Picher if I buy a gun and shoot it regularly, once, or leave it untouched, how does that effect your price? I suppose if enough people are convinced that a firearm is going to increase in value as a collector's item it could have some impact on price. Of course as demand increases, price will generally follow. Whether a gun is used or not may concern collectors, but I fail to see how that impacts the rest of us.
To Fire or Not to fire...
- Thread starter precision_shooter
- Start date
ShootistPRS
New member
Precision Shooter,
It's a nice sed gun. Shoot it if you enjoy shooting it. If you want to hang it on the wall to see if it will gain a lot of value then hang it. It's your gun so enjoy it the way that makes you the happiest.
I bought a good looking shotgun once and i knew it was old but I bought it to use. The lug that held it closed was not functioning so I took it to a gunsmith. He liked the gun, it wasn't hard to tell and he told me what it would cost to repair it. It was a lot less than a new side by side would cost me so i told him that I couldn't shoot it the way it was... he about came unglued! He told me that I couldn't use any factory loads in it because it had Damascus barrels and they would unwind like a loaded clock spring. I didn't know much but I knew I didn't want a gun to hang on the wall. I asked if he wanted to buy it and he cautiously asked what I wanted for it. (he was jumping up and down on the inside). I looked him square in the eye and said, "I've got $5 into it. You give me $5 and it's yours. WOW! he took five dollars out of his pocket and asked if I wanted a receipt. I just smiled and told him I didn't need a receipt but I would see him again and he owed me one. I did get to see the shotgun before he took it home. It looked gorgeous and locked closed. He probably had black velvet hooks in the wall over his couch to hang it on. I am glad it made someone happy. I got a Mossberg 500 ATP -8 and still have it.
It's a nice sed gun. Shoot it if you enjoy shooting it. If you want to hang it on the wall to see if it will gain a lot of value then hang it. It's your gun so enjoy it the way that makes you the happiest.
I bought a good looking shotgun once and i knew it was old but I bought it to use. The lug that held it closed was not functioning so I took it to a gunsmith. He liked the gun, it wasn't hard to tell and he told me what it would cost to repair it. It was a lot less than a new side by side would cost me so i told him that I couldn't shoot it the way it was... he about came unglued! He told me that I couldn't use any factory loads in it because it had Damascus barrels and they would unwind like a loaded clock spring. I didn't know much but I knew I didn't want a gun to hang on the wall. I asked if he wanted to buy it and he cautiously asked what I wanted for it. (he was jumping up and down on the inside). I looked him square in the eye and said, "I've got $5 into it. You give me $5 and it's yours. WOW! he took five dollars out of his pocket and asked if I wanted a receipt. I just smiled and told him I didn't need a receipt but I would see him again and he owed me one. I did get to see the shotgun before he took it home. It looked gorgeous and locked closed. He probably had black velvet hooks in the wall over his couch to hang it on. I am glad it made someone happy. I got a Mossberg 500 ATP -8 and still have it.
Don Fischer
New member
Ya know, if you payed $100 for any gun brand new and kept it 20yrs and figure to make money on it, take the $100 and invest in something else! Mod 64 Winchester's are in demand but for the same money or less you can get a new weapon that I have to think work's better. So if the thing went up in value say $200 that won't o much more than help with the rent! I think very few gun's are really valuable.
Money is something that can be easily calculated. Value is not.
A gun that you have in your hands, when you need one, has value beyond any $ price.
Let's say, for instance that in 1982, I spent $200 on,
1) a Winchester rifle
2) a Cannon dot matrix printer
3) a bottle of vintage wine
4) Woolworth stock
Now, today, which of those if sold, would I get my $200 back from?? Which would bring more? Which would bring less?
Which of those, if I USED it, would still bring that $200 today??? Not the wine, for certain!
I am not going to buy a gun I cannot shoot, but; instead of making a sanctimonious and condescending OT post suggesting I am better than the op. I will put myself in his shoes and try and give an answer.
The gun may have been fired already even you cannot tell. Right? And without the box it does not matter, it is not a NIB collector gun. If you have many many other guns to shoot, there is no reason to fire this just to make some else on the internet happy. Having said that, I dont think some careful range time will detract from a no box, no paper, modern gun. Not enough to matter much over your lifetime.
