bountyhunter Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 (edited) I saw somebody offering a Valtro for sale (no mods, stock new gun) for $3500. Have I lost my mind or my memory? As I recall, that is more than DOUBLE above what that gun ever sold for new? Wow.... they say living in kali is expensive, but some people think they work for the oil company. Edited June 27, 2007 by bountyhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Even with the bit of inflation over the past 3-4 years, I'd say that one was over-priced. I ordered one (October 2003) (and so did a mess of other people) from John Jardine long ago and his military contracts pre-empted most of us and we never received our guns. The price I was quoted at the time of MY order was about $1,500 or so. It went up slightly a year later, but at $3,500 it'd HAVE to be mod'd out to the max or something. HOWEVER, as they are becoming rare (possibly due, in part, to John's being too busy to fulfil orders any longer), then the prices may go as high as the buyer is willing to spend... based on scarcity and quality of the piece. They ARE really nice. I'm STILL unhappy that I didn't receive mine. I waited 18 months before finding out that it wasn't forthcoming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 (edited) Even with the bit of inflation over the past 3-4 years, I'd say that one was over-priced. I ordered one (October 2003) (and so did a mess of other people) from John Jardine long ago and his military contracts pre-empted most of us and we never received our guns. The price I was quoted at the time of MY order was about $1,500 or so. It went up slightly a year later That's exactly what I remember. I shot a valtro here and it is a VERY nice gun..... but it ain't $3500 worth of nice. This california gouging is ridiculous. I saw a guy selling an S_I something or other and I was interested. I go to dawson and find that gun is still available new for about $1600. The guy selling one here was asking $1800 for a used gun admitting to 5k rounds fired in competition... God only knows what the power factor was or how much abuse it actually got. Anyway, paying $200 over new list seemed a bit steep for a used gun and I passed. So did everybody else as I recall. But DOUBLE price on valtro just seemed ridiculous.... Edited June 27, 2007 by bountyhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipscbob Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Unfortunately since these are NOT available new from the manufacturer at ANY cost and are not likely to be at any time in the future, this is not unusual. I bought mine direct from him for $1250.00 and thought that was quite steep at the time. I know some folks that paid $1850.00 from him a few years later and they thought that was very high. The price is based on supply and demand. Demand is high, supply is nil.....I got one that I will sell you for $3000.00 Just kidding, my wife would kill me if I sold it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Unfortunately since these are NOT available new from the manufacturer at ANY cost and are not likely to be at any time in the future, this is not unusual. I bought mine direct from him for $1250.00 and thought that was quite steep at the time. I know some folks that paid $1850.00 from him a few years later and they thought that was very high. The price is based on supply and demand. Demand is high, supply is nil.....I got one that I will sell you for $3000.00 Just kidding, my wife would kill me if I sold it! The problem is that valtros may not be in manufacture any more, but other guns which are equal or superior to them are (like Wilsons). So, it's not a supply and demand thing because there are alternatives. It's a "rape people in kali because they can't import guns" thing for anybody holding a legally acquired gun in the state. I realize there will be a surcharge, but DOUBLE the price (tacking on about $2000 extra) is ridiculous and judging by how long the posting has been up on that paricular piece, I'd say everybody else agrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipscbob Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 (edited) Unfortunately since these are NOT available new from the manufacturer at ANY cost and are not likely to be at any time in the future, this is not unusual. I bought mine direct from him for $1250.00 and thought that was quite steep at the time. I know some folks that paid $1850.00 from him a few years later and they thought that was very high. The price is based on supply and demand. Demand is high, supply is nil.....I got one that I will sell you for $3000.00 Just kidding, my wife would kill me if I sold it! The problem is that valtros may not be in manufacture any more, but other guns which are equal or superior to them are (like Wilsons). So, it's not a supply and demand thing because there are alternatives. It's a "rape people in kali because they can't import guns" thing for anybody holding a legally acquired gun in the state. I realize there will be a surcharge, but DOUBLE the price (tacking on about $2000 extra) is ridiculous and judging by how long the posting has been up on that paricular piece, I'd say everybody else agrees. OK, so then buy a Wilson and stop pissing and moaning about the price of Valtros. Based on build quality, materials, and exemplary support from John, myself and many others feel that Wilson offers nothing comparable to the box stock Valtro and the lack of supply of used Valtros supports that. There are plenty of Baers and Wilsons on the used market in Cali. A nice stock Valtro sold at Bullseye a few months ago for $2800, regardless of whether you like it or not, that IS the going price. Edited June 29, 2007 by ipscbob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted June 29, 2007 Author Share Posted June 29, 2007 (edited) Unfortunately since these are NOT available new from the manufacturer at ANY cost and are not likely to be at any time in the future, this is not unusual. I bought mine direct from him for $1250.00 and thought that was quite steep at the time. I know some folks that paid $1850.00 from him a few years later and they thought that was very high. The price