Trying to decide if I should sell a couple guns for money and space in the safe-how m

I have around 20 or so guns. I sell guns I don't use, have a place for, or don't like as much as another gun I have that fits the same niche. Do what you feel is best, it's always nice to sell a gun I don't use in order to buy a gun I want.

How do you typically trade? I have sold a few over the last couple years and ended up buying other things. I have done that via Armslist. I am not sure how good a deal I would get from FFLs but have not seriously consider. Again, I have not investigated trading.

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For trades I use armslist with the listing as trade only. I avoid dealers as there is no way to trade without a loss. Dealers will be looking to value yours wholesale and theirs retail. Not that exceptions don't exist, but generally speaking they are few and far between. Everything I post is take it or leave it with no hard feelings added. If you don't have to get rid of it, your leverage increases immediately.
In addition, I'll attend gun shows with something intended for trade just to see what's out there. Admittedly more often than not, I leave the show carrying that which I brought with me. But the gun show is a good place to be able to sell one for cash and find it's replacement all in the same building. Also if for any reason you are unsure about the buyer, there are plenty of FFL holders willing to do the transfer.

Rugerspyderon said:

How many guns do you have and feel is a reasonable number? What would you give up?

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There aren't any rules as to a reasonable number, handguns versus long guns, or the caliber distribution. It is based solely on personal preference. Give up? I'm still buying although I have toned it down in the last couple of years.

Do what feels right to you. You answer to no one other than yourself. That is how it should be.

Added: When I was in my teens, hunted a lot, and had little disposable income, every gun selection was carefully done and chosen for a purpose. I wanted everything or "one of each" as they say, but that was impossible. With some age, my philosophies changed as did my abilty to purchase firearms and related products. There are no rules on what is appropriate except what you decide for yourself.

I would not keep my ammunition stored in a safe with my firearms unless I had very few. I keep ammunition in a metal storage cabinet inside my home. What doesn't fit is stored in metal ammunition boxes or in the original packaging such as "the case" which generally reside on the floor of closets.

By age 30 or about the time I got married, I felt I had purchased a gun that I might need for every reasonable purpose. I went for about 10 years without buying, selling or trading a firearm. I saw no need for more. I think that is where you're at right now. That's okay. Time passes and things change.

One way or the other, I always seem to find toys to buy. When I stopped buying firearms, I shifted to photography which is just as expensive. Then I shifted to something else....

Get rid of stuff you don't use.

Its not a hard concept to get your mind around.

Now, the process involved with selling firearms in an orderly fashion, that takes some patience and planning.

Start with a proper box for shipping.

Also, understand that if your guns are ordinary, still-in-production guns, you are going to lose money on the sales.

The thing about selling the Ruger American is that it wouldn't bring much money. New, they don't cost much.

Would you sell at a loss when you don't need the money just to thin the herd?

I have a few guns I don't care about, but they wouldn't bring much money, so I keep them.

I have a few years under my belt. IMHO, never sell a gun UNLESS you really hate it. I have sold very few guns.

Actually it's legal to hunt hogs with a 30.06 in Ohio. And we have another large game animal - bears. No there isn't a hunting season for them yet. And there are a few elk moving into the state. No hunting season for them either.

Been building my collection for 40 years and the safe is full. I thought I would do the same thing and thin the herd in favor of higher end firearms.
So, bought a Dan Wesson Valor 1911 SS - sweet shooter that I love and far better than the Glock, Kahr, etc.

Ok, so I took (5) guns to the LGS for sale on consignment, plan was to pay for the DW. He sold the 2 cheap ones and is still working on the rest.
While I am visiting the shop, I eye an nice CS SxS 12 gauge that will make a nice stablemate for the CZ 20 ga I already have - so that goes on layaway and a couple hundred bucks to go so it can come home.

Then I happen to see he has a couple RWS Diana air rifles leaning in the corner that he picked up at an estate sale. Long story short(er) - 2 more visits and they are taking up space in the safe.

Scorecard: Bought - (3) long guns - Sold (1), Bought (1) Handgun - Sold (1) = + 2 guns - so far. Spent about $2k with this plan that was supposed to be a positive cash flow idea. Tricky part is the visits to the gun shop.

Moral of the story: If you have the virus, like most on this site - forget eabout it! It is "fuzzy math"...

Get a lightweight mold, and any kid who can handle a .22 can shoot that /06.
Castboolits.com has some very reduced loads.
The kids love it. Cast your own and it is cheaper than .22 these days. Also great fun to go to the range and pop off a few full power loads yourself first, and watch the other shooters cringe as a skinny 8 year old kid gets ready to shoot it. POP, the kid grins and chambers another round.

Spent about $2k with this plan that was supposed to be a positive cash flow idea.

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Silly boy, you thought the "positive cash flow" was supposed to be in your direction?

Idoono

The only time I will sell a gun is to provide funds to buy another gun, or to fund a modification to one. I have sold a few that sat in the safe and never came out to fund AR's for my son and I that turned out to be better than hoped.

I hate to sell them with no plan for the funds that is not gun related.