[fuzzsquid]

Like all of you I have been watching parts kits disappear from the market. IMA was the last place I have seen Vickers and maxim kits for sale. I have searched the web and I cant't come up with a Vickers kit for sale. A buddy of mine is selling his Vickers kit and asked if 2500.00 is a good starting point. My first thought was that price seemed high but after not being able to compare it to anything on the market I think that its not that high now. What do you guys think?

 

[redroth]

Assuming it is just a parts kit in good condition, I think $2,000 would be more than fair and if he was your buddy I would say $1,800. IMHO.

 

[OldSoldier]

I was just on the IMA site and found no Vickers parts kits. If they are truly out, this put Vickers parts kits into new territory. $2500 seems high to me but I bought my first kit when they were $350.

 

[bmg17a1]

Value also depends on what vintage and source are the kits. Brit WWI vintage fluted jacket kits will bring a premium to any of the later smooth jacket guns everything being equal. Brit are more in demand than Aussie and Turk kits are in their own niche.
Inclusion of semi plate and accessories, of course, raises the stakes......

 

[CaptMax]

I was just on the IMA site and found no Vickers parts kits. If they are truly out, this put Vickers parts kits into new territory. $2500 seems high to me but I bought my first kit when they were $350.

Remember what happened to 1919A4 kits when they dried up? The price practically tripled. Same with anytime someone gets an approval letter on a kit, they just go up in price. You fail to mention whether this is a smooth jacket kit of a ribbed jacket your friend has, it does make a difference. I say buy them when you can and when they are nice, they never go down in price. As someone once told me: "You didn't pay too much, you just bought it too soon." :rofl:
CaptMax

 

[Belty]

Last time IMA had them on their site, they were around $1600 ish

 

[OldSoldier]

I've been anticipating IMA running out of Vickers parts kits for sometime. The tripods were exhausted first and the price doubled. The parts kits would have been gone a long time ago if there was a ready supply of conversion parts and the conversions were not as difficult as they are to do correctly.

Remember what happened to 1919A4 kits when they dried up? The price practically tripled. Same with anytime someone gets an approval letter on a kit, they just go up in price. You fail to mention whether this is a smooth jacket kit of a ribbed jacket your friend has, it does make a difference. I say buy them when you can and when they are nice, they never go down in price. As someone once told me: "You didn't pay too much, you just bought it too soon." :rofl:
CaptMax

 

[fuzzsquid]

Thank you for the responses gentlemen. The kit is said to be a late war kit that did not see action and it is a smooth jacket, green in color. Thanks again.

 

[redroth]

Thank you for the responses gentlemen. The kit is said to be a late war kit that did not see action and it is a smooth jacket, green in color. Thanks again.

When I commented above about what I think the going price is now, I was referring to a smooth jacket Aussie kit that IMA was primarily selling and it sounds like that is what your friend has.

Original British and of course fluted jacket kits are more expensive. They are an expensive/difficult kit to build, while the kits may have dried up temporarily, I believe there are plenty out there still.

 

[OldSoldier]

Thank you for the responses gentlemen. The kit is said to be a late war kit that did not see action and it is a smooth jacket, green in color. Thanks again.

The fluted jacket kits are considered more desirable but I personally believe the quality of the Australian Lithgow kits is generally better in quality than the WWI and WWII British kits. Having said this, they both can be build into a nice gun.

 

[Kirby]

I paid $1800 for an Australian kit a couple of months ago on GunBroker. No intention of building it, just wanted a complete set of parts as spares for my Vickers.

 

[fuzzsquid]

I paid $1800 for an Australian kit a couple of months ago on GunBroker. No intention of building it, just wanted a complete set of parts as spares for my Vickers.

I assume your kit was in good shape for 1800.00? I wish there was more time to get one or ten of every kit......

 

[wangchung]

I got mine from ima ! The kit was $1,095.00 & the tripod was $995.00 plus shipping! That was in 2003 or 2004! And yes mine is a shootable gun with 250 round belts & 7.62 x 54r conversion! Brian!

 

[ActionYobbo]

I paid $1800 for an Australian kit a couple of months ago on GunBroker. No intention of building it, just wanted a complete set of parts as spares for my Vickers.

I got my kit from the same place but it only cost me $450
complete Aussie kit on auction and I got it at the starting price

 

[CaptMax]

I got my kit from the same place but it only cost me $450
complete Aussie kit on auction and I got it at the starting price

WOW, you were lucky that day!
CaptMax

 

[OldSoldier]

Does anyone know how many Vickers kits were imported into the US from Australia, Britain, and Turkey?

I need to dig around for the receipt but in the 2001 time frame I recall getting an Aussie kit from IMA for around $350 and a tripod for about the same amount. There was a price increase shortly after that and the kits went to about $400. As I mentioned before, it's a surprise the supply lasted so long.

Just for giggles, here are the Vickers production numbers. While the fluted jacketed guns command more money than the smooth jackets, about three time the number of fluted jackets guns were produced.

Nation ​	WWI​ ​	WWII​ ​	Total​ ​
British ​	75,242​	11,828​	87,070​
Australia​	​	12,344​	12,344​
United States ​	19,839​ ​	​	19,839​ ​
Japan​	​	Unknown​	Unknown​
Portugal ​	​ ​	Unknown​	Unknown​ ​
Total​	95,081​	24,172​	119,253​
​	​	​	​
Corrugated Jackets ​	​ ~94,253​	​	​
Smooth Jackets ​	~25,000​