Heym 88B High Demand?

Hornedfrogbbq said:

When talking to Griffin and Howe about doing just this, they said to figure $6k to import a gun from the UK or SA. Still, I bet all in you are talking $35-40k...and i wouldn't absolutely believe you get the VAT refunded but then, i don't really know. But yours is a good point.

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For a new gun that is and a 89B not a old 88B. Not necessary you have go through all this, time your safari buffalo hunt accordingly spend a day in Pretoria and bring the gun back with you and pay the customs charge of 1-1.5 K. How about that?

Or better, if you are used to double, buy some Norma PH woodlies from there or Federal Aframes and go hunt with it. Its a HEYM

Hornedfrogbbq said:

How old still has the "feel" versus more modern manufacturing techniques?

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For me it is the provenance of my rifle. Completely hand made in and delivered to the original owner on 3rd October 1905. It accompanied the Hon. Gerald Legge on his 'round the world' trip that included North and South America, and Africa between 1906 and 1909. After his death during WW 1, it was retained by his family and eventually ended up back at Rigby in London where it was purchased by the man I purchased it from. I feel a connection with that history when hunting with that rifle, to the point of not hunting with my others.

SStomcat said:

For a new gun that is and a 89B not a old 88B. Not necessary you have go through all this, time your safari buffalo hunt accordingly spend a day in Pretoria and bring the gun back with you and pay the customs charge of 1-1.5 K. How about that?

Or better, if you are used to double, buy some Norma PH woodlies from there or Federal Aframes and go hunt with it. Its a HEYM

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Good luck buying it and bringing it back with you.

There’s a legal import process that requires ATF approval on certain form submissions and takes time. If you try to circumvent it with what you just described you could face potential criminal charges. Importing a gun is vastly different than say a watch or piece of art.

Mtn_Infantry said:

Good luck buying it and bringing it back with you.

There’s a legal import process that requires ATF approval on certain form submissions and takes time. If you try to circumvent it with what you just described you could face potential criminal charges. Importing a gun is vastly different than say a watch or piece of art

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Agreed, was said more in Jest.
Importing it afterwards doing due dilligence the will not take 3 years (Heyms wait period) and with all expenses minus VAT will come under 30K.

SStomcat said:

Agreed, was said more in Jest.
Importing it afterwards doing due dilligence the will not take 3 years (Heyms wait period) and with all expenses minus VAT will come under 30K.

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A quick internet search for the RSA laws regarding buying a gun appear to make it impossible for a non-resident to buy a gun there.

So here are the numbers JUST for the US side. Add in your country of origin taxes and fee's. I think the tariffs are off but...who knows anymore.

Import service fees: Please note, these do not include any fees incurred in South Africa such as export license costs and freight forwarding fees.


So figure $5k -$6k to get it to your house.

The pair of 89b I imported from Germany would be the same tariff and duty and import from SA, and I was fortunate as the price was lower for each since they were ordered in 2021 and think the buyer forfeited a bit of a deposit…I was hit with the tariff and taxes on my price, and the pair was right at $8k. So if you get a stellar deal, importing is worth it. But the prices in SA at Safari Outdoors track Heym USA pricing if you factor in the tariff and duty fees, so might as well order from Chris Sells. For a basic border scroll and nice wood you should currently figure around $35k-$37k. Custom options go up from there. This is the same for the 88b or 89b. The orices are the exact same now…which is why they sell so very few new 88b rifles. With Heym trying to keep up with 89b orders and keep quality on point, they have cut back many of their drilling models, so would make total sense that the 88b would fall into the same catagory, which just by orders have fallen way off anyway. I haven’t officially heard they were stopping them, but lions share of new orders are 89b the last few years.

I personally love both, especially in the later 88b models that have the 89b stock design with more open grip shape that doesn’t clobber my second finger. That’s just a function of my xxl hands. While I find my view of the gun more pleasing on the 89b, I sure love the look of the 88b from the side, and do appreciate the cocking indicators, even though I don’t see them as neccesary and most doubles run without as well. I can’t ever see myself ordering a new 88b over an 89b, but wouldn’t shy away from an 88b for the right price.

