Do you mean like on the EE the $1800-$2200 Reparkerized / Restored and Humped M1 Garands with the Boyds Stocks!
CU, you sound bitter. Is someone forcing you to buy over priced pieces or do you really just want them an can't afford them???
I agree, there is a lot of over priced stuff all over every EE on this site and most others.
The thing is, try to find those items somewhere else.
It's like coin collecting, you look up a certain coin and the book shows one that has a dot behind the date. That coin is worth thousands. The book also goes on to explain that all of the rest of the coins, by far the vast majority, have very little value, other than their face value.
As with most coin collectors, they look for the most pristine and rare samples. That doesn't mean they don't have others, that aren't pristine or rare.
I have sold off most of my pristine and rare examples of Lee Enfields. I just couldn't believe how much the prices have risen. They seem to have topped out though, which will be a good thing.
In Chilliwack, I was talking to a fellow that had 5 Lee Enfield No 4 MkI and MkI* rifles on his table. What was significant about the rifles is that they were obviously a well thought out collection. There was a Long Branch, Savage, two British makers and a POF No4 MkII.
What really took my notice, was that they were all in similar 80% condition throughout, they all had bayonets in scabbards, with frogs. They were all marked with the same price. $800.
I asked him where the No5 was and he gave me a blank stare. He told me he had kept one of the rifles because it seemed to be a sporter and was very short and handy. He wants to take up hunting now. He didn't have any other rifles on the table, a few boxes of cartridges and some slings, as well as a few accessories, such as loading equipment and components, all for the 303 Brit.
He had no idea what he had on his table and had garnered the prices from the internet. He of course felt that all of his rifles were real gems and had them priced $350 - $400 above their real value. He really took offence when I showed him some other rifles in similar condition and was sure his were worth more. None of them were special, all were made at the height of the runs with 1943-44 dates, other than the POF.
He was even more upset to find out that he only had a temporary right to have the rifles and that he had to take a PAL course as well as a CORE course to keep the firearm he had selected and hunt with. Miserable bugger as well. Bound and determined that everyone at the show was trying to rip him off. By the way, he was the executor of his brother in law's estate.
I notice on the EE here, as well as others that many of the sellers are very uninformed an inexperienced. Some, are just greedy. I can fully understand asking a price which is above the true value of a piece. The seller can come down in price but can't go up.
Used Remingtons for instance. A new SPS can be had for under $500. That same SPS goes up for sale on the EE at $600 to $700. The seller is bound and determined he/she won't sell it unless they get every dime they put into it out of it, including taxes and shipping, then want to add shipping costs on top of that.
It happens but it isn't the norm. Some people see it happen 20% of the time and complain the whole system is failing. It isn't. Those items are either withdrawn completely or the seller is brought to his/her senses.
