please, just sell the box and papers separately.

[lagavulin62]

this is becoming one of my pet peaves. you see a very nice gun but...........it includes both the box and papers. oh great now I got to compete with the museum safe queen crowd..... I have seen boxes go for such ridiculous prices I wonder if the seller would do better selling a nice gun separate from the box? isn't the rule of thumb 100 dollars added with box and tools? I wonder if he could do better selling them separately?

just a thought because I am so sick and tired of having the price rise just because somebody wants to hand down something to their grandkids who more than likely will never appreciate the hobby or their inheritance. about the only inheritance worth leaving in my opinion is money and real estate. other than that why bother?

I hope I am not offending anyone. I do understand the importance of leaving things for the family, it's just I doubt they really care about my guns or confederate currency.

ok here is what started it this wonderful easter sunday. not going to put the link because I don't want to upset mods but there is a very nice model 28-2 on gunbroker that I believe was added today. you can't miss it. starting out at 400. just do a search if interested.

 

[balldboy]

No offense taken here.
My collection to date has a total of 3 boxed Smiths:
36 3"HB RB
627 Md of 1989
617 4" 6 shot.
The first is older than me, bought for Wifey as a shooter.
Second denotes the year my first son was born.
Third was round butted nicely and is now going to live at a friends house so he can teach his kids to shoot.

Other than the 627, I learned of the boxes after the fact.

 

[Art Doc]

The boxes often are numbered to the guns. You are not seriously suggesting that owners sell them separately, are you? A gun with its original box and documentation is a collectible. If that's not what you want (me neither) then fine, look for guns that are more "shooter grade."

 

[Sebago Son]

this is becoming one of my pet peaves. you see a very nice gun but...........it includes both the box and papers. oh great now I got to compete with the museum safe queen crowd.....

just a thought because I am so sick and tired of having the price rise just because somebody wants to hand down something to their grandkids who more than likely will never appreciate the hobby or their inheritance. about the only inheritance worth leaving in my opinion is money and real estate. other than that why bother? ....

Wow... all I can say is just Wow... You're kidding right?....

April 1st was several weeks ago....

 

[moosedog]

Having the correct box doesn't automatically raise the price $100. It is dependant upon the rarity of the gun and box.
Naturally an 80s or 90s S&W with the original box is no big deal, but as the years go buy, original boxes get lost or trashed and the scarcity / price goes up accordingly.

Having the box doesn't make it a "museum" quality gun either. I have many guns that I use on a regular basis and have kept their boxes.

I do agree, that some of the folks think having the original box on any gun makes it like the Holy Grail.

 

[sw282]

si--------

 

[MAG-NUM]

I for one will consider not buying a gun without it's original box, documents and tools.
That is the way it was sold and that is the way I want to collect them. Yes I have bought some that I could not pass up because they had no box, but I fret about it and search for a correct box.
My collection covers varying models and years and when I am looking for a particular model, I will keep searching until I find one "complete".
There are those that will argue but this is my thoughts on the matter.
Please do not separate guns from their original packaging. Thank you, Bob

 

[G-Mac]

I like to get the box and docs with a used Smith...it's worth a little more to me that way. But, I certainly wouldn't (and haven't) turned down a good deal on a nice Smith for lack of same.

 

[lagavulin62]

well i suppose if it was some rarity worth thousands then sure keep it together. but no I am talking about generic guns that happen to be in very nice to excellent condition. what is rare about 28-2's? if we are only talking about a few hundred dollars due to having all the things then I say no big deal because I am just going to shoot it anyway. the thing is I can't buy those new so why not use it? I love beaters but more so if they are MY BEATERS. meaning I'm the one who broke them in and put all the use into them. so anyway not trying to start a war just sharing that at least at this point no gun is sacred in my safe.

 

[VM]

this is becoming one of my pet peaves. you see a very nice gun but...........it includes both the box and papers. oh great now I got to compete with the museum safe queen crowd..... I have seen boxes go for such ridiculous prices I wonder if the seller would do better selling a nice gun separate from the box? isn't the rule of thumb 100 dollars added with box and tools? I wonder if he could do better selling them separately?

just a thought because I am so sick and tired of having the price rise just because somebody wants to hand down something to their grandkids who more than likely will never appreciate the hobby or their inheritance. about the only inheritance worth leaving in my opinion is money and real estate. other than that why bother?

I hope I am not offending anyone. I do understand the importance of leaving things for the family, it's just I doubt they really care about my guns or confederate currency.

ok here is what started it this wonderful easter sunday. not going to put the link because I don't want to upset mods but there is a very nice model 28-2 on gunbroker that I believe was added today. you can't miss it. starting out at 400. just do a search if interested.

There are numerous auctions and gun sales that do not have boxes and paperwork included - just buy one of those.
Why make it difficult on yourself and stress over something like this?

