"I regret selling that one..."

I've sold and traded a couple years ago. I don't remember when / how long ago it's been since I did. But, At some point I stopped. I never let any gun go for any reason now. I don't know why. I just put them in a gun cabinet. I pull then out a couple times a year for cleaning and put them back. Two days a year set aside for gun cleaning. Now I have two cabinets full. Some I've not shot in years. And, I'm not going to change.

I have owned, bought and sold well over two hundred guns that were privately owned. What is gone is gone and all that counts now is what is left and I improved my humble collection of high quality firearms and excellent shooters over time without horrendous losses. I did not buy guns for investment but pride of ownership and for their intended purpose; to be shot. Progress is sometimes demanding drastic measures. As a former competition shooter I was always looking for a gun that would give me an extra advantage, often only perceived. Now that I am older I have probably considerably more money invested in rare gun parts, grips and magazines than the average gun nut in their entire collection. An alarming thought.

I still enjoy the new gun as much as the first one I have ever gotten.

DR505 said:

I have noticed a common theme amongst many of the posters here. Many post about a favorite gun that they foolishly sold, or were required to sell due to dire financial circumstances. A friend of mine sold his S&W Model 627-0 to buy diapers and baby food, and he is always drooling over my 627-0. I was just curious about The One That Got Away and the circumstances surrounding you parting with it.

I have not sold any firearms (yet). I usually just end up buying a new safe, but the Mrs. is catching on to this....

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Bought a lot, sold, traded and give away quite a bunch. No regrets. I’m selling off pretty much everything now so my wife won’t have to deal with it when I’m gone. Got a few good years left to enjoy and selling my collection is part of that, too. Never have any regrets. Life’s a learning experience.

Hmm... I regret selling the Walther GSP, but the Hammerli 280 is pretty nice. The S&W 1076s...had two. Love/hate relationship with that gun, if I buy another it's getting a trigger stop of some sort. Which it needs to prevent pinching the trigger finger. Selling the first full-auto Uzi was probably a mistake. Buying a second one was probably another mistake.

I sold my Winchester Model 70 (NOT a pre-64 model) in 30-06. Went to the shop about a week later to buy it back but it was already gone. It had seen plenty of use but there was something about that rifle that made me regret selling it. The only plus is the new rifle I traded it for is definitely a better shooter.

I sold a Browning Auto 5 light twelve back in the early eighties. Like others, had to buy diapers. Hate I had to sell that gun.

The only gun I miss is a Taurus tracker in 45 Colt. Sold it to fund another wild idea. It is protecting a great guy.

Not much to regret there, Brian.

Boy, this really brings back a lot of memories, I can relate with some of these bill paying stories when the family was young, payroll was less.
I try to think of it as, they had to go to get me where I am now, with what I have now.
In my mind, I always know what I will sell first to last, if hard times hit again.

When I was 22 I bought a 4" S&W 28-2 in 1972. I sold it. Many years later I got a 28-2 from 1976 so I redeemed myself somewhat. Other than that I sold an S&W 351PD .22mag but replaced it with an S&W 632 in 327 so I have something similar. Guess I don't have any Big Regrets. I ALMOST sold my Service Six but The Rodentwoman stopped me, thankfully.

CapnMac said:

Hmmm, pretty much every handgun in my case was regrettable. Ok, the AMT hardballer I traded for an SC 03A3 I wound up on the better side of.

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Yes I know EXACTLY how you feel, had the same model, mine was a Long Slide, younger brother ( now passed away, MDPS ) wanted to borrow the lower half to retro fit a top half ( slide ) he obtained for $5.00, his son now has it, along with about $1100 of my bullet casting and reloading tools. Still have the complete top half, he refuses to return all my goodies!!

Had one of these (example pictured below, not actual gun I had) with the box and two magazines. I stupidly sold it years ago because I had no interest in guns. At least I sold it to a good guy who will appreciate it. Also had a small H&R revolver, probably a .22, I sold, and a Savage 12 gauge side by side double barrel I sold and wish I had now.

DR505 said:

I have noticed a common theme amongst many of the posters here. Many post about a favorite gun that they foolishly sold, or were required to sell due to dire financial circumstances. A friend of mine sold his S&W Model 627-0 to buy diapers and baby food, and he is always drooling over my 627-0. I was just curious about The One That Got Away and the circumstances surrounding you parting with it.

