Is it Possible to Pay Too Much?
August24
Some guy posted at the Gun Blogs site that he’s looking for data on the cost of guns in other countries. His goal is to “see which countries are paying too much and who is getting guns cheap.” I see multiple problems with this.
- A) The laws aren’t consistent. If only members of the military and law enforcement can purchase firearms, it’s hardly an open market.
- B) Culturally, it’s not a big thing in most other countries and that will also influence the market.
- C) There is no such thing as “paying too much,” and important premise in his attempt to study prices.
Do I need to work with some of my colleagues to do economics lessons in gun terms? It might make a nice winter socializing activity when it’s cold and indoor range is busy with one. He’s also an economics instructor at a college, so he might have some good ideas.
No obviously related posts.
Yes its possible to pay too much for a gun.
If you could get 2 equal quality gunes for the price you paid for one, then you paid too much.
Now if you could get 2 equal quality guns AND some sexy boots, you paid WAY too much
[...] Update: bitter has more. [...]
Regarding paying too much…
I’m shopping for a small concealed carry and I’ve been bouncing the idea off of friends and family. *Most* of them have said something like; “Well, ‘x’ is great, but it can cost $1,000 – that’s too much.” My reply is; “No it isn’t. If I need it, a few hundred bucks is nothing compared to the cost of not carrying it ’cause it is too bulky.”
The question isn’t the value of guns or what price is too high between willing participants in a transaction, but rather, what effect does artificial barriers have on price and the economics of trade.
It doesn’t matter that the laws are different in various countries. If profit can be made selling a gun for $100 in one venue and that is the cheapest price, that gun is worth $100 dollars. Every unit of price above that is the cost of governmental suppression of free economic activity.
This ain’t rocket surgery.
Gun Economics 101: Why we all pay to much…
Bitter, on this blog entry, had this to say about my attempt to find out who pays too much for firearms:
A) The laws aren’t consistent. If only members of the military and law enforcement can purchase firearms, it’s hardly an open market.
…
Hi Bitter,
Thanks for the comments, I posted a reply on my blog explaining why I think everyone (in western countries) pays too much for guns, yet not for shoes:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2007/08/25/gun-economics-101-why-we-all-pay-to-much/