serious decision about my collection

[realmswalker]

I have always loved guns, and have always wanted to have a nice collection of guns. As of late I don't get to the range enough due to various reasons, work, personal life, etc. I am very seriously thinking about thinning my collection. But at the same time it's money already spent and guns usually do not go down in value when you find used guns at decent deals like I do.

If I was to thin my collection, what guns should I absolutely not get rid of for any reasons that you can give me. here is a list of my guns and what I paid for them. Let's say I wanted to keep six of these guns, which ones should I absolutely hang onto. And I don't know if this matters but I don't hunt nor do I shoot trap or skeet, nor can I carry ccw for personal defense.

Ruger single 6 5" inch barrel I think .22lr with magnum cylinder - excellent condition - Free, give to me

glock 17 9mm with 2 mags - about 300 rounds through it - 400$

Browning challenger III .22lr - excellent condition - 225$

Baby eable full size .40 cal about 3000 rds through it, still in very good condition - $489 OTD bought new.

smith and wesson model 29-2 in Nickel 44 magnum 8 3/8 inch barrel - excellent condition - 400$ with wooden box.

springfield armory mil spec .45 with 3 mags - excellent condition - traded for my warthog and some money.

hk usp .45 full size with night sights and match trigger and 4 magazines - excellent condition - 600$

mossberg 500a with 28inch and 25 inch barrel and three chokes - used but well taken care of - 225$

winchester model 1912 12 ga shottie 30 in barrel with a 1918 birthdate - very good condition - 300$

Ruger 10/22 synthetic stock - excellent condition - 125$

m1 garand match trigger glass bedded springfield receiver 1945 birthdate - Excellent condition - 900$

Browning Bar .308 22 inch barrel with a simmons scope - absolute mint condition fired about 100 times,has belgium rollmark - 450$

savage model 111 30-06 - excellent condition - $175

marlin model 94 with micro groove rifling in .44 mag - excellent condition and has brand new carrier - 275$

winchester model 94 30-30 pre 64 - excellent condition - $275

remington model 721 .270 win glass bedded - excellent condition - paid 300$ but it came with 300 rds of ammo, 1000 brass cases and 1000 bullets and dies.

 

[AJD]

smith and wesson model 29-2 44 magnum 8 3/8 inch barrel - excellent condition - 400$ with wooden box.

Recently saw one of these in blue with the same configuration and condition(I'm assuming as I have not seen yours but the other one was in excellent condition) as yours go for $910 on Gunbroker.com. This is above the price I have seen for most 29-2's. I just sold one on Gunbroker.com 4", blue, with case and tools, around 90-93% for $700 shipped.

Just thought I'd pass that info on to you.

 

[realmswalker]

I just saw one in nickel like mine for 600 buy now, does the nickel go for less than the blued?

 

[AJD]

IMO, the nickel and blued models seem to be fairly close in price. Here are some Gunbroker.com auctions that ended in the last 90 days for nickel plated 8 3/8" models with case. So its your nickel or blued?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=69896273

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=72609641

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=71175026

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=71048994

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=70947855

 

[GTSteve03]

Here's how I would break it down if I could only have 6 guns:

2 .22LRs (pistol & rifle)
2 centerfire pistols (revolver & semi-auto)
2 rifles (your choice but I would keep at least 1 milsurp) or 1 rifle & 1 shotgun

 

[Trebor]

I tell you, whatever you get rid of now, your going to wish you kept later.

I only sell guns if I absolutely *have* to get cash right now or if I really decide that I don't like the gun. Just not shooting it often isn't a good enough reason for me.

I won't say never sell a gun. If you don't like it, why keep it? And you do need to pay the bills and sometimes something has to go. But, if you like it, you'll regret selling it later, especially if you really didn't need to do so.

 

[BADUNAME13]

When you have more time later on... you will regret selling them.

Why not keep them until you can shoot more? They don't eat anything...

 

[The Deer Hunter]

All your long-guns seem nice. I'd say keep all the long guns.

 

[EAFO]

I will GLADLY pay 200% of what you paid for that ruger 22lr pistol!