I have not sold any firearms (yet). I usually just end up buying a new safe, but the Mrs. is catching on to this....

Click to expand...

I've only removed firearms from my inventory due to financial constraints...and regret every circumstance.

Pristine stainless 10/22, 870 with slug and shot barrel, 92fs, my 1st and favorite AR...

I'll never sell any more...I'll give them to my sons. Far more rewarding than any monetary value.

The two Auto Mags I sold to my brother when I was unemployed.

I've bought and sold I don't know how many guns, some, many times over. Not the same actual gun, but the same type. The only ones I really regret selling are...

(1) AYA SXS double 20 that I got from Sears/Roebuck about 1979 or 80 for less than $200.00. Beautiful little gun. Stupid of me to sell it.
(2) 1964 Colt Python, Royal Blue, with a 4" barrel. Had to sell due to "personal economic downturn." I tell myself it was Ok because it went to a young Marine just back from Iraq.
(3) 1953 Smith and Wesson "357" (a pre-27) with a 5" barrel, stocks numbered to the gun, and the numbered to the gun blue/gold box it came in.
(4) Smith and Wesson, Model 39-2, 9mm, in blue. Unfired outside the factory (I believe) in the box, with all the accessories. Same reason as number 2. Personal economic downturn.
(5) Not one, but TWO Smith and Wesson Model 24-3's (44 Specials) both with 4" barrels. One of them was in the box, with all the accessories. They only made something like 2500 of them, and I had TWO. No excuse. Just stupid.

My Ruger MKll and my Colt Combat Commander 9mm. The ignorance of youth.

My PPS 43C I bought for just under $300 when they first came out.
I had 6 mags, 2 chest pouches and a PPS 43 kit for spare parts. Had a couple of months of rough financial issues.

It's a pistol in ATF's eyes.



The one I let go at the same time really frosts my bacon now considering what they're going for.

CZ 52

I have one that I regretted selling for the longest time but I was able to find another one for cheaper than the original. The coveted one was a CZ RAMI. When I had the first one I got caught up in the polymer wonder nine fad and traded it for a Glock. I've regretted it until a few months ago when I was able to get another one for a good price. It will NEVER leave me again.

Anything that can be replaced it doesn't bother me to sell. I know that, "I can't take it with me" so eventually all this stuff will go. In this instance I'm trying to find alternate means to generate the $. The revolver on Gunbroker sells at $550-$700 range, received an offer for $425. Some money is better than none yet the thought of this transaction leaves me quite sour. Like they know to take advantage of me even though I didn't mention the financial situation.

A couple years back somebody drove down the street and saw the project car in the garage. They stopped and we talked a bit, he offered $9K which was quite good. However I've had this car since '83 and finding another in good condition is very low if I wanted to pursue it. No guarantees the parts needed will be accessible for the replacement as mine is complete. At some point I'll have to let it go so a matter of when. That's hard.

A Model 13 Smith & Wesson revolver. Because I had a Model 65, I considered the Model 13 "redundant" and sold it. What I lost in this sordid transaction was the best da trigger pull I've ever experienced on any other of the many da revolvers I've ever had or have. I'm not saying that every Model 13 came with the same da feel but, for whatever reason, the one I had did and I regret selling it.

I miss my Marlin 880SQ match chamber heavy barrel Bolt action .22lr with BSA Sweet .22lr scope with AO.

That was a 125 yard gun for me, worked great for prairie dog and marmot. I think I sold it way back when to buy another rifle. Sure wish I still had it!

DR505

There's just something so aesthetically pleasing and proportionately perfect about a Model 13 with a 3" non-tapered barrel and a round butt grip, that makes it an instant classic K frame right up there with a 4" pencil barreled Model 10.

I sold my 8" colt python back in 1983

While I have regrets I fortunately never sold a gun for financial needs and I see quite a bit of that in this thread. That said sometimes life's needs for things like putting beanies and weenies on a table for a starting out family or rent responsibilities certainly take precedence over keeping or selling off a gun. I feel for those people and hope their financial woes are behind them.

Ron