Investing in arms.

[ksnecktieman]

Jd? I agree, I buy when the price is right, I do not need to have a use for it. If it is cheap, I will buy it, and sell or trade it later. I see that as different than "investing" in multiple copies of the same weapon, purchased at retail.

Gribb? I looked at your profile, and your home page, and as an "old fart", I will offer some advice. I do not know where you are, but I agree that land is the place for long term investment (as in you are mid twenties, and have a long time to hold it). Look around, investigate, which direction is your city/town moving? Is it restricted by a river, mountain, or an interstate to which direction it HAS to move? Go far enough from the center of town to buy land at "farm" prices, instead of "city lot" prices. Buy all you can finance, and rent it out to be farmed for enough to pay the mortgage and taxes, and wait for the city to invade. Talk to your elders, and you will find that they remember gravel roads where you now see city streets.

Firearms are fun, they are a stable hobby. You will probably be able to buy and use any firearms you wish, maintain them properly, and break even when you dispose of them. Some of them may have an extreme increase in value, but legislation could make them worthless.

 

[GD]

investment

If you are in this hobby to make money, you are probably going to be disappointed. Pretty much, firearm prices have at best kept up with inflation. A Garand that was selling for $250 in 1980 should be selling for $750 today when you factor in inflation. Pretty much, that is what they are selling for. At worst, you will lose quite a bit of money. I know people that spent over $1000 for a Yugo sks a few years back to see them now for under $150. Mosin Nagants have probably lost ground considering how little they have risen in price. I don't see commercially made firearms increasing in price all that much.
My philosophy is that firearm collecting is a hobby that keeps me happy and that will have some return when I decide to end the hobby (or die). I know a lot of guys that golf, bowl, or do other activities that at the end of the day only cost them money and have no return in investment. I really don't care if my firearm investments make me any money - I just enjoy collecting historic firearms that give me a sense of history and that I enjoy shooting. The fact that in the end someone might make a little money off of them is just a nice plus.

 

[whm1974]

WHM1974,,, How would they collect the tax? Not a very big problem. President Hillary, elected in 2008, with a Democratic congress behind her, executes an "executive order" (Is that the proper term?) she declares a one time tax on all firearms of ten percent of their original purchase price. Since she has not YET, created and implemented a registration program, she requires that all FFLs immediately send in copies of the yellow sheets for ALL previous purchases. ( For TAX purposes only of course.How many firearms have you purchased from dealers in the past? Are you aware that the dealer is required to keep those yellow sheets as long as he is in business?). The new "BOF" (Burea Of Firearms, also created by executive order) Instantly has total registration. You choice is to pay a ten percent tax, or come up with a name of who you sold it to. (ANY paperwork dishonesty is a federal felony, of course.) By the end of 2009, ownership of any firearm that tax has not been paid on is a felony, if it is found in your possesion.

Right. What will happen if most FFLs refuse to send in the forms? Or for more likely almost every gun owner will refuse to pay the tax. And Hillary will be voted out of office.

Please don't give us nightmares by saying Hillary will be president...

-Bill

 

[Commissar Gribb]

for those that think I'm just trying to make money- i'm not! I've got about 8 guns that I plink with regularly.

The idea is that I can store them away behind a fake wall if need be for a rainy day (whether the "rainy day" ends up being zombie attack, president hillary, anarchic political collapse etc.

I plan on eventually investing in some slow growth stocks or savings bonds. $2000 or so in small arms shouldn't set me back as far as my big picture "nest egg" investment.

Gribb? I looked at your profile, and your home page, and as an "old fart", I will offer some advice. I do not know where you are, but I agree that land is the place for long term investment (as in you are mid twenties, and have a long time to hold it). Look around, investigate, which direction is your city/town moving? Is it restricted by a river, mountain, or an interstate to which direction it HAS to move? Go far enough from the center of town to buy land at "farm" prices, instead of "city lot" prices. Buy all you can finance, and rent it out to be farmed for enough to pay the mortgage and taxes, and wait for the city to invade. Talk to your elders, and you will find that they remember gravel roads where you now see city streets.

my dad found me some land back home in maine... I know 15 acres is already worth a lot of money and will be more once we can get a road to it...

Right now I live in the armpit of the country known as "new mexico" as per my current military assignment. Can't really do too much with firearms at the moment so this is speculation (they would really get on me if I asked them to store a dozen rifles in the base armory)

 

[Justin]

Unless you plan on getting into really exotic stuff like machineguns or Drillings, then I wouldn't consider firearms as an investment. Buy them, shoot them, enjoy them, heck, sell them at a profit, if you can, but don't consider them an investment. Stick with mutual funds. Probably less volatile with a higher rate of return.