I'm old enough to remember the gas wars,
As for the AR-15, for such a thing that
is mass produced why is the price high or
twice as much for your average rifle ?
i.e average price for a Savage or Remington
rifle is $400 to $600, for a decent quality rifle, as for the AR-15 you can't touch
a low quality one for that !

There are definitely price wars, but they are taking place between dealers. I'm in the process of buying a rifle and the closest dealer that had it available was a few hundred miles away, and arranging the FFL transfer was a nightmare. The same dealers two days before that wouldn't order the rifle or waitlist suddenly wouldn't do an FFL transfer because they could order it for me and were eager to match/beat pricing. But of course couldn't say when they'd get it.

Fortunately I found a dealer that realized the logic -- if you can't get it you're better off helping a customer and getting not only the transfer business but future business -- but it definitely made me aware of the keen competition out there. Everyone's trying to sell out of the same basket these days with inventories so low.

I'm wondering why some of the makers aren't increasing prices. With everything flying off the shelf they should be increasing their price until that problem just starts to go away. Maybe that just represents the "honor" of those in the gunmaking business?

I think it is a quanity issue, a lot more deer rifle than AR's are produced.

But I think AR's are cheaper now than 10 years ago.

AR prices fluctuate wildly.  Before September 11th you could get a good used AR at a fairly reasonable price.

After September 11th, the prices went through the roof.  

It's a basic supply and demand ratio.

AR's are expensive, because people want them.

Supply and demand is probably the underlying factor.

As miniz said its the demand factor,when 9-11 happened people pannicked and gasoline prices went high like in okla.  1.49 per gal.  Then everybody got scarred of going any where and nobody went anywhere far from home.. and gasoline went down to 97 cents a gal.  now we are getting over it and gas is now about 102 a gal.. and will get higher as we use it more!  a lot of people that never would have thought of having a gun in there house now are buying them, so the price will go up!  if nobody bought an ar/15 then the prices would go down.....about 600.00 would be a fair price for any ar/15   but as long as there is a market for this rifle it will go just as the gas and other commodities go....

There are several reasons that Rem 700s and Savages 110s cost less.
-AR's have more parts
-AR's use more expensive materials.  Costs more to buy aluminum for recivers than steel.
-commercial bolt guns usually have round receivers saving material and time.
-AR's are usually made to military specifications-finish, dimensions, etc.  It's far cheaper to manufacture to specs designed in house to lessen costs and give acceptable performance than someone elses specs stressing performance, reliable and interchangability.
-Remington and Savage are two of the oldest companies in the country and have lower operating costs and can buy materials cheaper.  Remington has the full wight of DuPOnt behind them.
-AR's are typically more accurate than comparably priced bolt guns.  Bolt guns can be more accurate but not at lower prices.

AR's are expensive, because most shooters want one.

Supply and demand.

I still remember looking at the new SP1's in the gunshop.  I wanted one, but $490 was a lot of money back then.  Quite simply, it was more than I had.  

Shooters like the look, mystique and lines of AR.  Wherever I have lived I've noticed that an AR at the range gets people's attention.

Could they "make" them cheaper?  Heck yes!

Should they make them cheaper?  Not as long as people pay what they're asking.

It's all simple economics.

I believe I read in another thread that the US military pays $586 per rifle. Considering that they are buying tens of thousands at a time, $700-900 for new postbans seems about right. However I still can't get over how rifles with real WOOD and not plastic can cost so much less.

As I recall ARs cost about $400 in 93 & went to ~ $800 as soon as the 94 law went into effect.  It was patently obvious that there was immense profiteering at that time.  With very little inflation since, & AR prices continuing in that range, I surmise that there is still a good margin in AR parts manufacturing.  For evidence look at all of the poor quality manufacturers who are roundly criticized on this board, but who continue in business.  Obviously demand outstrips supply or the market would force the poor manufacturers out of business.

I got mine by posting a "want" ad in a local newspaper.  I had people beating down my door wanting to sell me theirs at fairly reasonable prices.  A few guys wanted a fortune for theirs but I just said "no thanks".  I ended up getting a deal on a pre-ban model from an older lady.  She didn't really know what she had but wouldn't budge on her price... she wanted what she gave for it brand new back in the 80's.

Quoted: AR prices fluctuate wildly.  Before September 11th you could get a good used AR at a fairly reasonable price. After September 11th, the prices went through the roof.   It's a basic supply and demand ratio. AR's are expensive, because people want them.

That's too bad. My local dealer is selling them for exactly the same price pre-911.