Going through the safe today trying to figure how to whittle down the inventory. Kinda interesting thing happened.

As I went down by manufacturer I found the only Beretta I wanted to keep was a 92FS; the only FN/Browning was an HP; only Colt a 9mm 1911; only CZ a 75B Omega; and two odd Stars (a 380 and M30) plus a Swedish M40 "Lahti."

Then I got to the S&Ws...and all of them are either iconic (39-2, 640, 5906); I carry (Shield); or it's my last wheel gun (19-5).

Same with the Walthers: icons (P1/P38, P4, P5); carry P99cAS or house gun (P99AS)

Sigs be the same, too good to part with or a carry piece.

And that's it. Everything else has already gone bye-bye (all the less expensive entry level guns ala Taurus) or I never even considered 'em in the first place: Springfield, Keltec, or Glock.

How do other folks decide what goes and what stays. I don't shoot all my pistols as much as I want....but even if I don't take the 39-2 to the range but once in a while....selling it just seems "wrong." And how can one not have a 226 if they're going to any Sigs at all....or a 320?

More range time....that's the answer. Maybe now that it's spring.

Can't help. I've never sold a gun.


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If I hadn't sold a lot off over the years, I'd have either ran out of money or living space years ago. I just sell ones that I find I no longer use or the novelty of "collecting" has worn off. Right now debating thinning out a few civil war and post civil war period guns. I've had them for years, but don't even get them out and look at them anymore.

When I was a young man , 50 are so years ago, my daddy advised me to " never sell a gun you like" and you know what ....he was right.
I have gone by that rule and have several now desirable firearms. I don't sell them if I like them.
That model 58 in my avatar, never going to sell it...I like it!
Gary

It's easy. It all stays.

I've kinda made it a habit not to buy a gun I didn't like. And, like gwperkle said, never sell a gun you like. As a result, they all stay.

On the other hand, when it's time to "thin the herd," I have three grown sons and a daughter and each has expressed an interest in certain guns that I own. Almost all of my guns are either "earmarked" for one of my children or one of my grandchildren. But none of them are being sold off.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

I never was much for collecting things to just sit on a shelf so selling off the ones I don't care to shoot isn't a problem. Sometimes we buy guns that had all the hype but they just didn't tickle our fancy once we bought them. Those are the ones that go. I have sold off over a dozen nice guns for someone else to happily own.

I'm more of a user than a collector. I try to not have guns that are essentially duplicates of each other or can perform there same role under the same circumstances.

I purchased an S&W Model 65 3" round butt from the S&W Academy. Maybe a year later I won a Ruger Speed six, 2 3/4" in competition, essentially the same type of gun. So., the Ruger eventually got evicted from the safe.

Sound and simple advice, you can moan about something you
sold 20 yrs ago over what it's worth now vs then. If you sell a
gun you like you will regret it forever.

I've sold 3 and regretted it.

My $.02

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Un-Reconstructed Southerner

I've sold plenty, mostly Kel-Tecs and surplus guns that just didn't work well.

Only S&W I've sold was a 5906 that was minute-of-barndoor for some reason.

I've sold one or two (or three...) to buy better, and have no regrets for those. I certainly have sold a few that just went sour on me. Some I can not physically handle are gone to friends who wanted them. It would be difficult to pick one to kick to the curb these days.

I've sold 2, and it was over 2 decades ago.

92FS - Daily carry, weekly shooter. I must have put 10,000 rounds though it. Can't even remember why I sold it. Probably needed money for something. Maybe rent? I miss that one.

British .303 carbine - Very accurate. Kicked like a Clydesdale. Sold it off when I couldn't get surplus ammo for it anymore. This one was fun, but I don't miss it.

Haven't sold one since, but I've accumulated quite a few. Even purchased a couple. Some are Dad's, some are Grand Dad's, and a some are my own acquisitions. They all have memories behind them, and I just can't part with them. Even if they don't get exercised regularly, or at all. I'm sure many of you know where I'm coming from.


MWS

Evrything in my two safes has a price. Some of them are way up over real value too but if you offer it in coin of the realm than it's yours.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

I only have seven or eight guns, just enough that I can't tell you the exact number without ticking them off on my fingers. There only a couple that I prize highly, but I like them all and have no interest in selling any. There are a few that I would still like to own. Of those, there are two or three I would definitely buy if the money, the gun and I all came together at the same time. If I came across a High Power, I guess I could let the FEG go. Otherwise, they are all here to stay.

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Not in jail.

If it is not a family heirloom the economics are very simple:

Ask your self this one question:

"If I did not own it would I buy it for what I would get if I sold it?"

If Answer is an unqualified "Yes" -- Keep it

If Answer is an unqualified "No" -- Sell it.

And remember
Except for what really matters
Everything is always for sale

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

In the late 1980s I let both my Browning side by side and my Marlin 1894 in 44 magnum get away from me. Those are the only two that I still regret after all this time. Other than that, keepers are keepers and I feel that now I know the difference.

