Browning A-Bolt .22LR Canada vs US prices. Warning to dial up Pic Heavy

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Canuck07

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Wondering if anyone can shed any light on the difference in the prices on used A-Bolt .22's here in Canada vs USA.

Example,
I just got an A-Bolt Grade 1 .22LR from a fellow CGNer over the holidays. I paid $600 shipped for it with the scope (Bushnell High Contrast is all it says on it), I just had to have it to go with my A-Bolt .223 Hunter and A-Bolt 270WSM medallion. It is in VG-EX condition. I didn't really have anything to go by whether this was a good price or not as I haven't seen one for sale before other than another old add here on CGN for a Gold Medallion that was according to the add working well but had quite a few handling marks etc (no pics) it was marked "sold in 10 min" was priced at $675. After sending the EMT I got looking on google and saw adds in the US for these. A grade 1 depending on condition down there seems to go for anywhere between $700 - $1449.99. VG-EX condition ones are consistently at the high end of those prices, Cabelas in MN has a grade 1 identical to this one for $1449.99.

Also here on CGN considering what T-Bolts are priced at +/- $700, I would think the A-Bolts would go for a premium being out of production for 19 years now.

So I guess the question is, Is this price difference just the difference in demand between Canada and US? Was $600 just a good deal? I'm not looking to sell it she will be a safe queen, just curious.









 
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I think you did really well here. I have a LH Micro A Bolt II in 22 Hornet. I paid 750 and was happy for it about two years ago. The wood does not even touch the quality of yours and I am not a big fan of the fidgety magazine swap out. But how many big USA companies presently make a repeating bolt action LH Hornet?

zero

Really, Brownings sell very well in both countries. America has eleven times our population. Supply and demand.
 
Brutus said:
I think you did really well here. I have a LH Micro A Bolt II in 22 Hornet. I paid 750 and was happy for it about two years ago. The wood does not even touch the quality of yours and I am not a big fan of the fidgety magazine swap out. But how many big USA companies presently make a repeating bolt action LH Hornet?

zero
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Wow thats a nice one, yes you won't come across one of those often.
 
I paid $850 for my A-Bolt 22 in 22WMR and an extra mag cost me another $150! Both used and both purchased last year of the EE after placing a WTB ad. Both items are very hard to find anywhere. The reason for the difference in price between the U.S. and Canada is the same one as the old Winchester Super-X Model 1 shotgun...the Americans have realized what gems these firearms are and demand is higher than supply!
 
Please don't make that rifle a safe queen, it is too nice to sit in the safe. A nice .22 like that deserves to be out shooting rabbits.
 
Tried one once and was not impressed with the accuracy so I would be really interested in seeing your results.
It looked like it would make a nice Metallic Silhouette rifle but did not see any during my years of involvement.
Your biggest problem in testing will be to find 10 (or maybe five) different brands of ammo within you use range.
A friend has one but his reports on accuracy were no different than mine.
 
horseman2 said:
Tried one once and was not impressed with the accuracy so I would be really interested in seeing your results.
It looked like it would make a nice Metallic Silhouette rifle but did not see any during my years of involvement.
Your biggest problem in testing will be to find 10 (or maybe five) different brands of ammo within you use range.
A friend has one but his reports on accuracy were no different than mine.
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I've got a few so far to try. Winchester 555 bulk pack, Winchester Dynapoint Bulk pack, Rem Yellow Jacket, Rem 22 subsonic. I'm going to pick up a couple of the CCI and if I can find the Federal bulk pack I will give that a try too. I'll post the results when I'm done. Other than the odd trip to the range I think that will be it for this girl, don't want to scratch her up.
 
Why the price difference - it's just "the market demand".

Try and sell a block heater for a car in LA.

You got yourself a nice rifle there. However, it could only be sold to a very small minority of the Canadian population, so demand is limited even further to those with a PAL who wanted a used 22 A-bolt.

Across the line there is only a small minority who "could not" buy that rifle. Plus there is 10X as many of them as us.

While that can drive the price of a new product down (due to scale of production), it can likewise drive the cost of a discontinued product up if enough guys/gals want it.

Not surprised...
 
marcoman said:
This. They are nice guns to be sure but not $1400 nice no matter what market you're in, US or Canada.
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Ya I would agree with that here in Canada. Pretty consistent on the high prices in the US though. I wasn't sure why they were so high down there, hence the thread and question. From the feedback seems like just supply and demand, a lot of people with more money than brains :)

I'm so used to things being the other way around, paying more here then seeing how much cheaper things are there. galamb made a good point on that new vs used with the population.

horseman2 said:
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523279&highlight=Browning+A-Bolt

Took a quick trip over to Rimfire Central and found the above on the first page.
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Thanks for that!! lots of good info there. Hope I got one of the good ones... I'm going to try it out at the range tomorrow with a few different types of ammo so I'll soon see.
 
I have been wanting one for years even though I am a lefty. That and the Browning model 52 Sporter repo. You paid in my mind a good fair price. Lol, every time I see a nice one the funds are short.
Accuracy history is that they are spotty, some shoot lights out and some shoot poorly.

I do have a lefty T-Bolt new production to tide me by.
 
Well didn't get around to picking up some CCI's but here is the results I had with some cheapo stuff already sitting around. This was the first time out shooting her and I was really surprised how light the trigger was. Also I used the scope that was on it from the previous owner, really didn't like it. I found it really touchy on the eye relief. Anyway here are the 4 groups I shot with 4 different ammo's. I will put a different scope on it and get some more variety on the ammo and see what comes of that.

Edit.
Just noticed my writing doesn't show up that well in the pic so here is what I used in order that the show in the pic

Remington YellowJacket 33gr HP - Remington 22 Subsonic 38gr HP - Winchester 555 36gr HP - Winchester Dynapoint 40gr HP
 
planemaker said:
Accuracy history is that they are spotty, some shoot lights out and some shoot poorly.
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Well... it depends...
- What are your shooting skills
- What are your expectations
- How much do you want to $$ on ammo...

If I do my part, using CCI SV and a different scope, my A-Bolt will usually shoot within a $1 @ 50 yards. Personally, I seldom shoot of a bench and prefer to plink off-hand.

Abolt-22.jpg~original


Canuck07, I think you did pretty good on that buy!

A Ruger 77/22 would have set you back $1,000
 
sillymike said:
Well... it depends...
- What are your shooting skills
- What are your expectations
- How much do you want to $$ on ammo...

If I do my part, using CCI SV and a different scope, my A-Bolt will usually shoot within a $1 @ 50 yards. Personally, I seldom shoot of a bench and prefer to plink off-hand.

Abolt-22.jpg~original


Canuck07, I think you did pretty good on that buy!

A Ruger 77/22 would have set you back $1,000
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I personally have three Browning rifles, a Micro A Bolt in 22 Hornet, a JMBR Hawken copy and an 1885 BPCR. And all of them are tack drivers when the trigger actuator is up to it.

Agreed, the OP made out very well here indeed.
 
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