Sounds like a good business opportunity! ;)
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I think you're wrong about the Axis affecting the price of 110s the way you say. For that to be true, first of all, we would have to take as granted that the Axis and 10/110 lines are competitive with each other. I think this is moot. Would Savage add a product that would cannibalize sales of their flagship brand? Perhaps, but it's more likely that they figure the sales from would-be 10/110 buyers will be offset by customers who would not have otherwise bought an 10/110. Considering the expansion of the Axis line over the past few years, I would suggest that, if this was their calculus, it appears to be accurate.
This leads me to my second reason for thinking the introduction of the Axis would actually contribute to raising 10/110 prices: marketing. Now that Savage has two well-established lines of general purpose, centerfire rifles, there is a clear distinction between high-end and low-end guns. Whereas before a consumer might have to do a bit of research to figure out how a 110 differed from a 110A from a 110B from a 111 etc., now there are two brands: the legacy 10/110 and the entry-level Axis. This allows Savage to nudge the prices of their 10/110 rifles up while still maintaining a reputation for affordable quality. Furthermore, the price points in the used gun market now take their cues from this bifurcated product list. The used 10/110 is not the predecessor of the workmanlike Axis rifle. It is the antecedent of the top-of-the-line 10/110. Few people own or care to use a Blue Book, not that I'd even be able to speak to how much pertinent info on Savage 10/110 rifles there is to be found therein. Moreover the ultimate, authoritative guide to the price is whether or not people will pay the asking price.
Right. That's why I think the internet is a big player here. See post #47... For example, in the last few weeks I have sold a few new take-offs on EBay for prices I honestly think are 2x what I could get on this forum. Heck, I wouldn't even feel good about asking such prices here. :). But here's the thing: I put a fair starting price on them, then a high "buy it now" price. Sometimes, within minutes someone snags it for the "buy it now price". What's up with that?! DANG! If you're that eager for it, I'll throw another one out there and see what you do with it! :) AGAIN!
What am I to do? So, I figure, if I had a pawn shop in BFE, I would offer my products at one price (reasonable) for the locals, but also put them online for the yahoo's. If the "yahoo's" buy them, so be it. I'm thinking it would be foolish not to.
Have you all looked at the MSRP's for new 10/110's? I'm not talking the cheapened up Hog Hunter or Trophy Hunter package rifles, but just a standard 110? The MSRP on the Model 11/111 FCNS is $768. That's a blued, tupperware stocked base 110 with a detachable magazine. That's woithin $10 of what the MSRP was for the 12 BVSS and 12 VLP just 10 years ago when a basic 10/110FNS had an MSRP of $489. That's a 43% increase for what is (for the most part) the same gun.
I think it's safe to say a good part of the reason uses 10/110 prices are higher is because new prices are much higher than they used to be. When you were calling $200 for a used 110 a real bargain, a new 110G could be purchased for $400 or thereabouts so the used gun was essentially half the price of a new one. The 11/111 FCNS seems to be selling for right around $600 on the street most places so if we continue the half-price trend a used 110 bargain should be priced around $300.
However, one also has to remember that sellers also know that most people are wanting the newer guns that have the round-top and AccuTrigger, so they can push a premium price for those guns compared to the older flat-top rifles.
If I could sell all of my guns for twice what I paid for them, or more, I would seriously consider doing it. Maybe keep a couple of my favorites :)
I think some of the decline comes from the variety of factory guns that Savage is selling right now. A few years ago, if I wanted a long range hunting gun in 6.5x284 I'd buy a donor, sell the old parts, and buy new ones. Now I can just go buy a factory LRH and be done without the hassle or the work involved with building one. I know a few local guys who did just that. I'd plan a whole build for them and then they'd just go buy a factory gun which met 95% of their wish list. No build, no parts, no sale adds.
I know that I've slowed down on building new projects because of the slower used market.
Andrew
I know I just joined a few weeks ago and am still on my first Savage build but I'll admit the Classifieds were somewhat disappointing. Before joining I found a lot of positive reviews for the Classifieds here as having tons of stuff, which when I go back now and look are a few years old. As a lefty I was really hoping to find some sort of gold mine here for LH parts. I have managed to pick up a stock but that's all so far. In fact I turned up a 7mm-08 barrel just advertising locally on a classified site for $45 when it seems there are none to be had here within a week.
That said, for $15 I found a stock that I could not have gotten anywhere else and I am learning a ton. If I could buy the LH parts anywhere for what I see RH parts for routinely, I'd be ecstatic! Heck for the most part I'd be ecstatic just to find them for sale period!
^^^^ Yep. Unfortunately, Savage is kinda backing away from the LH market, too. I think the LH parts that are currently out there will be in even higher demand as time goes on.
LH specific parts usually don't last long as they're few and far between and there are quite a few of us lefties around here. I do have a few LH parts I'll be posting in a few weeks or so, and might be parting out a LH rifle or two, so keep your eyes pealed!
After shooting an axis, I will pay more for a used 10/12 anytime, maybe even another new one. I noticed about a year or more ago how much interest there was in the AR platform on this site too, and I finally slipped and added one along with a .22wmr CZ. And both are fun to pull the trigger. Maybe the AR platform is in the up-swing for a while and eating up the bolt gun build market?
All my extra Savage parts got sold here; and rarely do you read any bad comments about fellow members' sales! I think that is because this is a paid site, we can pm another member for help and some vendors are willing to take probably too much of their time to help beginners like me. That is worth more to me than having to mess with a smart @@@ on a site and not knowing the seller's rep. With two exceptions, the only other site I have bought and sold on is Specialty Pistol and I see a bunch of folks from here are members there. There is a running debate on there about fee paid classified, the owner of the site is leaning that way.
I hope Savage never shuts down their custom shop! And hope they are making enough selling the cheapo stuff to keep an added value service alive. As far as Savage parts in my closet, you guys bought'em all here.
And now I'm on another bent for a while, vintage (old) saxophones. Anybody here with a 12M Conn bari to sell, give me a shout!
Don't know about others here I sold most of my good stuff Big mistake on my part. Building a house and just do not have the cash to buy anything for the past few years. Hopefully I will be in the market for a couple for FB long actions to build soon.