Rise & Fall of American SxS's

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Pete Lester

I suspect it's a combination of factors but my guess is this particular Cabelas and probably many of them in the country have a hard time finding staff who can properly identify, evaluate and fairly appraise antique side by sides and they are not taking them in like they once did. This would lead to missed opportunities, overpaying then overpricing a gun, taking in guns with defects but not pricing them accordingly leading to a smaller stagnant inventory.

I've been to the Cabelas in Richmond, VA and am just amazed at the prices. The other night there were two 12 gauge Trojans that looked as if they had been run over by a truck. One was missing a floor plate screw that had been drilled out. Stocks could not be saved with a refinish. The prices were $1695. I asked where did these prices come from and I was told it was based upon what they paid. Poor suckers. I looked at an A5 Light 12 in similar condition. $999. The Parkers were $300 guns at most and the A5 was the same value and that is stretching it. They never check chokes to know if the barrels are cut or not, just set a price. They had a 20 Trojan one time and told me it was Mod. and Full. It was cyl/cyl with two inches whacked off. You don't want to ask the price. With prices like this, you can see why none of the new generation will ever buy a vintage double.

[Ed Blake]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

I've been to the Cabelas in Richmond, VA and am just amazed at the prices. The other night there were two 12 gauge Trojans that looked as if they had been run over by a truck. One was missing a floor plate screw that had been drilled out. Stocks could not be saved with a refinish. The prices were $1695. I asked where did these prices come from and I was told it was based upon what they paid. Poor suckers. I looked at an A5 Light 12 in similar condition. $999. The Parkers were $300 guns at most and the A5 was the same value and that is stretching it. They never check chokes to know if the barrels are cut or not, just set a price. They had a 20 Trojan one time and told me it was Mod. and Full. It was cyl/cyl with two inches whacked off. You don't want to ask the price. With prices like this, you can see why none of the new generation will ever buy a vintage double.

The Richmond Cabelas is staffed with people who know little or nothing about much of anything. Remington had a special on Gun Club shotshells. Staff there had no idea what Gun Club ammo was. Sad. Most of the stuff in their gun library is a POS. The demise of the SxS is understandable.