Don't sell that firearm unless you need the money

Ramone · Apr 13, 2020

I've twice sold a firearm when I needed money. Neither were something sentimentally valued, or that I used frequently. My only regret is that with one, I sold it below market as I was in a hurry.

On another occasion, after a move, I decided to thin the herd, as I realized that out of a dozen rifles, 9 I hadn't fired in more than a year. So I sold and gifted 10 rifles, and I'm pretty much at an inventory that isn't a burden storage/ maintenance wise, and that I actually use.

I've got a full size and an Officer Model 1911, that I rotate in daily carry, two AR 15 uppers and 3 lowers that I'll eventually add an upper and sell or give one away, and a Savage Model 10 BVSS that I'm pretty fond of and shoot regularly. I've got a KelTec SUB2K (GLOCK19) that's fun and handy and cheap to shoot.

I've actually thinned down my ammo stock to about a year and a half supply, and another years worth of reloading inventory. I usually replace what I shoot as I go along, sometimes drawing down when prices go high ( like lately ) and replace when they drop ( as they usually do ).

Phaedrus/69 · Apr 14, 2020

I guess I've sold quite a few guns over the years and a few I wish I still had. Growing up in the 70's and 80's my dad had an FFL and sold guns through his sports club as a hobby. We had about 80 personal firearms plus some inventory. But pretty much everything was what would now be called Fudd Guns. As I struck out on my own I bought guns as I could afford them and sold them when I saw something else I wanted more. It was a great time for me and if I held onto everything I bought I'd have tried about 1/4 of the guns I've tried. So churning was part of my firearms education and a means of learning what I liked in firearms.

Of course, with a few of them simply impatience cost me something I should have kept. I love my HK USP45 Tactical but I found a smoking deal on a HK USC carbine that wasn't going to wait so I traded the USP45T towards it. Knew I'd regret it but ultimately it was worth it. A few I sold thinking I'd just pick another one but never did (like the pair of BHP Practical models I sold three months before the Bush import ban. :cuss:

The price doubled overnight and never came back down).

Guns are just things. Their use carries moral responsibility but there's no reason to keep every gun forever. As others have said you can't take it with you!

Steve S. · Apr 14, 2020

The OP presented one of a deca-zillion perspectives in life; in the end, he’ll do what he wants, you’ll do what you want - no harm done. My perspective of my firearms is that they are a hobby, not a financial instrument. Firearms are petty capital on their very best day - generally a very clumsy and illiquid equivalent of cash flow. Buy high, sell low AND a hobby AND emergency cashflow - that my friends is a recipe for a life of struggle.

lightman · Apr 14, 2020

I've sold and traded several over the years. I only have regrets about one of them. I just sold 11. It started out as 13 and I ask my Boys if they had any interest and they wanted 1 each. Some of them I bought because they were cheap and I thought they would go up. They did. Some of them I bought and used and lost interest in. I'm to the point in life that I'm conscious of leaving my family a bunch of stuff to deal with when I'm gone. No that I'm in any hurry! My plan was to turn those 13 into two or three that I would shoot more than the ones that I sold.

I did not track how these compared to, say the S&P 500, but most increased a good bit. Plus I got to shoot them whenever I wanted.

Meeks36 · Apr 14, 2020

Sold my grandad's charter undercover. Needed diapers and formula. This was years ago. If I could find it I would pay twice what it's worth to get it back.

EIB0879 · Apr 14, 2020

Several years ago I sold some firearms to get out of a financial bind. Never again.

OneFreeTexan · Apr 14, 2020

What is this ‘sell a gun’ of what you speak? You mean people actually do that........??

Seriously, I’m retired and have accumulated a nice collection over the years,,,,,a mixture, for sure....from 22’s, to K-31’s, Enfield, and some very beautiful guns in between,,,,

And I shoot every gun at least once a month, if not more....I do have my favorites.. some of them cause me to struggle, but I wouldn’t part with a single one.....I know them and I think they know me,,,, Some of them actually put a smile on my face when I get them out..........some of the older 22’s, ohhh they are accurate,,,,, and nothing like the K-31’s for quarter size groups at 100 yds/

This is a hobby, I accept it and enjoy my guns so much,,,,wouldn’t think of selling any of them...they will be passed on to people who appreciate guns, I have very carefully selected where each gun will go,,, though son would really like to have my Hungarian pistol now!!............lol, now way , too much fun to shoot.

