Another Sad Day for US Manufacturing

[MadReferee]

My two Browning Over-Under Citori Grade I shotguns made in Belgium have gone up in value quite a bit since they moved manufacture to Japan.

Grade I was the lowest grade. According to my reference material, the Citori series was never made by FN. It was first introduced in 1973 and all models and variants of the Citori series were made in Japan by B.C. Miroku. Depending on the actual Citori model, the average value would be around $1000 in excellent condition.

But my two FN made Browning Auto-5 shotguns have really become collectors items now that they no longer are being made anywhere in the world!!!

Not really. Unless you have a Sweet Sixteen model or a Two Millionth Commerative model and its NIB, they ain't worth much more than $500-$700 in excellent condition. Without a picture and actual model and serial number that would be my best case appraisal. These will never become collector firearms. They are just good ole shooters.

The biggest problem I have in the firearms appraisal business is that most people have an over inflated idea of the value of their firearms. Unless the firearm is NIB or has some fancy engraving or is historically significant then it's probably just a common shooter.

Mad Referee, owner
Perham Corner Competition Services
Specializing in Estate Liquidations and Firearms Appraisals
Personalized service since 1984

 

[EddieWalker]

I own one Winchester rifle. I bought it in the mid 90's for shooting varmits. It's a Model 70, bolt action is .22-250 with a bull barrel. For the price and and features, I thought I was getting a good deal. This is by far the biggest piece of junk in my collection. What really anoyed me was that I'd heard how poorly Winchester weapons were before buying, but read a few articles about how they'ver turned the company around in a few different magazines. I fell for it and threw my money away.

It shoots fine with the right loads, and that isn'm my complaint, it's just poorly put together with a bolt that you have to work just right, or it sticks. I've tried every lubricant I know of, but it doesn't make a difference. I had a gunsmith look at it, and he said it wasn't fitted corectly.

Sometimes it's a good thing when a lousy company closes it's doors and goes away.

Eddie

 

[SkyPup]

Geez Mad, that sure takes the wind out of my sails!

At least I know my two Parker AH grade engraved double barrels are worth something.

 

[MadReferee]

At least I know my two Parker AH grade engraved double barrels are worth something.

Unless you have a letter of authentication from the Parker Gun Collectors Association I don't believe that you have the AH grade models. Only 167 were produced and they are one of the rarist grades. There is a warning in one of my appraisal reference books that states:

There are numerous upgraded and refinished guns that are represented as original Parker guns. Beware that such representations exist because refinished and upgraded Parker guns should sell for as much as 50 to 75 percent below the price of an original gun. Extreme caution should be exercised and we would recommend that an expert in Parker firearms be consulted before an accurate appraisal can be given.

Mad Referee, owner
Perham Corner Competition Services
Specializing in Estate Liquidations and Firearms Appraisals
Personalized service since 1984

 

[SkyPup]

They were each individually made for my greatGrandmother and Grandfather for their waterfowling hunting on Chesapeake Bay, he was the National Champion Skeet & Trapshooter for many years back around the turn of the century.

N.C. Wyeth painted a picture of them both duck hunting in a blind with their Parkers.....he was their next door neighbor in Chadds Ford, Penn., we have that painting too!

 

[EddieWalker]

They were each individually made for my greatGrandmother and Grandfather for their waterfowling hunting on Chesapeake Bay, he was the National Champion Skeet & Trapshooter for many years back around the turn of the century.

N.C. Wyeth painted a picture of them both duck hunting in a blind with their Parkers.....he was their next door neighbor in Chadds Ford, Penn., we have that painting too!

Skypup,

I've always enjoyed your posts, but after reading this, you just got a whole lot more interesting!!!! That's some amazing history you have, not to mention the shotguns and paintings. WOW!!!!

If I'm ever in your part of the country, I'd sure love to invite myself over to see both the shotguns and the paintings. I'm honestly unsure which I'm more interested in.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[JerryG]

Just another example of how globalization is changing the legacy of this country.

All industries are being effected. We had been looking for a trumpet for my youngest daughter and were having trouble finding the one that I was looking for. Come to find out the company had been on strike for over five months. The company (Selmer/Steinway) has already moved production of some of their student grade trumpets to China. Bach made his first trumpet in 1924 here in the U.S.. The plant that's striking is the one that makes the Pro line of Bach Stradivarius trumpets. They want to cut wages by 40% and raise the deductible for the employees insurance. The employees are afraid that they will also want to cut quality and then move the Strads to China. BTW, we did find one like we were looking for. If anyone is familiar with Bach Strads: It’s a LR180S37 lightweight body / regular weight bell with the reversed construction 25LR mouthpipe.

 

[GeneD14]

I have always been a big Winchester fan and a collector. But the quality and workmanship over the last several years has been very poor. On their model 94's I have seen brand new rifles that constantly mis-feed bullets, poor fit from the stock to receiver, crooked sights, mis match wood from stock to fore arm piece, and many other problems that you don't normally see on cheaper rifles.

It is sad that they can't continue to make Winchesters in New Haven, CT and fix the quality and profitability issues there.
I was just reading yesterday that Browning may lease the name and rights to start making the model 94 and some of the others in a plant in Russia or Portugal.

As a side note I have been to dozens of gun shows and gun dealers since the announced closing last spring and most Winchesters made in New Haven have been gobbled up by collectors. If you can find them at a dealer in the mid west expect to pay 30-50% increase in price over msrp for NIB condition.

 

[MadReferee]

As a side note I have been to dozens of gun shows and gun dealers since the announced closing last spring and most Winchesters made in New Haven have been gobbled up by collectors. If you can find them at a dealer in the mid west expect to pay 30-50% increase in price over msrp for NIB condition.

Fear not.

Most of those "collectors" are simply speculators or stupid consumers hoping the value will increase significantly. The dealers that are marking up their remaining stock are taking advantage of the current situation hoping the "collectors" are stupid enough (and most are) to pay inflated prices for common firearms. Once the feeding frenzy settles down those "collectors" will be saddened to find out that their investment is now worth less than what they paid for it.

I appraise plenty of firearms for insurance purposes. This feeding frenzy will not increase the "real" valuation of a Winchester firearm.

Mad Referee, owner
Perham Corner Competition Services
Specializing in Estate Liquidations and Firearms Appraisals
Personalized service since 1984

 

[YanmarFever]

Hey Mad, I just inherited a winchester 42 410ga. shotgun. It was grandmothers mole gun, it looks like time stood still for it because its in real nice cond. no scratches or nicks all the blue is in nice cond.Whats something like that worth these days?Oh, they bought it in the 30s or 40s.Ernie