I have done this in the past and have had some regrets.I almost did this the other day to get a Henry Big Boy.357 lever action gun I've been wanting for a while now.I decided against it but I came really close to selling a few off yesterday.I guess I'm just impatient I suppose.
I just saw myself loading up .357 magnum reloads and blasting them out of it.Hummmm!I've acquired quite a few guns and I guess the ones I have I must have liked them for a reason.
Have you had these same thoughts sometimes!
no, I have always been of the thought "stack 'em high, stack 'em deep". Most of mine were purchased with thought and research behind then, though I will admit a couple of impulse items have shown up in the safe...
I will save my bucks for one, not being one for instant gratification (as a rule, there are exceptions.)
Now, if something rare came up for sale, well, I guess that is why God created charge cards...
I've thought about that numerous times over the years, but I'm glad I never actually did it. I like the guns in my very modest collection. However, if you have stuff that you rarely or never shoot, or don't really like anymore, I see nothing wrong with it. And if anything would tempt me to sell off some guns, a Henry Big Boy .357 would be it.
Since I am not rich enough to buy, buy, buy I have either sold or traded a lot in past years. I almost did it Saturday when I saw this cute little Ruger Mark IV with threaded barrel.
Actually, I have been seriously pondering with the idea of selling some old Military rifles and maybe buying some new handguns.
The only problem I have is that I usually have seller's remorse and then want to buy the same type of guns back!!
Yes, I have. Always with the intent of upgrading my accumulation. Through the decades I've probably gone through 3 or 4 complete overturns. As an example, I started with a post-64 Mod. 94 Winchester and picked up a Marlin 1894 and '95 back when they were good. Over time they morphed into original 1892 and 1886 Winchesters. All I want for a lever rifle now is an early, good condition Marlin, I think either a '91 or '93...can't keep the model #'s straight, preferably in 38-55. Savage, Rugers and push feed Winchesters evolved into pre-War Mausers and Mannlicher/Schoenauers. Ruger #1's into German stalking rifles and British single shots. Occasionally I miss a rifle but when I pick up the one I replaced it with I never have a regret.
I see nothing wrong with it as long as you're ridding yourself of a gun that just isn't important to you.......But I will say that for ME at least, I have and still do regret getting rid of every single gun that I sold or traded over the decades.
Mak, the ones I have now are going to be very difficult to part with. The next step up is simply beyond my means. However, I will leave your contact info with my sons....
One year I had to many 12 gauge shotguns, What the heck I'm I doing with 10 12's so I loaded up three, and went to Cabelas and traded for a hunting rifle I wanted, straight across money. I ended up buying a scope, rings, sling, ammo. Never again will Cabelas have any of my used guns on their rack.
Oh my.....one like this could make me dig through the safe to try to find something to sell. My Meffert drilling or Ballard 1 1/2 Hunter would go down the road in a heartbeat in exchange for it.
I've had a few pistols stolen, and I've give away a few guns in the past, but I don't sell what I have to get another. I buy with an eye for usefulness, and need. So if it's needed, and useful then why sell it? Maybe that's the reason I don't need a new gun safe!
Only one gun I have do I regret buying. I went in my LGS looking for a S&W 686 or a Ruger GP100. I came out with a Ruger SP101 with a 2 inch barrel. Its a great gun but I don't need it. I have 3 other carry guns. The only other gun I don't like much is my S&W Victory 22lr. Its no Ruger.
I haven't shot my SP101 in over a year. When I go to the range it stays home in the back of the safe. At some point I would consider selling it to get another gun. It would be the 1st gun I have ever sold if I did.
I sold a couple because my gun cabinet got full. So to fix that i doubled the size of the cabinet to hold 10 more guns. The one that i want back is on loan to my nephew for the last 3 years. He didn't have a deer rifle, so being the uncle that i am i loaned him my winchester model 70 30-06. He keeps telling me he is going to buy it from me, but so far i haven't seen any cash.
There are many reasons we let something go, and I've experienced most of them.
Not as much fun/utility as I had imagined it to be.
PITA to field strip and clean.
Changed my mind about customizing.
Safe full.
Not accurate enough.
Ammo expensive/hard to find.
Have similar but better (accuracy, fit and finish).
Need the dough to buy another.
Changed my style of shooting.
Actually, even with some regrets, there are not many I would shell out for again.
I actually used logic a week ago as to a reason why NOT to buy a certain gun. Not sure where that came from. Maybe I need some antibiotics or something!
I've sold or traded a few over the years (SKS's are the first to go) and I've come to regret every one. Not that I'm not happy with what I bought or traded for, but my guns are kinda like my kids. Even though I have my favorites, I love them all.
I only have one gun I could ever be allowed to sell and it happens to be my only handgun (for now) and I don't see me selling my only armament any time soon.
I have a King Cobra that I bought new in '89 or '90 for $329. From time to time I think I should sell it since the value has gone up considerably, but just cant let it go even though I rarely shoot it. Its a sickness.
If i ever get a gun that dont shoot to suit me ill trade it so fast itll make your head spin.
Early on i would go to the LGS and impulse buy or maybe look for a certain caliber and pick from what they had in stock. As i got older and wiser i carefully researched guns that fit my need or the exact model i wanted and ordered it. Those guns i dont get rid of but i did trade off some of the early impulse guns for what i wanted.
I'm a buy/sell/trade guy who does so to keep my interest level up, permit me to try lots of different styles, manufacturers and configurations and... stay within my budget.
I counted once and found that I have purchased just over 3 times as many guns as I currently have in inventory.
I have "upped" my game and own fewer but some higher quality guns compared to when I first started.
I have on occasion bought bargain basement priced guns I had no interest in shooting or keeping because I knew I could use them in trade for something of greater value that I was interested in shooting and keeping.
I also used to pick up badly executed muzzle loading kit rifles and re finish and refit them properly and sell or trade them for other projects or tools.
Of my collection, the only one I would sell or trade at this point would be my Ruger 22/45. But that would only be to fund the purchase of a Mark IV, so I'd be replacing it with a very similar gun.
Sold some to get a Weatherby about 15 years ago. Some times wish I had my Winchester 77 that I bought when I was 15 with Green Stamps. And the Browning 1922 32ACP with Reich marks, and my Mossberg 183K 410 my parents gave me for Christmas, my first gun. And the 1902 Colt 38 Calibre Rimless Smokless 6"". There were some others that were no longer serviceable. A DWM P08 that would go full auto. But it all worked out. Still have the fine Weatherby and a lot of other nice guns. But if I were doing it now, I would keep em' all, and hang the non functioning ones on the wall.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
The Firearms Forum
2.2M posts
71K members
Since 2003
A forum community dedicated to all firearm owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!