Bring Me Up To Speed, Please

[Sottyman]

Hello everyone!

New to the forum, but started playing back in 2000/2001. I ran .45 VSC Phantoms almost exclusively for most of my time, but basically got out of things about 10 years ago and sold my gear a few years after. I've done a little research and it seems since I hung it up Mike at CCI retired and the rights are now part of Extreme Velocity out in Oregon. I seem to recall these guns being WAY cheaper than they are now. It is just because EV has been really slow getting production going, which has caused a supply shortage and/or something else? Just curious to know what (else) I've missed in the past 5-10 years!

Thanks,
Mike

[Cyberpyr8]

No, it's more that pump, mech and magfed have taken off. Phantoms were cheap a few years ago and now they are up again. Emeks are great mechanical guns but you also have the CVO and M170R that are all great options too. What's old is new again. You picked a good time to get back in with playing pump.

[Sottyman]

Makes sense! I I remember the Shocktech guys bringing back the SFL in 09 (about the time I stopped playing), and it looks like they REALLY cranked it up a notch and are making several models with a plethora of colors options. If they deemed it worthwhile to make those guns again, obviously I guess there's enough market support. Just checking ebay, basic 'cockers that would have been $100-125 seem to be $350-400 now, and that's the floor. Seeing plenty $1,500-1,800! Never thought I'd see a basic, solid color .45 VSC with t-stock cost $550 (as per the builder on phantom online). To your point, that REALLY makes other options worth considering. For crying out loud I bought a carter buzzard new for about that back in the day!

[Meleager7]

Next obvious question, which gun will you buy first?!

[Sottyman]

Looking for another phantom, but might have to snag something else up while that search goes on

[Axel]

There was a crunch due to CCI shutting down, and EV took awhile to get moving. Now they have guns again, last I heard, so used prices are coming back down. Yes, EV is a little more pricey but it's hard to blame them. Legend has it CCI never raised prices during their run so who can possibly match that

[Sottyman]

You're right, now that I think about it. I don't remember a single notable price increase for the 10ish years I was active, and even that was about 10 years ago! But man, it's just sticker shock to pay $550 for a standard phantom. I could get a full Emek setup for that or almost a full Etha 2 setup. Patience might have to be a virtue for me for now, and hopefully a reasonable phantom pops up somewhere! Looks like you can get 10rd tubes and those ronin gear suspender harnesses easily enough still, so at least I got that going for me

[BenoitOWN]

https://www.mcarterbrown.com/forum/buy-sell-trade/pump-guns/99229-green-and-black-acid-wash-phantom-vsc

[Chuck E Ducky]

That’s a great deal! If you are looking for an VSC I would snag that quick.

[Sottyman]

I saw that one, but I'm picky. I'd highly prefer one with a matching t stock

[BigRed]

I saw that one, but I'm picky. I'd highly prefer one with a matching t stock

Matching stocks are hard to come by. Keep watching the BST here, you'll find a Phantom you'll want. The problem will be getting before someone else on here!

[Sottyman]

I snagged an SL68 II here recently and will use that until the right phantom shows up

[War009]

Sottyman reach out to Handy formerly Saucey he might have something for you.

[Sottyman]

Thanks, War009! I'll shoot him a message now!

[SignOfZeta]

I recently ordered something from EV that had a CCI era price tag still. Prices have literally doubled on individual parts, I can confirm personally. A %100 increase is...a lot.

They sold a few extremely niche guns for $500-700, whatever it was. Strange configurations...just...weird, and covered in ano that looked like an experiment that went wrong. Recently someone started an account here to try to dump one of them for what they paid, maybe more...seemed odd.

Individual guns have been available...(I think?) with their new build to order form which is fun to play with but also quite expensive. Complete guns don’t seem to be as price boosted as parts.

FWIW I purchased two new VSC Phantoms (with aluminum .45 handles, and rubber Hogue grips) just before the handover in 2019 for $325 (black Micro) and $350 (silver, clamping vert feed). The price is very up since then. At least $100, maybe $200, I’d have to actually configure my exact gun to see the difference but it’s like %60-75 up maybe? That’s a guess.

I wanted to be supportive of the new owners but...my word. The Phantom is no longer an entry level gun for beginners. It’s a hardcore maniacs dream gun now, I guess. If anyone is actually buying the things at all. I hope they do well but I’m not so optimistic...

EDIT: to buy a black version of the gun I paid $350 for in 2019 is currently $419. That’s not too bad honestly. To get it all silver like mine is $443 so roughly $100 or %25 which is a lot better than parts pricing. Which is the way it should be, I guess.

[Sottyman]

That was my mental struggle. I did the little configurator on the EV website, and a basic black .45 VSC with t stock was $550...I didn't pay much more than that for a carter buzzard back in the day for crying out loud. I'm with you, I hope they do well but but nothing has changed enough in my mind to justify that much of a price hike. I know there's always a material increase from time to time, but it's not like they reengineered the thing and have new tooling costs to go with it. I could very easily be wrong but man it's sticker shock....

[SignOfZeta]

Not only do they they not have new costs in many cases they are using parts they bought already made at the old prices. They probably paid $2 for the $5 sight rail I bought from them for $10.

I do know that they had to make a new batch of trigger frames and that was for sure a large investment. That can’t be discounted.

If Buzzards were still made I’m pretty sure the prices would be comparable...but since they aren’t being made...poof, Phantoms are now the new premium Nelson. And this is also somewhat fair since Phantoms are a bit more premium than they used to be. The basic gun, not so much, but the options are. VSC and undercocking drive the price a lot.