US vs CDN gun pricing

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sailor723

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I'm always interested in how prices compare between the two countries. From what I've observed (after allowing for exchange rates) it seems to me that modern, mainstream current production guns are generally less in the US while higher end "collectible" or vintage guns are a relative bargain in Canada. Would you agree?

I guy I know who was quite a serious Colt and S&W revolver collector once told be he takes US values, converts to CAD and then subtracts 25%.

The exception might be Canadian specific guns like Long Branch Enfields or Inglis BHP's
 
There is more than just the exchange that bumps the price in Canada on new production guns.

There is also the export permits from the US plus the higher cost of more restrictive, more costly shipping methods in Canada once they cross the border.
 
galamb said:
There is more than just the exchange that bumps the price in Canada on new production guns.

There is also the export permits from the US plus the higher cost of more restrictive, more costly shipping methods in Canada once they cross the border.
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Yes, I was referring to prices in Canada vs the US after taking exchange into account.

That makes sense that retail guns are more here....most products are more expensive in Canada than the US. However, I think it's also true that higher end collectible products are less in demand and probably cheaper here in Canada. I know that several times when I have posted about buying vintage S&W revolvers here on the EE people on the US S&W forum have commented on what a great deal I got.
 
Not to mention some guns, especially milsurp, command different premiums in the different gun markets. So it's not just a case of convert US to CAD and add import fees. However for new guns I'd say that's generally accurate.
 
Was just there. Found that once corrected for exchange, prices were not far off. S&W M&P15 was $549us, a 1911 I am interested in was $1100us and is ~$1400cad(if you can find stock). Saw one smle with all wood, looked original to me(but they're not something I know a ton about) for $450us. Parts were not much better with exceptions of ar parts-lowers $50, complete cerroforge uppers $75, and barrels at $75-$125. We are ripped off on mags, 10 rd ar mags are $7-9. Compact and small carry guns are cheap there, but nothing to compare to here. Yugo sks's- racks full of them at $499 usd. They can keep them for that. Biggest thing is the mind boggling selection and choices they have.
 
galamb said:
There is more than just the exchange that bumps the price in Canada on new production guns.

There is also the export permits from the US plus the higher cost of more restrictive, more costly shipping methods in Canada once they cross the border.
Click to expand...

Dont forget the NR tax :p
 
i got a Springfield Armory MC Operator last year from i run guns paid 1000 usd pluse 10 wilson combat mags was 1600 or so cad at my door probably saved 400$ over canadian prices if not more alot of guns in canadian store rip you off big time
 
personaguru said:
i got a Springfield Armory MC Operator last year from i run guns paid 1000 usd pluse 10 wilson combat mags was 1600 or so cad at my door probably saved 400$ over canadian prices if not more alot of guns in canadian store rip you off big time
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I don't think it's a "rip off"....higher prices here are just one of the realities of a small market.
 
The price differential doesn't just apply to guns - take for example anything at all that Honda makes (from SUV's to lawn mowers) it's cheaper to by it in the US than it is in Canada. Particularly frustrating when you live in the Lower Mainland, where shipping distances are practically identical to the US stores just across the border.
 
sailor723 said:
I don't think it's a "rip off"....higher prices here are just one of the realities of a small market.
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While I agree that some Canadian dealers will gouge buyers if they get a chance it seems to me that with increased competition this seems to happen less frequently and there have been some phenomenal deals in the past few months (e.g. S&W 686 for $749, S&W M&P for $468 and some Glock deals that are better than when the dollar was near par).

However, one problem that is not completely the fault of Canadian dealers is that some US manufacturers want to strike 'exclusive' deals with a single vendor. This means if you want to purchase gun "X" in Canada you have no choice but to go to that single dealer and that is a recipe for seeing the price jacked up compared to the U.S. where exclusives are not that common save perhaps for a limited few specialty guns.
 
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Let's see what could we be leaving out? Higher cost of doing business brought on by more and higher taxes. On a US made gun - handling fees to Customs, payroll taxes, higher business taxes, higher rents, higher property taxes, lack of appreciable write offs for business, carbon tax, municipal fees and taxes, provincial taxes, higher worker salaries, increased overhead (electrical, water and sewer charges) higher cost of insurance. All of this relative to Washington State, there's more disparity the further south you go. You cannot simply say "it's a ripoff" no one is getting rich in Canada's gun business - too many are barely able to stay in business.
 
The price differential seems to vary quite a bit - by time of year, by region, by type of retailer. One of my co-worker's sons works full time in a small/mid-size independent gun shop in Wisconsin. I've had the talk with him, once when I visited while he was working I mentioned to him that the pricing there was either the same, slightly less, or slightly more on an apples-to-apples basis as what I've paid. For example, a Tikka T3 in 22-250 which I'd just purchased. I had paid $899 Canadian (+ tax), the Wisconsin shop was $719 (plus tax, although slightly lower %). To buy that amount of U.S. dollar, for me, would have cost me X1.33 to get the equivalent in Cdn at the time, so the U.S. store price in Canadian currency would have been around $950.

My co-worker's son explained that in the U.S. there is a Federal Excise Tax levied on, and buried into, all firearms and ammunition, that is not assessed against exported items. I don't know how much the FET would have been percentage-wise or the actual dollar amount, but I was told it was "significant", with a hint that his Tikka on the rack would have been $75 to $100 less without it.

Even given the above, it seems the importers/distributors are piling on the markups, but I highly doubt it originates within the dealer, at least most of them don't gouge, they're in business to move product out the door with a fair profit; overpricing hurts sales. From my experience, what Canadians really get screwed on is ammo at retail, and anything archery, such as crossbows.

O.N.G.
 
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