Expensive Guns

Are they worth it?

Wilson Combat SFT9 - in the rain.

I think it’s funny how some folks will argue that expensive and custom guns are not worth the money. Glock fan boys might be the worst, especially when you show them your brand new custom 1911. They’ll give you all sorts of reasons why you were foolish to spend that much money. Glocks are very affordable and dependable handguns, but some folks don’t like them, and that’s all the reason in the world they need for not buying one.

Some folks appreciate fine craftsmanship in firearms and are willing to pay for it. A London Best Vintage Rigby bolt action rifle can cost more than new pickup truck. You could buy a dozen Glocks for what you’d spend on a Supergrade Commander Special from Wilson Combat, but comparing a Glock to a Supergrade is like comparing a Jeep Wrangler to a custom Helderburg Land Rover. They are not the same thing. Before you knock someone for their fine taste in firearms, pull them leather seats out of your pickup truck, ditch those Ray-Bans, and sale your Randall Made knife and buy a Gerber.

Sometimes shooters pay more for what they want as opposed to paying less for what they need. A Glock is probably all the pistol you need, but you may want more. I’ve hunted all over the world with Mossberg Patriot and NULA rifles. I hunted with the Mossbergs on media events because it was part of my job, and they got the job done. I hunted with the NULA rifles because it was my choice. They got the job done too, but I enjoyed the experience more.

Sometime back I conducted a study concerning the cost of rifle precision and I found that – generally – you should expect to pay about two-grand or more for a rifle that will shoot random loads into five-shot groups you can cover with a quarter. If you want that rifle to be light, you can also add about another hundred bucks or so to the price for every ounce less than six pounds the rifle weighs.

My friend Bill from Wyoming has multiple rifles from Gunwerks. In fact, he probably has more money invested in firearms than I’ve spent on the shooting range I live on. But Bill can afford to buy what he wants and what he believes best suits his needs. But I’ve never seen Bill look down his nose at someone because of the affordable gun they were using. On the other hand, I’ve heard a lot of shooters opine that Gunwerks overprices their rifles. They might, but the thing is, if you’re not buying one, its really none of your business, and if you’re sitting in some boutique coffee shop with a drink that cost you about fifty cents for every slurp, you got no room to talk.

Gunwerks Nexus Rifle

Some guns are so expensive no one can afford them, not because of craftsmanship or performance, but because of the hands that’s held them. I’m fortunate to have several guns worth more – to me – than a dollar figure can express. Everyone knows I’m not a shotgun guy, but I can’t put a price on my father’s old Model 12 Winchester or the old muzzleloading rifle my best friend made and gave to me. From a practical standpoint, neither are worth a grand. I have one of the last NULA rifles Melvin Forbes ever built, it’s not for sale and I wouldn’t trade it for the return of my youth.

Sentiment can be worth more than mechanical mastery, but only to those who feel it.

During an unseasonably cold and rainy day in Africa’s Northern Cape this year, I was lounging by the fireplace in my good friend and professional hunter Geoffrey Wayland’s 100 year old home. Geoffrey said, “I have something I want to show you.” and he went to the safe. When he returned, he had an old Martini rifle in one hand and a revolver in the other. When he handed me the revolver I almost fell out of my chair.

A London Colt Navy

Imagine my surprise to discover I was holding an original Colt Navy revolver that was not only in good shape, but it was also functional. But this was not just any Colt, this was a London Colt. I asked my friend how he came to be in possession of what was essentially a unicorn, and the last thing I expected to find on a remote farm in the middle of South Africa. Unfortunately, all Geoffrey could tell me was that the story was it belonged to his great, great, great grandfather who founded the once massive Wayland farm enterprise more than a century ago.

In Africa I always expect to see unique and sometimes rare animals, but I never expected to see a unicorn.

We began to speculate as to how Geoffrey’s ancestor came to be in procession of the Colt. The possibilities are endless. Was it purchased from a drunken British sailor or soldier, or was it obtained in a trade for some sheep or a pet ostrich? Was it a revolver carried daily for protection or was it just a house gun used for the same purpose? Had it ever shot a man, a springbok, or even a lion? Geoffrey will never know, but maybe the things he can imagine are just as good as knowing the truth.

What is this old London Colt with its original holster worth? Thousands for sure, but I’m also sure Geoffrey would not trade it for a best quality Westley Richards double rifle, even if they threw in one of their thousand-dollar Selous Safari Jackets and a pair of Courtney boots.

My point is that what a gun is worth – whether it is new or old – only depends on what someone is willing to pay or take for it. And people are all very different when it comes to what they will spend or take for a gun. Are some of the new guns worth what the manufacturers are asking for them? Only if someone is willing to write the check or swipe the plastic. If you don’t want it, your opinion does not matter.

Though I might make judgement on someone’s marksmanship skills, I’ll not attempt to divine a man’s character based on the value of his rifle or pistol, whether it costs five-hundred dollars or 10 times that much.

Satisfaction comes from having the thing – gun – you need, and happiness comes from owning the thing – gun – you want. (This also applies to land, trucks, pocket knives, and women.) As far as what it costs you to get a gun — or thing — that provides both, that’s up to you and you alone. The opinion of some gun store geek, gun writer, or good friend, matters not. After all, you’re not spending their money.

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