I noticed dramatic price drops on pre-ban assult rifles of all types at gun shows here in Wisconsin. Not ALL of the vendors have gotten the ban sunset spook yet...but many have...price drops on good pre-ban hi-caps too!

To be honest, I've heard a many of people talking about drops in preban prices, but I haven't noticed shit! This is starting to piss me off. It seems like none of the vendors in my area know crap about AR-15s.
Also when looking online all I see is friggin' Colt Prebans which cost you an arm and a leg as it is!!! Whats up with that?!?!?!?!?!?

Anyway Gewamser, grab one while you can. As optimistic as I am about the sunset, there are absoluely no gurantees, and better safe than sorry.

There were some prebans selling for $850-950 at the Dallas market Hall gunshow in SEP. Also saw some USGI mags for $20, prices are definitely on the ebb. I hope this trend continues (you can tell I own only postbans - my selfish point of view)

On the EE I have seen most of the preban lowers going for allot less, that is as long as they arn't Colt or Bushmaster. I went to the Fr. Lauderdale gun show a couple of weeks ago and the preban prices were crazy high (along with all of the other prices). The cheapest preban I saw was a Colt SP1 for $1400. Those are going for $1200 on the EE. That was the lowest, the next cheapest was $1700 and they went up and up. I hope these vendors at the gunshows get stuck with their prebans when the AWB sunsets. They will see all but colletor item prebans drop to postban prices. Just wait, if it looks like the ban is going to be defeated and it gets down to the last three months you will see people unload the prebans like they were cursed. If the ban doesn't sunset I don't think the prices will be much higher than they are now. You really must want the preban versatility to pay $700-$1200 for a stripped lower.

I want it plenty, just can't justify the expense. I could see how purists would want one though.

i picked up my first preban this spring for $899 at a gunshop.  bought another one for $1200 that had a ton of accessories.  i sold all the stuff and kept the lower.

i saw a complete EA carbine preban for $750 a couple months ago.  it was at a show...and everyone was just walking by it.  doh!  i couldn't get my brother to float me the cash for it either.  

they're on the way down.  keep looking.  i sold a complete lower for $650 in july.

Whywork & Lockedon,

I imagine it is frustrating, but you might be better poitioned then you think. Take state "X" that has a normal distribution of sellers. The 1st group sold a little while back for a few hundred more than we see now. Then there are our current prices. (a couple of die hards still holding back). then in a couple of months, a more gradual discount. Finally Pre-ban terror sales @ rock bottom prices, (Or, "fuck it, I bought this for $1400, I'd rather keep it than sell it for $700).

Now take states like your own. If these idiots jealously guard the price what is going to happen is that Preban terror will strike in the end, only supply will be too high. this will require the seller to further slash his asking price well beyond his worst nightmares. Now apply this case to ALL those diehard idiots. You'll be like wolves in a slaughterhouse, all because these fools were too greedy to let them go for reasonable rates when they had trhe chance.

What's the worst that can happen anyway? You miss out on a preban and you have to settle for a 9/04 properly configured rifle? BOO HOO![;)] The AWB will lapse & yoiu will have an opportunity to get what you need so have no fears.

Am I being erroneous in my thinking that front sight bases with bayo lugs, flash hiders and folding stocks are going to go up in price initially if the ban expires(everyone will want to convert their postbans)? I was thinking about getting all those in anticipation and having a friend who owns a preban keep them for me until sep 4,2004. It seems if supply/demand economics holds true, all these items will go up in price, at least for a while after the sunset.

What do you guys think?

pre-ban Colts will hold their value, only the SP-1s may come down in price & that will be very little, Colt will NOT go back to full pre-ban config., for civilian sales, that is why their value will hold, Bushmaster is the only one i've heard about that will offer the full pre-ban config.

the law may sunset, but the Mfgrs. are weary of the politicians, so do not expect those "evil" features to return on newly produced rifles......

mfg want sales.  preban features will be back.  if colt is going to piss on civilian sales like HK does..than i have no need for their out of spec products.

supply and demand!  they will return.

AR-15nut, How do you figure that Colts will hold there value? Unless it' a colectors item I don't see it. Colt might not go back to a preban configuration but people will add the preban features they want. Why pay $1000-$1200 (the going rate on the EE) for a Colt sporter preban when you can put the evil features on whatever Colt you want. And lets face it, the only good reason to own a preban is for the telescoping stock. A very low number of people put bayo lugs on their rifles and people are putting fake flash hiders on for the look. I also agree with Pulpsmack that their will be allot of panic selling when the AWB gets near. As soon as some people start finding out they can't sell their prebans or preban lowers for big bucks (why would someone by a preban that is not a collectors item 3 months before the ban sunsets) the prices will start to drop and anyone who ever wanted to make money on the prebans (all of the vendors and some private owners) will start to unload and lower the price untill rock bottom. May as well sell one for $400 if they will be worth $100 around the corner.

