[Reverend Mauser]

Birth rates dropped after 2008 and never recovered. There is a forecasted drop in the number of college-age students coming very soon as a result. That means fewer potential collectors relatively speaking, unless something like immigration replaces the losses.

College enrollments are expected to drop and that may also be relevant. College degrees translate to greater disposable income for things like firearms.

 

[dominic1962]

Looking for a nice ex dragoon. Really the problem is I'm just very picky, I've seen quite a few come up, but they aren't to my standards.

Gotcha, because I was thinking for what you are looking for condition-wise, an actual Dragoon like that is going to be impossible to find.

 

[ncreptile]

Birth rates dropped after 2008 and never recovered. There is a forecasted drop in the number of college-age students coming very soon as a result. That means fewer potential collectors relatively speaking, unless something like immigration replaces the losses.

College enrollments are expected to drop and that may also be relevant. College degrees translate to greater disposable income for things like firearms.

People are not having children because they have no hope for the future and due to the cost.

College is not required to succeed and has gotten infinitely more expensive for the newer generations than in the past. For kids who have no idea what they want to do but have been told for years "go to college or you'll be a failure" and with loans being thrown at them with "no cost right now" it's usually a black hole for people to jump into.

 

[Ol' Relic]

People are not having children because they have no hope for the future and due to the cost.

College is not required to succeed and has gotten infinitely more expensive for the newer generations than in the past. For kids who have no idea what they want to do but have been told for years "go to college or you'll be a failure" and with loans being thrown at them with "no cost right now" it's usually a black hole for people to jump into.

Exactly.

I'm now retired, but I didn't go to college, and when I was working, I was blue collar. One time, a woman I worked with mentioned that she had a master's in political science. I said "with that degree, why are you working here?" She replied "do you know what I can do with that degree? Teach. Do you know what I'd earn teaching? That's why I'm here. "

 

[vangm94]

People are not having children because they have no hope for the future and due to the cost.

College is not required to succeed and has gotten infinitely more expensive for the newer generations than in the past. For kids who have no idea what they want to do but have been told for years "go to college or you'll be a failure" and with loans being thrown at them with "no cost right now" it's usually a black hole for people to jump into.

Exactly.

I'm now retired, but I didn't go to college, and when I was working, I was blue collar. One time, a woman I worked with mentioned that she had a master's in political science. I said "with that degree, why are you working here?" She replied "do you know what I can do with that degree? Teach. Do you know what I'd earn teaching? That's why I'm here. "

"Not everyone can be a doctor" or rather not everyone can work in an office. Something I can't help but ask, should a child surpass their parent? Or is it okay to at least be equal to them?

The general "idea" is go to college, find a career, make lots of money. Realistically it's go to college, party, find a job, make lots of money, be in debt for the rest of your life.

If a parent works in manufacturing, should their child become an engineer? If a parent is a CEO of a large company, should that child become CEO? If a parent is a doctor, should that child also become a doctor? Realistically, not everyone can overcome and someone needs to work "the poor man's job" even though really it's not a poor man's job. People just don't want to do skilled trades seemingly anymore...

 

[Miller Tyme]

Gentlemen lets stay on topic

 

[Essex]

Some of the nicest gun collections I know of belong to blue collar people. Do you know what a plumber or electrician make. An they usually grew up with a father or grand father that took them shooting. Some of the doctors that I know will not even handle a gun, just think what an M1 thumb would do to your surgical skills.

 

[vangm94]

Some of the nicest gun collections I know of belong to blue collar people. Do you know what a plumber or electrician make. An they usually grew up with a father or grand father that took them shooting. Some of the doctors that I know will not even handle a gun, just think what an M1 thumb would do to your surgical skills.

There are all types of people out there. It doesn't matter what job, if they have a hobby they enjoy they will find a way to fund it.

 

[Skratch]

Don't forget the "Want to Buy" section here on Gun Boards. Another great way to access the "secondary market".
Here's another piece I sold recently on Gun Boards Trader.

 

[SSG_Lord]

I really don't think the secondary market is drying up although it can appear that way because being at the right place at the right time is so much more important with it . If you confine your search to online sources you're competing with every other collector on the internet and likely paying top dollar as a result. I enjoy using my days off to go on "Mosin hunts" throughout my area. I'll hit every gun shop and pawn shop in a certain radius and I almost always find something, especially in small town gun shops and inner city pawn shops respectfully. Networking with other local collectors as well is important as many would rather sell to a fellow collector in person. Case in point, a couple days ago I ran into a local fellow collector I know looking to downsize, yesterday a friend of mine and I were each buying a Russian M44 and a Polish P-64 pistol from him for much less than you'll find anywhere online. You have to cast a wide net in this day and age.

 

[Skratch]

Here are some other pieces I sold through Gun Boards Trader in "today's market" not long ago...

 

[ncreptile]

Picked up a nice Colt M1917 revolver on the trader recently. Will go nicely with my S&W M1917.

Also got lucky and found an all matching BCD 43 K98K for $1300 on gunbroker buy it now.(Jury is still out until I get it in hand and can examine it/field strip for bolt internals and stock markings.)

Deals are still out there, you just gotta kick over more rocks to find the good stuff and be willing to pay up then and there when you see it because if you don't, someone else will.(Not saying that Colt was a deal by any means but it's a nice early one.)

 

[Panzer Front]

Picked up a nice Colt M1917 revolver on the trader recently. Will go nicely with my S&W M1917.

Also got lucky and found an all matching BCD 43 K98K for $1300 on gunbroker buy it now.(Jury is still out until I get it in hand and can examine it/field strip for bolt internals and stock markings.)

Deals are still out there, you just gotta kick over more rocks to find the good stuff and be willing to pay up then and there when you see it because if you don't, someone else will.(Not saying that Colt was a deal by any means but it's a nice early one.)

That's cool nc, I just don't have a wide variety of interests like most of you guys do. My focus is almost entirely Mosin/Russian related.

 

[Skratch]

Then here ya go... Polish, Romanian & Russian carbines were made available right here for the taking.

 

[ncreptile]

That's cool nc, I just don't have a wide variety of interests like most of you guys do. My focus is almost entirely Mosin/Russian related.

Newer collectors tend to focus on just one or two main streams. Stay in the collecting game long enough and your interests will branch out. Especially when you start hitting road blocks on your chosen interest.

 

[thatguy977]

I've noticed the more time goes on, there's less and less coming up for sale, especially quality stuff. I've been scouring listings for over 2 years now for an exceptionally nice 1925-1928 Tula ex dragoon, and while there are some that come up for sale, there's always something wrong with them. Either they'll have electro penciled or mismatched numbers, have a wartime or postwar stock, have awful flaking lacquer or be refinished/sanded, be pitted or counter bored, have a poorly struck/dull rollmark, ect. ect. I have seen quite a few Izhevsk that meet the same criteria in the last 2 years, although not many lately. Have y'all been experiencing the same with searches of items your looking for?

Milsurp is still around, it’s just not being sold by importers as much and sitting in collections.

You just need to wait for classifieds to come up or check gun shops for estate sales.

 

[Lyman1903]

Deals are still out there, you just gotta kick over more rocks to find the good stuff and be willing to pay up then and there when you see it because if you don't, someone else will.(Not saying that Colt was a deal by any means but it's a nice early one.)

this,

know what you like, and learn a bit about what interests you (that you may not have yet) so if you do see something at a good price, you can jump on it,

and don't worry, you will over pay once in awhile, and also get some screaming deals as well,