.

 

[brentlacy]

go back to the posted video at the 1:00 mark where he talks about the gas coming out the sides and in his face. plus his brass is ejecting forward. there are those that speculate that PSA purposely over gasses so that they will run cheap steel case ammo that is sometimes underpowered. take that fwiw. I'm by no means an expert. mine was actually ejecting the brass in the preferred area, but the amount of gas that was being dumped onto the bcg was excessive, to say the least.

View attachment 180771

That is super interesting. I would say mine is in that 3-4:30 area. So looks like no adjustments needed.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Unless you're hoping to capitalize on a panic, it's hard to see ARs as any kind of serious investment.

*stares in 2 Colt Canada AR-15s*

 

[Ark]

*stares in 2 Colt Canada AR-15s*

Well the bronies will always bid up the Colts. But I don't see that ever happening for PSA and the no name specials.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Well the bronies will always bid up the Colts. But I don't see that ever happening for PSA and the no name specials.

Bronie? How dare you. I say good day to you, sir.

 

[Ark]

Bronie? How dare you. I say good day to you, sir.

I seen the way you boys look at that roll mark

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I seen the way you boys look at that roll mark

Slower, say roll mark slower.