is based on supply and demand. Demand is high, supply is nil.....I got one that I will sell you for $3000.00 Just kidding, my wife would kill me if I sold it! The problem is that valtros may not be in manufacture any more, but other guns which are equal or superior to them are (like Wilsons). So, it's not a supply and demand thing because there are alternatives. It's a "rape people in kali because they can't import guns" thing for anybody holding a legally acquired gun in the state. I realize there will be a surcharge, but DOUBLE the price (tacking on about $2000 extra) is ridiculous and judging by how long the posting has been up on that paricular piece, I'd say everybody else agrees. OK, so then buy a Wilson and stop pissing and moaning about the price of Valtros. Based on build quality, materials, and exemplary support from John, myself and many others feel that Wilson offers nothing comparable to the box stock Valtro and the lack of supply of used Valtros supports that. There are plenty of Baers and Wilsons on the used market in Cali. A nice stock Valtro sold at Bullseye a few months ago for $2800, regardless of whether you like it or not, that IS the going price. I take it you are not fluent in the English language or just choose to ignore the rules? Rebuttals are not permitted. The point of this thread was to marvel at the fact people seem to think that they are worth twice their original price.... at least, that some people think that. I can provide the link to the site offering the $3500 bargain if you think that's a good price. http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=61472 As I said above, I think the valtro is a good gun, I just don't think it is double price good. A nice stock Valtro sold at Bullseye a few months ago for $2800, regardless of whether you like it or not, that IS the going price. But, your contention that valtros are worth $3k raises an interesting question: the original builder thought they were a vaible product at a price point of about $1500. If the "free market" price point is actually twice that..... wouldn't it make sense to start selling them again? Edited June 29, 2007 by bountyhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1911user Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 (edited) But, your contention that valtros are worth $3k raises an interesting question: the original builder thought they were a vaible product at a price point of about $1500. If the "free market" price point is actually twice that..... wouldn't it make sense to start selling them again? The free market selling price is based upon the current supply and demand situation; the initial purchase price does not matter. If production starts again, the supply and demand balance will change and it is likely the current "value" of a Valtro will also change. Edited June 29, 2007 by 1911user Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy_fuentes Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 OK, I'll bite...what makes the Valtro so special? One of the guys from Gun Test (Ray O.) has one and thinks it is the best 1911 he has ever shot. OK, great, it shoots good. So does Wilson, Les Baer, Night Hawk, Rock River, Nowlyn, Kimber, and many others. They all do the same thing to a degree. What sets it apart from the crowd? I think it is probably a well made pistol that was selling at a reasonable price and made folks want one. When the military or whomever put out a contract and bought up the pistols; it made them scarce and now only the Black Ops have them. Remember the Springfield Bureau Model? Hype sells anything and you always want something that is hard to get. I have some of the pistols mentioned above and they can do anything that your Valtro can do. In a blind test you probably couldn't tell the difference in them if you had never owned either. Is $3500 too much for that pistol? No, not to the guy selling it or the guy who just has to have it. I'd rather have two Baer pistols for that money. Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 It would be interesting to see how John Jardine would price his Valtro NOW if he decided suddenly to go back into normal production.......?........ No way of knowing without calling him, but no telling what kind of mood he's in at the moment. (I don't think his 'production' will ever be 'normal' again anyway). I still think the remaining Valtros floating around will get whatever price their sellers can get away with. Period. I still wish I had received the one I ordered. (Sob...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowhand Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Fortunately logic or value is not a requirement when buying handguns. I am sure everyone has read the countless threads that claim, my SA Mil Spec will do everthing your Kimber will do, or my Kimber will do anything your LB/WC/EB will do, or my LB/WC/EB will do anything your full house custom will do. I recently traded a pile of 1911s including three semi-customs and a full house custom for two Vic Tibbets commanders. Were they worth it? Did I make a "good" deal? I can't speak for anyone but myself. I never did the math and the answer to both questions is yes. The point is they were worth it to me. These guns are very hard to come by since they are no longer being built. Any one of the 1911s I traded would pretty much do what either of the Tibbets guns will do except for one thing. None of them could give me the pleasure that they give me. I can easily understand why the Valtros are bringing hefty prices. If you want one, for whatever reason, this is what you will pay. No rationale or justification is required. At the end of the day all that matters is that it is "worth it to me". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 This thread began as a discussion of whether a Valtro could command highly inflated prices on the "used" market. Waaaayyyyy too much back and forth has ensued with respect to the Hate Forum requirements. Closed. If anyone has anything of value to add to the discussion, please feeel free to PM me or another moderator. ...Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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