Keep Cardboard gun boxes?

Guns are worth more with the box; that may not be true all the time, but likely most of the time.

It certainly Helps prove that you were the original owner.

This can help people realize that there is Less probability that a Previous Gun Bubba had access to do hidden, unnecessary “mods” on the vital internals.

This means a lot to me.

With a semi-auto this can be vital.

I've bought and sold well into double digit number of used guns, and I can't recall a single time I've received a lower offer because there was no box, and I've certainly never agreed to pay more because there was a box.

If we're talking vintage S&W's or Colts this might be different, as I do still have the box from the S&W 66-1 my FIL gave me that might add some value to the gun, but let's be honest with ourselves here: it's been stored for 40+ years and I doubt it'd add much more than $25 to the price of a gun - not a great return on investment for the space it takes up.

But regular Kraft brown boxes? Nope, they're getting tossed. Nicely printed paperboard boxes on CNK? They get tossed after a few months. Heck, I have a stack of plastic boxes for handguns and I'm not sure they raise the value of any modern handgun. If you want that extra money, your best bet is to flip it on ebay vs letting it go it with the gun. Come to think of it, I've bought a few guns that came with a plastic box that I sold a year later for $50-100 more and didn't include the box (mostly because I forgot I had it). One of those was an sp101 and I sold the plastic box on ebay for $15. I've got a P938 box right now I should probably list. But we're talking pocket change here compared to the price of the gun, and you have to deal with creating the listing, ebay fees, packing it and shipping it just to get lunch money.

KodeFore said:

Im getting ready to do a move and i am wondering if its worth hanging onto carboard gun boxes I've accumulated over the years?

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Some guns are collectables and the boxes that come with them add to the collectability. Like my model 52.

Most guns are just guns and the box adds no value.

JMHO.

GBExpat said:

I save all OEM boxes. Aside from that, I save all longgun boxes in excellent shape for possible re-use later.

Big basement ...

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Yep, we have a big basement too. However, when you have a wife that likes guns as much as you do, and is as much of a hoarder (I won't dignify it with the term "packrat") as you are, after 43 years in the same house, even a "big" basement gets full.

In rare cases keeping the cardboard box may add a SMALL premium to the guns value IF you ever sell it. It really depends on the individual gun, but in most cases, it adds nothing. If you have something that is truly collectable, or you think may be collectable in the future keep the box and all papers. If it is a common shooter, no.

I may keep the box for a brief time just in case it needs to go back to the factory. Even then you still need a larger shipping box, and the gun is better protected other ways.

The hard plastic cases that come with many handguns may be worth keeping. They don't take up much space and can be used to transport guns. Any value is minimal.

DukeConnor said:

You have a point but the PSA boxes are just plain generic cardboard.

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Were.

Now they come in glossy coated cardboard with blue/black/silver graphics:


See..........your old school PSA box is already collectible.

I try to hold on to boxes if I have the space but only as a courtesy to the next owner.
I've never gotten an extra dollar for including the original box or owner's manual, yea it sometimes 'sweetens the deal' but I bet very few would dig in their pocket for an extra $20 just to get the original box.
Like it was already said, if it's a box in good condition for something old or collectible, yea that can fetch some money. But plan on having a stack of boxes in your attic for 50 years before they're of any value.

As for shipping, I'd rather trust an el cheapo plastic & foam Plano case over the manufacturer's box.

I DO cut off any label that has the model & serial number info, just as a kind of proof of purchase. Usually my recept will have the firearm serial # but not always.

dogtown tom said:

Were.

Now they come in glossy coated cardboard with blue/black/silver graphics:
View attachment 1110924

See..........your old school PSA box is already collectible.

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I would keep that one

I think it is, if there is ANY chance you will sell the gun in question.

I have the original box from my Redhawk, I think it adds some value in case of resale. (unless the gun itself is really beat-up)

I also have the original box from my S&W 625.