WestKentucky · Apr 14, 2020

@buck460XVR I like your response and I can absolutely appreciate the sentiment about grabbing a certain gun just because of the connections we have with them. When I get in a funky mood and head to the woods to realign whether it be to hunt or just blow off steam I almost always grab one of the heirloom guns. Granddaddy’s 30-30 or his 20ga, Paws single shot 22, one of Grandmas revolvers, the 22 that Grandaddy gave me when I was 4, or the J frame my wife bought me for our first married Christmas. There are times where a “superior” gun just isn’t right. Those guns mean a lot to me, and it is my hope to pass that on to my kids so that they understand where our family came from, even if they were adopted into it.

Zaydok Allen · Apr 15, 2020

Cemetery21 said:
We feel a responsibility to reduce the burden for our children but it is hard to get started.

I can identify from the standpoint of a child with an aging parent. After my mom passed my dad also decided he did not want to be in his house any longer. So immediately after getting my grandparent's home sold, he started going through his home and getting it ready to sell. His basement was 2/3rds storage and 1/3 recreation room. The storage area had stuff stacked nearly from floor to ceiling. He never got started until it was overwhelming. He also has a hard time throwing anything away due to his frugal nature and sentimentality.

Getting started is the worst part. Once you get some momentum going though, you'll get it done, and your kids will be really grateful.

This mentality has not only caused me to happily trade away and downsize my guns, but it has caused me to adopt the mantra of "Buy once, cry once." It's why I am no longer settling for "good enough" on guns. If I want a certain one, I'm going to save long enough to make it happen, and ultimately that will cost me less. I have the same attitude with knives. If I want a certain one, I'll just save longer.

Reloading equipment is a BIG one too. I started out on a Dillon progressive press, and carefully researched all the other equipment I needed. I didn't want a single stage sitting around I knew would end up going unused. Some would say I spent too much as a newbie, but I have what I want and will not need a mountain of crap to make everything work.

Components on the other hand...………...

a075923 · Apr 15, 2020

For me guns are things, no emotional attachment. If, I'm not using what's the need to have it around?

rust collector · Apr 15, 2020

Guns are enjoyable but they are not a religion. Yes, there may be a bit of seller's remorse but when I have sold a gun it has been because I had acquired something better or no longer found it useful. I have not sold because I need the money, but if I had I suspect that I would have had little in the way of alternatives.

RA40 · Apr 15, 2020

Life brings odd events that as well intended may not have easy alternatives. Sometimes the circumstance has to be dealt with in the quickest manner. I found myself in that position a few weeks back that items I had up FS were sitting. With a critical payment due the Sig sold in a blink and that piece saved me. I intend to replace that Sig once things get back to "normal".

Mike OTDP · Apr 15, 2020

My collection is divided. Competition guns, a handful for defense, those I hang on to for sentimental reasons (mostly muzzle-loading rifles my father built)...and stuff I bought as investments. I know the antique market well enough to have made some good investments in the last.

And sometimes, you sell in order to trade up. I'm sitting on three cased sets of percussion duelling pistols that I consider trade fodder...for a case of flintlock duellers.

readyeddy · Apr 15, 2020

Well, given that we may be entering a prolonged economic recession with potential shortages in various good, including firearms, I would agree that it may be best to hold onto guns for use, value appreciation or trade. I mean, don't get me wrong, I like money as much as the next person, but if stuff isn't available to buy, then money loses its value via less supply and higher prices.

For myself, I wouldn't hold onto my guns to price gouge in the event of a gun shortage. But I would hold onto what I have in case I'm not able to replace the need given I don't have a lot of duplicate guns, e.g. I only have one deer rifle.

