Quoted:
Not considering any sort of government bans.
Unless ATF cracks down on issuing SOTs, that will cap prices. Not to mention people with enough money will just become friends with their local LEOs or go overseas and shoot god knows what with a friendly 3rd world general.
Also at some point, you won't find anyone willing to weld on a $80k receiver, therefore people will stop shooting them which will stunt any further appreciation.
Ultimately though, I think the country is going to go a lot more left in the future, I think we have seen a peak in pro gun feelings and enthusiasm. Plus another 10-20 years of technology combined with lousy economic growth, leaving the house paying $4 a gallon gas to sit at a range to blast expensive ammo surrounded by dust and loud noises will seem so foreign when you can just ride the couch and plug into the iholobrain for cheap.
As far as the olden days go, I didn't see any mentioned ammo costs. From what I understand, unadjusted for inflation, ammo prices in the early 80s are pretty much the same as today. Also, this may be hard to understand for the facebook generation, but people didn't want to fill out government forms and let people know their business.
Heck even in the early 90s in Texas, you could go to two or three wellstocked gunshops and maybe see one AR15. I went to a fair number of gunshows in Texas in the early and mid 90s, I can only remember seeing one table with NFA weapons.
I agree with some you are saying, but this is just incorrect. A lot of the public and the government may be going left, but guns are more popular now than ever period. It has not peaked out and it is growing more and more every single day. Go to any gun shop, turn on the Discovery channel, go to Walmart, just talk to people.....you'll see it. So many people that even look and sound anti gun...aren't at all, and have CHLs and own 5 guns. It's great. The left and the government are trying to take them away, but guns are just plain growing in popularity at an exponential rate right now, and it has not peaked yet, nor do I think it will peak for a while.
Of course, in the end no one knows, and these are just my opinions.