 

[Eightball]

I only sell guns if I absolutely *have* to get cash right now or if I really decide that I don't like the gun. Just not shooting it often isn't a good enough reason for me.

Agreed. If you absolutely, positively, must sell, why not sell them to a THR member? At least you know they'll be treated well.

If that Baby Eagle was a 9mm, I would be VERY tempted to buy it off of you (I love those things), but since it's a .40.....to each their own.

But I wouldn't sell them, you'll regret it later. Besides, depending how the '08 election goes, those things might double or triple in value in the next few years.

 

[PistolNewbie]

My pistols were idle for almost 10 years for personal reasons and I thought about selling them many times. My interest has renewed and I'm literally having a blast! Selling them would have been a tragedy!

 

[Notch]

I wouldnt sell any of the winnies, the marlin or the M1. I would keep the HK pistola too. Actualy I would keep all of them. Selling firearms is always a losing proposition, as in, later on you feel the loss... You may not have much time to shoot right now, but times always change!

 

[Baba Louie]

...don't hunt nor do I shoot trap or skeet, nor can I carry ccw for personal defense.

Then you target shoot, plink and have home defense to cover, right?
I'd keep the following
M1 Garand
Win 94 (pre 64?)
Ruger 10/22
Browning Challenger
S&W 29
HK USP .45
Glock 17

That's 7, pretty close to 6. Maybe offer a good friend the 29 if you've just got to get down to 6. Sell the others off to friends who might let you visit once in a while if they get a good deal from you.

Not knowing how old you are or how many years of enjoyable shooting you've got left, I might trade either the HK or the G17 for a good .357/.38 spl K frame, keeping one for home defense and the new wheel gun for target fun.
If you're not very old (younger than 70 or so I'd say) you'll probably still need to cull the herd every 10 years or so and get it back down to your favorite half dozen, since as you and I and everyone here knows, these collection things... they have a way of getting larger on ya if you don't stay sharp, don't they?

 

[krimmie]

This is what I'd keep:
1). Browning challenger III .22lr
2). smith and wesson model 29-2 in Nickel 44 magnum
3). springfield armory mil spec .45 with 3 mags
4). winchester model 1912 12 ga
5). m1 garand match trigger glass bedded springfield receiver
6). winchester model 94 30-30 pre 64

After that I'd trade krimmie the Savage for his brand new, unfired Remington 870 Express so you'd have a shotgun in 3" magnum

 

[Mortech]

If theres no financial benefit to selling any of them why do it ? Like a previous poster said , they don't eat so they won't cast you anything (besides insurance) to keep . I went through a 7 year phase of not really shooting and now I'm rebuilding a collection to the status I once had , and its costing me 3 times what I originally paid to do it .

 

[welldoya]

I've often thought about selling a few but the money would just go for groceries or some other silly necessity and then I wouldn't have the money or the guns.
I only sell a gun if I don't like it, have no use for it or it just doesn't fit in with what I'm interested in.
I learned this after selling some several years ago that I wish I had back.

 

[glockman19]

I'd keep them all but If you had to get rid of any I'd take the M1 Garand from you and give it a good home.

 

[Remander]

Keep the M1 Garand, or sell it to me.

 

[7mmsavage]

I feel your pain, but don't do it

I'm going along with all those who said keep them all. Right now I am in the same boat, I have three children, only one who is old enough to be left alone. On my days off, my wife usually works so I don't get to shoot or hunt much anymore, but I look at the big picture and realize that it's temporary. I would only start to sell my collection if my family was in a drastic financial situation. Again, like others have posted, they're paid for and they don't eat(until you start shooting them again). So if you can't go shooting, take them out and clean them once in a while, and buy yourself an air rifle or pistol to shoot around the house, mine is like therapy!!

 

[Landlocked Pirate]

I've gotten rid of a lot of good guns in the past that I wish I'd held on to because I could have handed them down to my kids, but that never dawned on me at the time. Don't know if this applies to your situation or not.

 

[Just Jim]

Sadly with age our need for collections change. My list is much larger and I need to thin a number of guns but have little time to do so.

jj

 

[DF357]

If you don't need to...don't.

 

[MT GUNNY]

winchester 94 is a must keep