$$$$ ? Gunbroker sales

[hanover67]

I checked the Gunbroker site for USFA listings today and prices seemed pretty high. The lowest was $904 for a 12/.22, but most were north of $1,200 up to $5,000. Only the 12/.22 had any bids (4) all the others had zero. Do USFA guns actually sell at these prices or do the listings just expire? I paid $801 in 2011 for an all-blue 4 3'4" .44 Special Single Action. I could buy a Colt SAA for these prices.

[Coffinmaker]

Unfortunately, there are some USFAistas whom will actually pay some of those Stupid Money prices.  Or even the Stupid Money prices for a Colt.  Although the USFA market has gone 'soft" of late.  I don't think the top end prices are being realized.

There is a lot more value for dollar elsewhere.

[Buckaroo Lou]

The USFA prices have remained somewhat high since they closed the doors. I watch GB fairly often and you rarely see a USFA under $1200 and that includes the Italian parts guns. I can pretty much guarantee the $904 on the 12/22 will not remain there. I have seen them go for over $2000 on several occasions. Whether or not the auctions just laps or the revolvers are actually purchased, as I previously stated the prices have remained fairly high since the doors closed and I don't expect they will go down any time soon.

Why is it we are always so negative over the price of quality. To produce anything of quality costs money. I use to make and sell knives and if I had priced them for all the time, effort, care I had put in each one they would have been $1000 each. Heck it was hard enough to try and sell them for $200-$300. They wanted quality but they wanted it cheap. I finally quit trying to sell them and sold all my knife making equipment.

[Dave T]

I could buy a Colt SAA for these prices.

Yes you could but a 3rd Gen Colt wouldn't be as well made as the later production USFA guns, when they quit using Uberti and sourced all their parts from USA suppliers. It all comes down to what's good enough. For the vast majority of Western enthusiasts and CAS competitors, the current Italian made single actions are good enough. Giving credit where it is due, in the last few years they are much better than their earlier offerings, like the one I bought from Cimmaron in the mid 1980s.

Others long for the quality and feel of first generation Colt SAAs and the USFA all American guns are as close as you will ever come to that. Try buying a 1st Gen Colt in the same condition as these expensive USFA guns. You won't be able to touch one. And, you'd probably be trounced for shooting a pristine 1st Gen Colt at that.

The biggest rip-off with USFA single actions are the obvious Uberti guns, re-fitted and refinished but still Italian in origin, that some sellers price the same as the late production USFAs. Unless you educate yourself on the differences, and they are mostly visible in good photos, there is great potential to get taken.

Dave