Safe Guns--What's The Point?

[H Richard]

I almost always buy used guns, as the S&W's I like haven't been made for awhile. I shoot nearly all of them, the rim-fire antique's excepted. If you shot them with standard or light loads, and properly care for them (and don't carry in holsters), they will still grow in value, just not quite as much as pristine NIB guns. Collecting guns in one of the few hobbies where you can both enjoy using the items and have them grow in value. Just take care of them.

 

[venomballistics]

In 1957, a local man bought a new T-Bird. It was properly stored until 2007 when it was serviced and placed for sale with 12 miles on it. Now he paid $2100 for it and sold it for $129K to a person who also but it in storage. I wish I could have done that years ago.

My unfired guns will not do that well but I have a Model 36 snubbie I paid $127 for in 1972 and I bet I could get a lot more than that today due to being unfired. Of course, I also have a 36 that gets shot about twice a year. Then I have a 25-5 that I have a love-hate relationship with. I love the gun but the barrel is the wrong length and I hate that length. But I love the increase in value over the $175 I paid for it many years ago.

Each of us will have a favorite handgun, rifle and shotgun. Those are the guns that will be shot. Occasionally we may shoot other guns but there are some that is for investments.

no kidding man ... I'd have had a stable of mustangs covering every year along side the occasional Pantera GT40, a few thunder chickens, some Falcons and Fairlanes .... once sold off you'd make Warren Buffet look like a popper.

 

[normanvin]

I am constantly seeing posts where someone(s) dragging out a weapon that has been in their safe for eleventy-eleven years and proudly saying " it's never been fired ".

I just don't get it. Ever firearm I've owned has been fired at the very first opportunity.

Why are they in safes ( barring antiques )? Just to take them out and show them off at holidays when the Kin and buddies are there? For investment purposes? To trade-up for another Safe Gun?

What?

Because some of us have way to many guns to shoot them all regularly.

How many guns do you own? 10, 20, 30.

 

[410bore]

I have several safe queens but even my shooter guns see less and less action.....Too busy buying guns for good deals while ammo keeps rising higher and higher

Anyone still have cases and cases of ammo they bought back then it was pennies on the dollar??? those are the smart people.....

 

[old bear]

All of the revolvers I currently own are shot and will continue to be shot. I have no desire to own something I cannot use as intended. Now if I were to fall into a true collector grade revolver I believe I would sell it to a collector and buy one or two high end shooter grade revolvers with the profit ; that way I could have the best of both worlds. Help save a piece of history and have some new guns to shoot from time to time.

 

[Bullzaye]

Why are they in safes ( barring antiques )? Just to take them out and show them off at holidays when the Kin and buddies are there? For investment purposes? To trade-up for another Safe Gun?

What?

Well...has your question been answered yet?

Tim

 

[Bongos17150]

Actually, I collect guns in part investment in part enjoyment. Let's face it, Guns are liquid, it's the one commodity which will survive any meltdown, as in Financial as well the end of Civilization, you can always sale a gun for funds to pay something off, or use it for barter. It's good for protection (providing you have bullets or use it as a hammer) in time of need and will help collect game for the table if need be. In some cases it's considered Art. Anywho, it's good to have many in the safe as you can afford (we just tend to have excellent taste (S&W) in our safe.

 

[peyton]

I have made more money because of being deployed for six years, That helped when I bought a truck load of guns(mostly from this forum). Now I am home, I have not gotten the time to get to the range!!!

 

[ohiococonut]

Why are they in safes ( barring antiques )?

Because my sock drawer is full of..............


wait for it...............




SOCKS

 

[bobelk99]

I accumulated Smiths for 40 years, and enjoyed every minute of it. Really gave no thought to financial benefit. I looked them over from time to time, and sometimes put a row down the wall to admire them, but they had no other use. I simply enjoyed possessing them.

Over the last 3 years I sold 79 of them, sort of as a pre-estate thing. I actually miss having them around.

