Buyers Remorse, or, do you assess a new gun emotionally or rationally?

I'd like to say rationally but I just paid $1,200.00 for a pistol not suitable for EDC or hunting. While it does have a narrow application I am quite positive that the motivation to buy it was 80% emotional. However, I am not really remorseful. It is the best "bug out" weapon I own!

Well with me every purchase I make is extensively thought out beforehand so there is no reason for me to have any remorse. I do buy a few from friends when they need cash (for a fair price) with the option that they have a year to repay me and they can get said firearm back. Then I will either keep it or resell as want dictates as a that point they really didn't want it back anyway IMHO. Don't believe that I really ever said that what I purchased was just plain wrong. Conversely I have purchased a couple from friends that after using them I asked myself why I waited so long to do it in the first place. I even buy some just for the fun to shoot category but would not necessarily call that an emotional purchase.

Never had buyers remorse. Only sellers remorse.

Never had buyers remorse over a gun and I have not and will not buy a gun that I can't truly afford.
It does bug me when I see a better deal on a gun I already bought.

Mn Fats said:

Never had buyers remorse. Only sellers remorse.

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Same here.

Now, I've had a few that didn't operate as anticipated. (Full disclosure, I've not bought really expensive or investment grade guns) I learned a LOT about guns and their inner-workings by learning to make them work as anticipated. Got some fine shooters out of it with a new-found education that STILL cost me much less than the piece of paper that I don't even hang on a wall, and to think of it, some were even subjects of threads I posted on the 'net! No remorse though, except for that Marlin 336 with the super-grainy wood stock I sold for $175. Don't know if I'll ever buy another Marlin 336 (30-30), but I DO have a Marlin 44mag and a Navy Arms .357 levergun that serves quite well to replace it.

Thinking about it... Meh, not much remorse on selling the 30-30. Didn't shoot it much and the ones I have now match calibers with a couple of revolvers they share the safe with.

I'm pretty rational.

The only guns that I have any emotional attachment to are the ones that have been in the family for generations. When I married my wife almost 35 years ago I promised to love and keep her. I make no such promise when I buy guns. If something better comes along I have no problems dumping the old gal for the newer one.

I've bought, sold, traded and owned a bunch of guns going back to the 1970's. Probably 80% were bought used and at least 1/2 of those with the intent to try them, see if I liked them and sell it if I didn't. By going the used route I've been able to do this without losing a ton of money and I've even made a small profit a few times.

At this point I have a pretty good idea what works best for me. I've found that some guns that I thought I'd really like, I didn't. And others I did. I used to be one of the biggest Glock haters. Until I found one that I could buy used at a price low enough that I knew I'd not lose money on after I sold it. Now I have several.

I don't buy many firearms and I tend to think a lot about them and what I'll use them for before I buy. However, I have purchased a firearm and given it a thorough trial period and decided that it didn't live up to what I wanted it to be or become.

I used to have buyer's remorse every now and then after a gun purchase. What stopped it was two things: considering that most guns can be turned back into the money spent on them if one changes their mind, and making sure I only buy those types of guns I believe are most likely to retain, or increase in, their values.

I also don't buy anything that would tie up any money I couldn't be without for the time I'd expect to keep the gun.

Can’t think of many buying regrets. Until recently

Picked up a Remington RP9 not a bad gun but not accurate at all. Very top heavy. It has been very reliable though. The only reason I got it was the $100 rebate making it $180 delivered with transfer

Tirod said:

For whatever reason it's not what you expected. And you post about it. Which perspective do you use?

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I have specific hopes and expectations for most new products: computers, cars, kitchen equipment. Those expectations include ease of use, accuracy, durability, etc.

I'd be disappointed with a car that fell short of the expected fuel economy or lifetime miles or where the maintenance costs exceeded expectations. The fact that the car looks cool or is packed with features does not tend to offset burning too much gas, dying too soon, or spending too much time and expense with the car in the shop. For me, the purpose of a car is to get from point A to point B reliably with moderate and expected expenses over its lifetime.

Firearms have different purposes and expectations based on their anticipated uses. An inaccurate rifle is always a disappointment, but expectations for an AR style, pump, or lever action are different from a bolt action. One might hope to get an MOA shooter from an M&P 15 or other cheap AR, but that's more hoping to get lucky, and 2 MOA is a more likely outcome. But the thing really should feed and function reliably with a wide range of ammo.

