Look before you leap (to sell your gun)

[peter-paul]

So, I recently put a rifle on the WTS board. As I took it out of the safe to take pictures, I kept saying to myself "Wow, this really was the pinnacle of quality, why am I selling this?" I didn't need the money, I had just thought I would use the funds to get something else. I left it up for about a day and received a slew of PMs about it. About half of them were PMs telling me it was a parts rifle (it's not). But the other half were from some very experienced old timers telling me the quality and rarity of what I had. Having held the rifle in my hands, and with the advice by other forum members, I decided that I'm going to keep it and never sell it.

So, my advice is this: you bought your treasures for a reason. If ever think you don't need your treasure, but you also don't need the money, make sure you take it out of its case first and reflect on what it meant to you.

Failure to do this has caused me a lot of regret in the past, and it would have been the case with this rifle.

Thank you to those members who reminded me to look before I leap.

 

[Muddyboot]

So what kind of rifle was it?

 

[Captain Skip]

I hear you...I stop and think about the guns that I've sold over the years....M1 carbine, Mini-14, Colt Commander, Colt Gold Cup, S&W 39, S&W 6906, Remington 700BDL/22-250 and the list goes on. Friend of mine refuses to sell any gun that he has....wish I had done the same.

 

[df06]

Made that mistake several times, sold a rifle and regretted it.

 

[Engineer1911]

Only regret is M581 with Bomar rib. Neighbor gave me my asking price--only sale I regret. Did find a M681, added an Aristocrat rib that makes it just as sweet as the one I sold.

 

[robrossk]

I only have 3 firearms that I will never sell. Two belonged to my dad and the other is a Rem 11-87 that I bought when my dad was with me. The rest while nice to have - do not have sentimental value to me. Thanks to the OP for sharing.

 

[deadin]

Sold every one of them (Except the .455 Triple Lock, that is mislabeled in the picture.))


I get up every morning and kick my butt around the bedroom for at least 30 minutes......

 

[m75rlg]

I regret selling every firearm I've sold. Even the single shot Bluegrass 12 guage shotgun with the 32" barrell that would send a puff of smoke in your face from the breech every time your shot it. Was the first shotgun I had, bought from another kid when I was about 11 or 12 years old and carried home on the handlebars of my bicycle!

 

[Bullet Bob]

"I get up every morning and kick my butt around the bedroom for at least 30 minutes....."

Doesn't that put you in danger of tripping on the big piles of cash you must have gotten for them?

 

[Golddollar]

When I lost my job in 2009 I didn't have a whole lot of choice.

 

[pittpa]

When I lost my job in 2009 I didn't have a whole lot of choice.

Does one or more stand out?


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[sigp220.45]

I've sold a bunch of guns. I don't regret a single one.

I look at guns as enjoyable certificates of deposit. I buy them and shoot them. If I really need money then I sell them. Then when I can I buy more.

At last count I had about a gross of guns in the house. Over the years I've owned and enjoyed at least three times that many. Somebody else is going to own all of them soon enough anyway - why not try as many as possible?

 

[hsguy]

I have sold off a lot of my guns and have only regretted one or two. As I got older and realized that no one in my family was really interested in them it was time for them to go down the road. I sold many at SWCA gatherings to collectors who really appreciate them rather than try to make a fast buck flipping them, quite satisfying to me. Many of them were relatively scarce or hard to find items and I enjoyed the idea that they were appreciated for their provenance or scarcity. I often see on the Forum members opine they will never sell a gun, but I was glad to offer them to new appreciative owners rather than to think they will be sold by disinterested heirs to fund the latest electronic gadget.

I have reached the point as the old cliche notes, at some point your possessions own you rather than the opposite. Unfortunately I am at the point that the ones I still have are my favorites, tough choices ahead!

 

[llowry61]

I have been a net buyer and have only sold one gun. I guess there will come a point in time that I will sell them, but not right now. Guess I am a hoarder at heart.

 

[Rustyt1953]

In my life I have sold a lot of my own guns and vintage/collectible guitars. When they left they took any emotion attachment with them.

I rarely think about any of them. I much prefer to live in the "here and now".

 

[pawncop]

Very wise advice. I wish I had followed it years ago.

 

[Golddollar]

Does one or more stand out?


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Probably the pre-war Luger and the P-38. I did replace the Luger with a chromed shooter and that was fine by me. For the most part I sold things that I figured I could replace reasonable easily when I got back on my feet. Two guns that I was really glad I did not sell are my Python and my Finnish Lahti pistol.

 

[jimmyj]

Several years ago I sold most of my firearms due to medical bills. However most were purchased by Forum Members so the firearms went to good homes.

 

[ameridaddy]

Sold every one of them (Except the .455 Triple Lock, that is mislabeled in the picture.))


I get up every morning and kick my butt around the bedroom for at least 30 minutes......

I think you should have opened a museum and charged admission. That's a big slice of history there.

 

[Chukar60]

I have bought, sold, traded and flipped a ton of guns over my life.
I have only replaced 3 guns that I decided I made a mistake on.
4" 629-4 that I replaced 4 years later for $150 more than I sold my last one, but this time I got the box etc. and a nicer example.
4" 66 no dash. Replaced it 6 years later with a nicer specimen for $75 bucks more than I sold the other one for.
60-10. This one really does not count. Sold to my brother as a favor. Replaced it 3 - 4 years later for $100 more than I sold the last one but have box etc for the current one.
$325 for three mistakes is cheap medicine.
The only guns I will never sell are the guns I got from my dad and my first 20 gauge Superposed, maybe the second one too. All others are just occupying space in the safe for now.