Some of the buyers were really pleased, as they were not always the 'cheapest' ones around.

Guess what: Now I am the proud owner of too many Kimbers .

I think it is a personal 'in the blood' thing. Way ahead of stamps and coins, though I have a 21 Peace dollar or two to pass along when the time comes.

 

[feralmerril]

We cant take em with us. The only thing you can do is send them ahead. Anyway thats what some preacher once said about ritchs. Dont know how it works with guns.

 

[NE450No2]

I am not a Collector, I cannot afford to be. But I am a user/carrier/shooter of S&W Revolvers.

I do have a few that I have had since the 1980's that are unfired, and a few that have not been fired much. I bought them to have as spares, in case I "wore out" my "using guns" or in case they some how got stolen.

The ones that have not been shot, will not be shot, unless I "need" to shoot them...

However, one very good think about a "Collector" that does not shoot his guns, is that he/she takes good care of them. SO many years down the road, a person can buy one, when the Collector, or many times his wife or kids, decide to sell them.
The gun has been preserved for another Collector, or for a Shooter like me...

For instance, If I keep seeing these Mod 27 threads, I just might have to have me a 3 1/2", for its cool factor, and a 6" or an 8 & 3/8th's " for shooting turtles on my pond [I have a BUNCH of factory 38 Wadcutters].

If I was to get one or two, I would want one from the 1970's/1980's, that was fired very little. Some Collector has those guns right now...

 

[bkp3gen]

Simply put......."Blue Collar Gold"

 

[Onomea]

In 1957, a local man bought a new T-Bird. It was properly stored until 2007 when it was serviced and placed for sale with 12 miles on it. Now he paid $2100 for it and sold it for $129K ...

I was curious so I ran an inflation calculator on this. If it had merely kept place with inflation, it would have sold for $15K and change in 2007. Not bad!

 

[Maximumbob54]

Simply put......."Blue Collar Gold"

That's my favorite so far.

 

[oldman45]

I was curious so I ran an inflation calculator on this. If it had merely kept place with inflation, it would have sold for $15K and change in 2007. Not bad!

It gets better. Look up what a 1957 Chevy BelAire convertible sold for back then. It was right at $3100. They routinely go at auctions, used and driven, for $150,000. Finding one in good shape for less than $90,000 is going to be difficult. Even the older restorations will go in excess of $50K. The red one that was used in the movie "Red headed Stranger" went in excess of $200,000.

More money to be made in collector cars than in collector guns.

 

[CajunBass]

I don't have any guns I won't shoot. I do have guns I don't shoot. I really can't tell you why, I just don't.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

More money to be made in collector cars than in collector guns.

But it's easier and cheaper to store guns. I havn't found a car that's small enough to fit in my safe!
John

 

[feralmerril]

Untill a couple years ago I never bought a new car in my life. The other day I gassed up my truck. When I paid the $70 something bill I grumbeled it was more than I paid for my first three cars! I wasnt exaggirating either! I remember paying $65 for several. A 46 chev, a 50 dodge coup, etc. Those kids at the register looked at me like a old lieing grouch! What would that 46 chev go for now? You should have seen my cadillac 64 coupe deville. $500s, and in top shape! Or my 50 studebaker starlight coupe for $100s. I once made a deal for a 56 or 57 T-brid in top shape with both tops for $1,200s. Didnt follow through with it though as my dad remarked, where ya gonna put your luggage as I was pretty much liveing on the road. I then went and bought a beautiful 61 olds dynamic 88 coup for $1,700 that I ended up giveing away a few years later. In 1959 I bought a beautifull low mileage 56 chev coup for $800s.
If I could have stored a 36 and 40 ford coups for the $250s, it would have been a hell ov IRA!

 

[raven818]

Thanks for all the replies. I have finally seen the light, the answer is, there is no particular reason.

I collect Katanas, good ones. Why, so I can hang them on my computer room walls. But, that's another story.