I have buyer's remorse when I buy a factory new gun and it has some hidden issue or problem. So far, I have fixed it on my dime every time as I'm loathe to send something back I can fix myself.

My first reaction to most any problem is a negative one. That's due to my nature and since I'm a tech/repairman, everything in my life becomes a repair job. Even on my days off. Like yesterday (a day off), trying to adapt a poorly made new motor mount for my stepson's car. A 1 hour job that turned into 3.

On an internet forum, I usually withhold my negative findings until I have overcome the problem. Then I'm a bit more middle of the road in my public postings.

Hi...
Can't recall ever having buyer's remorse from buying a firearm.
I usually do my due diligence as regards research.
I have only sold a few guns in my life(due to a divorce c.1990) and regret selling each of them.
I have no intention of selling any of the 50+ firearms I currently own. All will eventually be inherited by my son.

Generally, the only buyer's remorse that I usually have is that I didn't buy it sooner.

My buyer's remorse has a half life. Shortly after I moved down south I bought three firearms on a splurge at a gun store. I had rationals, one was a double stack duty sized gun. Another was a slim single stack for a backup or deep carry gun. The other was for my girlfriend who would become my wife later. I held onto them all. Carried and fired them all. Eventually over a few years I came to the conclusion that I didn't really like any of them. So they all got sold.

My buyers remorse is a teaching experience. When I sell a firearm, I record WHY I sell it. The Ruger P94 was a thick slide and very uncomfortable to carry IWB. The AMT was a dense and heavy gun for its size. Not to mention it was very picky on ammo. These are things I research before buying. And become a more rational buyer.

I have had a few "duds" along the way but nothing I felt remorseful about. The most disappointing one was a T Series Browning Hi-Power that I lusted after for many years. When I finally found one it turned about to be one of the most frustrating guns I ever owned. The sights, trigger, safety, and overall build quality were well below par with shotgun patterning to match; but wow, did it ever look great! Didn't have any problem selling it for a decent profit to another collector.

It depends on what it is. I have a 16" Rossi .357 lever-action for the sole reason that I used to watch Chuck Connors on TV when I was a kid. I have no practical use for it, but it's fun at the range (and I guess that's good enough). Some of my revolvers were 100% man, that's cool, and some were cold-bloodedly chosen items for carry.

I usually try and think things out and have justification when I buy a gun. But I am a compulsive person. So there is a reason why I don't stop at the gun store more often. I've had buyers remorse,but it's usually short lived,and I still enjoy what I bought.

I bought a Glock 23 on a whim.
I wanted something with a higher capacity than my 1911.
Not sure why I did since I really don't like plastic guns.
Also don't need another caliber.
It's a good bedside gun so I guess I'll keep it unless my daughter wants it.

No. I've had one gun that didn't work well in my hands and as much as I wanted to adapt this was not a match to be. The one that replaced it was good. Otherwise, pretty much what I've bought has been as expected and my adaptation has been acceptable. Some guns I'm able to shoot a bit better so in that realm I view that as being on me to improve. I'm not out on a constant hunt either so I can only draw on a limited purchase base.

The Remington 11-87 was sold due to a financial issue. I get so little shotgun time that this was for the better because it would get low to no use. Which case buying was not necessary nor even a real criteria for ownership. Beautiful shotgun though.

My buyers remorse was a Charter Arms .40 S&W snub nosed revolver. I was shooting .40 a lot and it seemed just the ticket for a revolver to throw in my back pocket here on the farm. After buying it, I just couldn't enjoy shooting it, the recoil was brutal. I'm serious, it was worse than the .357. Sold it on consignment. The gun was made well enough, just could't stand to shoot it.

I usually wait out my choices for buying a gun since money can be hard to come by. I have had sellers remorse on a Colt Government 380 once.

Buying guns has become an "experience" for me. A gun that looks cool, has a cool concept, or a caliber that i like, ill probably buy it with little research. If i dont like it, ill sell it. Atleast 80% of purchases are like this.
And some fill a role, and i put some serious reearch into before buying. Like a carry gun.