 

[lagavulin62]

btw I am not saying I would do it. I would not, but only because I am not going through all the hassle of listing two separate items all for a measly 1-2 hundred dollars. I am just not wired that way.

but when I am buying I couldn't care less about the box and papers and I prefer they not be there so that I don't have to worry about competing with those that want those things. all I want is a very nice gun for a decent price. it's easier to get one if you don't have all the frills.

I know I can't be alone in that regards.

 

[fyimo]

There are numerous auctions and gun sales that do not have boxes and paperwork included - just buy one of those.
Why make it difficult on yourself and stress over something like this?

+1 on what Mike said because it will reduce your stress and leave the ones that collectors want with the box and goodies to them.

 

[lagavulin62]

There are numerous auctions and gun sales that do not have boxes and paperwork included - just buy one of those.
Why make it difficult on yourself and stress over something like this?

good point vm. I worry about too many little things. that is one of my faults in life.

 

[tulsamal]

the only inheritance worth leaving in my opinion is money and real estate.

I can only agree with that if you include silver and gold as "money." Because the green paper we use today has no intrinsic worth. You stick $100,000 in green paper in a box under the bed today, when the grandkids inherit it in 30 years, it might be worth $50,000 today. Or $10,000. Or nothing. The way things are going right now, high levels of inflation and currency devaluation await!

Gregg

 

[kennyb]

+1 on what Mike said because it will reduce your stress and leave the ones that collectors want with the box and goodies to them.

another plus one

 

[OC]

Collecting is the educational part of being a "Gunnie". Shooting is the validation of quality. Hitting what you shoot at is the desert after a satisfying meal. They all have a place. To collect a quality gun, with original box and papers, after much research, agonizing over price, and availability, and the obligatory haggling, is like tracking that 10 point buck for miles, and making a 200 yard running shot. Only you can't eat the fruits of your labor (at least it's not recommended).

 

[-db-]

I've acquired around a half-dozen used S&W shooters over the last year or two and got an original box with 2 of those purchases, and neither of them were complete. Since then, I've got non-original but correct boxes and content for all of them. I would not present these as original upon resale- I just like to collect the proper factory kit for each gun I get. I'm sure there are others who do the same.

Getting original boxes and goodies with guns, even non-collectors, is always a bonus worth a little extra to guys like me- it saves the hassle of hunting the stuff down later. I guess the short of it is: keep original boxes/grips with the guns they came with!

 

[stantheman86]

I could care less about the box and papers, I'm a shooter and I collect service revolvers like 581's, 10's 64's, M&P's, etc. None of mine sit in the safe, I just got done digging around in the guts of a beat up shooter grade M&P made in 1919 to replace the rebound spring, to make it a better shooter! Happiness to me is a wheelgun covered in black carbon, with deep burn rings on the cylinder face and a pile of smoking brass at my feet.

With guns like this, do you really think I care about the box and papers? =)This one looks much better in the photo, really it's hard to tell the frost and pitting from what's left of the bluing. Someone also did some strategic filing under the barrel to "fix" a bent extractor rod as well as widening the rear sight. Today it got a new rebound spring to replace the one somebody clipped, some collectors would be aghast at a modern rebound spring being put into an M&P.It shoots to the left, so I plan to add a Wonder Sight and use it to shoot BP .38's and Cowboy Loads in my backyard. I like to use my guns for what they were intended for, I'll let the people I put in my will worry about the value.

Everyone's interests are different, some like to play "curator" and have unturned, unfired NIB Registered Magnums buried deep in a $5,000 safe in the basement. If that makes them happy, I'll leave them to it, no competition from me!

Some may call me a "bottom feeder" because I'll buy the rusted busted's and turn them into range beaters, or the ones that rode in a holster for 30 years. It doesn't bother me, most of my guns have been "out there" in the real world, working, not weighing down a safe since 1952. I have guns some "condition collectors" probably wouldn't even be in the same room as.

I'm also a Ruger fanatic, and the newer ones come in soul-less gray plastic anyway, I've got a pile of them. If someone offered me $20 a piece I'd sell those boxes today.......and I have yet to buy any Ruger that still has the yellow cardboard box.

If I have to sweat blood handling it, or if it's too rare and minty to be fired, you won't find it in my collection. I also don't go for the "exotics", no pre-29's, RM's, Beakart custom K-32 Target Masterpieces, I don't concern myself with these, a RM doesn't shoot any better than my ex-PD M28.

 

[CALREB]

You know Ive seen it before on the gun sale sites where a guy is selling a gun and the box and grips seperately. I think thats kinda irritating,and I just dont look twice at those sales .
BUT it seems that they do end up making more money that way.We as buyers should just refuse to pay the high price for a gun we know is missing a 150.00 set of grips, but one the sale sites the seller only needs 1 guy to buy,so it is what it is.Not much you can do about it except like others have said just go to the next sale till you find what you want for a fair price ,in your opinion, then everyones happy.

 

[SWBigBang]

For some people, Collecting guns to ohhh and ahhh over is just as much fun as others who purchase them to shoot.

It could be for any reason and by having it with box and papers make it more complete.