Selling your collection

[KinnyLee]

What is your point of view on selling parting out your collection just to fund a new project?

Would you do it?

Did you regret it afterwards?

In my short career as a firearm enthusiast, I have not sold a single piece yet.

The two 9mms I sold years ago I didn't really know what I was doing.

I feel that there are some emotional attachment to every piece I collect. Some more than others, but I love every single firearm I've collected.

[jbirds1210]

Kinny,
I have no problem selling a gun. I am much like you in that each one has a story or significant history. The ones that do not eventually always get passed on to someone else. I do not buy firearms that are not quality....I just realize that I can't have one of everything. However, I can have one of most things if I keep my collection revolving.
There are definitely guns in my safe I WILL NEVER sell, but I always keep a few that can easily be passed on to fund another want.
Jason

[longtooth]

I have a few that ain't fer sale. Others I will pick up at a good price then trade or sell. You can't own them all. But you can shoot more of them than you can own at one time. 'Specially if you are a poor boy.

[texag06]

I know the feeling Kinny. I am a young 'un, so I only have a small collection as of now, but I don't think I could part with any of them. I'm glad other people are able to part with their guns, so I can buy them, but I won't be selling any.

[Paladin]

I've never sold a gun... But I've thought about it... If really didn't use a gun I would consider selling it.

[JLaw]

I'm trying to sell on right now to fund a S&W. There are plenty I will not part with, but I'm just not too fond of Glocks. Given it a good try, but I cleaned it and put it away over a year ago and haven't touched it since, so why hang on to it? Just my opinion.

JLaw

[DiverDn]

What is your point of view on selling parting out your collection just to fund a new project?

Would you do it?

Did you regret it afterwards?

Depends on the gun and the project.

When I was younger I had to sell some guns because of losing a job and needed the money. I don't regret doing it but I do wish I had them back.

I don't see a problem selling a gun to fund another project if you don't like the gun you are selling.

I have been through a lot of hobbies besides shooting and guns and firearms is the only one that I did not lose money on. As long as you watch what you pay for a gun it will most always go up in value or at least stay the same. Try to say that about hobbies like, RC cars and airplanes, or scuba diving. I had to become a scuba instructor to come close to breaking even on that hobbie and I'm not sure that I have yet.

[texag06]

I'm trying to sell on right now to fund a S&W. There are plenty I will not part with, but I'm just not too fond of Glocks. Given it a good try, but I cleaned it and put it away over a year ago and haven't touched it since, so why hang on to it? Just my opinion.

JLaw

I guess I should clarify to say I haven't owned a gun yet that I didn't enjoy or use regularly. Therefore, I've become attached to them. I would imagine it would be much easier to sell a gun that I didn't enjoy shooting or had problems with.

-Dustin

[HighVelocity]

I owned quite a few firearms in the 80's and all but one of them got sold off to pay for a divorce in 92-93. Slowly I have been replacing the ones I miss but a lot of them I don't miss and don't ever plan to replace.
For example: I had a beautiful 4" 629, no lock, no MIM parts, it was a good one. It was however no fun to shoot. I like to shoot my guns and unless it's an antique I do just that. I do not forsee a 4" 629 anywhere in my future.

[John]

I've sold three... The first one came back to haunt me. I sold it to a trusted person/friend who collects that particular brand. I sold it to him as a personal transaction and he played around with swapping slides from 9mm to .40 as a test. The test worked out and he ended up selling a .40 cal of the same style to someone else and he forgot to swap the slides back. His transfer was done through a dealer to the next person (I think), but since the frame had my serial number (because of the slide mix up), I was contacted by the DEA when the gun was seized during a drug raid on a house in south Texas

No worries, I told them who I sold it to and gave them his contact information. That person explained the mix up to the DEA and all was well. He was very apologetic to me because the gun was supposed to be part of his collection.

Second gun went to someone from another forum. Was a great transaction and he was in law enforcement. Again, another enthusiast for that particular brand.

Third gun I sold went to a forum member here and was a great transaction. No regrets.

Each time, I created a bill of sale (the first one was hand written) and kept that on file. I know it is not required, but I would do a bill of sale for anything of value that I sell to an individual, guns are no exception. Flame away!

I've pretty much decided that I will not sell anymore guns. I miss every gun that I have sold. and would buy them back in a heart beat, if I had the extra money and those folks would sell them back. I know we should not attach emotional value to these objects, but hey, I'd like to have the old 67 Mustang Convertible I had when I was in High School too. Call me sentimental...

To answer your original question, yes!, you'll regret selling. but you'll get over it and be able to answer this question for someone in the future.

[j1132s]

Guns are like computers to me, somehow I don't get attached to them. So I don't have any emotionally problems selling them at all. I did have a little regret in 1 of my sales only because I was very accurate w/ that gun, but no big deal.

Maybe it's because I'm not a collector yet so none of my firearms have much collector value, they are all current productions (or very recently discontinued models). Who knows, once I get some nice looking rare guns, I might get attached to them.

Ideally, I'd like to get down to just 3 pistols and no other guns.

[Wilson]

I thought I could. I told my wife I would. But I haven’t been able to sell any of the P-3ATs I purchased for rehab. I now have more perfectly functioning P-3ATs than fingers and several toes. Lots of Luck

[j1132s]

[quote="DiverDn]

I have been through a lot of hobbies besides shooting and guns and firearms is the only one that I did not lose money on.[/quote]

But there's also ammo and range costs associated w/ the gun hobby. However, I agree that although guns are expensive, you get most or your money back when you sell them... unlike amateur motorcycle racing (race bikes just don't get the same respect as race guns when selling time comes).

[dws1117]

I'll echo others. There are a couple of guns that I will never sell.

I've sold guns in the past when money was really tight. No regrets. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

Now the only thing that would get me to sell a gun is to fund another want or if things somehow went really bad and I had to feed my kids.

[HOSSISFREE]

Guns of my own I really don't like the idea of selling. Although I did have to sell a Kahr .40 last year to help me get by a tough time.

My Dad on the other hand has a collection of rifles and shotguns that he wants to start liquidating, and has asked me to help do so. Great, I get to do the hard part and actually get rid of them.

Anyone know of the best place/way to sell old guns to get the best price?

Hoss