Keep cardboard gun boxes?

Duplicate

By all means throw them away.
They have no value. Literally zero. Will still be worthless in twenty years and worth even less in forty because of dust.
No one ever asks for the original box and papers. Even on two year old Glocks or Rugers.

Collectors only want boxes made prior to WWII. No icky plastic.
Old boxes take up room on the top shelf. Thats a fire hazard. Rats love to live in gun boxes. Spiders and snakes too.
Guns made since 1980 have zero collector value and their boxes have less value.
Plastic gun boxes have less value than those made of cardboard. California has determined gun boxes are carcinogenic. Want to live?
You throwing away your gun boxes makes mine more valuable. Please throw yours away.


Seriously, You have gun boxes you want to toss? I'll take 'em. I might even send you a prepaid shipping label. Then I'll turn around and sell that box on eBay for a profit.

The only long gun that I have bought NIB was a Hi-Point... .

dogtown tom said:

By all means throw them away.
They have no value. Literally zero. Will still be worthless in twenty years and worth even less in forty because of dust.
No one ever asks for the original box and papers. Even on two year old Glocks or Rugers.

Collectors only want boxes made prior to WWII. No icky plastic.
Old boxes take up room on the top shelf. Thats a fire hazard. Rats love to live in gun boxes. Spiders and snakes too.
Guns made since 1980 have zero collector value and their boxes have less value.
Plastic gun boxes have less value than those made of cardboard. California has determined gun boxes are carcinogenic. Want to live?
You throwing away your gun boxes makes mine more valuable. Please throw yours away.


Seriously, You have gun boxes you want to toss? I'll take 'em. I might even send you a prepaid shipping label. Then I'll turn around and sell that box on eBay for a profit.

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This is your opinion at this time. I'm sure folks prior to 1945 thought there was no value in keeping thier boxes either. At that moment in time, there wasn't, but now there is. See how that works?

Granted, I'm not gonna save the box for my Axis, but I'll probably hang on to the box my X-bolt and Henry's come in.

I keep 'em all.

Hugger-4641 said:

This is your opinion at this time. I'm sure folks prior to 1945 thought there was no value in keeping thier boxes either. At that moment in time, there wasn't, but now there is. See how that works?

Granted, I'm not gonna save the box for my Axis, but I'll probably hang on to the box my X-bolt and Henry's come in.

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My post......you didn't read it all.

dogtown tom said:

My post......you didn't read it all.

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Yes I did
No offense meant, but I did want to high jack your first statement for the purpose of reinforcing your last

unless you sell them yourself or specifically tell your heirs to sell them with the boxes, probably not worth it to keep them. Now if you're moving, it might be worth it to pack them in their boxes for the move rather than leave them in the safe where they could get jostled around.

Whether of not to throw a gun's box away kinda sorta depends on what gun was in that box. If it was a Korth or an original S&W Registered Magnum of something of that caliber ( pun intentional ) The box is worth a lot of money. A Hi-Point...less so. I have a Browning High Power T- series in 99% condition that was never fired after leaving the factory. I don't know what it is worth, but I know it would be worth a lot more If I had the original pouch and shipping box it came in. Guns, ( I'm thinking Winchester's here ) used to come with "hanging tags," a small, thin cardboard tag with the companies' logo on it, affixed to the trigger guard by a string. That little piece of cardboard is worth quite a bit if still tied to the gun. I'm talking "new in box" guns up for Auction. If the hanging tag is still present on the gun it is always prominently mentioned in the description.

Always keep EVERYTHING relating to the purchase of a gun, whether it is a Korth or a Hi-Point. The box, the manual, any cleaning supplies, the bill of sale and any tags or papers that might be present.

To an awful lot of people, especially dedicated collectors, all of that stuff is like eye candy to the next buyer.

bangswitch said:

I can't speak for non S&W guns, but the boxes for older S&W revolvers sell to collectors from $50-$100 and up, depending on gun model, age and box condition. An original box included with a S&W revolver in a sale always increases the value (and price).

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An original box for a Registered Magnum will go for a hell of a lot more than that!

bannockburn said:

The plastic cases make for fairly decent containers to use for transporting guns to the range.

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Manufacturers seem to blow hot and cold about whether to ship their guns in nice cases, or in plain cardboard boxes. And even then, the plastic cases can vary a lot in quality. Everyone knows about the infamous Glock "Tupperware" cases.