Colts are marked 'AR-15'.  other aren't.

i bought a preban cause i wanted a real telestock.  i also just bought a suppressor so i had my barrel threaded for that.

Is this just your theory, or do you have some hard information from a Colt representative?

If you review the past sales philosophy of the firearms manufacturers it is evident that they will sell:

A: What is legal
B: what the consumers are wanting and buying

look at the hoops they went through to make "postbans" comply with the law. It will actually be easier to produce quality rifles with all the features. No more grinding off bayonet lugs and pinning folding stocks, and  dealing with warranty issues when set-screw muzzle attachments fly off. It might even be conceiveable that they will have to offer a discount to sell off their stock of postban configured rifles, rather than spend the capital to convert them to the way ARs should be. Many buyers will want all the features, and if they have both for sale, which one will you buy? Unless there is a deep discount for featureless ARs, I think we all know the answer to that question.

Colt does tend to march to their own drummer, but if they do, it's their loss.

There, that's more like it.

I DID pick one up! A pre-ban Ar-15 A2 Sporter II in 95% condition and unaltered...for a cool grand...which is the cheapest i've seen in years for a CAR...and I had my choice of three! A Bushy pre ban...and a Colt 9mm. These rifles were cheaper than NEW Armalite post bans at the very next table! There was anice Canadian pre ban FAL there for $600...20 round Adventure lien mags for $15...but there were still about 1/2 the vendors with $1700 on pre ban CARs,...

Congratulations on your new baby

I think what AR-15NUTT is referring to are certain models of Colts like Govt model, Govt Carbine, Tactical Carbine and to a lesser extent, the others that have AR15 rollmarked on the side. I have spoken with a Colt rep and I also have a friend who's father has worked at Colt for over thirty years and as far as them not offering rifles with evil features, that is true for now. They may change things if the ban goes and stays gone, but it will be a slow process. As far as the rollmarks, the rep told me that ONLY the leo rifles will have the AR15 marks and even if they did sell rifles in "preban" condition, they would never sell a "AR15" marked rifle to civilians again.
That's why those certain models will hold value.

Pre-bans are selling for $2500 at the shop I frequent, except the Colt AR-15A3 which is $4999.

Let me tell you. When the ban expires ( an' it will! [:D] ) I'm moving RIGHT to New Hampshire or Vermont. Low taxes, lots of open space, secluded property, and you can buy/own/sell just about anything you want - F/As included!

... lots of snow too.  Frost, snow, and ice suck.  I want to go back to Florida.

Some of us Granite Staters happen to [b]like[/b] the snow [8D]

Being able to own anything you want is just a bonus.

Yep !!

When the AWB sunsets, excepting those AR's that have collector value and there are damn few, there's just going to be a glut of old, used AR's on the market.  (I believe the SP-1's will lead the pricing way toward the bottom.)

Pre-bans are selling for $2500 at the shop I frequent, except the Colt AR-15A3 which is $4999.


Ever think of spitting in a mans face well when you frequent that shop stop thinking and act!
LMAO

COLT'S WILL HOLD THIER VALUE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE .THE MARKET IS THE MARKET.

The point to examine Buster, is the avalibility of replacements. I don't have a Colt. I don't want a post ban Colt. My only solution has been purchasing a preban at the the price the market dictates. Now fast forward a year. I want a Colt with proper the configuration. You are selling a Preban SP1 for $1200. Eddie's Guns is selling a NIB 2004 manufacture configured the same way for $950. Why in the hell would I buy yours, even for the same price?

Example 2. I have a pre-ban Sporter & a Gov't Carbine. Enter my typical need for $$$  (Suzy's braces, a once in a lifetime Harley opportunity, Credit Card debt ,etc). I try to sell the sporter for $1400, No bites. $1200? Nothing. I NEED$$$!!! $1,000? I get an offer for 700! I am about to eat a razor blade for this... but I have to sell the Gov't carbine then. 2,500? nope, 2,250? no bites most people out of $ buying new stuff. I would probably have to sell for $1,800 or less EVEN THOUGH IT IS WORTH MORE.

The bottom line is that most people sell from a need to do so. If you refuse to take a beating on your $1600 preban you'll say it's not worth selling. But if you need the money you will have to do what the market dictates and right now, or particularly post 04, the market is going to slaughter those kind of Colts.

Nice edit, pulpsmack...

[sniper2]