I do expect they will continue to increase in value to a degree, just maybe not as much as we’ve seen in the last 24mo.

Jager Waffen74 said:

I am high bidder on both..... lol I have issues...

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Best way to make your current 500NE worth more is to run up the bids on these two rifles. lol.

Best measure of fair market value is what folks are willing to pay, and admit I am already shocked at what that old 470 was bid to a couple days ago when I last checked. I bought a minty 88b 470 Brokered by Chris Sells last summer, with upgraded wood, all furniture titanium nitrided and additional engraving for $18k. And that was a gun that was 10-14 years newer than that one imported by Jeager. So they have skyrocketed in price since.

I will say, one word of caution, some of those Jeager imported guns were regulated with a very slow batch of federal ammo. I had bought one last June, agreed that Ken Owen would inspect and test fire it since there was no history or test target. Ken immediately called me and let me know that it crossed with his starting regulation loads at 20yrds, so it needed physical re-regulation with wedge and such. I passed, but he did get it sorted perfectly for the seller, promptly and for around $1,500, but Ken said it was not an uncommon issue with that period due to an ammo issue with a poor batch of powder Federal had at the time.

I have no idea what the real cause was, just what was relayed to me. I would t lean away from a Jeager era gun, but would go into one knowing I may need to have it properly regulated and expect it would need some time with JJ or Ken.

For the lovely 500NE of the OP, which I think we talked about last year, it’s a splendid looking rifle and should sell for a fair price. If you really want to know what that is, and likely garner the highest dollar for it…put it up on GB for a 14-day auction starting at a penny. It will truly tell you what the market will derive…and while I would wager it less than $40k, I expect it would get lots of attention, bids, and certainly go closer to $30k than $20k, and present demand as it is, could bring a strong premium well above…especially once folks vest themselves bidding…which who couldn’t when it starts at a penny.

Wildwillalaska said:

For the lovely 500NE of the OP, which I think we talked about last year, it’s a splendid looking rifle and should sell for a fair price. If you really want to know what that is, and likely garner the highest dollar for it…put it up on GB for a 14-day auction starting at a penny. It will truly tell you what the market will derive…and while I would wager it less than $40k, I expect it would get lots of attention, bids, and certainly go closer to $30k than $20k, and present demand as it is, could bring a strong premium well above…especially once folks vest themselves bidding…which who couldn’t when it starts at a penny.

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Well, I think for now I am going to hold onto it until I am completely certain I want to sell the gun. My gun definitely regulates perfectly, at 75yrds and at 100yrds it still is a dead buffalo, as I smacked a bore in AU at 120yrds..lol My gun is fine and it will last me a lifetime of kills and good looks. So I am just not sure I want to say goodbye to the old friend. With that said, I wouldn't sell it for 30k.. I don't need the money, and definitely not worth letting the memories fade away for that price. I shot my 1st Buff with it in the Selous.

Jager Waffen74 said:

Well, I think for now I am going to hold onto it until I am completely certain I want to sell the gun. My gun definitely regulates perfectly, at 75yrds and at 100yrds it still is a dead buffalo, as I smacked a bore in AU at 120yrds..lol My gun is fine and it will last me a lifetime of kills and good looks. So I am just not sure I want to say goodbye to the old friend. With that said, I wouldn't sell it for 30k.. I don't need the money, and definitely not worth letting the memories fade away for that price. I shot my 1st Buff with it in the Selous.

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Sounds like a no-brainer…keep it. It brings you pride, pleasure, and triggers wonderful memories…and you don’t need money…why even consider selling it? It’s not likely to lose value anytime soon.

Wildwillalaska said:

Sounds like a no-brainer…keep it. It brings you pride, pleasure, and triggers wonderful memories…and you don’t need money…why even consider selling it? It’s not likely to lose value anytime soon.

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I thought of selling and ordering a bespoke double. I always have great ideas that cost me money.

Not to sound like a fan-boy but Will and I have down business together, bought or lead the other to rifles from each other amd others, etc. He is a good friend although I have never met the man or broken bread with him yet.

Regardless, he is one of the more astute collectors of Heym double rifles (as well as every other type gun) you will find and i would trust and weight his opinion heavily.