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Posted: 6/23/2006 7:23:07 AM EDT
| Are pre ban Colts still a "hot item"? I will clarify this question. I started "gun trading" soon after my college days in the early 90's and have watched AR prices pretty close. From the ban until Y2K, preban Colts (non sear blocked) have commanded a real premium. I have seen here and other forums that true "AR officianatos" don't seem to share the same thoughts. From a quality stand point, I don't really see much difference (I am not an expert), but from a "gun trading" stand point, there has been a big difference. Any thoughts? |
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You will often see various people trying to sell preban colts for inflated prices. These rifles drew premiums during the ban. The ban is over. The premiums are unwarranted. If you live in a AWB state (NY) like me, preban colts still command a slight premium. However, that premium is far from the stupid prices during teh federal ban. I can buy AWB compliant AR's from reputable dealers, both new and used, at decent prices. Recently got a NIB RRA for example, for $690+ tax. Used Postbans are available, and run what used guns run. $500 & updepending on condition and variant. Prebans are still worthwhile in these states. Will AWB residents pay premiums for prebans? Yes. Will they pay $1000, 1200, 1500 and more? Only if they are idiots. Why buy a preban for $1200 locally when you can buy one out of state, through an FFL holder, for $600? The local preban premium is about $150 at present. If you have an $400 Oly preban nationally, its $550 here. If you have a preban bushie that is worth $600 nationally, its a $700-750 gun here. Colt obviously command more than Essential Arms, but its comparable to Bushmaster prices. Any asking price higher than that sends knowledgable buyers to the internet for out of state sales. For what its worth, recent purchases I've made are as follows: Preban Essential Arms lower $100 (Bought a noban lower and swapped lowers) Preban Colt lower (no charge. Swapped my post for his pre lower) Complete Oly rifle, 16 lightwight,m YHM foreend, A3 top end, six pos stock, preban: $600 |
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To me they do. IMHO they are closer to Mil Spec than the post-ban's with the sear blocks and off size FC pins. I have a cherry pre-ban Green Box 6520 Govt. Model Carbine with the pencil barrel and M4 feed ramps that I will try to keep around for a long time. Can't say I ever shoot it, but I like it. A lot. Bill |
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Another-Bil is like many Colt enthusiasts out there and the older Colts still hold a special place for them (us) but it doesn't translate into real dollar value, since new guns are sexier for most folks, and a premium condition pre-94 Colt only draws about $700- $1,000 value, unless it has other intrinsic worth. You really missed your window if you wanted to sell for a high price Cherry pre-94 Colts were selling for upward of $2,000 - $2,500 in late 2003 early 2004 Hang on to them. they will rise again - especially if our beloved GOP keeps stepping on their dicks! 
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| I am not selling. I am just asking a question. I had (9) pre 89 Colts that I had bought as an investment prior to Y2K and made KILLING on them. I currently have 2 pre 89 Colts that I bought about a year ago because they were a "good deal" (paid $800 each). I am just curious as to what "real AR guys" think about it. I have been lurking here for awhile because I am really wanting to build an AR from scratch. Thanks for the input. |
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I did the same thing. I have a 1991 Blue Label Sporter 2 that is new in the box. It's never been fired, and lately I have been considering selling it to a ban state arfcommer. I don't know how much I would ask, but I'm not giving it away either. Its the single best condition rifle I own. Out of my 4 colts, its the best. It doesn't have a bayo lug, and it does have that rediculous sear block, but its the kind (inserted) that a good smith can easily remove so... For now it sits in my safe. I was thinking of selling it for 1K, but seems no one would give me that amount for it, and I can't even find another colt like it for 1K. I purchased it during the ban and I paid a premium, but I'm ok with that because I was hedging my bet. I wanted an M4 and the only way to ensure that I got one was to purchase a pre-ban. So now the ban is gone, I own several AR's and I'm not sure what I'll do with it. Some New York dealer contacted me once wanting to trade it for a 6920 and I agreed, but he never called me back. |
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before the AWB, all 4 of my Colt AR's were preban, they went up in value during the ban but didn't want to part with them. It's like this, you buy Colt Sporter blue label for $700, see the value rise to $2000, then you start thinking, wow if I sell this I can make $1300! Then you realize it'd cost you $2000+ to buy another preban AR15. So I kept mine. In the big scheme of things making a measly $1300 5 or more years after I bought something was peanuts, not even a $25 a month profit. Now the price has come down from the AWB era highs, but I still have rifles I can sell for more than I paid for them just due to inflation. Anyway I bought the rifles to enjoy and shoot which I did, a lot, and not for speculation. Stocks, gold, silver, real estate I can buy for speculation purposes, not AR's. OTOH, I'm buying a lot of post-AWB Glock mags, so if there's another AWB, my measly $15 investment on a Glock 20 hi cap mag will go to $150+  But again, I'm bought the G20 mags for speculation. How much lower can they get? $10.99? BFD. Oooooh, that means I might lose a whopping $4.ETA: pic 
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I had some pre-bans and sold a HBAR for a bit of profit in the ban, hell I only paid $550 for it new. I bought a pre-ban green box 6520 Govt. Carbine NIB in the ban and paid $1500 for it. I feel fine with that, even today, NBD. If I were to buy a new one today it would only be a few hundred bucks cheaper and mine doesn't have the cop-out crap on it. I have shot it 2 or 3 times, I'll probably never sell it, so what I paid for it is only my business. I have no regrets. Bill |
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