Whats your highest appreciation gun?

[NYlakesider]

I would think my Belgium made .22 Browning take down auto loader qualifies in a decent appreciation thread.

Bought it new in 1961 list price was $55 dollars no sales tax. (a lot of money way back when) Being I did a lot of business with this dealer even at my tender age he sold it to me for $52.

I went out today to buy a new one like that one it would be considerably more- Also would do well if I wanted to sell it which I most certainly do not!

 

[Chubbs103]

I bought a Marlin 1894 in .41 mag used. It is the straight stocked version. When I bought, it the pistol grip 1894FG was still available new. I think I paid $375. Wish I'd bought a couple of each. I never would have dreamed they would be selling for what they are now.

 

[jetjky]

This is a really hard question to answer because I only ever bought a couple guns and "market rates" ever in a brief window in my career where I was finally paid pretty well. Everything else I basically stole, or got a deal on (even at the time).

At this point most of my collection in the category of; "Who knows what that's worth, it has to go to auction to find out". With kids I have been downsizing consistently, and the guns that stay are the unique things that can't be replaced.

If I had to guess, the biggest delta between what I paid, and what it would likely sell for today in a well advertised auction would be this thing:

If you peruse this for the factory documentation regarding all the modifications you will see why:

Update: 1920 Colt Factory Modified "Keith No. 5" for C.M. McCutcheon

Especially when you consider that this was the auction listing that I bought the gun based on:

**Colt Bisley Model Revolver | Cowan's Auction House: The Midwest's Most Trusted Auction House / Antiques / Fine Art / Art Appraisals

Yep, just the one picture, incorrect description, and a complete failure to note that it's what we know as a "Keith No. 5 ". They had misplaced the factory documentation, but Cowan's being a class act when they discovered it they went ahead and mailed it to me on their dime.

I paid a whole heck of a lot less than I thought I would have to, and had they sold the gun correctly there's zero chance I would own it. It's one of two guns I bought for what I consider "real money". The other one could absolutely be a contender for my "most appreciated". But, again. I would have no idea until I auctioned it:

This is Captain Bill Strong's:

hun slaying Springfield 1911:

That some jerk who owned it it after him scratched his name into:

I know what I paid for it, which was every penny I could scrape together for months, sold a bunch of guns, ate nothing but ramen. Ultimately it took every penny I had at the time, but I don't regret it at all.

How much has this appreciated, if at all?

Amazing. Thanks for posting the pics.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Probably this one - a Model of 1941 Johnson semiautomatic rifle. I have the "spike" bayonet for it also, complete with leather sheath.

John


(Click for larger image)

 

[Valmet]

G Series FALs were $175 for a standard and $185 for a lightweight in the fall of 1962- they're about $12k-ish a pop these days with some bringing even more. I'm fortunate enough to have a few. I was born in '81 so while I paid considerably more than $185 for mine, I didn't pay nearly what they bring today.

 

[TJm15.38]

I have one other rifle that may be worth at least twice what I paid for it. It's an Arsenal SGL21-61 AK clone in 7.62x39. This rifle is based on a Saiga sporter with a Russian Izhmash stamped receiver, American furniture and magazine. You won't see any more Russian imports due to sanctions and other political factors. I bought this rifle for $800 in 2015.

 

[Buford57]

Probably either the J C Higgins 12 gauge pump my Dad won on a dime raffle ticket or the Shield 1.0 I won as a door prize. Among actual purchases I would have to say the .32 HE I bought for $35 in 1979.

 

[colt_saa]

I think it is a matter of how long people keep things.

I have owned more then half of my firearms that were purchased new for over two decades. Some over four decades.

Most of those can be sold today for over 10 times what I paid for them

I am not even including what has happened to my Pythons and my Boa. That is just a fluke of nature

Then there are the firearms of historical influence that obviously were purchased used. Once I authenticated the story and obtained documentation, some of those can be sold today for 20 or more times what I paid for them

Then we come to NFA Title II firearms. The Full Auto and Select Fire items increased 10 fold on May 18th 1986 when the Firearm Owners Protection Act curtailed the Civilian ownership of those firearms that were manufactured after that day. Why Ronnie Raygun signed that is beyond me. It did not protect single Firearms Owner

Now realize that "TODAY" I have no desire or need to sell any of them . . . so they will continue to appreciate

 

[LVSteve]

I have a number of milsurp rifles that have appreciated considerably during their tenure in my safe. I was able to get them cheap due to the ignorance of auction houses and/or other collectors being asleep at the gunshow/computer when these items came up. In cash terms, the ones that have appreciated the most are probably my Mosin sniper, a mummy wrapped Enfield No.4 MK2, and an Enfield No.1 MKVI rebuilt as a No.4 MK1 early in WW2.