Sniper66 · Apr 16, 2020

This is a surprisingly difficult issue to think about for most gun owners; at least it is for me. I was a dirt poor kid. We had almost nothing to spare. I mean nothing. Had to leave home at age 17 before I lived in my first residence with running water. Never had pizza until I left home. When I got a nickel, I hung on to it. Same with guns; hanging on to them and embracing the "never sell" belief was an unshakable mantra. I love guns, always have. As a kid I co-owned 2 guns with my brother; a single shot .22 and a single shot 410; never one of my own. As life unfolded and I managed to get myself into college and eventually started making money and buying guns. Through college I had a single shot .22 that I bought in a pawn shop for $10. All my shotgun shooting was with borrowed shotguns. And finally I began to make decent money and buy a few guns. I share this history to demonstrate why I can never think of guns as "just tools". For me they are measures of fiscal success; I upgrade every chance I get. Today I'm better off financially than I've ever been and have bought and sold 7 or 8 guns in the last couple of years, always buying better guns than I had before. Selling guns I no longer use is no longer difficult and I've bought and sold 25-30 guns in the past 20 years. I still hang on the my college single shot and the first really nice post-college rifle, a Remington 541S, that I bought in 1980. I buy guns now if I think I will use them or if it is a gun I've alway wanted and can now afford. Had a few that I really wanted at the time, but they became safe queens so they are gone now. Always wanted a really nice Winchester Model 12 and finally found a great one, had it for a time, but now it's for sale. I have 4 other 12 gauges so no real use for it. The fear of never having a good gun is gone. My latest mantra is to not buy another new gun until I sell one. The desire to find and acquire really great firearms still burns with passion. As long as that is true I'll be here.

wagonburner · Apr 16, 2020

earlthegoat2 said:
Gun accumulation is such a sorry disease that I can’t help but pity some of the folks who suffer from it.

LOL. Well thank you so much for your pity. On behalf of the other "accumulators" I would like to thank you. :rofl:

earlthegoat2 said:
I have sold many guns to finance other projects and with very few exceptions, have not regretted it.

That's got nothing to do with gun collecting. When you find yourself needing to sell your guns to finance other things it is due to lack of planning and inability to budget properly. If you plan and budget, you'll seldom need to sell anything to finance something else.

earlthegoat2 said:
If I don’t shoot it, I get rid of it. If it doesn’t bring you some other kind of joy if you don’t shoot it then it probably should also go.

Fair enough, but I question why somebody buys something they don't enjoy. Again, that nothing to do with guns per se, simply a lack of forethought and planning and pertaining to almost any consumer product. If you end up with a gun you don't like, chances are didn't research and think the purchase through sufficiently.

earlthegoat2 said:
I know a guy in his 80s with around 150 decent guns. Probably 75,000 dollars worth.

The value you attach to the guns indicates that the guns aren't all that "decent", and if you excuse my boldness, perhaps your problem. If you buy less frequently, and spend a little more money and forethought on a gun you may end up with a collection of guns you really enjoy shooting. And that goes for all consumer products, be it guns, smart phones, motorcycles etc. I don't know if the old adage "measure twice, cut once" applies all that well to this, but there is value in spending the time before the purchase to ensure your satisfaction with your purchase afterwards.

earlthegoat2 said:
To burden yourself and your family financially just for a thing you won’t be able to take with you in the end is a trait that I wouldn’t think would be too favorable.

What you speak of is lack of planning and fiscal irresponsibility. If you budget, if you plan, you'll never find yourself in a position where you need to sell something to finance something else. Exceptions to this should only be your home and perhaps motor vehicles.

I have many "hobbies" and interests above and beyond guns. By budgeting, I can avoid having to sacrifice one in order to advance the other. If I didn't, I can imagine I'd be selling often.

Zaydok Allen · Apr 16, 2020

I know you weren't addressing me, but......

wagonburner said:
When you find yourself needing to sell your guns to finance other things it is due to lack of planning and inability to budget properly. If you plan and budget, you'll seldom need to sell anything to finance something else.

