The cost of things .....

J

jimbob86

Moderator
..... 20 years ago, in 1994......

In another thread, someone mentioned the price of powder .....

.... and I got to thinking about what things cost back then .....

.... and compared to now.

It's been said that reveolvers are very expensive. A Ruger GP100 has an MSRP today of $699.00 (I realize that they can be had for less, but I want an apples to apples comparison, so let's stick to "MSRP" ...... what did a standard blued GP100 have for an MSRP in 1994?

I ask because I was looking at buying a LNIB one just a couple years after that for about 1/2 that .... what was the MSRP then?

The cost of most things have at least doubled in the last 2 decades- I doubt the cost of the GP100 has, has it?
 
The cost of most things have at least doubled in the last 2 decades-
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Not exactly. The PRICE of things has at least doubled.....

The only way you should figure the cost of things is by your labor. How many hours do you have to work to earn the price of what you want to buy?

The price of an item for someone earning $25,000 a year is the same for the guy earning $250,000 but the cost is hugely different.
 
Well, the the Price of things, then .....


....the question still stands:

What was the MSRP of a standard, 6" blued GP100 in 1994?
 
Looking around, I don't have anything from the 90s handy, sorry.

I can tell you that in 1972 a Security Six (adj sights) was $97.50

Which, helps you not at all...but its the closest I can come at the moment.
:o
 
The only one I know for sure is the general price for a Smith and Wesson model 29 in the mid 70's was less then $300

Gary
 
So what do they cost now, Gary?

Gas in 1972 was $.36/Gal......
(though I remember it going for $.39 during gas wars in the mid-70's)

it's $3.13/Gal now ....
 
The MSRP of the S&W M29 as listed in the Gun Digest in 1972 was $181.00
Gun Digest 1978 lists the same gun as $268.00

A friend of mine paid $450 for one at that time, so he could get it, and not wait two+ years.

Price is what the market will bear, it seems...
 
So what do they cost now, Gary?

Gas in 1972 was $.36/Gal......
(though I remember it going for $.39 during gas wars in the mid-70's)

it's $3.13/Gal now ....
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At the Smith & Wesson website the Classic Model 29 with a 4 inch barrel is $999.00 -- 6 and 1/2 inch $1,169.00 MSRP on both

Gary
 
I bought a new Chiefs Special in 1954 for $63; that was a lot of money at that time. A Colt Cobra was $5.50 more. The Ruger Automatic Pistol (later the Standard Model) was $37.50, the new Single Six was $57.50. Gas was $.19 a gallon for regular. My first regular job after I got out of the Army was in 1957 as a civilian at the Pentagon; my yearly salary was $3450.

I would say that the dollar today buys about what a dime bought then or a 10::1 ratio.

Why? Remember all that national debt? Remember how the government prints money with no backing at all to keep things going? There is a connection.

Jim
 
Howdy

I paid $125 for a brand new S&W Model 17 in 1975 and $135 for a Model 19. The same year I paid $150 for a Ruger Blackhawk convertible with 45 Colt and 45 ACP cylinders.
 
I bought a new Chiefs Special in 1954 for $63; that was a lot of money at that time. A Colt Cobra was $5.50 more. The Ruger Automatic Pistol (later the Standard Model) was $37.50, the new Single Six was $57.50. Gas was $.19 a gallon for regular. My first regular job after I got out of the Army was in 1957 as a civilian at the Pentagon; my yearly salary was $3450.

I would say that the dollar today buys about what a dime bought then or a 10::1 ratio.
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I think your 10 to 1 estimate is low: You can't get new revolvers for under 600 bucks, I have not seen any Ruger .22's for $375 (though the MSRP for the "standard" model on theri website is $389, never seen any in the wild for that ..... I bought my poly-framed 22/45 MK III for almost that, a decade ago), and no civilian is working full time at the the Pentagon for less than 35 thousand a year .....
Why? Remember all that national debt? Remember how the government prints money with no backing at all to keep things going? There is a connection.
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I agree ...... what brought this to my attention was the acceleration in the last few years ...... it's like the 1970's all over again......
 
You can't get new revolvers for under 600 bucks,
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Sure you can. The new S&W alloy framed revolvers go for $400 or less new. Of course, I'm not saying their quality is the same as what you got for the 1954 equivalent price.
 
Sure you can. The new S&W alloy framed revolvers go for $400 or less new. Of course, I'm not saying their quality is the same as what you got for the 1954 equivalent price.
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I have not seen any "S&W alloy framed revolvers" for $400 ..... somebody dumping what they can't sell? The MSRP for those things (with no frills- plain fixed front sight, plastic grips, in .38 special) - if they are giving these things away like that, I see them being discontinued ....

.... and one would think that with advances in materials technology and decades to improve and streamline processes, the quality of the product would go up and the price would go down* .... in many finished products, the exact opposite has been the case, it seems.


* I do see some of this in the centerfire bolt action rifles: many new entry level bolt guns todday shoot better out of the box, for less equivalent money than those of years ago ....
 
Back in 1980 or 81 I bought a M1 Garand from the then DCM, for $112.70 delivered to my door in Anchorage AK.

Now they are $695 from the CMP. The DCM Garands were no choice, once in a life time deal. Now I think the CMP has a 12 per year limit.

Anyway I can afford to pay todays prices now, better then I could pay 1980 prices back them.

When I got out of the Army, gas was $.29 9/10s. Now its hovering around $3. Again I can afford $3 gas now better then I could the $.29 gas back then.

Its all relative. No way I could have afford to buy the gun related stuff back in the 70s-80s that I buy now.

My last year in the army it would have taken a months pay to buy a New Model 70 Winchester. I can buy a few more then one with a months pay today.

Anyway in 2034 people are going to have this same discussion talking about how cheap things were back in 2014.
 
Anyway in 2034 people are going to have this same discussion talking about how cheap things were back in 2014.
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I hope so ..... I prefer it to some of the conversations that are possible 20 years from now: "Remember when we could own an AR-15?" ..... "remember when you could mention "tannerite" without a visit from DHS?" "Remember when you could go to a real Doctor if you were sick?"
 
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