I also recently acquired a Mauser M48 wearing the crest of the Iraqi royal house. Allegedly, there are but a few (<50) in the US, but I would not be at all surprised to learn that we drove tanks over thousands of them after the 2003 invasion. Again, I got it cheap, and I wonder what the market value of such a curiosity might be.

 

[Bald1]

Most of my best appreciating firearm assets are because I aquired them cheap rather than age. The biggest is probably my Mauser 660 .243. It's the model 66 in Europe. I remember my dad buying it for about $300 in the early 80s. Today you don't see them sell often. When you do they can easily fetch $2500 and sometimes much more depending on barrels and options. My son shot his first deer and first bear with it. It's almost too pretty to take into the woods. There's no amount of money that would buy it.

 

[boykinlp]

Not counting the NFA stuff that Dad bought before 86 and then registered, probably this unfired Norinco 56S-1 with the accessories and original packaging from the 80's, which I inherited from Dad.

I had one of those that I bought in the 80's for around $200. I wish I had bought a dozen! Mine came with a high capacity banana magazine, can't tell if yours did too. My friends and I had fun shooting it a few times. I traded mine a couple of years later for an Italian made Beretta 92 that was for sale at $650. I thought I had made the deal of the century. Unfortunately, the Beretta didn't appreciate much, and the AK did a lot. Live and learn.

To me, it is funny that many of the guns listed here are military surplus ones. When I bought my Mosin Nagants, SKS's, and others, many years ago, I never imagined that they would increase in value so much! Like most people here, I wish I had bought many more stacking them deep. I remember contemplating buying a full crate of the Mosins. Of course, years ago, the Mosins that were for sale near me were in much better shape than the ones I see for sale now. I had dreams of removing the cosmoline from everything, putting it all back in the crate, andd lighting, and making a coffee table out of it.
Larry

 

[Tu_S]

I had one of those that I bought in the 80's for around $200. I wish I had bought a dozen! Mine came with a high capacity banana magazine, can't tell if yours did too. My friends and I had fun shooting it a few times. I traded mine a couple of years later for an Italian made Beretta 92 that was for sale at $650. I thought I had made the deal of the century. Unfortunately, the Beretta didn't appreciate much, and the AK did a lot. Live and learn.

To me, it is funny that many of the guns listed here are military surplus ones. When I bought my Mosin Nagants, SKS's, and others, many years ago, I never imagined that they would increase in value so much! Like most people here, I wish I had bought many more stacking them deep. I remember contemplating buying a full crate of the Mosins. Of course, years ago, the Mosins that were for sale near me were in much better shape than the ones I see for sale now. I had dreams of removing the cosmoline from everything, putting it all back in the crate, andd lighting, and making a coffee table out of it.
Larry

The 3 original magazines are in the picture on the bottom left, just covered by the cosmoline soaked paper

When it comes to old Beretta 92's and value, Dad also bought this and gave it to me a little over 3 decades ago. It's an imported AI stamped 1982 92SB, which I guess is collectable 40 years later.

Thing about this, Dad passed away last October so I drive the 2ish hours every Sunday to see Mom and make sure she's okay (setup Echo Show's for the family so she can see me, my brother, and the grandkids every day, but it's not the same as in person.) I thought about taking picture of the firearms related things I have and probably have gone up most in value, the pair of registered when they had to be AR auto-sears that Dad bought from some ad in Shotgun News in/around 1980 for $18 each, but forgot all about it until now

FWIW, when it comes to the old surplus stuff and a Type 03 FFL, things have changed a lot in the last few years.

 

[balin]

My highest appreciation gun is the one that makes me look like a much better shot then I really am!

 

[TJm15.38]

My Talo Flattop 44 Special has doubled in value since I purchased it in 2019.

That's good to know. I bought one at a local Ruger sale in August of 2019 as well. I will have to do some research on what they are going for now.

 

[GSP Fan]

Lets see I have a Winchester 1892 25-20 that was part of a three gun purchase. I sold the other two recouped my investment and made money so the rifle was free. There valued around $1500.
My 29-2 6 1/2 inch Nickel I paid $175 for it in 1972 NIB.
There's a Parker AHE 20/28 gauge two barrel set that is documented. I paid $32K for it and have turned down $50K+ for it.

 

[rwsmith]

Out of about 20 guns...

...my 686 has got to be my number one gun.

 

[sipowicz]

A nickel colt Viper like mine is on Gunbroker. Present bid already over $6000. Not sure what it went for in 1977.

 

[Alk8944]

I bought an F.N. "Heavy Model 1899" at a LGS for $200 quite a few years ago. About five-six years ago I sold it for $5,000. Turned out was one of only 7, yes, seven, believed to have been made made for the 1900 military trials. It is pictured in an article in "American Rifleman" a bit more than a year ago in an article by Anthony Vanderlinden. Anthony is author of "F.N. Browning Pistols", and is, as I recall, Curator of the F.N. Museum collection.