It's the same for cameras and watches; in case of resale, they add value. Just pack them as efficiently as you can. Tetris them into a big box and nest them when possible.

Ignition Override said:

It certainly Helps prove that you were the original owner.

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At one point, I decided to sell my DCM National Match Garand. So, I put it out on a gun show table at what I thought was a very reasonable price. Some know-it-all wise guy came along and claimed it was a put-together, bogus gun. I showed him the DCM box and paperwork, and he still wasn't convinced! I took that as a sign that I wasn't fated to sell it, and took it home. I still have it. I don't believe I ever got around to firing it.

(In those days, a buyer was limited to one DCM Garand per lifetime, so this was nothing to sneeze at.)

Always. Keep. The box... you may not give a flying fark but for the next owner, it could be a deal breaker.

I will go so far as to say that I keep the boxes for any new S&W revolvers, on the assumption that they all will need to be returned to S&W at least once before they work right!

Smaug said:

I think it is, if there is ANY chance you will sell the gun in question.

I have the original box from my Redhawk, I think it adds some value in case of resale. (unless the gun itself is really beat-up)

I also have the original box from my S&W 625.

It's the same for cameras and watches; in case of resale, they add value. Just pack them as efficiently as you can. Tetris them into a big box and nest them when possible.

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I have noticed that there's a pricepoint for watches (and knives) where it brings more if you have the original box. Seems to start at roughly $500 for certain watches and $200 for some knives. But generally it doesn't seem to add any value for run of the mill watches and knives. There are always exceptions though, back in 2020 during supply chain issues there was a new line of Casio g-shocks in high demand with low supply. People were flipping these $100 watches for $150-200 after they'd worn them a month or two just because they had the box and tin it came in. Without the tin they were "only" reselling for $140ish. I was tempted to try to double my money as I had that particular g-shock in one of the more rare colors and still had the tin and box. I'm glad I didn't, that's my weekend beater now and my kids have more fun with the tin storing small toys inside.

DukeConnor said:

I don't think a PSA Ar box will ever be worth anything.

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They are great shipping boxes, better than most factory cardboard. I have 2 of them and 2 Colt's 6920's without boxes. If'n they get sold they go in those boxes. Joe

I save my boxes. I even save my scope boxes. I recently moved and I took my boxes with me.

for a while, then if they are not used - just something else taking up space that needs to go. if you have the space why not? to me I run out of space, and that space is more valuable than a cardboard box that likely is of little to no value. if it is a collectible this or that, yea - the box adds value, but - I have no intention of selling anything, so - just clutter and taking up space to me.

ilbob said:

Some guns are collectables and the boxes that come with them add to the collectability. Like my model 52.

Most guns are just guns and the box adds no value.

JMHO.

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IMHO, this is a very easy trap to fall into.

We all talk about "collectables" and how that does add to the over all "value" of a given item. Really does not matter if it is a gun from 1960, or a toy from 1960, having the box is valuable to the collector. And really when you think about buying old guns, you may tell yourself no I did not buy that because it is collectable, I bout it because I wanted a _________.

I am not a good example, because I hate about everything new, but I really wanted to get a 243. And bought a nice rifle, old savage 99. Now there are buckets of that flavor on the market today that will likely out shoot the old savage....not what I wanted.

Fast forward a few decades, do you think that when the first guy bought that Savage 99 he was thinking....you know I need to hold onto that box because "one day" it will add to the value of the rifle. Heck no. That was just a tool to take deer.....it took a long time to become a "collectable"

We can also look at "collectable" firearms that seem to be in every gun rag (at least they are in there when I stopped reading them) Fast forward to today and they are just not "collectable"....you could go as far to say they are very UN-collectable. People don't want that lever rifle with John Wayne plastered on the stock and all that jazz. Or the WWII 1911 that is all gold....you guys likely all know the types of guns I am talking about. You can also lump something like Mitchells Mausers in here.

Point is things sold as "collectable" generally are not. And it is a fairly "new" thing....and by new I am talking 1980's.

