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When do you sell a gun?

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  • zackmars

    Free 1911 refinishing
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    Nov 4, 2015
    5,609
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    Never, really. However i do upgrade, or realize what i bought was a mistake.

    If a trusted friend is looking at a pistol, and i have one i don't use, I'll happily give them a deal with the caveat i get first dibs if they decide to sell.

    I have a mosin thats moved so far back in my safe I've forgotten what it looks like. When i see aim surplus selling them for over $300 i kinda want to quadruple my money...
    Military Camp
     

    Vec

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    May 8, 2015
    1,298
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    suburbs
    I sold 3 rifles to finish out the car payments on my Camaro.. and I gave one to a good friend who was moving and I knew I probably would never see again.

    whenever one of my 3 boys come to visit they always wanna look thru the safes to see what's new and find one they like , I just tell them to take it home.
     

    TexasBrandon

    TGT Addict
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    Jul 14, 2011
    4,471
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    Salado
    I sell only when I get bored of them or I notice it sits for 3+ years without being touched and isn't anything special. I'll also sell to fund other life expenses that I don't want coming out of my bank account.
     

    rmantoo

    Cranky old fart: Pull my finger
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    Jan 9, 2013
    814
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    San Angelo
    I'll never sell family guns: Dad's 1954 Combat Commander LW, or red label ruger .22, grandpa's 30-30 marlin, 38 webley, '98 mauser (WWII bringback), or uncle Parker's M1 garand, etc. I think my 'permanent hold' list of guns is right at 17.

    Others I won't sell are the HK P7m13 and m8- (although I already sold 3 other M8s...paid less than $600 each for them, and sold or traded each in the last year for several multiples thereof). Or my SVI 2011s, Chip Mccormick 1911, Raging Judge, and a few others.

    Pretty much everything else I own is always for sale if the price is right, boredom hits, or I simply decide I don't like the gun.

    Can't count how many firearms I've bought over the years, ran several 100 to several 1000 rounds through, and sold the next time I went back to my rig, or just put up on a forum. Glocks, Xds, M&Ps, run of the mill 1911s, ruger 10/22s, yada yada yada... unless it's rare or special, I'm not likely to be attached to it.
     

    Southpaw

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    Mar 30, 2009
    17,862
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    Guadalupe Co.
    Like Glocks?

    You jest, but it brings up another point for me. Certain things, like Glocks or even a plain jane AR's and a few other lower cost guns just aren't worth selling, at least in this market. I'm sure if I really needed it I would be a different story, but I haven't come that close to being that desperate in as long as I can remember. Even when I sold what I mentioned earlier, I really wasn't desperate for cash just impatient.
    If it isn't going to save my a family member in some way or another, I'd just as soon hang onto an extra Glock/AR or two.
     

    rmantoo

    Cranky old fart: Pull my finger
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    1   0   0
    Jan 9, 2013
    814
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    San Angelo
    You jest, but it brings up another point for me. Certain things, like Glocks or even a plain jane AR's and a few other lower cost guns just aren't worth selling, at least in this market.

    Depends on how you buy them. The vast majority of guns like that I buy from roughnecks and casing hands on drilling rigs...for far less than they are generally worth. When someone in my friend/work/acquaintance network wants to sell a gun, or is looking for advice about them, I quite often get a text or phone call.

    I'm always honest with people, telling them how much they should be able to get for something (I also buy cars, trucks, and motorcycles quite often, too), but at least 1/2 the time, they take my offer of 1/2 or 60% of that anyway.
     

    SQLGeek

    Muh state lines
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    Sep 22, 2017
    9,591
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    Richmond
    So you raise an interesting point, @Southpaw . One of the guns I'm thinking about selling is a S&W AR. Nothing special and I will end up taking a small loss on it to get cash to get something I'd rather shoot.

    I might just keep it so I don't take a loss but then I'll have a rifle in the safe I don't want to shoot.

    And of course, then there's the whole fact that who knows what's going to happen politically in the next few years.
     

    robertc1024

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    20   0   0
    Jan 22, 2013
    20,779
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    San Marcos
    So you raise an interesting point, @Southpaw . One of the guns I'm thinking about selling is a S&W AR. Nothing special and I will end up taking a small loss on it to get cash to get something I'd rather shoot.

    I might just keep it so I don't take a loss but then I'll have a rifle in the safe I don't want to shoot.

    And of course, then there's the whole fact that who knows what's going to happen politically in the next few years.
    I did that (selling for a loss) for exactly the same reason. Although I'm attached to a few, they are, except for a handful, hobby toys.
     

    easy rider

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    Jun 10, 2015
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    Odessa, Tx
    You jest, but it brings up another point for me. Certain things, like Glocks or even a plain jane AR's and a few other lower cost guns just aren't worth selling, at least in this market. I'm sure if I really needed it I would be a different story, but I haven't come that close to being that desperate in as long as I can remember. Even when I sold what I mentioned earlier, I really wasn't desperate for cash just impatient.
    If it isn't going to save my a family member in some way or another, I'd just as soon hang onto an extra Glock/AR or two.
    That's the whole point of the guns I have now, I'm not desperate. A couple of guns I bought was spur of the moment, but the majority are what I researched and shot before buying. When I decide I want a gun, I may want it now, but in reality I can wait.
     

    Southpaw

    Forum BSer
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    Mar 30, 2009
    17,862
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    Guadalupe Co.
    That's the whole point of the guns I have now, I'm not desperate. A couple of guns I bought was spur of the moment, but the majority are what I researched and shot before buying. When I decide I want a gun, I may want it now, but in reality I can wait.

    Just to be clear, I wasn't calling you and anyone who sells desperate, really just relating my own personal thoughts.
     

    easy rider

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    Jun 10, 2015
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    Odessa, Tx
    Just to be clear, I wasn't calling you and anyone who sells desperate, really just relating my own personal thoughts.
    I didn't take it that way, but I have sold in the past out of desperation. I certainly wouldn't have sold that Python back in the 80's if I didn't need the money. I loved my Colt Python, but I also know that it isn't worth what they want for them now, unless you're a collector.
     

    GoPappy

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    Dec 18, 2015
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    I’ve only sold one gun - a Walther PPQ M1. I have a few I should sell, but probably won’t.
     

    majormadmax

    Úlfhéðnar
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    9   0   0
    Aug 27, 2009
    15,838
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    San Antonio!
    I've never sold a gun in my life, and have only traded one for another once. While I made out on that deal (the other guy really wanted my KelTec .380 for some reason), it has never encouraged me to repeat it.

    I'm just about finished putting our oldest through college without having to sell any of my collection to do so. Once he's done, our finances will be more stable in that I will have zero motivation to sell any firearms.

    I also keep a spreadsheet, and encourage others to do the same as it's my one-stop place for serial numbers, what I paid for a firearm (not it's value, but it's cost), etc. The only thing I don't recommend is totally up the costs of all those fine guns, especially if your wife has access to that figure! I consider everything to be an investment, but she might not feel the same...
     
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