Unless you are looking at a custom rifle built for, and used by, say, Jack O'Connor, the seller is never likely to recover the initial build price of the rifle.
If you look at the prices commanded by some of the top rifle makers today, you are in the tens of thousands in some instances. For that kind of dough, a customer wants something built specifically for him, and is not likely to spend those kind of bucks to buy something built for someone else.
IMO, unless you are buying at dirt-cheap prices, it's not an investment. Consider it as buying art, doing so because you really like it.
Well said - and spot on..
The OP's statement about $2K being a bit high was interesting.. My wife's cousin, before he retired, was building rifles that brought $25K. I saw one of 'em back in about '99 and was completely awed by the craftsmanship and time dedicated to end up with that magnificent rifle.. That stock alone had to run at least $10K alone. NO WAY would I ever actually HUNT with something that nice.., much less take it to Africa (it was a .416 Rigby).
