Anyone else do this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(th鈥?is just a rant)?

having rifles is like having money in the bank for me. I fall a little short on money, then I sell one (except for a couple and I only sell to the local gun shop). I've had people say I shouldn't do that, I'll loose money. But the truth of the matter is I only buy used guns (except shotguns) and when I sell I will not settle for anything less then braking even.


The thing I hate the most about doing this is I always regret it the following year (almost bitter at times especially about my Marlin 30/30)


Am I just a typical man having a hard time parting with his toys ?Anyone else do this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(th鈥?is just a rant)?
I have to be missing mortage payments before I am selling my guns, I have a policy not to do that. Of course I do not think of guns as money in the bank. I only buy guns when I am in a good financial situation, like bonus time, or tax return season I may get a few extra guns, but my first priority is to have money available incase my family needs it.Anyone else do this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(th鈥?is just a rant)?
I have walked a mile in your shoes, so I know what you mean.* They are a good investment as long as you buy low %26amp; sell within the current market values.* I prefer to sell to individual gun owners so as to get the maximum return on my investment.* The way I look at it they can always be replaced sooner or later.* The largest amount I ever had at one time was twenty-six Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols and Revolvers.* I used everyone of them.* Trap %26amp; Skeet, Target Rifles, Winchesters, Remington's, Marlins, Ithaca's, Fox, Mossberg's, Mausers, L. C. Smith, Stevens, Savage, Colt, H%26amp;R, Hi-Standard, Smith %26amp; Wesson, Ruger, Browning Sweet Sixteen, Sako, Martini's.* Single shots, over%26amp;under, Semi- Autos, Single Action, Double Action, Bolt Action, Lever Action, Pumps, Double Barrels.* Best Regards** I am still doing it.** Like they say, variety is the spice of Life!!*
I find it very easy to acquire or trade but really hard to just sell a gun.





Now, I do have my list of ';favorites'; that I'll never sell and another large group of ';traders'; that I enjoy having but would easily part with if the deal was good for me. Right now, I'm actually trading guns for cases of ammo, since the damn prices have gone up so much.
No, your experience is not unique. I've regretted selling every gun I've ever sold. Thankfully I am now more financially stable and can afford to keep and add to whatever I have. And yes, owning guns is like money in the bank. Once I was between jobs for 15 monthes %26amp; kept our freezer packed with fresh venison, wild pork, javalina %26amp; wild turkey (legally taken) thus saving on buying beef %26amp; chicken for the dinner table.





Good luck.





ADDENDUM: I just remembered one firearm I have never regretted getting rid of: A first generation S%26amp;W Sigma 9mm w/night sights. Straight from the factory it was... JUNK. S%26amp;W could never fix it, either. So I finally just got rid of it.





H
You are not alone in the remorse area. I have sold only five guns from my collection and wish I had every one of them back in my safe. They included a .22 Marlin bolt Magnum Rimfire, A Springfield '03 that scratched the cases but was a fun plinker, A Remington 700 BDL in 30-06, a Remington XP-100 7MMBR and a Marlin 336 30-30 Win. Because of the sale though I was able to afford a Rem. carbine 7600 30-06, XP-100R .260 Rem., a Rem Model 7 .243 Win. for my kids to shoot, a 9MM Makarov pistol from Bulgaria and a Rem. 597 .22 LR. But it doesn't mean I don't still miss my ';Steel bore children';.
i would have a hard time parting with any of my guns or fly rods. nothing wrong with that.
Been there.


Done that.


More often than I'd like to admit.


Like you, I rarely lost money on the deals.


Recently I've found a great solution.


I've got a buddy with extra money, and I'll sell him the gun for a bit less than I paid, with the agreement that he sell it back to me at the full price I originally paid. He's a real friend, and wouldn't think of selling any of them except back to me. He gets to fondle, admire and shoot some of my favorite toys, and I always know where they are and that I can get them back when I am ready to. (For that matter, If I wanted to take one shooting myself just for a day or so, I'm welcome to come ';borrow'; them any time.)





If you can find somebody to make such an arrangement with,


(and if you explain what you need to a few good financially blessed friends, such an arrangement is not hard to make.)


then I think you'll find it's the perfect compromise between having your cake and eating it.