 

[Frank46]

If we are talking about guns we have appreciating in value, I have a few to list.. M1 Garand, M1 carbine, 1943 Ithaca 1911A1. S&W 624 44 special, 24-3 3" 44 special, 24-3 s" barrel. But unfortunately none are for sale. Took too loong to find at prices I could afford and would never get another listing like I posted at the same price. Cause when they are gone they are gone.. Like old friends.. Frank

 

[Xfuzz]

Likely this...
Colt engraved, Ivory strapped, 45colt in glass top presentation case.
Near 25 years ago.......$1500 OTD.
Thought I'd lost my mind.

 

[BloodyThumb]

Two HK 91's I bought in the early 80's for just under $450 each. One is still unfired. With a used military 22lr conversion kit in the military wooden case, HK scope mount, light bipod, and ejection port buffer, all original HK.

 

[Stephanie B]

Shotgun News was selling M1903s for about $250 back in the early `80s. I bought one. What I received was a rifle with a Remington receiver and 1903 sights, barrel and C stock. Much later, I learned that when Remington began making 1903, they received a bunch of 1903 parts and they used them for a few months or so while gearing up to make the '03A3.

Sumdood offered me $1,500 for it. I still have it.

The other one that appreciated was a no-dash 696. I paid four bills for it at the beginning of the last decade. I carried it for awhile until I saw what the prices had skyrocketed to.

 

[Jeppo]

Me too

6 1/2" 99% Registered Magnum I bought around 2000 for $325.

My RM is certainly my most appreciated firearm. Unfortunately, ALL the appreciation was realized by previous owners.

 

[BAM-BAM]

My RM is certainly my most appreciated firearm. Unfortunately, ALL the appreciation was realized by previous owners.

A pregnant wife made her husband get his Grandfather's gun "out of the house".....he put it in a local gunshop on consignment....... got if for the going price of a used 6" 28 at the time!!!

 

[Echo40]

None of my firearms have any significant collector's value at this time and I'm unsure if they ever will...

That being said, I will list the two which I think are most likely to appreciate in value over time...

The Heckler & Koch USP45 Elite, my most valuable firearm at present. A Target Shooting variant of the USP with an elongated slide/barrel, fitted with fully adjustable rear sights, and target trigger with overtravel adjustment. Produced in limited numbers and imported in even scarcer numbers.

And at the risk of feeling special...

California Highway Patrol Smith & Wesson 4006 TSW, perhaps my most collectible firearm. Produced as a special order by the California Highway Patrol after Smith & Wesson had discontinued their 3rd Generation Semiautomatic Pistols in favor of the M&P Series, this variant differs from commercially produced models of the past by the integrated Picatinny Rail, whereas previous incarnations were fitted with Aluminum Weaver Rails which were riveted onto the underside of the dust cover. It has also been said that this particular variation has a far better trigger than standard variations, as well as tighter fit/finish, more comparable to Performance Center models. I cannot confirm this as I don't own any other models to compare it to, but I will say that the fit/finish is exceptional and the trigger comparable to my USP45 Elite. Supposedly only around 10,000 of these pistols were produced, seeing as they were a special order.

So yeah, nothing too spectacular here, but if anything I own is likely to appreciate in value, then those are the ones.

 

[fdover]

The one gun I have that is probably the one most appreciated is my Bren Ten purchased 9/7/85 for $530 new out the door. It was from a distributor in Costa Mesa CA. I ordered it on May 30, 1985. At that time there rumors of problems at Dornus & Dixon of cash flow. I stuck with the purchase and finally picked it up on 9/8/85. With a notation on the sales invoice of "Back Order 1 10MM magazine" It never came. This is a standard model. I have seen a few sales on these ranging in $5000-15000. Even at those prices it is not for sale.

 

[wood714]

My latest would have to be the Remington ONG 870 Wingmaster I paid $239 shipped for.

Hard to believe some people were willing to pay such high prices for them. Mine is still sitting in my safe.

Found a few ad's on GB with similar selling prices.

 

[Ameshawki]

Colt Detective Special. A fairly ordinary specimen from the 1940's, paid $375 a few years ago. I suspected it was military issue. Got a Colt letter a few years later. OSS gun. In the last batch the acquired. For some reason OSS liked revolvers. Not sure exactly what its worth in today's market but its vastly more than I paid for it.

 

[dave1918a2]

I would imagine My Bren Ten with 2 working mags I got when they first came out, Then there's the Ithaca DSPS from Kansas State Pen ($175) and last must be the FNFAL. ($550)

 

[Adam Baker]

My Secretary of the Navy Presentation Trophy Garand, a NM 1961 SA 1911a-1, 1921 TGE baby Nambu(sold), Chi Com Norinco under folder AK-47, They have appreciated very well over the years. Those listed above put me halfway there to buying a new C-8 corvette lol.