This is already fairly wordy, but try to hang in there, it is a very good point in it all.

I did a lot of "work" in the collectable area in the 80's. Back then one of the very hot items was Porcelain Dolls. As well as a huge doll house craze. Porcelain dolls could reach into 5 figures in 1980's money, and in many cases selling for over a grand for "common" and "used" examples. It was really insane. 10 years later you could not give the things away.

Why.

In the 1980's the generation that grew up playing with the dolls started to near the end of the road. They wanted those things that reminded them of their childhood, and for many little girls it was these dolls. Grandmothers bought HUGE doll houses for grand daughters and the prices of these things got staggering. Making things for these houses became a good way to make money. (I helped make furniture and stair cases, about anything of wood) And over $100 for a set of chairs was the norm. If you have ever seen a "doll house" in a museum, think that quality.

After that generation dies off the things that they wanted to remind them of their youth are really not anything to the next gen, they may keep one doll to remind them of grandma, but the rest got sold for pennies on the dollar, there was zero demand for them.

Same today, kids of the 60's are looking to things like hot wheels, and every other toy of our youth and paying big money for that old SST just to hear that sound again. When we die off it will be the same thing.

Now we get to today, and people see these things bringing big money, they see it as a "collectable" and if we market a "future collectable" we can really charge out the nose for it. And people bought into this. Bennie babies, cabage patch dolls, hotwheels....everything. People are and did horde these things thinking it will be of value.....and guess what, I doubt it.

Now the heart of the matter. For something to be of value, the demand for the item must be greater then the supply. That is how it works. If you can find it everywhere why would you pay more for it, you are going to price shop. But if you just find one of the item.....oh I better grab that, chances of finding another are slim. Your right. The reason the Kenner star wars stuff is so expensive is because kids like me shot the with their BB guns. There are not many left.

Now do you see the issue with the guy that has 800 boxes of hot wheels cars in his basement, or the person that has a room of bennie babies, they are not the only ones doin it.

It is the things that got used that are actually what people down the road want.

Now what will happen with that new gun you buy....will it actually be worth more with the box, well the old guns with the box are of more value because it was "just a cardboard box", and there are not many of them around. If every old gun had the original box do you think the examples with boxes would command more money....nope. The value is added because it just is not around.

One last thing, I started a thread on another forum asking "how old are these". (I don't start new threads here anymore)

I had someone from the company PM me asking if they could use my photo, They had not seen the boxes in decades and they got very pumped about it. Sure, you can use my photo.

It is a very common item, something that no one in their right mind would have saved, but I had one. The reason it got the attn it got was because no one ever saved the box.

Now I do.

Absolutely.

KodeFore said:

What amazes me is the oddity of quality. My 300 sig 522 came with a nice hard case, my 1250 Benelli M2 came in a cheapish cardboard box. Think I'll keep the oem boxes and maybe scrap the cardboard from the big 5 mil surps

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And those nice long gun cases take up a LOT more space than handgun cases. My SIG 522 plastic case has been sitting where I stashed it when I bought that gun 10+ years ago. I have a nice Flambeau case my CMP Garand came in that I'm not sure what to do with, because they'll all cut to specifically fit just one gun.

The only "case" I regularly use is the one my little NAA .22 revolver came in. It meets the TSA requirements so I use it when I fly and want to bring my CCW.

I keep them all.

Especially my custom rifles boxes, made by Short Action Customs, which came with cut foam inserts matched to the rifles

hk940 said:

A dealer friend of mine used to say the box is worth $50.00. I still have the box for my Combat Commander I bought in 1977. I wonder why my wife says I never throw any thing away

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Ha! Dealer friend told me a box adds $100 to the value of a gun at resale. Inflation maybe?

It does seem buyers are more willing to pay when a pistol comes with a box and original paperwork. Maybe makes them feel more like they are buying a new gun. Or that the owner was fastidious and takes good care of his or her stuff.