Your personal rules when selling one of your guns...

I sold a Remington Model 78 in .243 a few years ago. I have never sold another gun. I gave 2 Remington Model 788 rifles away to friends. I have a Kimber Longmaster Classic that I would like to be shed of. Can't bring myself to burden someone else with this lemon.

 

I've sold & traded lots of guns to improve my "collection" ... Only regretted it one time, so I bought it back and a month later I couldn't figure out why.

I've sold guns to start a collage fund for my youngest daughter, to surprise my wife with new carpet through out the house, buy jewelry for her on special occasions and to buy sports cars for me ... Now don't get me wrong, in almost every instance the guns would be worth more now than when I sold them, but I've yet to loose any significant amount on a gun and generally made a few bucks because I bought wisely.

Basically, I've gotten more enjoyment from the funds the sale provided than the gun just collecting dust in the safe, and my wife has never questioned a gun purchase or asked "why do you need another gun?"

One of my favorite past times is the hunt and acquisition, we are all going to die and you can't take it with you ... It's all a matter of your priorities.

 

I'll only sell a gun I truely don't like or can't shoot. So far that list only includes a couple of Glocks (didn't learn the first time), and a Ruger P345. I'm sure they're both great guns, but I couldn't shoot either accurately.

 

My first rule for selling guns is...Don't sell my guns
My second rule for selling my guns is...DO NOT sell my guns.

Too often I hear my father lament over guns he sold over 30 years ago....

 

I only sell or trade guns to fund or get other guns. My interests in different types of guns tends to change over time. Right now I am on a cowboy gun kick and thats what I am mainly getting and interested in shooting. Several years ago it was combo guns, I collected a lot but now have mostly sold them or traded them to get my new addiction, cowboy guns. There have been a few that once I got them the idea of owning them was better than actually shooting them so off to new homes they went. There are only 2 guns I regret selling and that is only because I find myself wanting to get them again due to mainly the idea of owning them, but I sold them because I did not like to shoot them. Unless it is an ultra rare gun you can always get another one if you want it later.

 

Buy/sell guns?

I'm with heron. I have more guns than I need at this time and want to reduce my small inventory.

The trouble is that each one is hard to part with.

 

To the never sell crowd, help me understand this. If you buy a used Glock or Ruger Blackhawk (current model) for the average used price, you never really fall in love with it, you are offered the same amount you paid for it, what is the reasoning behind keeping it? Every gun store in America is overflowing with Glocks and Ruger SA.

If you reverse it and say, you had the cash in your pocket instead of the gun would you go out and buy the gun? If the answer is no then sell it

If it is a common gun and you get back what you put in it why wouldn't you? Help me understand.

 

I don't buy used guns.
I don't buy guns on impulse. I do research before my purchase and choose exactly what I want.

I've known some big time "traders" who are pretty impulsive and have very short attention spans where guns are concerned. That is not me in the slightest.

 

Rule #1: I don't sell my guns

I save up and buy new if I want something. SOMEDAY having some extra tools laying might be worth it. Either by putting them to work or monetarily

 

I only have two long guns that I have an emotional attachment too. (had since I was a kid)
All the others are sold and traded whenever I want.

 

That's how I am. It means I've owned two dozen or more different guns in the last year...but hey I'm trying to make up for lost time and testing things out!

 

I don't buy on impulse but I do buy a lot of used. Even with researching a gun I find selling or trading is completely within reason.

I had a ruger blackhawk that I sold for basically what I paid (same price for the gun although I did put new grips on it) to find a Ruger Redhawk in 45 colt. The redhawk is super rare, the Blackhawk is super common. I loved the Blackhawk and did not buy it on impulse. I did not see a need for another 45 colt but between the 2 I much preferred the Redhawk. So I sold the Blackhawk with no regrets. If I decide I want another they are easy enough to get a hold of

 

I have no problem selling common, generic guns like Glocks. Often they were bought on impulse and reality is they will never be worth much...lesson learned and sell them for something decent.

I have downsized my collection by about half but now have a much better, far more valuable collection. Instead of buying 3 or 4 cheap guns I wait and buy something of higher quality.

 

Depends why you are selling it.

If it's because you are suffering from ADD and suddenly want a different gun, don't sell it.

If it's because you have discovered that the gun just isn't working out for you as planned...sell it.

 

If you sell a gun for a better gun or one you will use more then that's ok. If you sell a gun to pay a bill you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Selling/trading to improve your collection allows you to better your collection, not gut it.

 

Buy/Sell or trade, there's usually one around for that purpose.
There are times when a gun deal is so good I won't pass up on it, knowing it can be used later for another gun deal. Trade or sell, there will always be guns bought on the cheap and sold for some form of profit.
For instance, I bought an M&P 40 100% factory new in the box at a local Pawn shop for $300 about 6 months ago. I just traded it for a Left Handed Savage Model 111 in 338 Win Mag with ammo, 3 slings, 4-12 X 50 Scope, hard case, even up. That was a great trade for my initial $300 investment.
I'm currently selling another one of my other pistols so I can buy a Ruger 3 Screw Blackhawk convertible in .357/9mm.
I do have a pretty solid collection of guns that will never be sold in my lifetime for numerous reasons, but they're in the safe and staying there for the duration.

Regards,
Gearchecker

 

Life's too short to sit in my man cave and fondle a bunch of guns I don't use and don't like. If a gun strikes my fancy I'll happily trade in or sell one I don't care for to try it out.

Currently I am in the process of replacing all my right handed bolt guns with left handed models. I didn't have enough money to buy dedicated lefties (and few were available off the shelf) but I'm at the point in my life where I can spend a few bucks to finally have a few rifles that fit me. Of course that doesn't apply to stuff like the nice FN 98 Mauser Sporter I stumbled upon, but eventually I hope to replace all the commercial guns unless they have some sentimental value.

The only guns i have that are off limits for sale or trade are the handful I inherited from my Dad. There's not enough room in my gun safe for guns I don't have any fondness for.

 

#1: Never sell a firearm that cannot be replaced.
#2: Always select a replacement before the sale and be ready to acquire it.
#3: I can shop around for buyers.
#4: Clean and beautify anything before I sell it, as buyers like it and it raises the price.
#5: Have the price and means of exchange settled in advance.
#6: Make sure that I know who I'm selling to.
#7: Agree on accessories, magazines, and ammunition before sale.
#8: Explore all options before committing to a deal, sale, or buyer.
#9: Catalogue any and all significant quirks.
#10: Be entirely sure that I want to be rid of this gun.