Firearms without the case or manual

[intercooler]

Always had/have mine. How is this viewed when buying?

 

[youngda9]

They add some value for older firearms. The way I see it is manuals are online, and cases are cheap. They don't mean a thing to me.

I am a shooter and not a collector. No safe queens in my collection.

 

[hogshead]

If its a collectible fire arm and not a cardboard box I prefer to have them. Anything else I dont really care because I usually You Tube the takedown anyway.

 

[Telekinesis]

I like when the original case and manual/paperwork/accessories are included in the sale, but I wouldn't pay more for them to be included. The gun is the important part, and even given 2 guns, one with manual/case and one without, I'll still pick the gun in better shape over anything else. Most of my pistols tend to live in holsters anyway, so I don't have much use for the original case other than to say I have it.

 

[intercooler]

Does it mean the owner isn't real responsible? I file the manuals and keep mine in their cases at all times. Does the dog eat them?

 

[Telekinesis]

Does it mean the owner isn't real responsible? I file the manuals and keep mine in their cases at all times. Does the dog eat them?

Ever loose a piece of paper? A receipt? Maybe even a book or two? Just because the owner didn't keep a little book in a place where he could immediately get to it, doesn't mean he's irresponsible.

I don't look at the manual except for the first time or two after I take a new gun apart (if that - most combat pistols have a similar method of disassembly). I just have no immediate need for it. If you read the whole thing, its really a bunch of basic stuff that is included to give a basic idea of some of the functions of the gun and reduce legal liability of the manufacturer (lots of legalease). You don't need a manual to properly operate the gun, so a lot of people don't keep it with the gun.

As noted earlier, my pistols live in holsters and are always ready to be used. I don't need to have the manual with it to use the gun so it stays somewhere else, and there's always the possibility that it could get lost somewhere. Doesn't mean I don't know how to take care of my guns.

Part of that could be that I see my guns as tools and not really as safe queens or collectors pieces. I guess if I bought a gun with the intention of selling it later as a NIB gun or something, I would keep it all together, but other than that, I don't think I would keep the gun/manual/OEM case together.

 

[medalguy]

Depends. If the gun is a collectible gun, and it's in new condition, yes I want the box and paperwork and will pay a premium for those, but it really depends on the gun. A S&W Model 29 no dash NIB yes it's worth a premium. For a Sears .22 rifle that's been shot a lot and has scratches and dents consistent with 50 years worth of hunting, no way I'd pay a premium unless it was a difficult to clean gun and the manuals aren't available on-line.

 

[AlexanderA]

There was some discussion of this recently on AR15.com. An unfired, full automatic Colt M16 has at least $1,000 added to its going price if it has its original box, manual, sealed accessory packet, and wick in the barrel. Maybe even more than $1,000. It goes without saying that an unfired Colt goes for considerable thousands more than a generic, run-of-the-mill M16.

 

[speedway]

If it is a carry gun, it lives in a holster anyway.

If it is a higher end range gun, it better have the box.

 

[GoWolfpack]

It all depends on the buyer. It is definitely worth keeping boxes, manuals and fired casings just in case. You can justify asking more for a gun if you have all that with it. You'll lose some buyers who won't care, but there are plenty of other people around who do care and are willing to pay more for it.

 

[Hanzo581]

I keep all my cases/manuals because I am a pack rat. When I am buying I don't really care about either though, as I don't keep guns in manufacturer cases anyway and with the internet I have every manual even written.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I hate the plastic cases I don't keep them. They take up to much room. Manual I read and then not worried about what happens. To much junk comes with the new pistols .That you don't need . I haven't room or need for this stuff so it goes. Pistol is for useing not collecting . Want to collect take up stamps or coins or X wifes.

 

[mgmorden]

I've always kept all of my cases - the manuals I really, really (REALLY) couldn't care less about. They're typically thrown out shortly after purchase.

Overall though I don't view it as a negative if a used gun doesn't come with a case. I've bought many of them and only once gotten on in the original case, but I've never gotten a dud on a used handgun. I just buy a case for the gun for storage (MTM makes a "long term storage box" that is basically a plastic box that works great).