One irony here. As an owner I like to shoot my guns - BUT, as a buyer I like to find them in pristine condition from an estate sale. I appreciate that former owner took such good care of the gun.
The gun may have been fired already even you cannot tell. Right? And without the box it does not matter, it is not a NIB collector gun. If you have many many other guns to shoot, there is no reason to fire this just to make some else on the internet happy. Having said that, I dont think some careful range time will detract from a no box, no paper, modern gun. Not enough to matter much over your lifetime.
One irony here. As an owner I like to shoot my guns - BUT, as a buyer I like to find them in pristine condition from an estate sale. I appreciate that former owner took such good care of the gun.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Seriously devalue: That's a personal decision to shoot or not. But yes a non-fired collectable firearm with original accessories and box always garners a higher resale ($)
No box or papers: Isn't helpful what-so-ever for the buyers perception of: un-fired.
When particular guns were in short supply because Colt and others were making "Collectibles" at a high markup, it affected us who like to shoot. Not only were prices for collectibles high, but their regular firearms increased in cost because collectible sales made the other products even more scarce and prices rose to ridiculous levels.
Used gun prices are also affected. About 15 years ago, I bought a Winchester 52C target rifle in great shape for $550. Today, the same rifle is often priced around $2,000. About 8 years ago, I bought a used Winchester 69A, in beautiful condition, for $250. Today the same dealer is selling the same model, in not as good shape, for $750. Why? Collectors are snapping them up and paying ridiculous prices, so we can't find one at a decent price.
I could go on, but hopefully, you get the point that collectors are harming the shooting fraternity.
Used gun prices are also affected. About 15 years ago, I bought a Winchester 52C target rifle in great shape for $550. Today, the same rifle is often priced around $2,000. About 8 years ago, I bought a used Winchester 69A, in beautiful condition, for $250. Today the same dealer is selling the same model, in not as good shape, for $750. Why? Collectors are snapping them up and paying ridiculous prices, so we can't find one at a decent price.
I could go on, but hopefully, you get the point that collectors are harming the shooting fraternity.
Sometimes it sucks, sometimes it doesn't. You have a firearm you picked up for $550 and it is now worth $2000, you should be thanking collectors. On the flipside for example, you have people buying as many M1 Garands as they can get their hands on obviously driving the pricing up, I would like to curse them but it is a free market and I wouldn't want it any other way.
I promise you this though, it doesn't affect the cost of my shooting. I have choices and my choice is to by something else that isn't collectible. I don't see how collectors should affect your shooting at all.
I promise you this though, it doesn't affect the cost of my shooting. I have choices and my choice is to by something else that isn't collectible. I don't see how collectors should affect your shooting at all.
A Winchester 9422M is only moderately collectible, at least at the moment. And without a box and papers, nobody is going to believe a claim of "unfired", true or not. I'd suggest firing it, taking care of it and enjoying it.
(For the record, without box and papers, I'd never put the words "unfired" in an ad to sell.)
(For the record, without box and papers, I'd never put the words "unfired" in an ad to sell.)
Picher the market determines the value of any product. Colt making products in limited quantities, and selling them at a higher price to those willing to pay those prices does not harm anyone who isn't willing to pay that price. Making less of what you want as a result is a business decision.
What happened as a result of prices rising to "ridiculous" level? Other manufacturers began making 1911s, ARs, and other firearms at more reasonable price levels. That is ultimately good for the shooing fraternity.
You don't like the price of some new and used guns, not because you aren't willing to spend good money on them, but because too many others are willing to pay more than you find acceptable. You are a clearly a collector. That you use the firearms in your collection is only a detail in my opinion.
And for the record I don't have any firearms in my limited collection that I don't shoot.
What happened as a result of prices rising to "ridiculous" level? Other manufacturers began making 1911s, ARs, and other firearms at more reasonable price levels. That is ultimately good for the shooing fraternity.
You don't like the price of some new and used guns, not because you aren't willing to spend good money on them, but because too many others are willing to pay more than you find acceptable. You are a clearly a collector. That you use the firearms in your collection is only a detail in my opinion.
And for the record I don't have any firearms in my limited collection that I don't shoot.