Since I stated the thread, I’ll address this. In some cases, as with cars, inflation indeed makes prices pretty close to original prices, and that’s why I think people keeping low mikage on collectible cars is a waste. Some guns do hover right around inflation adjusted prices. I paid $400 for a new Steyr GB in 1985 and the prices I see on line are only slightly higher than the inflation adjusted price I paid. The S/W 696 is quite a bit above the inflation adjusted price, and of course the full auto prices are way above. The guns I mentioned were, to me, guns that I figured would still be in production when I got around to buying one, or that there would be an equivalent available. In the case of the 696, try finding a new 44 special revolver that isn’t a Charter Arms. I ended up buying a Night Guard in 44 special, which I like, but it went out of production after a couple of years. Maybe I just yearn for stuff that’s not popular enough.
This....
In many cases, that's a legit question. I did exactly that with my P7. I didn't realize how great that gun was until the prices were going up, up, up. Still, I knew I'd always want one so I bought, anyway. I'm glad I did, too, even though the magazines cost more than the pistol.
I hear ya and wholeheartedly agree.
I always envisioned my 296 handloaded with "manstoppers" (cup-nosed wadcutters, basically) of moderate weight (say, 200 grains) moving at moderate speeds (say, ~900 fps). That's plenty of oomph for defensive use but not so much that I'd dread practicing.