 

[berettaprofessor]

I keep the manuals in their original cases just so I can sell them or pass them down with the documentation. For that matter I keep the stupid gun locks with those that come with them (ruger, beretta's etc). But when I need to look something up, I use the electronic version which I obtain for each gun.

As a community it would be nice to have them. If Stevespage 7b ever went down, there is no other central source for that many manuals that I know of. And I've got several manuals that aren't on Stevespages...made PDF's of them but I don't know how to contact the webmaster to provide them.

 

[Owen Sparks]

If you ever think you might sell or trade KEEP THE BOX and everything that came with it. This usually helps with reasle value. I have even seen dealers at gun shows who sold empty boxes just for this purpose.

 

[mdauben]

I don't really care one way or the other, but I will take the presence or absense of such items into concideration when I looking at the price. In other words I would explect a lower price on a gun that was missing those items.

Does it mean the owner isn't real responsible? I file the manuals and keep mine in their cases at all times. Does the dog eat them?

A number of my guns came in simple carboard boxes so there are certainly better things to store them in than their original packaging. I tend to save the boxes that things come in, but some people don't have the room to store everything.

 

[W.E.G.]

Just because something is old, does not mean its valuable.

Most of the time its just old.

I have saved a few "original boxes."
This one is probably worth keeping.


This one... not so much.

 

[wally]

If you buy a kel-Tec make sure you keep the box, it helps with sending it back.

I like Kel-Tec's designs and their customer service, but I don't like that 2 of my 5 have had to be returned for repair (my RFB's been back three times, my P3AT only once, but they sent me a lot of parts to fix it myself to keep the return count at one).

I try to save the box and all the other stuff, but with the Century boxes, why bother, maybe they will be worth more than the guns some day because of this.

 

[rellascout]

If it does not have the box it loses value for me. How much depends on the gun. If it is a common place gun like a Glock it might just be a few bucks but the box still has value.

Older guns the value of the box goes up considerably. IMHO

 

[AlexanderA]

I bought a new 2nd generation Colt SAA back in 1971. The box (a "stagecoach" box) was shopworn, so I threw it away. If I had the box now, even shopworn, it would add a lot of value to the gun.

 

[mljdeckard]

For modern guns, doesn't make much difference to me at all. I can find a pdf for the manual for any gun manufactired in recent memory. Just because they still have the box/case doesn't mean they took good care of it.

 

[bruzer]

HOW MUCH FOR THE AK BOX! I've always wanted one. I'll send you a cashiers check for $1000 bucks. Cash it, keep $500 for yourself and send me the box and the other $500. It's win, win for both of us.
Mike

 

[303tom]

I have bought very few that were in a box or have a manual...........

 

[JohnBT]

"Does the dog eat them?"

No, cardboard boxes were used for targets or thrown in the trash. All those inserts and ads? They're targets. I don't save a lot of boxes. I might keep an LCD tv box for 3 months in case the tv is a dud, but that's it.

John

 

[theicemanmpls]

why?

Why a cardboard box increases the value of a firearm, is a total mystery. One can't do anything worthwhile with the box. Maybe burn it? Target practice?How about just recycle it deep within your outgoing cardboard. I sure don't want Joe the garbage man knowing I just bought a $3,000 Les Bauer.

No, on second thought. I will keep the box. I will play along with this moronic game. Maybe I can get more trade in value for the Taurus I just bought? Not! Really, how many of you keep the boxes for everything you buy?

The plastic case? Some are good for nothing. Yet, I will save it, if the pistol may in the future have some value. I think the box and case game is absurd.

Now, I can see the old Barbie Dolls in the original box as a collectors item. You could see Barbie's face through the plastic, and the box let you know what kind of Barbie you are getting. I like the "Divorced Barbie". She comes with all of Kens stuff. Has anyone noticed, Ken don't have any boy parts?

Guns are usually not packaged with the same eye catching marketing hype. I don't get it. I suggest a picture of a scantly dressed young woman holding the firearm. Sex is great for sales.

Regarding the manuals. They are filed away. I use the Internet, if the need arises.