To Shoot or Collect? That's The Question

[doc540]

When I opened the box it looked like this '78 GC might have been fired before.

Since I'd never shot one, I went ahead and murdered some paper with it.

How do you decide whether to shoot or not shoot?

 

[Brass Rain]

I don't plan on ever owning guns I won't shoot. If they're too nice to shoot, but 'em in a museum, not your safe. It's not ever a question to shoot or not, it's when.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

That's a mighty fine looking Colt. I'm not a collector, so I'm not sure if indeed it is a collectable or not. I'm sure there are a group of guys out there that would consider it a nice addition to a Colt collection.
I'm one of those guys that admire the classic Colts and Smiths. Not to mention Brownings and other vintage shotguns.
I see a lot of guys shooting the older Colts in bullseye matches. Obviously their guns aren't stock\original anymore.

Good luck with your decision......I couldn't help myself, I'd have to shoot it.

 

[J-Bar]

Would a guy take a beautiful woman out on a date, and then not try to kiss her good night?

 

[Hatterasguy]

Doesn't matter how rare or valuable a piece is, I'd shoot it as long as it was safe to do so. Guns are made to be shot.

Jay Leno drives his Duesenberg all the time. Cars were made to be driven and guns shot.

 

[kingpin008]

I don't have the money to buy guns just for looking at. Even if I did, they're meant to be used. If they were meant to be museum pieces, they'd be deactivated from the factory.

Not that you have to shoot them all day every day, but IMHO, it never made sense to me to collect something - guns, cars, knives, whatever - and just put up on a shelf to be stared at.

 

[FROGO207]

I collect and then shoot what I have collected. Nuff said!!

 

[JoelSteinbach]

I dont collect, I acquire, and shoot every one

 

[Tomcat47]

Collect to shoot....thats my thoughts!

They are guns...they have firing pins....its a shame to not let em do there job!

I was told I was crazy for shooting a John Wayne Commemoritive 30-30!

I thought it would be crazier not to shoot it!

NICE COLT! & I BET IT MADE YOU HAPPY TO MURDER THAT PAPER!

 

[Magoo]

Jay Leno can afford to replace anything he breaks. Even if he breaks an irreplaceable item, he can relish the enjoyment he enjoyment he had in its destruction. Very few of us are in his tax bracket.

I don't know anything about the OPs pistol and won't comment whether or not to shoot or stash that particular piece. I just enjoyed visitation rights with my one day to be inherited 1906 mfr Colt Bisley. While it is mechanically 100% (and 90% cosmetically), there is no way I'd fire that gun [My research puts the sale price at $6000-$12000]. I'm not in "that" tax bracket and cannot risk damaging that gun. That being said, I agree that there's no point owning a gun you can't/wont shoot and will likely sell that gun when I inherit it.

 

[TNT in Round Rock]

in the words of Troy from "Swamp People" ... 'choot 'him ! " ...

 

[supercalvin56]

I have an unfired Ruger Model 77 Flatbolt that is new in the box with all the original papers from 1969. If I shoot it, it becomes just another Ruger 77 but, because it is still NIB 41 years after being shipped it has much higher value to myself and others. Don't think I haven't been tempted but, I have other guns to shoot but, this one is for looking.

 

[Old Fuff]

All guns may have two values - One, its value to a shooter/user, and two, its value as a collectable. Some guns have both, and one or the other may be substantially more then the other, or potentially so in the short or long run.

Let me give you an example. One day at an auction I was the only bidder on a Colt .38 Police Positive. There were plenty of "shooters" around, but they played it scant notice. After all, these days who would want an old revolver chambered to use the useless .38 S&W cartridge? Why in a revolver with a 4" barrel it only would push a 146 grain, round nose lead bullet at a bit over 700 FPS. Neither hollow-points or Plus-P ammunition was available. And to make matters worse, it wasn't heavy enough to make a good boat anchor. I'm sure most if not all of the shooters posting on this thread would deem it to be totally worthless.

And I am so glad they feel that way...

This little Police Positive was in like-new condition, and probably unfired (such a shame) . It was made during World War Two out of previously manufactured parts when there was a desperate need for anything that would shoot. Production was limited to the available parts on hand, and most were sent overseas to allies who could better use them.

Now while all the "I only buy what I can shoot, and shoot everything I buy," guys were turning up their collective noses, I got it for a song - knowing I could sell it several times over what I paid to a collector, and turn the profit toward any other gun I wanted.