I have a few regret over guns I sold in the past. a model 19 a 629 no dash, a baby browning .25, and a Colt Combat Commander At this point I only sell my plastic stuff I can replace.

It's really one of those personal decisions that everyone has to figure out for themselves.

After four decades of accumulating, a few years ago I decided to sell off the ones I never shot or just had no real attachment to. And after forty some years, I pretty much knew the ones I could live without.

Sold a couple of Colts that while quite desirable, just didn't hold any real attraction for me. Sold a really nice GP100 since I had plenty of other 357s and it was redundant (only one I had mixed feeling about selling but it went to a good friend). Sold some bottom feeders I seldom, if ever took to the range. Actually got rid of almost all the bottom feeders. Unloaded some long guns. And probably some others that don't immediately come to mind. Couldn't bring myself to sell a single S&W. Then ended up buying a few things that were still on my short list and called it good.

The guns I sold have hopefully found happy homes, and all the guns I own now are ones I truly wouldn't want to part with. No regrets.

I have owned so many through the years that I can not remember them all, there have been a few times when I needed to sell some because of financial situations, others because I thought the market had topped out ($650 pythons), several that I found out that I did not care for.

and some I have used to trade up, say trading 3 $300 guns for 1 $1000 gun that I wanted

guns have always been an investment to me and I have never loss money on a gun

the only guns I have that I would not consider trading are family heirlooms

When I find that I have no use for a certain "utilitarian" gun, that is when I sell it. I do not sell anything else. The inheritance for my kids will be my guns, not money or anything else (one or two may get land if they plan on running the family ranch).

My dad started the tradition of passing down guns to my brother and I. I hope that this tradition stays for several more generations. If not, I'll be dead and it won't matter anyway.

I've only sold the ones with flaws in their function. If I were looking to eliminate, the plastic guns would not be missed.

Well house gun and carry gun are the same thing so that's only one and not two.

Anything that doesn't get used often or can't be carried for one reason or another.

Anything that needs gunsmithing

I just sold one of those iconic Sigs yesterday. It did nothing my carry gun doesn't do and was bigger and thicker so I didn't carry it. Sold!


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Just can't seem to part with them but have sold a few hunting rifles that I had a better rifle in that caliber that was more accurate. If hunting season was longer I would probably have even more!

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

LOL A great question ......... wish I had a good answer!

Until then I guess I'll just hold on to what I've got and try not to let the herd grow any larger!!!!!!!

I've managed to accumulate a number of very pretty paperweights from my infamous $325, 98% Registered Magnum find to a 2 inch Nickle, ANIB 10-7.

Guns I know I'll never shoot or carry.....................logic tells me I should thin the herd....................................but.................I don't "need" the money...........and paper money all looks the same. gold coins are kind of boring unless you have a room full,like Scrooge McDuck.................so I guess for now.................... "Guns it is!"

I have never sold one. I've got some I haven't shot in 30 years, and some I shoot very seldom, but can't bring myself to sell them. They each hold a memory of some sort.

I REALLY like this.

Right now I have a very nice Ruger Mk II I haven't shot in years. A 43 year old 870 20 gauge I may shoot every couple years at family gatherings, and an Ithaca govt .45 that was my uncles and my cousins don't want it so it sits in the safe.

Over the years I've sold some nice guns that if I held on to I could get a lot more for now. Mostly to fund other purchases with a minimum of spousal concern.

I just buy another safe occasionally.

When I was a young man and first got serious about guns, it was a case of gotta sell one to buy one. I sold quite a few that I regretted getting rid of.
Over the last 40 years, as my financial situation improved, I've managed to replace the ones I regretted selling. These days I sometimes regret buying one for various reasons. Those I'll sell without thinking twice.
Who knows, now that I'm retired, at some point I may need to sell some of them. But in the meantime, every gun I own will stay right where it is. My sons can deal with them after I'm gone.

That's where I'm at...., again...

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NRA Life Member

I wish I had back back every firearm I ever sold or traded . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Only gun I've ever sold was a duplicate; I had two of something, and I kept the one in better condition.

From your list, I would sell the Shield, even though it's your functional choice. Why... because you can replace it cheaply with another right now. Why not... because unless the buyer doesn't do his research, you shouldn't get much for it.

I wouldn't sell: anything that approaches "icon" standards, especially if it's not in production anymore.

Seriously- if you just have to sell, sell a new polymer gun that has no sentimental attachment, and that you can easily and cheaply replace.

I sometimes have thoughts about thinning out what's in the gun vault . . . but then I go buy another one and I usually get over it.

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- Change it back -

Amen and amen. I've only sold 5 guns in my entire long, sorry life (4 handguns and one rifle) and I deeply regret selling all but one of them, and even that last one probably should have stayed in the safe too.

But that said, I totally identify with the OP's dilemma. I'm at a point where the last few handguns I want to own before I run out of "good years" and cease my collecting are too expensive for me to buy out of my pitiful remaining savings or social security... so something has to go very soon or my goals will not be met.