...And then there's no more lamenting


';the one that got away....';
Hey canadian, Buy, sell, trade, just like the stock Mkt.best commodity me an my friends have going. better than stocks and bonds, the longer ya keep em' the more they are worth. like an ol' timer told me one time, ';Ya didn't pay too much ,Ya just paid forward too soon';!
I do a lot of trading, I rarely sell a gun. I';ve usually come out ahead in my trades too. I shoot a lot, most of my friends shoot a lot too, we trade handguns all the time, sometimes a little cash is thrown in, sometimes not.





I don't mind trading, but i do mind selling.
I can't begin to tell you how many times I have regretted selling a gun. One in particular comes to mind, A really sweet winchester chambered in 44-40 that had been in the same family since it's original purchase as a special order from winchester. It was ordered with the longer octagonal barrel, tang sights and had the most beautiful finish to it, kind of a chromic tint to the bluing that occurs on certain guns when the factory added too much Zinc to it. It was THE most accurate lever gun I ever owned. The Gun Writer, John Taffin was a regular customer at the shop and I let him buy that rifle. I have regretted that one ever since. Just to name one of many!!
I have two classes of guns: Those I inherited, and those I bought. It is not my right to sell a gun I inherited. I have sold a , Street sweeper, and a combat commander. I only miss the Colt.
I personally won't sell any of my guns. Can't ever bring myself to it.
I have definitely sold/traded some guns that haunt my dreams some nights.





The only thing that is worse than seling/trading a gun you love is having it stolen.





My College girlfriends Dad worked for Shilen in Ennis, Tx. This guy was also a Retired Marine Sharpshooter and Avid Competition Shooter. I helped him with some things on the weekends and never would except payment. I had a Model 70 Winchester .280 that I was had put a new scope on and was having trouble getting it tuned in good. I asked him if he would look at and he said to leave it and he would.





To my major surprise when he gave it back to me he had replaced my factory barrel with a one of a kind custom Shilen barrel that he made for me.





Well to end this story and depress you all, I was shooting at the range one day and stopped at Wally world on my way home and some punk broke into my truck and stole my 70 and a S%26amp;W 9mm.





I hate a thief.
Sometimes, I have bought a gun just to try it, knowing I could sell it easily.





However, in general, I hate to sell guns. With very few exceptions, I've always hated to sell a gun, and only do it in the direst of circumstances. Thanks to the financial troubles I've had over the last few years, I've sold off everything except the core of my collection, and short of starvation or eviction, I won't part with anymore.





Doc
Yep, I do it all the time! I've had as many as 4 12 ga. Remington 870 Express shotguns in the gun safe at one time. I pick them up when I see a deal and sell them off and make some money or trade them towards a higher priced gun I've been wanting. Some models of shotguns, rifles, and handguns move well and others you may have to keep quite a while until you find the right buyer. I have never lost money on a gun deal, but a few times it's only been a $10 profit. Others have brought $100 or more than I had invested, a lot of it is being in the right place at the right time.


I've probably had a dozen or more Ruger 10/22's through the years, same with Marlin bolt action .22 rifles, and 870 Express shotguns.


Quite a few have been keepers, but there's always another deal around the corner to find something else to move.


About the only thing I don't get into is high powered rifles since we can't hunt deer with them here in Ohio. I've had my share of Mini 14's and SKS's though and now have a very nice '56 Tula arsenal SKS.


I always enjoyed going to the gun shops and gun shows with my Grandfather when I was a teen back in the mid '70s, and buying, selling, and trading guns as I've gotten older.
I have done the same thing and I have missed every gun I sold, except the llama 9mm it was a piece of junk.





You have to do what you have to do. I am a quartz crystal mine owner and operator. I am always having to part with museum quality minerals for cash when I would much rather keep the piece. A wise old man once told me, sell them son.. you'll dig more. I think that same advise applies here, sell them.. you know you'll get more when you can
DON'T sell your guns.


you can always pick up a part time job for a short time, to get pocket money
Boy.Can I relate to what you are saying. Years ago when I first statrted Gun Shop #1 I had to sell some of my acquired firearms to pay bills and eat sometimes. Like you I tried to sell without losing money, but that wasn't always possible because my family always came first. I look back now and think I probably could have bought and paid for a house with what I lost over the years...But I also realize that for each one I lost money on, I probably made money on the others....Giving up some of my personal firearms was like giving up a child for adoption. The only thing that hurts worse is losing family heirloom firearms in a house fire...It never gets any easier....No matter how much time passes....
are you crazy? sell lawnmower,car truck, wife kids, dog,(not hunting dog,pet only) not the guns!