In general I agree, but emergencies do come up, and income level doesn't always allow for a ton of saving for some folks. Though those folks have perhaps chosen the wrong hobby if they really want to be a "collector", and I agree that budgeting is vital.

wagonburner said:
Fair enough, but I question why somebody buys something they don't enjoy. Again, that nothing to do with guns per se, simply a lack of forethought and planning and pertaining to almost any consumer product. If you end up with a gun you don't like, chances are didn't research and think the purchase through sufficiently.

I don't think that's entirely fair. My income grew with time which availed me of more funds to buy what I really wanted later in life. And in many cases I did tons of research, made a good decision, but later the luster of that particular gun wore off after owning and shooting it awhile. So I sold it to fund something else. My friends also don't shoot much if at all and we only got a range a few years ago that rented guns. So research was restricted to reading and in some cases ordering guns that were not available locally. It's hard to make a well informed decision when options are limited for handling.

But, I went into this hobby knowing full well that my particular circumstances would cost me money.

wagonburner said:
If you buy less frequently, and spend a little more money and forethought on a gun you may end up with a collection of guns you really enjoy shooting. And that goes for all consumer products, be it guns, smart phones, motorcycles etc. I don't know if the old adage "measure twice, cut once" applies all that well to this, but there is value in spending the time before the purchase to ensure your satisfaction with your purchase afterwards.

That's my mantra now. "Buy once, cry once." I have my lineup in pretty good shape and really like all the guns I own. When I want a specific thing now I save longer to get it and am ultimately happier.

daniel craig · Apr 17, 2020

earlthegoat2 said:
I find the wisdom to “never sell” guns to be way short sighted and down right bad advice most of the time.

To burden yourself and your family financially just for a thing you won’t be able to take with you in the end is a trait that I wouldn’t think would be too favorable.

I have sold many guns to finance other projects and with very few exceptions, have not regretted it. If I don’t shoot it, I get rid of it. If it doesn’t bring you some other kind of joy if you don’t shoot it then it probably should also go.

Many here mention saving guns for their kids to get later. Well I have news for you. Your kids are going to sell them for the money or to set something they really want.

Gun accumulation is such a sorry disease that I can’t help but pity some of the folks who suffer from it. I know a guy in his 80s with around 150 decent guns. Probably 75,000 dollars worth. He keeps talking about how he needs to get rid of them before he dies. At the last gun show, I saw him with two rifles. I talked to him about them and he said he was trying to sell them. I saw him a bit later and he didn’t have them anymore. I asked if he had sold them. He said he brought them back to his car because he just couldn’t bear to part with them. It made me sad for him.

Add to the fact that sites like this are full of folks who say things like “never sell a gun” “you can never have too many guns” and gun accumulation becomes a contest and some kind of rite of passage once you reach a certain number.

There is a similar saying in woodworking. You can never have too many clamps. I agree with this saying because the more clamps you have, the more money you can make. Money that is a consistent income. I don’t think too many folks can say the same about their gun “collections” since the average index fund makes quite a bit more money than gun appreciation. (Yeah, yeah, I’m aware this may not hold true at this moment). The days that guns are worth more than world economic growth will be a real bad time for all of us though and you can only use one gun at a time.

Good point! I hadn’t considered this. There really are people who sped a ton only to realize that they can’t take it with them.

daniel craig · Apr 17, 2020

Waveski said:
A ridiculous statement built on a mountain of assumptions. Keeping a particular firearm just because you are "never" supposed to sell ??? That makes no sense.

The thread title
Don't sell that firearm unless you need the money takes a statement of a value judgement of the OP and issues it as a directive for all.

Me , I aim to reduce some clutter in my safe , thank you. BTW - selling off a firearm or two can be quite liberating.

True!

Trashyshoots · Apr 17, 2020

Variety is the spice of life, and tastes change. I used to love having a ton of guns, now im more into very high end examples of my favorites. I also used to love big bore revolvers, but cracked forcing cones, and injuries changed that.

Life happens.

Don't sell that firearm unless you need the money

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