The problem is that the guns I am willing to part with are mostly cheap plastic wonders and worth very little, especially post-election and with rebates running (with probably more rebates to come). I figure I'd have to sell 3, 4 or even 5 plastic guns to buy just one gun from my list. With four remaining planned acquisitions for 2017, that's a lot of plastic I've got to move.

It's not going to be easy but I'm going to a couple of my local dealers this coming week and start the ball rolling. I'm going the consignment route, at least initially. There are certain advantages to doing it that way here in MA.

I usually sell what I no longer find interesting or desirable. Went through the Milsurp/Cruffler stage of collecting and shooting but after a decade or so I culled all but a few "keepers".

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BCCI Life Member #2068

Been buying and selling since 75. Only sold to upgrade or get something I wanted. Now My keepers are very nice shooters, with a few that are collector grade, or were. Now I only trade for or buy a gun if it's one I want to shoot. Don't want to end up like an old friend who passed. He lived in a big trailer in a nice park up north of Me. Had so many guns there were only paths to the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Coroner had to cut a hole in the side of the trailer to get the body to a gurney. I have no one to pass guns on to so as My eyes go I will sell.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ This right here!!!!∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

I might not need them, but I sure do miss them.

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Un-Reconstructed Southerner

Selling guns has always served me well. In good times I sell guns so I can buy more guns. In bad times I sell guns so I can make house payments and such. Never understood the whole "I'll never sell a gun" thing.

I did the same thing recently

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I can't think of one. My problem is that sometimes I forget why I sold it and buy another one only to realize that I should probably have held on to my money.

Typically I try to trade for something I wanted. Doesn't mean I'll like that one either but unfortunately we can't test drive guns like we can a car

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My exact philosophy which I adopted in my early 20's. One of my lucky buys, a 1980 Colt Pyhthon went away to pay for camera equipment for my new job. Many more guns have come and gone since, some because I didn't shoot them well, some to buy another gun. Unfortunately, like many others, my biggest safe clean out came due to a change in employment. The eye candy only collector guns and a few under used shooters all went away in that sale.

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Virtue,Liberty & Independence

I lost my job four years ago and was out of work for a year. I sold a lot of my collection, and I felt it. My current motto is, never sell a revolver. I have a fair amount of them again. If I had to pair down to the bare minimum, it would be my CZ P01 (with Kadet upper), my Nano, and an AR carbine. But even out of work, I held onto more than that.

Wow.....I mean WOW....that is... WOW!

What great advice, insight, experience.

Gonna make the decision-making a lot easier. As Ptarmigan said, "Keepers are keepers." And the easily replaceable plastic pistols will be on the list to go and the "real" steel pistols mostly stay.

About the only plastic pistol I won't consider selling is the Shield. After adding an Apex trigger package, Trijicons, and Talons (okay, a big $17 for those) I doubt I'll get my money out of it. (Although a Walther PPS M1 is singing a siren's song. But how much better could that be than the Shield?)

And a note to Marshwheeling....dump the FEG, buy a used HP from Coles Distributing (CDI) on gunbroker, have the mag safety removed, trigger work done and then Ceracote or Duracote it and you'll have a gun you'll never sell. Mine gets it's own soft case and gets shot a lot.

Again, thanks to all who posted....now I think I'm going to open the safe and fondle some guns (the range is closed today).

I sold all the Glocks, and kept everything else, no regrets.

" I only sell guns I can't buy more of..... or replace............"



Keep in mind this is a moving target......................

Register Magnums........ just "old guns" in the 50-80s .... everyone wanted a nice "new" 27.................

3" 66s lay rusting on the shelves in the late 1980s

3913/14s ..... give me a break ..... early 90s ..... a joke cus they didn't have 15+1 up the butt.............................

PC guns in the mid 90s .................. at $600-700 were too expensive vs factory 6906s

It's all a moving target............... your guess is as good as mine!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no idea how many guns I own, but I bet I've sold or traded off three times as many. Hundreds, I'm sure.

I also don't get the "never sell a gun" thing. I've bought guns I found out I didn't like after trying them out. I sold others that I bought because they were a good buy and I was able to get something better by turning them for a profit. I sold others because I was in a financial bind, and providing for my family was more important than that inanimate object.

Once a gun is gone, I never think about it again. Why bother?

I have a couple that I would only sell in an absolute emergency - my grandpa's Fox Sterlingworth, some of my Dad's guns. But they would be on the block if it was truly necessary.

They are all going to get sold one day anyway - either by my kids or their kids or my widow's new boyfriend. I doubt very many guns get passed down through more than 3 generations.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I've said this before

I know how to sneak a new gun into the safe
But I can't figure how to sneak a new safe into the house

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

I sell four or five most years and buy or trade in to at least that many. I can think of no more than 2 regrets. Usually the guns tell me it's time to go.

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Front sight and squeeze

The Gun Whisperer

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

My personal motto is "Never sell a Colt or Smith & Wesson". The rest do not matter.