Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
bilt460, I think we're talking about two different things. Manufacturing cost vs. retail price. In my experience, they're not always coupled. In yours, they may be. We can agree to disagree on that.
I agree to a point, depending on the gun. But here is what you must understand. With most "common guns" like Ruger, there is MSRP, and then there is the, "street price". There is usually a sizeable difference. Like you and others have pointed out with the Ruger LCP. However that difference quickly disappears with higher end, quality weapons. Mostly because a large amount of the profit is taken up in the lengthy and expensive manufacturing process. They are required to sell them at almost full retail price in order to realize ANY profit on them. For example, look at the Marlin Model 60 compared to their flagship .22, the Marlin Golden 39-A. The Model 60, (which is a nice .22 that I personally own 3 of), can most always be found discounted, or on sale at most any big box store, at any time, in most any configuration. The Model 39-A is difficult to find, and when you do, you will almost always pay full retail.
I purchased a new Marlin Golden 39-A back in 2000. I called almost every gun shop in the Phoenix area before I found one. I bought it for full retail price. Which at the time was $405.00. An amount I thought was insane at the time. Today you are lucky to find a new one for less than $650.00. A price that is matched by other flagship .22's from the other manufacturers. Such as the Remington 572 Fieldmaster pump, or the Browning BL-22 lever action. It's much the same with high end .22 target pistols like the Smith & Wesson Model 41, or the Beretta Model 87 Target. Both sell for a street price that is almost always full retail of over $1K. In comparison Ruger Mark III .22 target pistols can be had at a street price well under MSRP.
When a gun starts selling for full retail, and are seldom, if ever discounted, that's a good indication they are about to go out of production. Because they can't charge enough, or sell enough to make it a profitable venture. There have been many fine guns over the years that fit into this category. The Winchester Model 88, the original all steel and Walnut Browning Auto-V shotgun, the pre 64 Winchester Model 70, and the list goes on. All have been replaced by guns that are more profitable, because of far cheaper production costs. Sadly, most of these guns fit into todays marketing philosophy of, "Build em' cheap, and stack em' deep."