My favorite is one particular case Taurus used to provide with some of their pistols. This sells for up to $80 on ebay, if you can find one. Here it is, with my Taurus PT92:

When I look at used guns in a store I place a premium on guns with boxes and paperwork. It's not a guarantee, but I assume the previous owner took better care of the gun if he kept all the extras with it. When I see guns that have been traded in with no box, just the one mag that's in the gun, I assume someone didn't care enough about this gun to even bring in the extra mag. That makes me think it's probably never been cleaned either, which is usually the case.
I keep my boxes, even the cardboard ones, for the information on the tags, and just to show the pistol has been taken care of.

Break down the boxes and flatten them! takes up less space

I keep them for about a year in case one has to be returned. After that MOST are tossed. Keeping the box only adds value to a rare gun that has never been shot. If you can provide the gun with hang tags still attached along with all of the paperwork and other accessories that came in the box it will add 2-3% to the guns value. And on a $4000 gun that can make a difference. Not on a $400 gun.

I only kept the box on one rifle that I bought in 2005. It was one of only 500 produced and I paid $500 for it. I sold it about a year ago with the box and all paperwork for $3000.

With common guns that you actually use, you MIGHT find it a little easier to sell one with the box, but it won't bring a dime more money.

jmr40 said:

I keep them for about a year in case one has to be returned. After that MOST are tossed. Keeping the box only adds value to a rare gun that has never been shot. If you can provide the gun with hang tags still attached along with all of the paperwork and other accessories that came in the box it will add 2-3% to the guns value. And on a $4000 gun that can make a difference. Not on a $400 gun.

I only kept the box on one rifle that I bought in 2005. It was one of only 500 produced and I paid $500 for it. I sold it about a year ago with the box and all paperwork for $3000.

With common guns that you actually use, you MIGHT find it a little easier to sell one with the box, but it won't bring a dime more money.

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what rifle did you turn $500 into $3,000!!!

I keep them. Even if it doesn't increase the value it might make for an easier sale.

If a person is moving house, then a fairly simple test probably applies.
Will it add an extra trip?

Moving is already a PITA, not adding to the pain is to your benefit.

Once you have them, the testing is simpler. Do they put your shelter at risk? Are they a hazard to your financial stability? Will your family suffer as a consequence? Three "no" answers and your golden.

I only have one handgun that came in a cardboard box. I still have that box. So, I guess Yes.
I don't care much for the new tactical long guns of today so I haven't bought any. So, I don't even know it they come in a cardboard box or what.
Actually, I haven't bought a new longgun in. Well, that was back in 1975. "No, I don’t have the box."
My passion is old, blue and wood. And, They don’t usually come in the original box.

I keep 'em, both rifle and pistol. A dealer once told me that the box I burned up for a Colt AR-15 SP-1 would add about $120.00 to the sale price of the gun.

M-14 said:

One store I go to says yes the other will take it if you have it but doesn't change anything. I'm sure not going to pay more for used because of a meaningless cardboard box.it.

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Well if a box is kept nice and pristine then the firearm should be nice and pristine. To me it shows that one cares for his or her stuff. I’ll pay a few more bucks for something with the box in decent condition.

Keep them!

Many years ago a rat moved into my garage for the winter and left urine puddles and droppings on all of my gun boxes, some ammo (ruined it with the brass-ammonia chemical reaction) and even the ex wife’s wedding dress. (Rats ain’t so dumb I guess .) That stuff all got tossed, I didn’t see it until the ex moved out and I got to give her the dress back (A Pyrrhic victory, but I digress),

So, after that I did keep them for every gun I bought.

When the stack was finally at the unbearable stage putting decorations up after this past Christmas, I finally tossed 35-40 cardboard long gun boxes just to make more room. I still have bins and bins of smaller handgun boxes and about 15 long gun hard cases, so those I keep.

Stay safe.

I wish I still had the paper box my S&W Model 19 came in.

Keep them, most of my gun nut friends and I will pay a premium for a used gun with the box and owner's manual. When I am dealing on a gun, them not having a box is a negotiating point that I drive home in order to pay less, and it works.
Keep in mind this does not apply to all guns, but it does apply to a lot of them.

I keep mine. Have then stored in the attic area of the garage