Just saw on another forum that a guy bought a Colt Magpul rifle 7 years ago for $1300 and today the same rifle sells today for $659... That is about 50% less!

However, if you bought a M&P 15 Sport during the same time frame for $750, today the Sport would cost you $530 (cheapest price on slickguns today), the price has dropped less than 30%!

"Buy a Colt" they said. "It will retain more value" they said...

Historically, Colt's have appreciated well (Python, old 1911's, etc., etc.). That is the general trend, not an absolute.

Someone who bought a Colt at a high price (and especially during one of the feeding frenzies) is going to have a difficult time getting a return on his unwise investment. Ditto the panic buyers regarding 22 ammo, powder, etc. Buy wisely, Glasshoppah...

^^^

ONLY if return on investment is calculated only on dollars and nothing else.

If assault weapons bans etc actually did go into effect. Those same people who “unwisely” invested in the feeding frenzy would instead look like geniuses!

When fear pushes prices up because of potential actions by politicians, there is NEVER any guarantees how it will ultimately turn out. But assuming the worst is I believe always the safest bet.

If return on investment also includes the fact that you actually possessed the rifle, had the protection it offeres and all the other benefits of the asset (AR15). The gun is still as effective, accurate etc. so you didn't lose ANY of the benefits of the investment other than the monetary present value.

And don't worry, they will print money and cause inflation so that sooner or later the gun will be worth more dollars than you paid for it. The only question is how long will it take. Which is the same as any other investment in a mutual fund or stock etc.

If you buy and hold for the long term (which is how I buy a gun) not intending to day trade, than short term fluctuations in the market can and should be ignored. And unlike stock shares. I can utilize my rifle at any time and recieve “dividends” of enjoyment of my asset and enjoy the other benefits of that asset. Rather than look at a quarterly report piece of paper telling me what “worth” my stock asset is at currently.

Two years ago I benefited from the mid 80's "feeding frenzy". At a LGS I found a "blue labeled" NIB Colt Light Weight Sporter priced at $595.00, needless to say I snarfed it up. The box still had it's "feeding frenzy" price sticker of $1,227.00 on it. Whomever bought this one and never shot it really took a beating trading it off at the LGS.

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Stay safe people!

Lots of people bought high in the election scare era. Prices were really stupid during the ban for pre-ban guns. Better to have and not need than need and not have.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

My local LGS refused to sell the Colt,,
he always had the Bushmaster in stock.

I finally succumbed,, and purchased a Bushmaster for ~$700
That gun was perfect for every plinking outing I took it on.

I do have one more,, it is a beater,, that I got at beater price,,,
it even came with a 22LR adapter kit,,



I am glad I "missed out" on the Colt RUSH!!

I have to agree with most of the posts here. I scrimped and saved in the early 1990’s and bought an HK91 for about $1,100. Shortly after the Clinton AWB someone else just had to have it more than I did so I let it go for $3,500. If a guy were to buy one of the Colt AR’s today for around $700ish it could prove a very good investment should government infringement on the constitution ever get squirrelly again.

It is possible to overpay for anything. Buy with your brain, not your heart. Avoid panics. (Easier said than done.)

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Certified Curmudgeon

Ray1970: should government infringement on the constitution ever get squirrelly again.

Should, ah, an optimist...

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Certified Curmudgeon

Well, right now, the glass is 1/2 full.
There will likely come a time when it is, again, 1/2 empty.

This certainly seems like the time to pick up an AR! Even I am thinking about it with Sport II's under $500.......

Buying any gun as an investment is risky. Maybe they will get more expensive but maybe they will go down. And sometimes they go down then go way back up. When I was a kid you could but a milsurp Colt .45 for almost nothing. Nobody wanted them. Now they bring good money. Prices change with the wind. But generally a gun isn't that good of an investment unless you consider the fringe benefits that come with ownership. Things like SD and just plain fun.

If you want to invest buy stocks. If you want to buy something you can use and then sell for about what you have in it or more then buy a gun. The only difference comes with collectable guns. If you can predict the whims of that market you can make money. I saw my dad collect an entire series of revolvers then sell them as a set for a profit. He did the same thing with knives. But he got swindled in a stock deal too. Sometimes it pays to stick with what you know.

If you really want an investment certain guns will almost certainly increase in price. Look at what people want but can't find. Look at the future and then buy something that represents the past or is ahead of the curve on new innovations. There are ways to make money with guns but personally I buy them to shoot them. I could double or even triple my money on some guns I own. Others I would lose my shirt on. But I bought based on what I wanted and not what I thought would increase in value.

That says absolutely nothing. He could have paid $40000. A fool and his money!!!

But try and do a trade in and see what happens!

All things being equal I'll still pay $1200 today for a Colt over a $530 S&W...T O D A Y!!!

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Ugh. I sold off most of my Smith Revolvers and Smith Semi Pistols last year thinking President Hidabeast. I figured I could always save up and replace them and bought ARs & AKs. I didn’t pay panic prices, but I definitely paid more than I couid sell them for now.

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Just hanging with my dogs

I used my Cabela's points last fall to buy a Colt LE6920 that I didn't need. It cost me nothing. I have four other AR's. It sits NIB in case we get another anti-gun administration. If we don't, one of my heirs will get a good gun. I placed a bet that I could only win or draw.

Yeah, but then again, there are those who scoffed at $79 , arsenal rebuilt, numbers matching Mosin/Nagant 91/30's....when they were plentiful, yet are now paying $250+ for the same rifles. Same goes for the $299 Swiss K-31's, now $500 rifles.
Bought a Norinco Maadi AK in 1991. $300 bucks. Find one for that now.

Call me silly but I never consider any profits when I purchase a firearm. I am just not that savvy.

I purchase my guns based on what trips my trigger (pun intended). Should I choose to sell or trade (something I rarely do anymore) I do the best I can with what I’ve got.

I hope you find this helpful.

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)