Thread: Price of firearms then and now?

Bought my first rifle, a new Gevarm A7 on Decimal Changeover day for $50. Next came a .303 in '68, but I don't recall the price. Followed by a BRNO ZKK601 .243 in '69 for $179, Pecar scope for it was dearer than the rifle itself and had to ordered from Germany to get the maltese cross reticle that I wanted. Then around mid 70's bought a BRNO 8x57 still wraped in paper and full of grease for $49.

I still have them all except the .303

I didn't buy anything new until about 1990 . Paid around $500 for a S/H Tikka .222 with a Weaver scope.
My brother had a New Australia Mountaineer model .222 and probably paid over $700 in 88/89 from a local sports store. A new Howa now can be found as low as $600 from a larger retailers but with a synthetic stock.

yeah the transport thing is a bit of a no-no now.
Back in the day people with firearms were viewed as either in employment like a culler of doing a wholesome leisure activity like hunting.
No one was scared of something happening like now.
Back on subject, got my 243 winchester lightweight back in 1990 for either 899 or 999 dollars (with redfield rings and bases) from Pegleys in Hokitika, It was the going rate for them whichever one it was.
Traded in my Remington 742 Woodsmaster 243 for the Loopy M8 4x. something like 350 or 400 nicker for that
A guy I grew up with (not a mate really) got the featherweight 270 for the same price. Would've preferred the featherweight. Heaps nicer stock

For me my first centerfire was brand new Sako Finnbear 270 purchased from Tuckers Sports in Ashburton. Cost was $800 or 8 weeks wages for me.
Was the worst gun, Stock design was horrible and booted me into next week and it was heavy.
Replaced it with a Rem 700 mountain rifle in 1990 in 25/06 which was much better.

1969/70 I was the senior firearms salesman at Tisdalls in Ch-Ch and we were selling unissued Long Branch No4 .303's for $29.95, and I purchased a very tidy SMLE No1 Mk1 from Cromb & Merrits (over the road) for $7.50. I still have the Tisdalls catalogue I wrote at the time and could post some pages here if anyone is interested.

1975 I bought my Rem 700 BDL in .222 when I started with Forest Service for $220 still have it wont part with it

Originally Posted by gundoc

1969/70 I was the senior firearms salesman at Tisdalls in Ch-Ch and we were selling unissued Long Branch No4 .303's for $29.95, and I purchased a very tidy SMLE No1 Mk1 from Cromb & Merrits (over the road) for $7.50. I still have the Tisdalls catalogue I wrote at the time and could post some pages here if anyone is interested.

@gundoc Yes please. Another member posted old Tisdall catalogue pages some time back and they were of great interest.

Pretty sure I remember in 1965, Harmony House, top of Queen St in Akl were selling "sporterized" 303's for 25 quid (pounds, for those unborn back then). My father picked up my Cooey single-shot .22 for a .fiver, for me. I was a farmhand then after bailing from school, so obviously I needed a gun. The values and principles of those times, sadly, are long gone

Originally Posted by keneff

I was a farmhand then after bailing from school, so obviously I needed a gun.

1965



1970

Interesting the big difference in the prices for 308s.
BSA and parker hale always seemed to have at times quite a large difference for 308s. 243, 270 and 3006 would be dearer

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Interesting the big difference in the prices for 308s.
BSA and parker hale always seemed to have at times quite a large difference for 308s. 243, 270 and 3006 would be dearer

308s and 222s always cheaper than other calibers for some reason.
In Picton at the moment, 2nd hand bookshop has mid ‘70’s Outdoor Magazines, ( mostly in black& white!) and I spotted an ad in a ‘74 edition: Holland & Holland double in 303 British…$3,000!

Bought a new Tikka M55 .308 in 1979 for $350. That got pinched, so in 1982 bought a new Sako A ll .308 from Tisdalls in CHCH for $960. Remember that well as it was a heap of money to me then. Still have it.

When I left school in Invercargill in 1966, 303 ammo could be bought at a second hand shop for 2/6 a hundred,in a round container (25c). I remember thinking that I should buy lots but had reason or gun to do so. Referring to stories of transporting guns,a year back an old pistol shooting mate,when we were discussing the days of travelling to Trentham for UIT championships, told me of boarding the ferry at Chch wearing an ex army greatcoat with a 357magnum revolver in one pocket and a S&W .22 semi auto in the other. Went into his cabin and climbed into bed still wearing the coat. Another guy in the cabin asked if he was going to take off his coat for the night. "Nope" Can't do that no more--no ferry.

After buying my first rifle, a new Voere .22LR for $44, the day I turned 16 in 1968, I carried it up to the local police station to have it registered, after previously being there earlier to get the permit to secure, and then walked up the main street of Tokoroa and home, about 5 kms, with the rifle over my shoulder with it's new sling and the magazine and bolt in it and a free packet of CAC .22LR ammo in my pocket. Nobody blinked an eye and several people made friendly comments. Nowadays, if you carried a rifle as far the letterbox in town some nosy neighbour would more than likely phone the police saying, "help, I've just seen someone with a gun" and we all know what would happen then.