CptCurl,

Firstly, a group of us in different countries all collect different things / makes
etc etc - you know what I mean.

As a result we all keep an eye out worldwide for guns for each other. When we find
them the person in each country does the checking and then the person decides if he
is to buy it and so on. ie If I want a gun looked at in the US it gets sent on your 3 day
inspection period to my mate in California - he gives me a run down, checks it's all OK
and I buy it.

About 2 - 3 years ago everything went quiet - guns weren't moving and it seemed
those who wanted a DR had one. I think 9/11 was partly to blame.

This was when I jumped into the market in the US and picked up a cased Holland Royal for
peanuts, a cased Jeffrey DR in 333 Jeffrey in great nick (which I had missed out on by being too
slow the first time and ended up paying $3000 more for it 12 months later) and a Jeffrey 333 Bolt Action.

Then about a year ago things started to move - you may remember that Mickey and
I had a discussion on the forum about 3 months go about the lack of guns around.
I think demand started to outstrip supply again.

Well I noticed a gun by a particular maker on a US web site today so emailed my mate
in the US. He came back and said he thought the price for a similar gun was US$1000
less 12 months ago - which I agreed with.

Anyway, he came back in his reply saying - and I quote -
" It seems like ALL nice guns are going for at least 25% more than a year ago.
Concern about our dollar ?"

This just confirms in my mind what feedback I have been getting from friends,
dealers in the US etc that I talk to.

I have also been told that anything in 500NE and above (500NE, 577NE, 600NE)
dissapears quick smart.

It is also why I say to people on the forum to get in an buy and stop
waiting for that "bargain" to come along. While they wait for the bargain
the price goes up.

A good example is that Army and Navy 450/400 3 1/4" which SafariTom
posted about. Not long ago (2 - 4 years) you couldn't give a 450/400 away
but now the good ones are getting up to US$18 - 22K.

IMHO, good English guns appreciate at a minimum 10% a year.

Re "Maybe it's time to sell?
Maybe the same for me also. I have 4 x 500 Nitro double rifles
and I only want to keep 2 so maybe it's time to move them on
while demand for 500+ cartridges is high.

RE "So why am I buying and holding???"
Because if you don't need the money, English guns appreciate at a
faster rate than you get if the money sat in a bank account !!!!!

So that is my thoughts on the subject. Better get back to my
"Annual Spring cull" of guns that I am not using anymore.

500 Nitro