Most of the time the firearms that are popular with shooters have limited collector appeal, and the more popular collectables are priced beyond the shooter's means - but there are exceptions, and I often make some money on those exceptions. Shooters on the other hand tend to make the local gunshop owners rich.

Also nowhere is it writen that collectable guns can't be shot, unless they are too old, in poor condition, correct black powder ammunition isn't available, or they are mint/like new and unfired.

So to those who absolutely must shoot everything they lay their hands on I say... "Keep shooting boys! Keep shooting. I havent made enough $$$$ yet.

 

[bushmaster1313]

I do not have any guns that will go down in value with reasonable use.
This is because I never buy a gun in mint condition.
I do have some very nice guns (at least I think they are very nice), but with careful use they are none the worse after giving me tons of enjoyment.

The only ones I baby are my 1919 Baker Elite and my World War II Stevens 620.

The Baker gets a couple of rounds of trap a year. The Stevens will never be a go-to gun and I only shoot it on special occasions like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and when my good friend in the Reserves comes to visit.

I would not know what to do with a mint condition valuable collector's gun.

 

[duck911]

Like everything in life, there are no absolutes. For me, it depends on the gun, how it was acquired, and any sentimental value.

I would never personally BUY a gun I wouldn't plan on shooting.

However, my father and grandfather were both career California Highway Patrolmen, and over the decades purchased and collected a number of museum-grade or collectors edition only-available-to CHP firearms, some complete in fine display cases.

Some of these have been/will be handed down to me, they won't be fired, or in some cases, taken out of their display cases. Why would I? These are "family heirlooms" (so to speak) that have been well cared for and passed down, unfired and in some cases, never even handled.

Yep, I think firearms are tools. Yep, my duck hunting shotguns are canvases of rusty art. But there are some firearms that I would not fire. That's just me.

 

[bushmaster1313]

However, my father and grandfather were both career California Highway Patrolmen, and over the decades purchased and collected a number of museum-grade or collectors edition only-available-to CHP firearms, some complete in fine display cases.

Some of these have been/will be handed down to me, they won't be fired, or in some cases, taken out of their display cases. Why would I? These are "family heirlooms" (so to speak) that have been well cared for and passed down, unfired and in some cases, never even handled.

Serious Question:

What do you do with guns like this and how do you appreciate them?

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I'm with Old Fuff. There are two different types in my opinion. I don't currently own any guns that I will not shoot. Owning a 1st generation SAA is on my bucket list though, and I assure you if it becomes a reality, it won't get shot.
Sorry to the OP for not sticking to the discussion. That's a beautiful gun. As far as how I would decide, I would find out if I had a firearm that would decrease in value if I shot it. If it would, I would probably sell it. Unless it had historical value, in which I would display it and ogle it. I'm nostalgic about some stuff.

 

[Zundfolge]

No reason you can't shoot a collector piece ... unless you're question is actually; To Shoot or Invest?

 

[RimfireChris]

If it's safe, I shoot it, but then I've never owned anything that was very collectable.

 

[sunnynice]

that's might be a pity.

 

[therewolf]

Shoot it. IMO, can't shoot it, no fun.

My problem is how to get a few nice shooters without it turning

into a COLLECTION.

 

[Waywatcher]

They're awful expensive paperweights.

Personally, I say shoot it or sell it. If it is particularly fantastic, get it to a museum. Taking up space is not a worthwhile endeavour.

 

[22-rimfire]

If you own it, you can do anything you want to with it. I would have probably parked it or not bought it at all unless it was a steal. My thoughts pretty much follow Old Fuff's.

 

[smallbore]

Nice gun. . Decisions. Decisions.

 

[JohnBT]

"How do you decide whether to shoot or not shoot?"

I look to see if I have ammo for it. I'm not a collector, so even a Colt WWI Repro is a shooter to me. I like the sights and it's very accurate. And I don't own any unfired Pythons either.

When I think of a collector, I think of a friend's father who was a Colt SAA collector. He spent decades refining and upgrading his collection until he ended up with about 50 nice ones. When his father had a stroke and had to move to The Home, my friend, not being into guns, was going to keep one as a memento and picked one that didn't look too out of the ordinary - he liked the longer barrel and the engraving. Well, that one sold for $18,000 eventually. He had no real idea what his father had amassed.